As you can tell, I do not blog with the voracity of the old days. My posts in 2016 have been few and far between.
What has changed? I don't exactly know. I'm no more or less busy than I used to be, other than the fact I devote myself way more to the baseball season than I used to. I think the words don't come as easily as they used to, and that I don't always have my laptop with me. (Surfing the internet from an iPad is great; writing not so much.)
Anyhow, before I take off to the DR for the second time this year (they have good beaches, drinks, and food!) I wanted to summarize this year for myself.
2016 has been a shitty year for politics and pop culture, no doubt. I think the consensus in social media has been that 2016 has been a dumpster fire. We've lost many amazing artists and people, and the politics of hatred and ignorance has reared its scary and ugly head.
But when I reflect back on my year, I realize that hey, I'm actually feeling OK and a heck of a lot better than I did a year ago. And that's a huge blessing, because I think that if I was feeling the way that I did in 2015 after this dumpster fire of a year, I'd be in a dark place indeed.
I started 2016 in a flurry of tears having lost some essence of myself somewhere along the way somehow. It's not that there had been a change in my life or something bad had happened, I was just feeling lost.
After some self-care and reshuffling of priorities and hard work and forgiveness of self, I managed to find my way again this year. Of course I stumbled and fell along the way, but as I compare where I am to where I was a year ago at this time, I feel sooooooo much better.
I credit Beyonce. Lemonade was the best album of the year and I loved seeing her Formation tour.
I credit the baseball season and my baseball support group of friends. I'm happy that my Blue Jays made it to the ALCS for the second year in a row. Playoff baseball is fun. But playoffs or not, I love that team, and I truly appreciate the game for what it is, and how each one of the 162 signifies a new start, a new narrative, and another go at it. There is always another day in baseball.
I credit friends. I have great friends. I got to visit friends, had friends visit from afar, and have my usual crew who live around here. I credit the new friends, and the friends who have been around forever.
I credit lifting weights twice a week. I'm not running like I used to (I want to get into race shape again). I don't feel faster this year, but I feel way stronger this year.
I credit small adventures. I didn't do anything too crazy in 2016, but I have good memories of cross-stitching at breweries, baseball talks, midwest roadtrips, away games in Kansas City, little concert roadtrips, scoring a Hip ticket, curling for the first time, boxing for the first time, standing outside for two hours to see Mariah Carey sing two songs, and my first resort vacation in ten years.
I'm glad I found my strength again in 2016. I goddamned well needed it.
Happy new year to you all! Maybe 2017 be better than 2016, and if it's not, let us all have the strength to fight back.
Thursday, December 29, 2016
Holidays (so far)
The September - December part of the school year is the longest slog of the year since there are no real breaks, other than Thanksgiving in October. This year we had three PD days which provided some respite, but I still had to go into work. (Although one of those involved boxing, so that was pretty awesome.)
Anyway, by Christmas Eve Eve, it was the last day of school before the holidays and I felt like a shell of a human being. I was exhausted.
However, a week later and I'm feeling waaaaaay better. I took the train to my parents' house on Christmas Eve, and just returned to the city today.
While in Stratford, I slept, read, spent time with my parents (and Ms. Rilo who is staying there), and saw friends too. It was a good break.
I came back today so that I could meet up with my friend Gloria (from my university days) who lives in Singapore now and is around for the holidays. We met up with another mutual friend and had drinks at a literary-themed bar and I was so happy.
I'm home now, and going to sleep early. Tomorrow I need to get my nails done, my hair done, and pack because on Saturday I'm leaving for (another) tropical vacation to the Dominican Republic. A week of lying on a beach, reading books, and drinking pina coladas is exactly what I need to fill up my shell with humanity again.
Anyway, by Christmas Eve Eve, it was the last day of school before the holidays and I felt like a shell of a human being. I was exhausted.
However, a week later and I'm feeling waaaaaay better. I took the train to my parents' house on Christmas Eve, and just returned to the city today.
While in Stratford, I slept, read, spent time with my parents (and Ms. Rilo who is staying there), and saw friends too. It was a good break.
I came back today so that I could meet up with my friend Gloria (from my university days) who lives in Singapore now and is around for the holidays. We met up with another mutual friend and had drinks at a literary-themed bar and I was so happy.
I'm home now, and going to sleep early. Tomorrow I need to get my nails done, my hair done, and pack because on Saturday I'm leaving for (another) tropical vacation to the Dominican Republic. A week of lying on a beach, reading books, and drinking pina coladas is exactly what I need to fill up my shell with humanity again.
Wednesday, November 09, 2016
:(
Twenty-four hours ago I was optimistic and happy. I was anticipating that history would be made: that for the first time ever a woman would be elected a President of that great big nation just south of Canada. Even though I'm not American, I think that following US politics is as Canadian and maple syrup, toques, and talking about the weather.
I didn't realize the impact that the candidate of a major party being a woman would have on me. It's one thing to acknowledge that yes, in theory, woman can do anything, but it's another to see it happening. And not just happening, but to see a competent, kind, knowledgable, determined, intelligent, strong, unfuckwithable, and qualified woman being the one to do it. I did my research. I would have voted FOR Hillary and not just against Trump.
I was ready to cry tears of joy when it happened.
But then it didn't. I felt bad at 9:14 pm and turned off my TV. I tried to do something else. Netflix, books, marking, cleaning.... none of of those things appealed to me. I was in purgatory. I wanted to stay away from the election, but I kept peeking on social media.
Finally I realized I needed to sleep. I woke up at 4:30 am, lay awake in bed, wondering should I check. I think I had a confusing dream where Hillary did pull ahead and hoped that was reality. It wasn't.
I had to call my mom and cry this morning. Not the happy tears that I wanted. But the tears that you cry when your foundations are shaken.
I believe in the good of humanity. I believe that most people are just trying to do the best job they can of being alive, and that would should try to understand everyone based upon our shared humanity. I believe that working hard and being kind will lead to great things. I believe in helping others, in community, and in the equality of all. I believe in using my privilege to help the oppressed in our society.
It's not just that the candidate I believed in lost; it's that she lost to the worst, most unqualified, racist, mysogynist, ignorant, self-serving, ill-equipped candidate in history. This is a person that shares in none of my beliefs. The fact that millions of people voted for this man sickens me and saddens me to my core. There is something broken with humanity and it hurts me.
I'm at work. My period 2 class is in a presentation and I should be marking but I can't concentrate. I'm thankful to live in Canada where currently we have done the opposite: we last elected a leader that is compassionate, strives for equality, understands science, and listens to others. I'm thankful that as our neighbours are divided, we are more-or-less together. We're not perfect, we have problems and some shameful history to deal with (our treatment of indigenous people), but we're doing OK.
However, I would have said the same about our neighbours to the south a few years ago as they elected their first black president. It's scary how quickly things can change, and how anger and hate can resurface quickly. This is something for Canadians to be cautious about, lest we rest upon our laurels too easily.
I am most shattered for the fact that those who struggle most society will be hurt the most by this new leader. I think about the impact this will have on people of colour, women, the LGBTQ community, Muslims, Jews, immigrants, and anyone else who does not fit into this leader's narrow view of humanity.
I didn't realize the impact that the candidate of a major party being a woman would have on me. It's one thing to acknowledge that yes, in theory, woman can do anything, but it's another to see it happening. And not just happening, but to see a competent, kind, knowledgable, determined, intelligent, strong, unfuckwithable, and qualified woman being the one to do it. I did my research. I would have voted FOR Hillary and not just against Trump.
I was ready to cry tears of joy when it happened.
But then it didn't. I felt bad at 9:14 pm and turned off my TV. I tried to do something else. Netflix, books, marking, cleaning.... none of of those things appealed to me. I was in purgatory. I wanted to stay away from the election, but I kept peeking on social media.
Finally I realized I needed to sleep. I woke up at 4:30 am, lay awake in bed, wondering should I check. I think I had a confusing dream where Hillary did pull ahead and hoped that was reality. It wasn't.
I had to call my mom and cry this morning. Not the happy tears that I wanted. But the tears that you cry when your foundations are shaken.
I believe in the good of humanity. I believe that most people are just trying to do the best job they can of being alive, and that would should try to understand everyone based upon our shared humanity. I believe that working hard and being kind will lead to great things. I believe in helping others, in community, and in the equality of all. I believe in using my privilege to help the oppressed in our society.
It's not just that the candidate I believed in lost; it's that she lost to the worst, most unqualified, racist, mysogynist, ignorant, self-serving, ill-equipped candidate in history. This is a person that shares in none of my beliefs. The fact that millions of people voted for this man sickens me and saddens me to my core. There is something broken with humanity and it hurts me.
I'm at work. My period 2 class is in a presentation and I should be marking but I can't concentrate. I'm thankful to live in Canada where currently we have done the opposite: we last elected a leader that is compassionate, strives for equality, understands science, and listens to others. I'm thankful that as our neighbours are divided, we are more-or-less together. We're not perfect, we have problems and some shameful history to deal with (our treatment of indigenous people), but we're doing OK.
However, I would have said the same about our neighbours to the south a few years ago as they elected their first black president. It's scary how quickly things can change, and how anger and hate can resurface quickly. This is something for Canadians to be cautious about, lest we rest upon our laurels too easily.
I am most shattered for the fact that those who struggle most society will be hurt the most by this new leader. I think about the impact this will have on people of colour, women, the LGBTQ community, Muslims, Jews, immigrants, and anyone else who does not fit into this leader's narrow view of humanity.
Thursday, October 27, 2016
Sunday, August 21, 2016
It's A Good Life If You Don't Weaken
If you're not Canadian, this post might be weird to you. I grew up listening to The Tragically Hip, who pretty much Canada's band, but didn't make it so much anywhere else. Which made us love them more. I was a teenager during the heady days of 90s Can-rock, so the Hip's songs run through my veins, even if in my early twenties I was too cool for them and shirked them away, much like a teenager would to her father. However in my mid-twenties, I was back to appreciating them but they were always going to be there, so no big deal, right?
Anyway, this spring it turned out the lead singer of the Hip, WHO IS A LEGEND, has terminal brain cancer. Gord Downie is Canada's unofficial poet laureate. The band was going to do one last tour. I managed to score EXACTLY ONE ticket to a Toronto show. I went. It was amazing.
After petitions, our beloved national broadcaster, the CBC, said it was going to air the very last (albeit a miracle) Tragically Hip show from their hometown of Kingston Ontario.
That show was tonight and WHAT THE FUCK I'm more emotional than I was after the show I saw in person. I do not understand feelings.
I wrote a long rambling thing I was going to post for my high school friends' (Group of 9) Facebook Group but I decided it was embarrassing so I'm posting it here because in a a away, I want to remember these feelings. Forgive me.
****
Anyway, this spring it turned out the lead singer of the Hip, WHO IS A LEGEND, has terminal brain cancer. Gord Downie is Canada's unofficial poet laureate. The band was going to do one last tour. I managed to score EXACTLY ONE ticket to a Toronto show. I went. It was amazing.
After petitions, our beloved national broadcaster, the CBC, said it was going to air the very last (albeit a miracle) Tragically Hip show from their hometown of Kingston Ontario.
That show was tonight and WHAT THE FUCK I'm more emotional than I was after the show I saw in person. I do not understand feelings.
I wrote a long rambling thing I was going to post for my high school friends' (Group of 9) Facebook Group but I decided it was embarrassing so I'm posting it here because in a a away, I want to remember these feelings. Forgive me.
****
Guys, I'm an emotional wreck after that Hip show. Who else watched it? (I know Joanna did.)
I think we ALL went to that Hip festival together in 1997. Am I right? I know MEL and I were in a car with Jonas and Mark W. She was being annoying by throwing pretzels around.
I remember so many shed parties and dancing (okay moshing) to New Orleans is Sinking. I remember when the Trouble At the Henhouse album came out and we'd drive around listening to Gift Shop and Ahead By A Century. I remember wide open blue country skies with white fluffy clouds and feeling that we were invincible and life would never change.
But then it did. I remember moving to the city and listening to Phantom Power and In Violet Light and saying about the Hip "it's not the band I hate, it's their fans." (Snobby Sloan lyric.) I listened to those songs so much as I did my best not to fail out of U of T.
I remember studying, studying, studying but then taking a break to see Gord play a solo set at Yonge-Dundas Square during the Coke Machine Glow era.
I remember seeing the Hip with new friends but still feeling connected to the past. I went to the most amazing Hip show for Canada Day 2012 with my friend Elisa (who is Vern's friend too now!). I remember Gord playing with the Sadies at the Field Trip music festival a couple of years ago and when he came out, so did the sun and my friend Matt from Winnipeg and I said that if Gord can't change the weather, no one can.
I would have never guessed that I'd be obsessively listening to the Hip again in 2016, more than 20 years since I discovered them. I took them for granted. I take a lot of things for granted. I suck at living in the moment. I don't think I have much courage. I need to work harder at boosting people up, especially myself.
Art of all types has always been my solace. Where would I be without words, stories, and music? And I think that's why I've been so sad about the finality of this tour. I always thought I'd have access to these words and music that make me feel better, but I don't. I always thought there'd be another Hip show.
I just now want to to approach everything with courage and grace, too. And to remember that there is no dress rehearsal, this is real life and let's get friendship right, get life day-to-day.
Monday, August 01, 2016
I'm Still Here
Wow. I think July 2016 is the first month since I started this blog back in 2005 that I've gone without posting.
It's not that I've been busy. My mind has been scattered and unfocused, I suppose. Tasks that require full attention (like reading and blogging) have gone by the wayside for wasting time on Twitter, watching baseball as escapism, and paying too much attention to American politics (I was glued to the DNC).
The upside of summer is that I'm not longer feeling tired, stressed, or overwhelmed and that's a sweet way to feel.
What have I been doing with my time if not blogging, reading or traveling? I guess I've just been being. I've caught up with friends somewhat. I've gone to a shitload of baseball games (seven in July). I visited my parents. I saw some movies. I watched Stranger Things on Netflix (loved it). I've gone to a few concerts.
The most notable concert that I went to was Hawksley Workman in his hometown of Huntsville, Ontario. I've always wanted to see him play there, and it's close to my pal Becca T's cottage. I was hoping she'd be there for the show and we could go together, but her calendar didn't align with the show.
As I was sitting on the train going to visit my parents, I was thinking about how much a Hawksley Workman show would soothe my soul. I decided that I was going to go, so right there on the train I used my iPad to book a rental car, a hotel room, and a ticket.
It was a great idea. I think my only regret is that I didn't spend more time out in cottage country. I decided that it'd be a 24-hour trip which consisted of me driving there (about 3 hrs), settling in, having a Dairy Queen Blizzard for dinner, a nap, and then walking from my kind of crappy hotel (which reminded me of travels with my parents in the 80s/90s but with wifi) to the theatre.
It was a beautiful theatre that was installed inside the old city hall. Hawksley was amazing. It was just him and his longtime piano player, Mr. Lonely. It felt like he had seen my "Favourite Hawksley" playlist and was exclusively playing songs from that. It was definitely what I needed and planning that little concert getaway has been my best decision all summer.
It was a beautiful theatre that was installed inside the old city hall. Hawksley was amazing. It was just him and his longtime piano player, Mr. Lonely. It felt like he had seen my "Favourite Hawksley" playlist and was exclusively playing songs from that. It was definitely what I needed and planning that little concert getaway has been my best decision all summer.
On the baseball front, the Jays have been treating me to some amazing baseball. I've been to 15 games so far this season and I kept track: the Jays are 10-5 when I'm there. I've seen some crazy stuff, including a 19-inning game on Canada Day (they lost) and some exciting wins. I have a good network of baseball friends to stand in giveaway lines with, and endlessly message during live and televised games. Our baseball in-jokes are growing by the day.
There's been a lot of bad news in the world this year, and I'm glad to have baseball as my blanket fort of escape.
Oh, and the best part of it is that the Jays are in playoff contention this season. They were in first place of the AL East yesterday but slipped to 0.5 games back with today's loss (in extra innings). I'm looking forward to an exciting August and September. That AL East will be a tight race.
On Friday I'm leaving for a little trip to Kansas City for a baseball game, a blog friend meet-up, and some midwest road-tripping. I'm also hoping to get to Cleveland for another baseball roadtrip.
Oh, and the best part of it is that the Jays are in playoff contention this season. They were in first place of the AL East yesterday but slipped to 0.5 games back with today's loss (in extra innings). I'm looking forward to an exciting August and September. That AL East will be a tight race.
On Friday I'm leaving for a little trip to Kansas City for a baseball game, a blog friend meet-up, and some midwest road-tripping. I'm also hoping to get to Cleveland for another baseball roadtrip.
And who knows? I'm trying to be more spontaneous this summer so maybe something else will pop up.
Well, now I've got at least one August post in, ha-ha. Hope to make it more!
Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Final Exam!
I'm just sitting here while my last period class writes their final exam for the year. I've got the rest of them marked and all of my term marking done. I seriously am just waiting for them to be finished so I can complete my last set of marking for the 2015-2016 school year. It will be so nice not to have the ever-present anvil of marking backlog hanging over my head.
The last five days of school will be for me to get report cards finished, clean up my very messy lab, and organize my binders. And the usual year-end social gatherings, goodbyes, and of course, graduation.
So far I have a very unplanned summer. I really want to mainly stick around the city for July to focus on self-care. I want to exercise, eat healthy, and declutter my apartment. Oh, and I also have a very packed baseball schedule in July.
At the beginning of August, I'll be flying to Kansas City for a baseball/blog friend meet-up. That will be super fun! Also, I think there is a baseball roadtrip to Cleveland in the works in August too. I kind of want to do something spontaneous in August (i.e. fly somewhere random) but hopefully I will have enough money still kicking around then.
Really, all I want to do right now is sleep for a solid week. LOL
The last five days of school will be for me to get report cards finished, clean up my very messy lab, and organize my binders. And the usual year-end social gatherings, goodbyes, and of course, graduation.
So far I have a very unplanned summer. I really want to mainly stick around the city for July to focus on self-care. I want to exercise, eat healthy, and declutter my apartment. Oh, and I also have a very packed baseball schedule in July.
At the beginning of August, I'll be flying to Kansas City for a baseball/blog friend meet-up. That will be super fun! Also, I think there is a baseball roadtrip to Cleveland in the works in August too. I kind of want to do something spontaneous in August (i.e. fly somewhere random) but hopefully I will have enough money still kicking around then.
Really, all I want to do right now is sleep for a solid week. LOL
Friday, June 17, 2016
Update!
Right now I'm keeping Hallway #8 under control during Day 1 of final exams. Yes, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I've got a few labs left to mark, but it's kind of the last thing that I want to do on a Friday afternoon.
Last weekend was fun overall but I did one thing that I have NEVER done in my life: I bailed on a concert. Eons ago, I bought a ticket to see Florence and the Machine (who I love) with Of Monsters & Men (who I like). When I bought the ticket, I think I completely forgot how absolutely draining June is. When the show rolled around last Friday, I had to go home after work to drop off my laptop and work stuff at home. The idea of taking transit for an hour to a crowded venue with lots of people, sound, and light was so unappealing to me. I just wanted to sit on my couch and watch baseball. Mathew was going with a bunch of other friends, so I didn't have to worry about bailing on a friend. I ended up staying home, and going to bed early. I regret nothing. I'll see Florence next time.
On Sunday + Monday, I had two super fun days of baseball. Sunday was Country Day, so my friends and I arrived early to get our free cheesy plaid baseball caps, and run around the Flight Deck taking pictures with cardboard cowboy cutouts of various players. The game itself was very close. The Jays ended up outslugging the Orioles to win.
Monday was my batting practice visit. It was amazing being on field watching the Jays warm up, although I kind of felt weird gawking and taking photos. All the others in attendance had brought stuff to get signed (I brought a Sharpie just in case), but I was skeptical that I'd get an autograph. At the end of practice, only one player came over to sign and guess who that was? Russell Martin (aka my sports boyfriend). I got him to sign my hat!
In other exciting news, I managed to score ONE ticket to one of the Tragically Hip shows here in August. I had tried several times to get 2-3 tickets for myself and friends, but no luck. On Tuesday, they released more tickets, and I tried for multiple tickets to no avail. Finally, I decided to just see if I could get one, and I did! I guess it'll be a lonely show, but I'm glad I'll get to go.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, I pulled some late-night marking marathons. I'm so glad that I'll get to have a chill weekend now. I don't have any big plans and I'm glad. Quality time with sleep + cat is what I need.
Last weekend was fun overall but I did one thing that I have NEVER done in my life: I bailed on a concert. Eons ago, I bought a ticket to see Florence and the Machine (who I love) with Of Monsters & Men (who I like). When I bought the ticket, I think I completely forgot how absolutely draining June is. When the show rolled around last Friday, I had to go home after work to drop off my laptop and work stuff at home. The idea of taking transit for an hour to a crowded venue with lots of people, sound, and light was so unappealing to me. I just wanted to sit on my couch and watch baseball. Mathew was going with a bunch of other friends, so I didn't have to worry about bailing on a friend. I ended up staying home, and going to bed early. I regret nothing. I'll see Florence next time.
On Sunday + Monday, I had two super fun days of baseball. Sunday was Country Day, so my friends and I arrived early to get our free cheesy plaid baseball caps, and run around the Flight Deck taking pictures with cardboard cowboy cutouts of various players. The game itself was very close. The Jays ended up outslugging the Orioles to win.
Monday was my batting practice visit. It was amazing being on field watching the Jays warm up, although I kind of felt weird gawking and taking photos. All the others in attendance had brought stuff to get signed (I brought a Sharpie just in case), but I was skeptical that I'd get an autograph. At the end of practice, only one player came over to sign and guess who that was? Russell Martin (aka my sports boyfriend). I got him to sign my hat!
In other exciting news, I managed to score ONE ticket to one of the Tragically Hip shows here in August. I had tried several times to get 2-3 tickets for myself and friends, but no luck. On Tuesday, they released more tickets, and I tried for multiple tickets to no avail. Finally, I decided to just see if I could get one, and I did! I guess it'll be a lonely show, but I'm glad I'll get to go.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, I pulled some late-night marking marathons. I'm so glad that I'll get to have a chill weekend now. I don't have any big plans and I'm glad. Quality time with sleep + cat is what I need.
Thursday, June 09, 2016
Welcome to a neglected blog.
Still not finding too much time to get my blogging mojo going (checking other or writing mine). June is such a busy time. Writing exams, marking marathons to get it all done, prepping final lessons, and getting exam reviews together.
Socially, things get busy too with many year end events.
And, the next four days are jam-packed!
Friday --> Florence and the Machine concert
Saturday --> Road trip to Hamilton to visit friend
Sunday --> Jays game
Monday --> Work, and then I won an auction using my baseball nerd points to go on field for Jays batting practice! (Then watch the game.) Can't wait for this one!
And, the next four days are jam-packed!
Friday --> Florence and the Machine concert
Saturday --> Road trip to Hamilton to visit friend
Sunday --> Jays game
Monday --> Work, and then I won an auction using my baseball nerd points to go on field for Jays batting practice! (Then watch the game.) Can't wait for this one!
Thursday, May 26, 2016
C'mon ladies let's get in formation.
Holy shit Beyonce.
I was blessed enough to get tickets to the Formation World Tour that hit the Rogers Centre last night. This is because I'm blessed enough to have my friend AlieMalie who figured out the pre-sale code and bought two tickets to the Toronto show and two tickets to a Chicago show for herself.
Then I was blessed enough to bring my friend Justin, who loves loves loves Beyonce and it was super great to make a person's dream come true by saying "Hey do you wanna be my +1 for BEYONCE?"
If you are a long-time friend of this blog, you'll know that I've always identified myself as an indie rock chick. My diehard musical snobbery of my teens/twenties has dwindled. I'm kind of happy that now I'll listen to pretty much everything. I love Katy Perry, P!nk, Kesha, and Drake (especially Drake). Heck, like the rest of the world I enjoy the new Bieber songs. (Everyone does, right?) So yes, I'm a bit of a pop fan now and I'm thankful I've loosened up on the snobbery. This is more fun.
However, Beyonce transcends pop music. I knew her singles with Destiny's Child and from her solo albums, but it wasn't until 2013's eponymous Beyonce album that I really got into. Long story short, I was bummed about something, my dear friend AlieMalie said "you should listen to the song Flawless, it's a feminist masterpiece" and boom, life changed. Then, the Queen goes out and makes the Lemonade album/video which is an artistic masterpiece. Best rock song of the year? On Lemonade. Best country song of the year? On Lemonade. Best gospel vocals of the year? On Lemonade. I know that I'd adore this album at my height of music snobbery because I could always appreciate great art.
When it comes to shows, for much of my life, I would mainly only see bands that would have to set up their equipment themselves with the odd musical festival thrown in. Most of the bands I follow have graduated from shitty basement bars and back rooms to comfy theatres like the Danforth Music Hall or Massey Hall. In the case of Metric, they can even support stadium tours. However, it's always great when I can catch a show at Lee's Palace or the Horseshoe Tavern.
I went to my real first pop concert last year. It was a 90s throwback of Nelly/TLC/NKOTB and was hella fun. Then I saw Mariah frickin Carey in Las Vegas which was a total spectacle. But last night's show? Oh my goodness. That was something.
The show mixed visuals with amazing dance numbers, vocals, and spectacle. I don't want to spoil anything, but for the last set of songs, part of the stage TURNED INTO A POOL, and Bey and her dancers danced in the water and it was transcendent.
The Queen is also genuine and charming and her message of powerful feminism, empowerment, and owning your life and sexuality as a women is so fucking necessary. Not to mention her celebration of woman of colour. I loved that her drummer, guitar player, and dancers were all black women and like Lemonade, the show was a celebration of black women who have so fewer opportunities. I love Lemonade but I know it wasn't made for me.
Everything Beyonce is amazing. Bow down. When is the next world tour?
I was blessed enough to get tickets to the Formation World Tour that hit the Rogers Centre last night. This is because I'm blessed enough to have my friend AlieMalie who figured out the pre-sale code and bought two tickets to the Toronto show and two tickets to a Chicago show for herself.
Then I was blessed enough to bring my friend Justin, who loves loves loves Beyonce and it was super great to make a person's dream come true by saying "Hey do you wanna be my +1 for BEYONCE?"
If you are a long-time friend of this blog, you'll know that I've always identified myself as an indie rock chick. My diehard musical snobbery of my teens/twenties has dwindled. I'm kind of happy that now I'll listen to pretty much everything. I love Katy Perry, P!nk, Kesha, and Drake (especially Drake). Heck, like the rest of the world I enjoy the new Bieber songs. (Everyone does, right?) So yes, I'm a bit of a pop fan now and I'm thankful I've loosened up on the snobbery. This is more fun.
However, Beyonce transcends pop music. I knew her singles with Destiny's Child and from her solo albums, but it wasn't until 2013's eponymous Beyonce album that I really got into. Long story short, I was bummed about something, my dear friend AlieMalie said "you should listen to the song Flawless, it's a feminist masterpiece" and boom, life changed. Then, the Queen goes out and makes the Lemonade album/video which is an artistic masterpiece. Best rock song of the year? On Lemonade. Best country song of the year? On Lemonade. Best gospel vocals of the year? On Lemonade. I know that I'd adore this album at my height of music snobbery because I could always appreciate great art.
When it comes to shows, for much of my life, I would mainly only see bands that would have to set up their equipment themselves with the odd musical festival thrown in. Most of the bands I follow have graduated from shitty basement bars and back rooms to comfy theatres like the Danforth Music Hall or Massey Hall. In the case of Metric, they can even support stadium tours. However, it's always great when I can catch a show at Lee's Palace or the Horseshoe Tavern.
The show mixed visuals with amazing dance numbers, vocals, and spectacle. I don't want to spoil anything, but for the last set of songs, part of the stage TURNED INTO A POOL, and Bey and her dancers danced in the water and it was transcendent.
The Queen is also genuine and charming and her message of powerful feminism, empowerment, and owning your life and sexuality as a women is so fucking necessary. Not to mention her celebration of woman of colour. I loved that her drummer, guitar player, and dancers were all black women and like Lemonade, the show was a celebration of black women who have so fewer opportunities. I love Lemonade but I know it wasn't made for me.
Everything Beyonce is amazing. Bow down. When is the next world tour?
Monday, May 16, 2016
Do not punch Jose Bautista in the face, you loser.
I was super excited to follow tonight's Raptors game. I was pretty confident that they would win game seven (and they did, decisively) and advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the first time in franchise history.
But I got distracted by the brawls in Arlington Texas and didn't pay much attention to the excellent basketball news.
Those Texas Rangers can't get over a well-deserved flip of a bat.
Look, he hit the HOME RUN of his career. The home run of the past 22 years of franchise baseball. It was Jose Bautista's first time in the playoffs, and he flipped the bat when he won the series. Big deal. You would have too.
Response: wait until his last at-bat of the two re-match series of the 2016 regular series. Bean him in the ribs with a 98 mph fastball. Then, when he illegally slides into second base, punch him in the face when he's not expecting it, because people in baseball don't punch. But that's okay; it's deserved because he flipped a bat.
***
On top of all of the sports emotions, I had a really great conversation with a good friend who I hadn't spoken to in six months. The six month hiatus wasn't necessarily purposeful, but it was as a result of changes in life, and more changes. It's a really weird situation that I can't get into here, but fuck. When the news that you know was coming, and had already accepted, arrives it still throws you for a loop.
On the same day Jose Bautista was punched in the face. How poetic.
So I grabbed one of those craft beers I was saving in the fridge and threw on a record and I think it's OK now.
But, geez, emotions in baseball, emotions in life, it's a lot sometimes.
But I got distracted by the brawls in Arlington Texas and didn't pay much attention to the excellent basketball news.
Those Texas Rangers can't get over a well-deserved flip of a bat.
Look, he hit the HOME RUN of his career. The home run of the past 22 years of franchise baseball. It was Jose Bautista's first time in the playoffs, and he flipped the bat when he won the series. Big deal. You would have too.
Response: wait until his last at-bat of the two re-match series of the 2016 regular series. Bean him in the ribs with a 98 mph fastball. Then, when he illegally slides into second base, punch him in the face when he's not expecting it, because people in baseball don't punch. But that's okay; it's deserved because he flipped a bat.
***
On top of all of the sports emotions, I had a really great conversation with a good friend who I hadn't spoken to in six months. The six month hiatus wasn't necessarily purposeful, but it was as a result of changes in life, and more changes. It's a really weird situation that I can't get into here, but fuck. When the news that you know was coming, and had already accepted, arrives it still throws you for a loop.
On the same day Jose Bautista was punched in the face. How poetic.
So I grabbed one of those craft beers I was saving in the fridge and threw on a record and I think it's OK now.
But, geez, emotions in baseball, emotions in life, it's a lot sometimes.
Sunday, May 08, 2016
Blogging.
I'm going to get back into it, I swear.
Just lately have been so busy with work, social life, baseball etc that I don't have a lot of time. And when I do, I just can't get into a writing zone. Hopefully it will come back to me. I miss it.
Just lately have been so busy with work, social life, baseball etc that I don't have a lot of time. And when I do, I just can't get into a writing zone. Hopefully it will come back to me. I miss it.
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Currently.
Jays are disappointing. Ugh.
I love love love Beyoncé's Lemonade and can't wait until the Formation tour comes to town.
Sadly, I've had a lot of friends lose loved ones in the past couple weeks. :(
That's about it these days.
I love love love Beyoncé's Lemonade and can't wait until the Formation tour comes to town.
Sadly, I've had a lot of friends lose loved ones in the past couple weeks. :(
That's about it these days.
Monday, April 18, 2016
If you need me, I'll be under a pile of lab reports.
It's report card season! Aka one of my four least favourite times of the year.
When the report card deadline nears, my procrastination skills skyrocket. I had three good chunks of downtime this weekend that I could have used to tackle the 13 sets of lab reports that I've let pile up during the first half of this semester, but instead I used them for sleeping, watching baseball, going to the gym, going for a walk, getting myself a better internet plan, getting into meaningless arguments about sports I don't follow, and reading an entire detective novel in one sitting.
This evening, the time for procrastination was over, so I spent over an hour shooting the shit with friends at work. I got a ride home most of the way home with one of them, and then walked a few blocks home in the beautiful weather.
I passed by my local pub and noticed the Raptors game was on. I really wanted to watch because I have a vested interest in the game. Remember how I mentioned meaningless arguments about sports I don't follow? One of my baseball friends called the Raptors garbage in our Jays WhatsApp chat, and I got mad about it and the resolution was that if they make it into round 2 of the playoffs, he pies himself in the face on video, and if they don't, I pie myself in the face on video.
I decided to grab a beer and a burger, and claim a table for marking. I got three sets done! And the Raptors won. Now I'm only three Raptors wins away from not getting pied, and 9 sets of marking away from getting caught up. Woo-hoo!
When the report card deadline nears, my procrastination skills skyrocket. I had three good chunks of downtime this weekend that I could have used to tackle the 13 sets of lab reports that I've let pile up during the first half of this semester, but instead I used them for sleeping, watching baseball, going to the gym, going for a walk, getting myself a better internet plan, getting into meaningless arguments about sports I don't follow, and reading an entire detective novel in one sitting.
This evening, the time for procrastination was over, so I spent over an hour shooting the shit with friends at work. I got a ride home most of the way home with one of them, and then walked a few blocks home in the beautiful weather.
I passed by my local pub and noticed the Raptors game was on. I really wanted to watch because I have a vested interest in the game. Remember how I mentioned meaningless arguments about sports I don't follow? One of my baseball friends called the Raptors garbage in our Jays WhatsApp chat, and I got mad about it and the resolution was that if they make it into round 2 of the playoffs, he pies himself in the face on video, and if they don't, I pie myself in the face on video.
I decided to grab a beer and a burger, and claim a table for marking. I got three sets done! And the Raptors won. Now I'm only three Raptors wins away from not getting pied, and 9 sets of marking away from getting caught up. Woo-hoo!
Monday, April 11, 2016
I was saying Boo-tista.
It was Opening Weekend here in Toronto, so you know that my weekend revolved around baseball.
Friday was the Home Opener; my third in a row, and the fifth in a row that the Jays lost. As far as HOs go, it was pretty fun despite the loss. The game started with a ceremony where Josh Donaldson received his American League MVP award, and then he went on to hit a grand slam. After the slam, the game was great for awhile. I felt relaxed and confident. The Jays were 5 runs ahead. Just the kind of game I like. Well then the awful Red Sox got their own grand slam (hit by a less valuable player) and then they actually went ahead to win the game. Oh well, I had moments of fun at least and I got a blue rally towel and a 2016 schedule magnet, so B+ HO overall.
I watched the game from home on Saturday and quite enjoyed the beginning of it when Joey Bats hit two home runs in a row. But then stupid Boston blah blah blah and I got disgusted and turned it off.
I had tickets again for Sunday's game. The giveaway was a souvenir 2015 AL East Champions pennant that I wanted. I got to the game early with some of my friends and had a really great day at the ball park. The Jays finally won. Marco Estrada pitched a gem of a game and Donaldson brought the rain again.
One of the main reasons why baseball is so fun is that I really love my baseball crew. My good pal Mathew, my friend Vic and I are on our third season of flex passes. This year my friend Vern bought in too and sits with us. Mathew always gets a spare pass, so there's a rotating bunch of people who are the fifth of the group. My friend Elisa and a friend of hers also got flex passes, and it looks like they chose many of the same games as we did. So far, they've always been sitting on section over and one row up so we can wave to each other.
I also love our random baseball in-jokes. Last season, Mathew was griping at Jose Bautista saying "what has that guy done for us lately?" to which I replied "He hit two home runs yesterday!!!" And Mathew replied "Well what has he done today?" Now whenever Bautista does something amazing (like the bat flip in game 5 of the ALDS), I heckle Mathew with a "what has he done lately?"
Another favourite in-joke is that somehow along the way, inspired by our love of baseball and the Simpsons, we sometimes say "I was saying Boo-tista" when the crowd is booing. Now Bootista is our nickname for Joey Bats and my phone recognizes the word Boostista before Bautista.
Anyway, the point of this is that I'm glad baseball games are back for the excitement, and for the laughs. But not for the losses, hey there Blue Jays, let's minimize those.
Friday was the Home Opener; my third in a row, and the fifth in a row that the Jays lost. As far as HOs go, it was pretty fun despite the loss. The game started with a ceremony where Josh Donaldson received his American League MVP award, and then he went on to hit a grand slam. After the slam, the game was great for awhile. I felt relaxed and confident. The Jays were 5 runs ahead. Just the kind of game I like. Well then the awful Red Sox got their own grand slam (hit by a less valuable player) and then they actually went ahead to win the game. Oh well, I had moments of fun at least and I got a blue rally towel and a 2016 schedule magnet, so B+ HO overall.
I watched the game from home on Saturday and quite enjoyed the beginning of it when Joey Bats hit two home runs in a row. But then stupid Boston blah blah blah and I got disgusted and turned it off.
I had tickets again for Sunday's game. The giveaway was a souvenir 2015 AL East Champions pennant that I wanted. I got to the game early with some of my friends and had a really great day at the ball park. The Jays finally won. Marco Estrada pitched a gem of a game and Donaldson brought the rain again.
One of the main reasons why baseball is so fun is that I really love my baseball crew. My good pal Mathew, my friend Vic and I are on our third season of flex passes. This year my friend Vern bought in too and sits with us. Mathew always gets a spare pass, so there's a rotating bunch of people who are the fifth of the group. My friend Elisa and a friend of hers also got flex passes, and it looks like they chose many of the same games as we did. So far, they've always been sitting on section over and one row up so we can wave to each other.
I also love our random baseball in-jokes. Last season, Mathew was griping at Jose Bautista saying "what has that guy done for us lately?" to which I replied "He hit two home runs yesterday!!!" And Mathew replied "Well what has he done today?" Now whenever Bautista does something amazing (like the bat flip in game 5 of the ALDS), I heckle Mathew with a "what has he done lately?"
Another favourite in-joke is that somehow along the way, inspired by our love of baseball and the Simpsons, we sometimes say "I was saying Boo-tista" when the crowd is booing. Now Bootista is our nickname for Joey Bats and my phone recognizes the word Boostista before Bautista.
Anyway, the point of this is that I'm glad baseball games are back for the excitement, and for the laughs. But not for the losses, hey there Blue Jays, let's minimize those.
Tuesday, April 05, 2016
It's baseball season!!!
Right now I'm watching the Jays' third game of the season. They won the first two, and currently the score is 2 - 1 in their favour. There are 162 games in a season, so there is a long way to go and tougher teams to face (we are playing Tampa Bay) but hey, I like this season so far!
Watching baseball on TV soothes me so much. (Even though it works me up sometimes.) There's nothing better than making it a day at work, and then a tough workout at the gym, and coming home to a Jays game.
I hope to become more productive during my baseball watching. I could be marking or doing some crafts but right now I'm just happy watching the game and messaging my baseball pals. At least I got in a small blog post, right? Now back to this at bat.
Watching baseball on TV soothes me so much. (Even though it works me up sometimes.) There's nothing better than making it a day at work, and then a tough workout at the gym, and coming home to a Jays game.
I hope to become more productive during my baseball watching. I could be marking or doing some crafts but right now I'm just happy watching the game and messaging my baseball pals. At least I got in a small blog post, right? Now back to this at bat.
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Vacation buzz fading... fading...
Day 2 of back to reality is in the books. Man, I didn't want to come home so hard. Who knew that I have natural skills in the area of luxury tropical vacationing???
Yesterday while sitting at my desk planning lessons and reaching into my lunch bag for lunch (i.e. random foodstuffs I had at home) all I could think was how much I missed having a lunch buffet, and man, would a lunchtime beer be grand.
Okay, I'll stop whining and summarize with the fact that my vacation was fun, relaxing, fun, fun, and more relaxing. I loved it. Man, I'm lucky to be able to do such things.
Oh, and on the Boris/Helga front, we saw them many more times over the course of the week. They were even on our flight home. Everything we saw them, Helga was wearing her perma-frown and Boris was on his phone. They clearly do not have my level of vacationing skills.
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Tales from the Tropics.
I woke up on Monday to pouring rain. For some odd reason I was wide awake at 7:30 am, so I made a pot of coffee and drank it on my balcony while watching the rain and listening to the sounds of assorted tropical creatures.
My vacation buddy Nadine messaged me from next door sounding quite dejected about the rain. However, I could see blue sky peeking out from behind the clouds. I took a picture and sent it to hee with the message "it's going to clear up".
I was right, and the day ended with me looking like a sunburned lobster. (My beach skills are awful.)
***
Yesterday we went for lunch at the snack bar near the privat beach. It was busy, but we scored a table. As we started to dig in, an older couple (whom we have now named Helga and Boris... I'm sure they had names of their own but we didn't care to ask) asked if they could join us as there were no free tables left.
Being that we are polite Canadians, we said yes. Turned out they were Canadians too. After the waiter asked Helga if she'd like a drink, she commented to us "why do they always assume that you want a drink here?? Don't they know that you can be healthy like us and just drink water?" Nadine and I exchanged glances. I guess Helga didn't get the memo that people were on vacation and might want to let loose a little.
We chatted with them, and as they told us about some resort they once stayed at which was better than this one, they begrudgingly accepted that this resort was okay, but then started harping on the fact that the wifi connection is a little slow and spotty.
Boris started going on about how he purchased a $10-a-day travel plan so that he could make his important business calls on vacation. Helga mentioned "I'm a teacher and not having reliable internet here is difficult for me. I sometimes get ideas for lessons and want to work on them right away."
I kept my mouth shut and Nadine looked at me. There was an unspoken agreement that we would not bring up that we are the kinds of teachers who go on vacation during March Break and do not think about our lesson plans.
Luckily at that point we were done eating and excused ourselves and headed to the beach. However from our encounter with Helga and Boris we have a fun running vacation joke where every so often one of us will exclaim "I have an idea for a lesson plan but I don't have access to the Internet, what do I do?" To which the other person will reply "how will I make my important business calls?"
***
I have a well-developed silly side. I don't even need to be drinking for it to come out. This evening I didn't drink at dinner, and then afterwards we went for a walk on the dark deserted beach. It ended up with me taunting the ocean, and the ocean getting my shorts wet in return. (Don't ask... I was kind of re-enacting an episode of the Osbournes... remember that reality TV gem??)
We decided to head up to the lobby bar to get a drink after Nadine assured me since my shorts were dark, no one would notice that they were wet from taunting the ocean. As we were walking inside, a woman stopped me and asked me if my name was Chrissy. She thought that she had gone to
elementary school with me. (For some reason I decided I wanted to be called Christy in grade 5, however most family members still call me Chrissy.)
Turned out we had, and she had seen me on the beach earlier in the day and was trying to place me. I would not have recognized her, but if there's one thing I've heard, it's that I look exactly the same as I did as a kid.
We had a nice conversation and reminisced about people from back in the day. And it turns out she is a teacher too. However, thinking about childhood and growing up sometimes leaves one unsettled. One thing I am glad of, is that I'm still good friends with one person from elementary school, my friend Mel. It's nice to have someone who's known you through it all.
Oh, but the funniest part was that I had that convo in wet shorts.
My vacation buddy Nadine messaged me from next door sounding quite dejected about the rain. However, I could see blue sky peeking out from behind the clouds. I took a picture and sent it to hee with the message "it's going to clear up".
I was right, and the day ended with me looking like a sunburned lobster. (My beach skills are awful.)
***
Yesterday we went for lunch at the snack bar near the privat beach. It was busy, but we scored a table. As we started to dig in, an older couple (whom we have now named Helga and Boris... I'm sure they had names of their own but we didn't care to ask) asked if they could join us as there were no free tables left.
Being that we are polite Canadians, we said yes. Turned out they were Canadians too. After the waiter asked Helga if she'd like a drink, she commented to us "why do they always assume that you want a drink here?? Don't they know that you can be healthy like us and just drink water?" Nadine and I exchanged glances. I guess Helga didn't get the memo that people were on vacation and might want to let loose a little.
We chatted with them, and as they told us about some resort they once stayed at which was better than this one, they begrudgingly accepted that this resort was okay, but then started harping on the fact that the wifi connection is a little slow and spotty.
Boris started going on about how he purchased a $10-a-day travel plan so that he could make his important business calls on vacation. Helga mentioned "I'm a teacher and not having reliable internet here is difficult for me. I sometimes get ideas for lessons and want to work on them right away."
I kept my mouth shut and Nadine looked at me. There was an unspoken agreement that we would not bring up that we are the kinds of teachers who go on vacation during March Break and do not think about our lesson plans.
Luckily at that point we were done eating and excused ourselves and headed to the beach. However from our encounter with Helga and Boris we have a fun running vacation joke where every so often one of us will exclaim "I have an idea for a lesson plan but I don't have access to the Internet, what do I do?" To which the other person will reply "how will I make my important business calls?"
***
I have a well-developed silly side. I don't even need to be drinking for it to come out. This evening I didn't drink at dinner, and then afterwards we went for a walk on the dark deserted beach. It ended up with me taunting the ocean, and the ocean getting my shorts wet in return. (Don't ask... I was kind of re-enacting an episode of the Osbournes... remember that reality TV gem??)
We decided to head up to the lobby bar to get a drink after Nadine assured me since my shorts were dark, no one would notice that they were wet from taunting the ocean. As we were walking inside, a woman stopped me and asked me if my name was Chrissy. She thought that she had gone to
elementary school with me. (For some reason I decided I wanted to be called Christy in grade 5, however most family members still call me Chrissy.)
Turned out we had, and she had seen me on the beach earlier in the day and was trying to place me. I would not have recognized her, but if there's one thing I've heard, it's that I look exactly the same as I did as a kid.
We had a nice conversation and reminisced about people from back in the day. And it turns out she is a teacher too. However, thinking about childhood and growing up sometimes leaves one unsettled. One thing I am glad of, is that I'm still good friends with one person from elementary school, my friend Mel. It's nice to have someone who's known you through it all.
Oh, but the funniest part was that I had that convo in wet shorts.
Sunday, March 13, 2016
Made it to tropical paradise.
It was sunny for our 40 km car ride as well as our choppy 5 min ferry ride to our island resort off the cost of Samana, DR.
There were intermittent showers for the rest of the aft/evening but that was ok. Warm rain is the least of my worries.
The resort is rather luxurious. This will be a different sort of vacation for me. Usually I am go go go on a trip but this one will be relax relax relax.
I am currently tipsy on a lemony-gin drink called a white lady. I feel like a cliche.
More later.
There were intermittent showers for the rest of the aft/evening but that was ok. Warm rain is the least of my worries.
The resort is rather luxurious. This will be a different sort of vacation for me. Usually I am go go go on a trip but this one will be relax relax relax.
I am currently tipsy on a lemony-gin drink called a white lady. I feel like a cliche.
More later.
Monday, March 07, 2016
And now it's apparently spring.
The last you heard from me, I was dreading an impending snowstorm. Well, it wasn't too bad, but I got snowed under by preparations for my school's biennial Multicultural Day. It was my fourth as an organizer. Ever thrown a huge party for 500 people? Not an easy task, but extremely worthwhile. My grade ten class, who had not experience the day before, had to admit that I was right and that it was indeed a super fun day.
A week after the snowstorm and its spring-like weather. I cannot remember a year where I have cycled so much between my fall/spring coat and my winter coat.
As nice as this weather is, I'm counting down until my trip to the Domincan Republic. Sun. Sand. Relaxation. I can't wait.
Tuesday, March 01, 2016
Spring Training.
I was able to catch a bit of the Blue Jays' first Spring Training game today after school. I had the game streaming on MLB.TV as I was trying to (unsuccessfully) get some marking done.
It was nice to have baseball on in the background, as I messaged my friend Mathew, who was also watching. We both found the commentators extremely dull.
It was also kind of weird to watch because it was essentially the Jays' younger players trying out for a spot on the roster. One dude dropped an easy fly ball and I yelled "CUT HIIM!" which brought me an odd sense of joy. (Of course, I shouldn't be judging; I probably would drop the easiest of fly balls).
***
I had a nice workout at the gym today. I used battle ropes for the first time. It was funny, because I've seen videos of various Blue Jays using these things in their off-season training, and it looks super fun and super easy when then do it, but those fucking ropes are heavy. I wonder if I'll be able to write on the chalkboard tomorrow.
***
Today I bought baseball tickets. Jays vs KC in August. Yes, a game in KC! ALCS grudge match! I'm so excited. I'm meeting up with my pals Alex and Wes for our second Missouri baseball meet-up! How things have changed in two years. In the past, when Wes said "let's meet up for a baseball game" I said "sure!" and this year was "I'll only go if the Jays are playing." Anyway, it all works out and since Alex lives close to KC we can meet up while she's super busy during the US election.
***
There's supposed to be a big snowstorm tonight. SNOW DAY TOMORROW? (It won't happen.)
It was nice to have baseball on in the background, as I messaged my friend Mathew, who was also watching. We both found the commentators extremely dull.
It was also kind of weird to watch because it was essentially the Jays' younger players trying out for a spot on the roster. One dude dropped an easy fly ball and I yelled "CUT HIIM!" which brought me an odd sense of joy. (Of course, I shouldn't be judging; I probably would drop the easiest of fly balls).
***
I had a nice workout at the gym today. I used battle ropes for the first time. It was funny, because I've seen videos of various Blue Jays using these things in their off-season training, and it looks super fun and super easy when then do it, but those fucking ropes are heavy. I wonder if I'll be able to write on the chalkboard tomorrow.
***
Today I bought baseball tickets. Jays vs KC in August. Yes, a game in KC! ALCS grudge match! I'm so excited. I'm meeting up with my pals Alex and Wes for our second Missouri baseball meet-up! How things have changed in two years. In the past, when Wes said "let's meet up for a baseball game" I said "sure!" and this year was "I'll only go if the Jays are playing." Anyway, it all works out and since Alex lives close to KC we can meet up while she's super busy during the US election.
***
There's supposed to be a big snowstorm tonight. SNOW DAY TOMORROW? (It won't happen.)
Thursday, February 25, 2016
My interests as of late.
1) Baseball - Mathew and I have signed up for another Pitch Talks (an event were we pay money to watch people drink beer and talk about baseball) in April. This one features the Jays' new President (also a man not loved by Toronto) Mark Shapiro, and the loveable Jays' commentator Buck Martinez.
2) Beyonce - obviously
3) Drake - I kind of crush on Drake, especially in his singing songs. I have come to accept the everyday sexism in Hotline Bling by thinking of Drake as totally knowing he's a pathetic dude in the song and he knows that we are all cheering for the girl. So it's really not sexist, but a satirical eff you to the patriarchy (or that's what it is in my brain).
4) Cross Stitch - I've been planning too many lessons to make progress though. BOO!
5) Boxing - I still like hitting stuff as long as it's inanimate and doesn't hit back.
2) Beyonce - obviously
3) Drake - I kind of crush on Drake, especially in his singing songs. I have come to accept the everyday sexism in Hotline Bling by thinking of Drake as totally knowing he's a pathetic dude in the song and he knows that we are all cheering for the girl. So it's really not sexist, but a satirical eff you to the patriarchy (or that's what it is in my brain).
4) Cross Stitch - I've been planning too many lessons to make progress though. BOO!
5) Boxing - I still like hitting stuff as long as it's inanimate and doesn't hit back.
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Conversations with my father.
My dad's not a phone guy. I talk to my mother almost every day, but every so often my dad puts in a request for a conversation (when he's in the mood/still awake/not watching Jeopardy... well I'm not foolish enough to call them during Jeopardy!)
Tonight I put in my phone call at about 7-ish (before Jeopardy) and after talking to my mom a bit, she asked if I wanted to talk with my dad. It's usually a good time, so why not?
Here's how my dad answers the phone:
"Sylvester's residence."
We watched a lot of Loonie Tunes when I was a kid, and my dad likes to think that he's Sylvester, and I'm his "thon" and that I should go catch the little mice, and he'll catch the big ones. (Cue the baby kangaroo).
This is actually an improvement over some of his other phone greetings. As a teenager, I would race to the phone whenever it rang, terrified that a friend would hear my dad answer the phone with a greeting such as "Buckingham Palace" or "1400 Pennsylvania Avenue" or "Committee for Public Safety; Robespierre speaking". (I'm not making these up.)
Anyway, my dad and I first had a good baseball chat. Note: my dad is a bit on the deaf side from: a) genetics (lucky me); b) years of listening to records loudly on headphones; and c) that time he owned a pig barn (pigs squeal rather loudly).
I commented on how the Jays' pitcher, Aaron Sanchez, has bulked up quite a bit during the off-season. My Dad asked "who?" and I repeated "SANCHEZ!" and he replied "What? Seinfeld?"
Yes Dad, Jerry Seinfeld has bulked up quite a bit during the offseason. He's ready to cheer on those Mets! I started laughing so hard.
Finally, after spelling out S-A-N-C-H-E-Z, we were on the same page and pondered if this bulk up might mean he's trying to shift over to a starting pitcher.
Our conversation shifted to Jeopardy! and the recent news they are no longer accepting Canadian applicants (there goes my dream; at least I auditioned once, right?).
"THAT'S A BLOODY OUTRAGE!!!" was my Dad's response to this topic. My Dad is a rather laid-back guy. Hearing him worked up about something is actually quite amusing.
Anyway, he surmised that this could mean war, and that we should sent only our strongest nerds over to correct this. Or, to just have a Canadian version of Jeopardy! as well as a Canada-only hockey league.
And, the biggest surprise of this long phone conversation with my Dad is that it actually bled into sacred Jeopardy time and he even missed out on a category on Stephen King, which I'm sure he could have run as he's read pretty much everything by Stephen King.
Tonight I put in my phone call at about 7-ish (before Jeopardy) and after talking to my mom a bit, she asked if I wanted to talk with my dad. It's usually a good time, so why not?
Here's how my dad answers the phone:
"Sylvester's residence."
We watched a lot of Loonie Tunes when I was a kid, and my dad likes to think that he's Sylvester, and I'm his "thon" and that I should go catch the little mice, and he'll catch the big ones. (Cue the baby kangaroo).
This is actually an improvement over some of his other phone greetings. As a teenager, I would race to the phone whenever it rang, terrified that a friend would hear my dad answer the phone with a greeting such as "Buckingham Palace" or "1400 Pennsylvania Avenue" or "Committee for Public Safety; Robespierre speaking". (I'm not making these up.)
Anyway, my dad and I first had a good baseball chat. Note: my dad is a bit on the deaf side from: a) genetics (lucky me); b) years of listening to records loudly on headphones; and c) that time he owned a pig barn (pigs squeal rather loudly).
I commented on how the Jays' pitcher, Aaron Sanchez, has bulked up quite a bit during the off-season. My Dad asked "who?" and I repeated "SANCHEZ!" and he replied "What? Seinfeld?"
Yes Dad, Jerry Seinfeld has bulked up quite a bit during the offseason. He's ready to cheer on those Mets! I started laughing so hard.
Finally, after spelling out S-A-N-C-H-E-Z, we were on the same page and pondered if this bulk up might mean he's trying to shift over to a starting pitcher.
Our conversation shifted to Jeopardy! and the recent news they are no longer accepting Canadian applicants (there goes my dream; at least I auditioned once, right?).
"THAT'S A BLOODY OUTRAGE!!!" was my Dad's response to this topic. My Dad is a rather laid-back guy. Hearing him worked up about something is actually quite amusing.
Anyway, he surmised that this could mean war, and that we should sent only our strongest nerds over to correct this. Or, to just have a Canadian version of Jeopardy! as well as a Canada-only hockey league.
And, the biggest surprise of this long phone conversation with my Dad is that it actually bled into sacred Jeopardy time and he even missed out on a category on Stephen King, which I'm sure he could have run as he's read pretty much everything by Stephen King.
Friday, February 19, 2016
Need to Catch Up
This weekend I have not a lot planned and I'm super happy about it.
I need to catch up on housework, laundry, a little bit (but not too much) schoolwork, podcasts, reading, and exercising. Okay, wow, now that sounds like a lot.
Oh and I need to catch up on blogs. It's been an age since I left a comment on anyone's blog.
The next two weeks at school are going to be insane because there's an event coming up. I need to enjoy this weekend of respite, but get some stuff done too.
I need to catch up on housework, laundry, a little bit (but not too much) schoolwork, podcasts, reading, and exercising. Okay, wow, now that sounds like a lot.
Oh and I need to catch up on blogs. It's been an age since I left a comment on anyone's blog.
The next two weeks at school are going to be insane because there's an event coming up. I need to enjoy this weekend of respite, but get some stuff done too.
Monday, February 15, 2016
Another year older.
Oh man, so I've made another revolution around the Sun! Can you believe it??
Some years I want to hide away on my birthday and do nothing. I feel like I'm older, nothing has changed, and it's no cause for celebration. I can get mopey.
After a mope-tastic birthday last year, I said NO MORE and had a great day, nay, WEEKEND this year. Four dinners, some cross-stitching, beers, laughs, bad movies, treat-yo-self, Blue Jays themed attire and more to ring in another year of me.
I feel ready for my next revolution and I have wonderful people traveling with me.
Some years I want to hide away on my birthday and do nothing. I feel like I'm older, nothing has changed, and it's no cause for celebration. I can get mopey.
After a mope-tastic birthday last year, I said NO MORE and had a great day, nay, WEEKEND this year. Four dinners, some cross-stitching, beers, laughs, bad movies, treat-yo-self, Blue Jays themed attire and more to ring in another year of me.
I feel ready for my next revolution and I have wonderful people traveling with me.
Tuesday, February 09, 2016
Great Day!!!
1) Someone (an adult) annoyed me at work. Went to the gym and mentioned to my trainer. He said "why don't we try boxing?" I did and it was so much fun! Most fun I've had working out. Ever.
2) My dear friend Alex scored me tickets for Beyonce!!!! So excited.
2) My dear friend Alex scored me tickets for Beyonce!!!! So excited.
Sunday, February 07, 2016
What to write about?
I used to be able to blog more easily that I can now. Here I'm sitting at the end of a pretty dull weekend and I can't think of a thing to really write about. Ugh. I'll do it later.
Monday, February 01, 2016
Woo-hoo!
It's a new semester and I'm really happy that my classroom is free during my prep period. It means that I can spread out/set-up in here without bothering anyone and relax. (I have prep period first, and I'm ready to go, hence I'm blogging.)
I had a pretty chill weekend. I watched Straight Outta Compton which was OK. It was revisionist history, from everything I've read about N.W.A., but I still found it interesting overall. I tend to really enjoy music biopics. It takes me back to the music appreciation course I took for fun in university. (Fun and credit, mind you.)
I went to the Raptors game on Saturday night and it turned out to be one of those exceptional evenings that you could not predict its awesomeness. My friend Elaine and I bought these tickets waaaaay back in the summer, and I tell you, we couldn't have chosen a better night!
My first small happy moment was ordering a Coke Zero (although I've mostly given that carcinogenic brew up) in a Raptors souvenir cup. I have one of these cups from my first ever Raptors game, and I use it all of the time, so I figured it was time for an upgrade. The first snack booth was out of them and only had Leafs cups left, but after hunting around we found one. Woo-hoo!
We had nosebleed seats which I'm accustomed to from my Jays games, but basketball is definitely more pricey. Anyhow, I was checking out who was sitting courtside, and from up where I was sitting one dude (shaved head, beard, work boots) looked like Drake and I said to my friend Elaine "hey! I think that Drake's here!" and she said no, it wasn't Drake. Then I texted my friend Elisa, who was also at the game but had better seats, and she made fun of me for thinking Drake was there.
About 30 minutes later, they put Drake up on the scoreboard and I had fun gloating!
During half-time, my friend Elisa texted me. A co-worker of hers has seasons tickets down in the 100s, and the seasons tickets holders who sit behind her weren't there. Since Elisa already had good seats, she texted me to see if I wanted a free upgrade. Woo-hoo! My Drake-watching (oh and basketball-watching) was so much better from down there.
The Raptors ended up winning against the Detroit Pistons 111 - 107 which was amazing because it was their record-breaking 11th win in a row. I will point out, because I have to, that the 2015 Jays had TWO 11-game win streaks, but anyway. Yah. (I miss baseball.) And, because the Raptors scored more than 100 points, we could all use our tickets to get free pizza at Pizza Pizza the next day.
Souvenir cup, Drake sighting, amazing seat upgrade, 11th win in a row, and free pizza! That's a pretty good Saturday night! I can only hope that Drake had as much fun as I did.
p.s. The Woo-Hoo! title of this post expresses mainly my joy that my classroom is free right now.
I had a pretty chill weekend. I watched Straight Outta Compton which was OK. It was revisionist history, from everything I've read about N.W.A., but I still found it interesting overall. I tend to really enjoy music biopics. It takes me back to the music appreciation course I took for fun in university. (Fun and credit, mind you.)
I went to the Raptors game on Saturday night and it turned out to be one of those exceptional evenings that you could not predict its awesomeness. My friend Elaine and I bought these tickets waaaaay back in the summer, and I tell you, we couldn't have chosen a better night!
My first small happy moment was ordering a Coke Zero (although I've mostly given that carcinogenic brew up) in a Raptors souvenir cup. I have one of these cups from my first ever Raptors game, and I use it all of the time, so I figured it was time for an upgrade. The first snack booth was out of them and only had Leafs cups left, but after hunting around we found one. Woo-hoo!
We had nosebleed seats which I'm accustomed to from my Jays games, but basketball is definitely more pricey. Anyhow, I was checking out who was sitting courtside, and from up where I was sitting one dude (shaved head, beard, work boots) looked like Drake and I said to my friend Elaine "hey! I think that Drake's here!" and she said no, it wasn't Drake. Then I texted my friend Elisa, who was also at the game but had better seats, and she made fun of me for thinking Drake was there.
About 30 minutes later, they put Drake up on the scoreboard and I had fun gloating!
During half-time, my friend Elisa texted me. A co-worker of hers has seasons tickets down in the 100s, and the seasons tickets holders who sit behind her weren't there. Since Elisa already had good seats, she texted me to see if I wanted a free upgrade. Woo-hoo! My Drake-watching (oh and basketball-watching) was so much better from down there.
The Raptors ended up winning against the Detroit Pistons 111 - 107 which was amazing because it was their record-breaking 11th win in a row. I will point out, because I have to, that the 2015 Jays had TWO 11-game win streaks, but anyway. Yah. (I miss baseball.) And, because the Raptors scored more than 100 points, we could all use our tickets to get free pizza at Pizza Pizza the next day.
Souvenir cup, Drake sighting, amazing seat upgrade, 11th win in a row, and free pizza! That's a pretty good Saturday night! I can only hope that Drake had as much fun as I did.
p.s. The Woo-Hoo! title of this post expresses mainly my joy that my classroom is free right now.
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Weekend, exam week, etc.
I headed to Stratford for a chill weekend. It was a friend's baby shower, so I figured why not go, but I only made it a mini-trip (left on Saturday morning and came back Sunday night). I didn't do a whole lot when I was there, other than go shopping for a present, and then go to the actual shower.
We are now finished first semester, and it's exam week. I am chugging through the marking. I now have six sets of term work left to deal with and two sets of final exams. I'm feeling like that is getting under control, but then there is the fact I have to get ready for another semester.
Tonight I get a break when I go to Pitch Talks. Woo-hoo!
Also, it's really dreary today. Man, I could use sunshine.
That is all.
We are now finished first semester, and it's exam week. I am chugging through the marking. I now have six sets of term work left to deal with and two sets of final exams. I'm feeling like that is getting under control, but then there is the fact I have to get ready for another semester.
Tonight I get a break when I go to Pitch Talks. Woo-hoo!
Also, it's really dreary today. Man, I could use sunshine.
That is all.
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Leaving early.
Really the biggest thing I need to improve is my work-life balance. I can honestly say I love my job, it's fun, it's fulfilling, and gives me a lot of purpose. In a lot of ways, I feel ridiculous to be paid to do something so rewarding and so fun.
But it is a lot of work.
I can see how you could be a crappy teacher and get by. Boring textbook lessons every day. Don't change things up or be creative. And you could leave at the bell!
But I would hate that. I'm always changing things up, experimenting with new labs, inventing new games, and scouring the internet for interesting videos and funny science cartoons. And as a result my classes fly by and we all have fun. Case in point today, I had a room full of teenaged boys with words taped to their foreheads walking around and playing a version of the game "Headbands" to review for their exam. And they were having a great time and completely into it.
Anyway, the more I keep planning and innovating (the stuff I like), the farther behind I get in the drudge work of marking, photocopying, cleaning up my lab, and other things I hate. And then I feel stressed and ugh, and it's an awful cycle. I often stay at school way too late trying to get caught up but I'm not even that productive because I distract myself either by planning something new, or get caught up chit-chatting in the staff room.
This year I'm trying to leave school early more often and it's great! I leave, go to the gym or run errands and come home refreshed enough to maybe to a little bit of school catch-up. I must keep doing this.
Yesterday, I left early to go on a three-hour expedition to get supplies for a long-term lab for my grade 12 biology students (they have to take another semester of bio but with another teacher). It was still work-related, but being out of the building was so much better and I had fun because a friend was kind enough to join me.
I need to get out of there early more often. I must continue this into next semester despite the spectre of another new course to teach for the third semester in a row. I'm no longer using "I'm teaching a new course" to allow the rest of my life to fall apart.
January... so far, so good.
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Off season woes.
I was a pretty big baseball fan when I was a kid. I would read my dad's baseball magazines religiously and was quite happy to go on a family vacation to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. I had my baseball card collection and my MLB Panini* sticker books. I used to ride my bike with the boys in my neighbourhood to the convenience store to buy sticker packs and trade. I remember oh-so-clearly tearing my Mark McGwire sticker out of my book to give to my then-BFF Karl because that was the only sticker he was missing from his "Rookies of 1986". I always regretted doing that, but then after all of the steroid scandals, I'm glad that sticker is no longer in my possession.
My baseball obsession peaked in 1992/1993 when the Blue Jays won back-to-back World Series. Those were good days, hey? In 1992, my dad took me to my first baseball game at the Skydome. I even named a cat after Joe Carter, who hit the home run that won the 1993 WS.
As I got older, and the Jays weren't as great, my basbeball obsession diminished. When I moved to Toronto, I'd go to the occasional game, but more as a social occasion. It was fun to reminisce about the old days, and remember all of my favourite Jays from the glory days (Fred McGriff, anyone?). But I didn't follow baseball at all.
Fast forward to the end of 2013. My friend Mathew had recently rekindled his own love of baseball, and asked me if I want to join him on flex passes. 15 games for $120. Why not? Even if I missed games, it was a great deal! And baseball games are fun, right?
Well, by the end of the 2014 season I was pretty much watching every game that I could on TV. Even though the Jays weren't in contention that year, my early-90s super-fandom came flooding back. And then, well, you know what happened in 2015. It was a (bat) flippin' amazing season! Playoff baseball games! Woo-hoo!
And that brings us to now. The long boring off-season. Do you know what I'd give to be watching a game right now? Baseball has the most insanely long season of 162 games but somehow that's not enough for me. I almost need to start following all of the international leagues or something.
On Tuesday, my pal Mathew and I are doing something that cements us as die hards. We are going to an event called Pitch Talks, which is a series where we listen to people talk about baseball. Yes, it's come to this. The event is advertised for "real baseball fans" and I'm pretty sure I qualify.
Tonight Mathew just messaged me "what are you going to wear to Pitch Talks. I think I'm going to wear my playoff hoodie." I started laughing so hard. This is what the off season has brought us to. Until then, we've got 29 days until pitchers and catchers report to spring training.
*Wow! The 80s were great! I like to remember the days when "Panini" didn't refer to a sandwich, but to those sticker collections that you could spend all of your allowance money on.
My baseball obsession peaked in 1992/1993 when the Blue Jays won back-to-back World Series. Those were good days, hey? In 1992, my dad took me to my first baseball game at the Skydome. I even named a cat after Joe Carter, who hit the home run that won the 1993 WS.
As I got older, and the Jays weren't as great, my basbeball obsession diminished. When I moved to Toronto, I'd go to the occasional game, but more as a social occasion. It was fun to reminisce about the old days, and remember all of my favourite Jays from the glory days (Fred McGriff, anyone?). But I didn't follow baseball at all.
Fast forward to the end of 2013. My friend Mathew had recently rekindled his own love of baseball, and asked me if I want to join him on flex passes. 15 games for $120. Why not? Even if I missed games, it was a great deal! And baseball games are fun, right?
Well, by the end of the 2014 season I was pretty much watching every game that I could on TV. Even though the Jays weren't in contention that year, my early-90s super-fandom came flooding back. And then, well, you know what happened in 2015. It was a (bat) flippin' amazing season! Playoff baseball games! Woo-hoo!
And that brings us to now. The long boring off-season. Do you know what I'd give to be watching a game right now? Baseball has the most insanely long season of 162 games but somehow that's not enough for me. I almost need to start following all of the international leagues or something.
On Tuesday, my pal Mathew and I are doing something that cements us as die hards. We are going to an event called Pitch Talks, which is a series where we listen to people talk about baseball. Yes, it's come to this. The event is advertised for "real baseball fans" and I'm pretty sure I qualify.
Tonight Mathew just messaged me "what are you going to wear to Pitch Talks. I think I'm going to wear my playoff hoodie." I started laughing so hard. This is what the off season has brought us to. Until then, we've got 29 days until pitchers and catchers report to spring training.
*Wow! The 80s were great! I like to remember the days when "Panini" didn't refer to a sandwich, but to those sticker collections that you could spend all of your allowance money on.
Sunday, January 17, 2016
Pirate Cat
When I got home on Thursday, Rilo greeted me at the door with her left eye closed. It was weird. All evening, she wouldn't open her left eye and it was rather runny. I consulted the Internet about what it could mean when your cat was closing one eye, and after becoming freaked out with stories of cats having their eyes fall out of the socket, I figured that she probably just got something in it, and if it didn't look better the next day, I'd make a vet appointment.
Even though she looked like a pirate with one eye shut, she was her old spirited bossy self, so at least I knew that she wasn't in pain.
On Friday, I got home from school to a quite pathetic looking cat. Her pirate eye was half open and very runny. It was 6 pm, so I called the vet's office right away to make a Saturday appointment before they closed for the evening. I described her condition, and they fit me in for an afternoon appointment.
As Friday night progressed, her eye got better. In fact, her eye was back to normal by the time I had to cart her off to the vet on Saturday. However, no harm in getting her checked out. It's been a while since she was at the vet anyhow.
Getting Rilo into her cage is quite the ordeal. There's nothing she hates more. I got her carrier out on Friday, and as soon as she saw it, she promptly hid. After about 20 minutes, she figured the coast was clear.
On Saturday, even before I got ready to go myself, I seized the opportunity to pack her up. She was snoozing on the couch, and I scooped her up and got her locked up in the cage before she knew what was happening. As I was getting myself ready, I was treated to a cacophony of furious meows and the sound of claws trying to scrape through plastic.
The vet's office is about a seven-minute walk from my place. As I was walking, many people expressed "poor kitty" at my pissed-off meowing caged pet. When we got to the vet's office, we had to wait for awhile, and a couple of dogs walked up to her cage to check her out. I was afraid she'd get scared, since I don't think she's seen a dog up close before, but she was too angry to care. I think she just saw the dogs as someone else she could express her outrage too.
Once we were into the examining room, and she was out of the cage, she was fine. The vet was impressed how chill she was. I explained the eye problem to him, and he said it was most likely a flare-up of cat herpes that she probably caught back when she was at the Humane Society. Like the herpes simplex virus in humans, it can lay dormant for long periods of time. In cats, an outbreak of the virus can result in upper respiratory infections and ocular discharge. These outbreaks are often caused by stress, but it doesn't seem like anything has changed to stress Rilo out on Thursday. Who knows, maybe I didn't wake up early enough to give her treats.
Anyway, it was good to get her checked out. The vet said she was in excellent health for an approximately eleven-year old cat. (I don't know her exact age because it was estimated she was about 3 - 5 when I adopted her.) Her only problem is that she's got some tartar build-up on her teeth. The vet said that she could use a cleaning, and then he printed up an estimate for me, which would run around $1000, so ummm, I think she's gonna live with dirty teeth.
So now at least I know that if Rilo busts out the pirate eye again that it's just her herpes acting up. Nice souvenir, there Humane Society.
Even though she looked like a pirate with one eye shut, she was her old spirited bossy self, so at least I knew that she wasn't in pain.
On Friday, I got home from school to a quite pathetic looking cat. Her pirate eye was half open and very runny. It was 6 pm, so I called the vet's office right away to make a Saturday appointment before they closed for the evening. I described her condition, and they fit me in for an afternoon appointment.
As Friday night progressed, her eye got better. In fact, her eye was back to normal by the time I had to cart her off to the vet on Saturday. However, no harm in getting her checked out. It's been a while since she was at the vet anyhow.
Getting Rilo into her cage is quite the ordeal. There's nothing she hates more. I got her carrier out on Friday, and as soon as she saw it, she promptly hid. After about 20 minutes, she figured the coast was clear.
On Saturday, even before I got ready to go myself, I seized the opportunity to pack her up. She was snoozing on the couch, and I scooped her up and got her locked up in the cage before she knew what was happening. As I was getting myself ready, I was treated to a cacophony of furious meows and the sound of claws trying to scrape through plastic.
The vet's office is about a seven-minute walk from my place. As I was walking, many people expressed "poor kitty" at my pissed-off meowing caged pet. When we got to the vet's office, we had to wait for awhile, and a couple of dogs walked up to her cage to check her out. I was afraid she'd get scared, since I don't think she's seen a dog up close before, but she was too angry to care. I think she just saw the dogs as someone else she could express her outrage too.
Once we were into the examining room, and she was out of the cage, she was fine. The vet was impressed how chill she was. I explained the eye problem to him, and he said it was most likely a flare-up of cat herpes that she probably caught back when she was at the Humane Society. Like the herpes simplex virus in humans, it can lay dormant for long periods of time. In cats, an outbreak of the virus can result in upper respiratory infections and ocular discharge. These outbreaks are often caused by stress, but it doesn't seem like anything has changed to stress Rilo out on Thursday. Who knows, maybe I didn't wake up early enough to give her treats.
Anyway, it was good to get her checked out. The vet said she was in excellent health for an approximately eleven-year old cat. (I don't know her exact age because it was estimated she was about 3 - 5 when I adopted her.) Her only problem is that she's got some tartar build-up on her teeth. The vet said that she could use a cleaning, and then he printed up an estimate for me, which would run around $1000, so ummm, I think she's gonna live with dirty teeth.
So now at least I know that if Rilo busts out the pirate eye again that it's just her herpes acting up. Nice souvenir, there Humane Society.
Sunday, January 10, 2016
Emo Reading
I had a rather emotional day on Friday. It was no big deal, and nothing negative, other than I had some feelings to deal with.
As a result, I was in no head space to deal with reality this weekend, so I lost myself in books.
I did, however, manage to get my hair cut AND plan an event for my birthday. It's a cross-stitching class held at a local brewery! Crafts + beer sounds great! I bought the last four remaining tickets for myself and 3 friends. I can't wait!
As a result, I was in no head space to deal with reality this weekend, so I lost myself in books.
I did, however, manage to get my hair cut AND plan an event for my birthday. It's a cross-stitching class held at a local brewery! Crafts + beer sounds great! I bought the last four remaining tickets for myself and 3 friends. I can't wait!
Wednesday, January 06, 2016
Things I'm Into:
1) Wool socks from Simons in Montreal.
2) Grimes' album "Artangels"
3) Making A Murderer. Especially Dean Strang. I binged the series in two days. Now I just keep up on news and the reddit. (My heart broke for Brendan Dassey so much.)
4) Toque weather but not what it does to my hair.
5) Jenny Lawson's Fuirously Happy.
6) Rilo no longer waking me up at 5:30 am for treats. She's gotten chill.
7) Short lists.
2) Grimes' album "Artangels"
3) Making A Murderer. Especially Dean Strang. I binged the series in two days. Now I just keep up on news and the reddit. (My heart broke for Brendan Dassey so much.)
4) Toque weather but not what it does to my hair.
5) Jenny Lawson's Fuirously Happy.
6) Rilo no longer waking me up at 5:30 am for treats. She's gotten chill.
7) Short lists.
Sunday, January 03, 2016
Holiday Wrap-Up
Where did those two weeks go? Seriously, how it can be 11:39 pm on the Sunday night before I have to go back to work is beyond me.
I had a really nice time in Montreal. It snowed the whole time, but I was prepared with my Hunter boots & warm liners (I can just walk through all slushy puddles), my sparkly warm toque, mittens and warm winter coat. A snowy winter vacation is fun as long as you are prepared for the weather!
Places that we visited:
Our train got back to Toronto at 11:30 pm on Friday night, and I've been having a pretty chill weekend. Last night I went out for drinks for a friend's birthday, and today's been a lot of reading and Netflix. Not the marking and lesson planning I was going to do....
I haven't yet made a resolution for 2016. I think my priority will be to get back into running because I miss it. That means a return to regular visits to the gym and weight-training. I'd really like to do a 5K in May, and then do the 5K at the Toronto Zoo in September. Then maybe I can work up to longer races again in 2017...
I should blog more too. I definitely need to do a post about all of the true crime documentaries I binged upon over the holidays.
Happy 2016 friends!
I had a really nice time in Montreal. It snowed the whole time, but I was prepared with my Hunter boots & warm liners (I can just walk through all slushy puddles), my sparkly warm toque, mittens and warm winter coat. A snowy winter vacation is fun as long as you are prepared for the weather!
Places that we visited:
- St Hubert's - The Quebec version of Swiss Chalet! Their sauce is better, I think.
- Simon's - I love going to this department store whenever I go to Montreal. I think there might be one in Mississauga now, but I haven't gone there. I got lots of neat things: a new cardigan sweater, a fuzzy owl blanket (that Rilo will take over I know it), an owl shower curtain, some cheap jewelry, owl napkins, and some winter socks.
- The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts - I'd never been here before, and wanted to go. They had lots of cool art, but this was the highlight! I waited in line for about 45 minutes to go into this exhibit and it was so fun! The birds were so cute.
- La Banquise - A great cafe for poutine.
- Creperie Chez Suzette - A cute place in Old Montreal for crepes.
- The Montereal Biodome & Planetarium - A great opportunity to get my science nerd warmed up for back to school! I loved the Biodome; there were four distinct ecosystems set up inside the dome, with lots of cool animals and plants. I think the highlight for me was seeing the two lynx playing with each other. The Planetarium was okay; the show that I really want to see (on the Aurora Borealis) was sold out, so we saw a less-interesting one on how constellations were used to tell time in the past. I may have fallen asleep in my comfy chair.
- Fairmount Bagels and St. Viateur Bagels - We checked out both famous bagel places! The blueberry bagel I bought at Fairmount was the best train snack ever.
- Notre Dame Basilica - A beautiful church both outside and inside. I'd never been inside before, and I was glad to see its bright and colourful altar.
Our train got back to Toronto at 11:30 pm on Friday night, and I've been having a pretty chill weekend. Last night I went out for drinks for a friend's birthday, and today's been a lot of reading and Netflix. Not the marking and lesson planning I was going to do....
I haven't yet made a resolution for 2016. I think my priority will be to get back into running because I miss it. That means a return to regular visits to the gym and weight-training. I'd really like to do a 5K in May, and then do the 5K at the Toronto Zoo in September. Then maybe I can work up to longer races again in 2017...
I should blog more too. I definitely need to do a post about all of the true crime documentaries I binged upon over the holidays.
Happy 2016 friends!
2015 Wrap-Up: Books!
I wanted to read 40 books in 2015, and I made it by finishing the last one on New Year's Eve eve. Here's the list.
Everything I Never Told You - by Celeste Ng
This book about a missing girl isn't a simple murder mystery. It's a complex look at a multicultural family before people were used to inter-racial relationships. This book is beautifully written.
Who Do You Love - Jennifer Weiner
This is probably my favourite book written by Weiner. It's a gripping love story where you really come to like the characters.
Modern Romance - Aziz Ansari & Eric Klinenberg
This is a book looking at modern dating written by a stand-up comedian and a sociologist. It was a fascinating read and really funny. I learned that the next time that I want a first date to go well, I'm going to a monster truck rally!
My reading goal for 2016 will stay the same at 40 books. I don't think I can increase it and still keep up with other parts of my life, but about one book per week-and-a-half is a good goal to maintain.
- 40) Why Not Me? - Mindy Kaling (funny)
- 39) Pretty Girls - Karin Slaughter (awful)
- 38) My Brilliant Friend - Elena Ferrante (quite good)
- 37) A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini (amazing)
- 36) The Grownup - Gillian Flynn (excellent gothic short story)
- 35) Those Girls - Chevy Stevens (quite good!)
- 34) Luckiest Girl Alive - Jessica Knoll (ugh)
- 33) Garden of Shadows - V.C. Andrews (sometimes I like to re-read crap from my teenage years)
- 32) The Daughter - Jane Shemilt (mixed feelings)
- 31) We Have Always Lived In the Castle - Shirley Jackson (excellent gothic novel)
- 30) Burn - Ellen Hopkins (meh)
- 29) Modern Romance - Aziz Ansari & Eric Klinenberg (excellent)
- 28) Dear Daughter - Elizabeth Little (meh)
- 27) Woman With A Secret - Sophie Hannah (good)
- 26) Pretty Baby - Mary Kubica (OK)
- 25) Disclaimer - Renée Knight (quite good)
- 24) Who Do You Love - Jennifer Weiner (excellent)
- 23) Dietland - Sarai Walker (good and different)
- 22) Has Anyone Seen My Pants? - Sarah Colonna (hilarious)
- 21) Saint Anything - Sarah Dessen (good)
- 20) Inside the O'Briens - Lisa Genova (good tearjerker)
- 19) Wolf Winter - Cecilia Ekbäck (quite good)
- 18) Missoula - John Krakauer (excellent)
- 17) Finders Keepers - Stephen King (okay)
- 16) Pretty Little Killers - Daleen Berry (can't believe I read true crime)
- 15) What Alice Forgot - Liane Moriarity (good)
- 14) Big Little Lies - Liane Moriarity (excellent)
- 13) The Pocket Wife - Susan Crawford (okay)
- 12) Where They Found Her - Kimberley McCreight (meh)
- 11) The Wicked Girls - Alex Marwood (quite good)
- 10) Life Sentences - Laura Lippman (meh)
- 9) The Good Girl - Mary Kubica (meh)
- 8) After I'm Gone - Laura Lippman (meh)
- 7) If I Fall, I Die - Michael Christie (OK)
- 6) All the Bright Places - Jennifer Niven (quite good)
- 5) I Was Here - Gayle Forman (OK)
- 4) Celestial Navigation - Anne Tyler (heartbreaking)
- 3) The Girl On the Train - Paula Hawkins (good)
- 2) Everything I Never Told You - Celeste Ng (excellent)
- 1) What the Dead Know - Laura Lippman (good mystery)
Everything I Never Told You - by Celeste Ng
This book about a missing girl isn't a simple murder mystery. It's a complex look at a multicultural family before people were used to inter-racial relationships. This book is beautifully written.
Who Do You Love - Jennifer Weiner
This is probably my favourite book written by Weiner. It's a gripping love story where you really come to like the characters.
Modern Romance - Aziz Ansari & Eric Klinenberg
This is a book looking at modern dating written by a stand-up comedian and a sociologist. It was a fascinating read and really funny. I learned that the next time that I want a first date to go well, I'm going to a monster truck rally!
My reading goal for 2016 will stay the same at 40 books. I don't think I can increase it and still keep up with other parts of my life, but about one book per week-and-a-half is a good goal to maintain.
2015 Wrap-Up: Concerts
The List:
1) Mariah Carey in Las Vegas - This was insane. She more or less channeled the music videos of all of her #1 hits. At one point she was pulled out on a sea-doo. Classic.
2) Stars doing "Set Yourself On Fire" at the Phoenix - What a great album to play in it entirety. The energy at this show was insane, and it was such a fun way to start my holidays.
3) Blue Rodeo at the Molson Ampitheatre - This show was fun because my friend Elisa and I won seat upgrades through social media. And seeing Blue Rodeo's summer Ampitheatre show has always been a goal of mine!
I hope that 2016 brings many concerts as well! I've already got two set up! Woo-hoo!
- Dec 19th - Stars' Set Yourself On Fire @ The Phoenix
- Nov 28th - Sloan @ Nathan Phillips Square
- Nov 14th - Hawksley Workman @ The Phoenix
- Nov 3rd - The Weeknd @ The ACC
- Oct 4th - CHVRCHES @ The Danforth Music Hall
- Sept 30th - #imagineoctober20 @ Randolph Theatre
- Sept 11th - Sloan @ Massey Hall
- Aug 22nd - Blue Rodeo @ The Molson Ampitheatre
- Aug 11th - Jann Arden @ Nathan Phillips Square
- Aug 8th - The Roots @ Nathan Phillips Square
- July 22nd - Mariah Carey @ Cesar's Palace in Las Vegas
- July 15th - Marianas Trench @ Nathan Phillips Square
- July 14th - The Joel Plaskett Emergency @ Nathan Phillips Square
- June 28th - Nelly/TLC/NKOTB @ ACC
- May 27th - Constantines @ Massey Hall
- May 22nd - Joel Plaskett Emergency @ Danforth Music Hall
- May 9th - Hawksley Workman @ The CBC
- March 14 - Dan Mangan & Hayden @ The Vogue Theatre in Vancouver
- Feb 28th - Dan Mangan & Hayden @ Massey Hall
- Feb 13th - Stars with Hey Rosetta! @ Danforth Music Hall
- Feb 12th - Stars with Hey Rosetta! @ Danforth Music Hall
- Jan 24 - Elliott Brood & The Wilderness of Manitoba @ The Phoenix
1) Mariah Carey in Las Vegas - This was insane. She more or less channeled the music videos of all of her #1 hits. At one point she was pulled out on a sea-doo. Classic.
2) Stars doing "Set Yourself On Fire" at the Phoenix - What a great album to play in it entirety. The energy at this show was insane, and it was such a fun way to start my holidays.
3) Blue Rodeo at the Molson Ampitheatre - This show was fun because my friend Elisa and I won seat upgrades through social media. And seeing Blue Rodeo's summer Ampitheatre show has always been a goal of mine!
I hope that 2016 brings many concerts as well! I've already got two set up! Woo-hoo!
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