Proud Mom Moment

Our not-yet-four-year-old replaced the toilet paper on the holder (basic spring-rod style) all by herself with no direction and no prompting!

Wheeee!

Oscar Night

'Tis Oscar Night, that once per year when I like to settle in and poke fun at what the stars are wearing while we nibble at finger foods. I traded shifts so I could be home to watch the fun tonight, but I am mostly watching to see what Chris Rock says as host since I haven't seen any of the best picture nominees this year! I do hope the Incredibles wins for best animated feature; I would like to see Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind take home something; and I am also rooting for Super Size Me to take home the best documentary statue.

During long speeches and commercial breaks I shall either be doing my taxes or knitting feverishly in an attempt to finish the kid's blanket.

EDIT: well, that was lame. Hubby got the taxes done (I'll double check them tomorrow) and I knit a few rows on the blanket, but the awards were a serious yawn.

I read the news today oh boy.

"I've been around this business long enough to know that publishing Canadian fiction is a good way to go quickly bankrupt," said Harnum [senior vice-president of scholarly publishing at University of Toronto Press].

Reaction to Rockhound, an obscure CanLit title published by UTP winning CBC's "Canada Reads" challenge this week. [Read more at the Globe and Mail]

---

My opinion of Halle Berry just went up a notch: she appeared at the Razzie's to accept worst actress for Catwoman -- the screenwriter showed up too! [Read more at BBC news]

---

Although no charges have been filed, a jubilant collection of law enforcers and community leaders told a cheering crowd they were confident the long-running case could now be closed.

Um, isn't that called "counting your chickens before they are hatched?" [Read more about the capture of the person suspected to be serial killer BTK at USA Today.]

Busy Friday, Calm Saturday

Friday started slow but got busy pretty fast.... left the house at noon, grabbed the van, dropped off a resume and cover letter for the re-posted college job, grabbed some lunch, dropped by to see a friend and her new (11-days!) baby girl, popped downtown to a thrift store -- spent a whole dollar -- then off to the pet store, then grabbed hubby, came home and ate, dropped off the kid, and helped a friend move. =phew= When we returned home with the kid, she put herself to bed, and I managed to knit like crazy while we watched some TV.

Thes morning was a nice lazy start and hubby treated us to fresh crepes (savory, then sweet) for brunch. This afternoon, there was an open house at the Railyards -- a big new development nearby -- and we were curious so off we went. The townhouses are not too much bigger than our current place (they are just under 1600 square feet -- we have just under a thousand), but they are brand new, right on the waterfront, and basically "trendy." And how much do you think they might be asking? A mere $395K for the most basic floorplan. Somehow in Victoria, this is "reasonable." The kid had so much fun, she wanted to see more, so she and I went in search for more open houses. We looked at a couple of 2 br. mid-40's construction single family homes on lots about 50'x120' in Esquimalt (not far from where we live now). Considering both needed a LOT of help (last renos were probably done around 1970), they were still just out of our price range at $239K and $269K. Again, these are "starter homes" in Victoria. Just crazy.

This evening has been mellow and calm... I've been fiddling with photos I've taken in the past few days [underwater needles -- bright moon -- Moon over McPherson -- Sunset on Bay -- train crossing].

Thank you Canada

For letting me feel safe in writing whateverthefuck I want about my government, my country, its people, and whatever they might be doing.

Free Internet Press - Iran Sentences Second Blogger

BTW - Way to go, Martin, for growing some balls and backing out of Missile Defense!

Am I missing something?

If they are really granting this person the right to live "in anonymity," why is her photo all over the news? Maxine Carr wins identity secrecy [BBC] -- Maxine Carr wins indefinite anonymity [Reuters UK] -- Liar Carr wins ID fight [Sun].

What did she do? "Her boyfriend Ian Huntley is serving a life-sentence for killing ten-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in August 2002 while Maxine Carr served 21 months in prison for providing a false alibi for him." [Channel 4 News] OK, she's not quite as creepy as Karla Homolka (Carr only lied, she didn't participate in the murders) but still it seems a bit much to guarantee her anonymity in perpetuity. (Incidently, Homolka's 12-year sentence ends this year, so expect a whole lot of controversy when her release date rolls around in July.)

Heh-heh! He said "Boner"

Trust me. Click this link: twenty-something: Emphasis on Boners

Wood Automata

OK, these are cool carvings to start with, but they are also automated (a hand crank allows the user to interact with the creation): Dug North -- Handmade Wood Automata -- Available and on Commission. If you follow the link, check out some of his other art while you're there. Nice stuff.

You know if I had the cash, I'd be sending some Dug's way.

And to think...

I might have actually considered this if the kid hadn't gone ahead and finally potty trained herself (thank goodness!)

"Meet Puddles and Ca-Ca and Poo-P, three of the newest potty-training assistants. They're mascots from the Strugglez product line to help your kid graduate from diapers by transforming your toilet into a bunny, giraffe or puppy dog.

Each $20 potty pal comes with an animal head that fits over the toilet tank, complete with floppy ears, a smiling face, bushy tail. Puddles, Ca-Ca and Poo-P promise to be there when your little tyke hears nature call."

from ABC News/The Wolf Files: Weird Toys of Christmas Future (report from the 2005 Toy Faire)

Hmmm. Curious.

Remember last month, I applied for an off-campus job and I was all a-twitter? Well, I hadn't heard anything and then today I find out it has been re-posted. Aaaargh!

Now, the pessimist in me thinks, "Well, I guess my resume sucked;" and the other pessimist thinks, "Maybe they didn't receive my application. Damned email." Then the realist in me kicks the pessimists for being such twits and says, "C'mon. Your resume was fine. You were totally qualified. Maybe they just hired someone who didn't work out. Or they didn't shortlist enough candidates."

So, I am going to apply again. But this time, I will take my application in and deliver it by hand. Damned email.

Attention All Emergency Vehicle Operators:

If your vehicle is equipped with a siren, may I suggest using it on approach to the intersection rather than at the point you reach it?

I am very good at getting out of the way of emergency vehicles but twice within the past 24 hours I have had to accellerate to avoid being t-boned by an emergency vehicle in downtown Victoria. Last night at approximately 11:25 p.m. I was driving along Pandora (westbound), crossing Douglas and an Ambulance suddenly appeared in my line of sigth approaching along Douglas. As I was in the intersection, the Ambulance turned on its siren. (I believe the lights may have been on, but from the direction I was travelling, they were not visible until I was already in the intersection.) This evening at about 5:35 p.m. I was driving along Johnson St. (eastbound) when the same thing happened with a police car as I entered the intersection at Vancouver. After accellerating through the intersection, several cars followed me, and I could still hear the intermittent Bwoop!, Bweeop! as the siren was sounded, but not left running.

WTF? If it is an emergency, use your siren. If it's your coffee break, wait your goddamned turn.

Reversing Vandalism

In early 2001, San Francisco Public Library staff began finding vandalized books shoved under shelves, hidden throughout the Main Library.
...
Rather than discard the damaged books, the Library distributed them to interested community members in the hope of creating art.

Reversing Vandalism is the resulting exhibition.

This rocks my world for many reasons, not the least of which is that I am often the person who finds the cover of a book that has been "relieved" of its contents, or the book which has been redacted beyond recogniton. Sometimes, I save the bits and pieces that would otherwise be recycled into who-knows-what (parking tickets? public washroom paper towelling?) with the idea that they could one day be art. Now someone has beat me to it.

The fact that the books they chose to use for the project are largely about the Queer and Aids communities does add a certain level to the art, though many pieces are powerful on their own terms. One artist chose to represent the homophobic response to the books as the burning Twin Towers of 9/11. Another saw the the book's damage not as a wound but as an opening to release butterflies. And this piece stopped me cold, because we have the same book in our stacks and it has been replaced due to damage at least once. There are collages and sculptures and a wide variety of multimedia pieces, many with the artists' descriptions alongside thumbnail images. It's well worth a look.

Freedom To Read Week

This week is Freedom To Read Week in Canada, a week where Canadians are encouraged to see for themselves which books have been challenged (everything from the Bible to Harry Potter and lots in between) and to celebrate our rights to read. There's even a photo contest I intend to enter.

Sadly, the week has opened with news of Hunter S. Thompson's suicide. While I could never count myself as a fan, I respect his contributions to journalism and his ability to pinpoint absurdities around him.

Gorilla Nipple Fetish?

[That oughta get some odd traffic.]

Seriously though, two former caretakers for Koko are suing their boss [CNEWS] for alleged harassment and unsafe working conditions.

Among the complaints are being expected to "indulge Koko's nipple fetish," because Koko needed "to see new nipples" (other than those of trainer Penny Patterson). WTF?? I'm pretty sure Koko is not the individual with the fetish.

Health concerns included having to store their lunches in the same fridge which was used to store gorilla urine. MMM-mmm.

museum of slang

Am I really so old? Does anyone under 30 still say "take a pill" or is that as dated as "eat my shorts?"

Retro Games

If, like me, you sometimes pine for a fix of Asteroids, Frogger, or Moon Patrol then you should appreciate what some of these folks do with their spare time:

>> www.miniarcade.com is dedicated to collecting vintage hand-held electronics from the 1970s and 1980s. I'll bet you had at least one of these (I had a well-loved Merlin).
>> Paul Neave has whipped together downloadable versions of a few classics including Asteroids, PacMan and Space Invaders.
>> The folks at 80sMusicLyrics have a Games area with flash versions of many classics including a great version of classic NES Duck Hunter. Play online or download.
>> You've probably seen JAKKS Pacific TV Games in your local toy store -- we bought the Atari 10-in-1 joystick -- the best thing about them is they plug into any TV or VCR with video input; the worst thing is you can't store your high scores.

Constantine - minireview

Great. Opening. Sequence.

After the hook, it keeps going. It's a dark, slightly irreverent, constantly entertaining film. It made me jump (more than once) and made me laugh (more than once). Only occasionally did I find myself scoffing at Keanu or annoying plot inconsistencies. Overall the casting was inspired, and they spent wisely on effects, costumes and sets.

I wouldn't recommend this film to strict Catholics but otherwise, it's worth the $10.

[If you liked any or all of: Dogma, The Exorcist, Hellboy or the original Matrix, you'll likely enjoy Constantine.]

Moron-of-the-Moment

This moron didn't read eBay's terms of service and is being sued.

Pregnant woman sued over eBay auction [from Ananova]

Lady, it's an auction! The highest bidder wins. Unfortunately the person you want to win may not be the higest bidder. Live with it.

Sadly, this will likely get tied up in court until after the baby is born and there is no more "bump" on which to advertize, unless the casino wants to ink-up some stretch-marked postpartum flab.

A comment about a commentary

Watched Garden State with the commentary track by Zach Braff and Natalie Portman on this morning and I was struck by how sweet it was.

Braff: I'm Zach Braff and I wrote, directed and acted in this movie and Natalie --
Portman: Merely acted.
Braff: Natalie was my star.

It totally underscores the reason this film stuck with me. Braff knows just what to say, has impecable timing, and seems like a genuinely "nice guy." This exchange also proves that at least some of the on-screen chemistry between Braff and Portman was genuine.

Something stinks here.

Last fall, in honour of Rememberance Day, the Canadian Mint released quarters into circulation that included a red poppy in the centre. They were the first coins to include colour released into general circulation and they were released in conjunction with a full media campaign through Tim Hortons' restaurants across Canada.

Thing is, Tim Hortons paid nothing for the honour of being selected for the coin distribution -- usually done through banks or Canada Post. The Globe and Mail reports, Poppy quarters distributed under untendered contract. The Mint won't say how much it cost to advertize the promotion or to deliver the coins to the outlets, but says that, the increase in traffic to Tim Horton's was kind of offset by the fact that the coin was available without purchase. People could just come in and exchange coins.

That's funny. I don't remember any signs saying I could exchange coins. I just went in and bought a doughnut.

Local Tourist Promotion

Every year in early March, Attractions Victoria rolls out its "Be A Tourist in Your Own Home Town" promotion. It used to be an incredible value and when I was a kid we went many times. Back in the 70's the promotion meant free admission to many attractions plus a double decker bus tour, and a small drink and fries at McDonalds. The last time I bought tickets was 2001, and I hauled my pregnant self around some of the attractions which were now generally 2-for-1 admissions or $2 to $5 off one admission. No bus tours, no Tally-Ho ride (just a "raincheck"), no free food. Honestly, the value is debatable now.

So anyway, I wanted to find out when it was running. Do you think it was on the Tourism Victoria website? No... yet they sell the tickets ($9 this year). I ended up phoning them and they proclaimed that it will be running March 9-13 2005 and tickets are now on sale. When I asked why it wasn't on their website, they said because it was a local promotion only and was advertized locally (print and radio) instead of online. Fair enough, I said, but could they not have buried a press release or just listed it, without any further info, on their calendar of events? I mean, if I were coming to visit from say, Texas, and on arrival found that all the attractions were lined up out the door, I'd be a little peeved. Having it listed might allow people the option of avoiding that weekend. Hmm. So after venting, the perky person on the other end of the phone told me that they only sell the tickets, they don't organize the event. It's handled by Attractions Victoria (as noted above).

So I went in search of their site. They also fail to mention the promotion. Worse, there is NO contact information for the association on their own site -- not even a link to the web designer in case of typos. Instead the contact us link leads to a list of member attractions and local tourist info pages. This pissed me off. It's bad web design karma. So I did a WHOIS search and found that it is registered care/of one of the memeber attractions, was locally hosted, and had an identifiable technical contact. [edit: Oops, the member attraction may have failed to renew its own domain and now it points to a coming soon/generic search page.]

If I still feel peeved later, I may contact one or more of the people listed in the WHOIS, but I think I already feel better having ranted here. Thanks for listening!

Up and Down Day (Mostly Up)

Despite still suffering from the plague....

We decided as a family to take a road trip up-Island today. Lunch was had, comics were purchased, thrift stores were rummaged through, malls were wandered, and even a Library was visited before we returned.

On our return to the city, we popped into our neighbourhood video store and purchased 3 previously-viewed DVDs (Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Garden State and Spiderman 2).

While watching the movies, we received a call to let us know that friends had welcomed a new baby girl into the world (Hello, Maya!) and all involved are healthy.

But I am still sick on my vacation. Sigh.

Damn. Why Didn't I think of This?

Superman is a Dick.

1. Gather old copies of Superman comics
2. Scan covers
3. Open in favourite image manipulation software.
4. Change the words in the speech and thought bubbles

..et voila! Cult status.

All done with Wal-Mart

For the past few years I have grudgingly shopped at Wal-Mart because for some items they are plainly the cheapest option in town.
Lately though we haven't been able to find half of what we are looking for when we go, but worse is the way they are so brutally anti-union... to the point of shutting down the store in Jonquiere Quebec which was the first to win the right to unionize in Canada. The announcement was followed by bomb-threats called into two other Quebec Wal-Marts.

Now unions in the province are debating a public boycott of Wal-Mart [Globe and Mail story]. For me, there's no more weighing. I just plain won't shop there... unless all the Zellers stores in town close (one already has, and another is pending closure)... and then I'll be screwed.

Talk to Me!

OK y'all. Blogger has made some changes to the comment system and I thought, "Sure, I'll give that a try."

So in theory now, anyone -- not just registered Blogger folks -- can leave me a note. Of course if I get plastered with spam, I will be changing that back. The other change is that theoretically the comments will show in a popup window but even after republishing this morning, I couldn't get that to work.

Let the chatter begin!

Trout Fishing in Dark Places

One of the blogs on my blogroll is Trout Fishing in South-Central Wisconsin, which I check and read without fail a few times a week. What got me hooked was the Monday Morning Mix Tapes B posts almost every week. He has great taste in tunes, lemme tell ya.

He's also about the same age as me (6 months older), wickedly witty, and it looks like we could tie for wimpy horror fan of the year (actually, no. He would win by a mile; I haven't heard of most of the flicks in this tale). Still, it's a good read and I heartily recommend checking out the rest of his site, too.

DIY electrical

Sometime before Christmas I picked up a pair of new but in an open box light fixtures for $6 to replace the pair of ugly-as-sin 1970s amber-glass fixtures currently in place. Since then, the box has been sitting quietly under a table... time to actually get them replaced!

See more progress on: replace the light fixtures in the hall.

Really Good Day

Today was one of those rare "really good" days.

Got up at 7-ish, had coffee, had breakfast (cooked by hubby), kissed hubby goodbye and drove into work (I worked dayshift today and hubby worked from home to watch the kid). Dropped off my lunch and stuff by my desk, grabbed a clipboard and hoofed across campus for a computing course. [1]

After the course, I meandered back across campus, enjoying the crisp sunny day, watching the campus wildlife in their natural habitats... and eventually got to my desk long enough for a quick check of my email and then off to lunch! After lunch there was a little work for me, but mostly I was spinning my wheels and grinning because (a) I knew I'd be leaving at 5:45 and (b) as of 5:45 I would be on vacation for 10 (ten) days!! Woot!

Hubby picked me up, then we grabbed his family and dropped them and our kid off at the Roxy theatre to see the Incredibles while hubby and I enjoyed two hours of kid-free shopping ! And we splurged on our Valentines gifts early [2].

We then picked up the family, dropped them home, brought the kid inside, had some cuddles and she put herself to bed (!) while we watched the episode of West Wing we had taped.

So even when our (main) computer [3] froze and stalled out (the FAT on drive C went kablooey), it could not ruin my evening. Hubby set to fixing it, and I got some knitting done.

For me, it was a mostly perfect day. Yay!



[1]The class was "Excel: Macros and User Defined Functions." I was the first to arrive, and in fact one of only 3 to take the class. I was a little worried when looking through the "you should already know..." section of the handout since I took the introductory course almost a decade ago and had never taken the "Beyond the Basics" section -- but hey, I'm a computer-savvy grrrl, and I use the damned program all the time, so I can handle it, right? Well, it turns out I could handle it, but it also turns out I have been using Excel in the most ass-backwards, longhand, inefficient way possible (perhaps only worse use would be not installing it, and just using the CD to slap at a stack of papers covered in long-hand calculations). So anyway, I will fix that now.

[2] We bought music: Mondo Exotica from the Ultralounge Collection and William Shatner's Has Been; and movies: Down With Love, How To Marry a Millionaire, and The Day The Earth Stood Still. We also considered Gwen Stefani's Love Angel Music Baby and Green Day's American Idiot, along with a huge long list of movies ... but decided to keep our drunken spending under $100.

[3] We have many computers. One that is "mine" (on which I am typing right now); one that is hubby's (currently awaiting revival); one laptop (currently hubby's "main" computer); one shared computer (with the dead FAT file); and one old Apple which the kid bashes around. Plus we have an odd assortment of parts, some of which will soon be Frankenstiened into a file server.

Mythbusters - Adam and Jamie

Mythbusters' scientific jesters Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman are freaking hillarious. If you are a fan of Alton Brown and you haven't watched Mythbusters on the Discovery Channel (USA and Canada), go set your Tivo now! I love Alton Brown's Good Eats because he weaves food science, pop culture and common sense into recipes on a theme. Adam and Jamie have a similar take on urban myths -- like the one about how a Bible can stop a bullet, or how you can test positive for opium if you eat a poppy-seed bagel -- and they not only go through the theory, but they show, through trial and error, how something may or may not be possible or even plausible.

The bonus is that Discovery Channel Canada has been running Mythbusters at midnight, which is great when The Daily Show is in reruns.

Attention Germy McGermster

It's like this, kids. If you insist on carrying your library card/bank card/credit card in your mouth, do NOT hand the wet end to the clerk.

Eww.

Nightmares from childhood

After an exchange with Sarcasmo about nightmares that stay with you, I've been thinking about the first recurring nightmare I had when I was about 6 years old. I had it fairly regularly for maybe a year.

So anyway, in the dream, I was with a schoolgroup and we had walked down the road to an "antique store" -- a dark dusty house full of furniture and accessories. After a brief tour by the host (a creepy looking very old man), I was dawdling at the back of the tour, looking at the umbrella stand and the intricate umbrellas and canes standing inside. When I looked up, I was alone -- I had been left behind.* Even the host was nowhere to be found. So I went outside (the doorknob was very high and hard to turn but I managed somehow) and then couldn't remember which way we came, so I turned and walked down the road and ended up across from Mayfair Mall** At this point in the dream, my heart was beating so fast and I was breathing so heavy from fear that I would wake up.

It's amazing to me that this dream is still perfectly vivid in my mind. If I had the cash I would make a film so I could share it with y'all.


*Hmmm. Abandonment issues ya think? Likely from my Mother's constant scolding when I was dawdling, "If you can't keep up, you'll get left behind!"
**Many many years ago there was a gas station at the front corner of Mayfair Mall, where the Macaroni Grill now stands. The gas station roof (or sign?) had these bizarre multicoloured balls --kind of like giant whiffle balls -- that spun in the wind, and that is the image that stuck in my 6-year-old head to represent the mall. If I can find a picture, I'll post it.

Lousy Logo

A while ago, a business opened in a storefront I pass about a dozen or more times a week. What really bugs me is the company's name is Popeye's but their logo is a cartooned muscle-bound guy from the waist up. Unfortunately, it looks more like a turd than a person, especially when you are driving by at anything over 10 mph. They really oughta hire a marketing consultant. (I'm surprised actually that whomever owns the right to Popeye hasn't issued a "cease and desist" order)

Maybe it's just me, but I took a photo and have added some comparison images, for your amusement...

Want one.

Daka Development Ltd. has patented this funky "pin clock" which displays the time like those pre-digital flip-clocks, but using pins (like that pin toy where you can mold your face or *ahem* whatever). From their promotional material:

As time passes, a precision engineered mechanism lifts and retracts selected pins to display hours and minutes. This mechanism also produces a satisfying click with every number change.

The inspiration behind the pin clock comes from the popular toy that uses moving pins to make an impression of one's hand or face as well as the sound "Flipping" seen at most airports or train stations.

I'm pedalling backwards!

In addition to not understanding a perfectly obvious t-shirt this evening (What the heck is that -- "I don't give a mouse donkey?" ) I am feeling like I am out of a particular blog loop -- namely what the heck does Technorati do? How does one use it? And why?



**my pop-culture saturated readers will recognize that the title is a quote from Ralph Wiggum.

Demi-Celebrity

OK, now I'm all weirded out. I just flipped on to Shaw (local cable channel) and saw this guy who looks a bit like Mike Myers but with Man-from-Glad white hair. Freaky.

He actually is Mike Myers' brother, Paul. Along with urban rush- the movie guys: myers & maliha where he reviews current films in theatre, on pay-per-view and video, he is also a cartoonist for the Tyee, an author, and a musician.

Only in Canada could this guy skim below my radar for so damned long.

A-SS-HO-LE

I am 68% Asshole/Bitch.

I am abrasive, some people really hate me, but there may be a group of other tight knit assholes and bitches that I can hang out with and get me. Everybody else? Fuck ‘em.

Take the
Asshole/Bitch Test
@ FualiDotCom

Quilt-o-rama

I need another hobby like a hole in the head, especailly a hobby like quilting where I would be tempted to grab every scrap of bright fabric I could lay hands on.... but that doesn't mean I can't look... although, I have been asked by someone to join into a project where I would do one square. I wonder if doing one square is like the gateway drug to a room full of scraps. Hmm.

So then I look around and find all sorts of quilting references, lists of paper-pieced squares and applique blocks and other things. Of course then I find fun things like this series of Rooster applique patterns, Quilt Square Math lessons for kids, and wonderful polymer clay creations that look quilted.

Misleading Headline of the Day

"Reality TV Search For INXS Lead Singer"

Hey! I know where he is: he's DEAD. Duh.

Actually, the show Rock Star is looking for a replacement for the late Michael Hutchence. There's a lot to be said for clarity.

Press One to Annoy Me.

This morning in the midst of running around trying to wrangle a naked toddler, the phone rang. Since I am still half-heartedly expecting a call for an interview, I answered the phone. What I got was an automated robo-caller, "Hello. We are calling about your Super Pages [Super Pages was inserted like the numbers when you call 411] Telephone Directory. We would like to know if you received your Super Pages Directory and if it was received in good condition. If you receive your Super Pages Directory, please press 1 now."

Like a good lemming, I pressed one, and was about to hang up but ... "Thank You. Did your Super Pages Directory come with a bookmark attached? If your Super Pages Directory was delivered with a bookmark, please press ---"

I hung up.

So Telus (or more specifically the company in Colorado* you've hired to do your robo-calling) I'm very sorry that I screwed up your robo-caller and possibly your statistics, but it's your own fault for not hiring real humans, who might be able to hear the screeching of, "Mommy, I'm NAKED! Whheeeeeheeheeheee!" in the background and understand why I was terminating the call. If you are a representative of the robo-caller company, I can assure you, we received our Super Pages Directory in good condition, with the bookmark and all the other marketing crap in tact. I can also tell you that I peeled off all that crap the moment I got the directory inside.



*See, Telus? You shouldn't sell us Call Display if you don't want us to know you are contracting-out stuff like this to another country.

busy-days and life's schedule

Scheduling has never worked well for me... but I find without some idea of what needs doing, I get nothing done. Things that need to be scheduled in my life include:

-- playgroup for the kid (was Fridays, now Tuesdays)
-- laundry (at least twice a week , currently Mondays and Thursdays)
-- housework (this REALLY needs to be regulated! -- see hubby's rant if you dare)
-- yoga (I am still trying to work this one in)
-- writing (preferably an hour or more uniterrupted. Yah, right.)
-- focused learning sessions (ie: homeschooling) with the kid (aiming for 5 hours a week right now, in 20 to 30 minute sessions)
-- cleaning the fish tank (odious but totally my job.)

Ultimately I think I need to write it all down on a big weekly calendar thingy and give it a test run for a few weeks. Anyone else out there this anal dash retentive?