Dear Little Old Lady

I know that you'd like us all to think that you were somehow just acting in maybe a confused, befuzzled way. But see, both Leone and I could tell that you were very unhappy with having to line up behind me at Fanny's Fabrics. And the woman ahead of me was taking a bit longer than necessary to find her Visa card, yes that is true. But you gave it all away with your mild-mannered wanderings and walkings about the till area. And when the second woman came over to help the *next* in line, you cut right in front of me with a carefully crafted innocent look that fooled nobody. Because as you know, very few will bitch out a little old lady in a fabric store.

I mean, do you all take a course in looking like you've never figured out how to stand in a line? Like line-ups are a new fangled invention like thongs or MSN Messenger? Because I'm amazed at the one little old lady who knew enough to find the customer service desk at The Bay, to find it in the basement, at the back of the store. Yet at that point of discovery to suddenly become confused at how to stand in the line-up with the rest of us. She then just stood off to the side at an angle much closer than we were, and she waited. And yes, the woman ahead of me shot me a knowing look as this fraile confused wandering little old lady SOMEHOW distractedly managed to meander right up to the next available cashier.

But at the airport with Julia earlier this month, I saw that whole scene play out in a different manner. See, the one ticket attendant noticed the skipping of the line and walking right up to try and stand ahead of Julia. And the ticket goddess then walked right up to Julia and clearly said she'd help HER at the end counter. Little Old Lady DENIED!

*sigh* And now you've made me take glee in your downfall. And here is the kicker. I am so nice. I am nice to a fault. If you were to ever indicate that you were not feeling well and needed to leave the store rather quickly, I'd gladly help out. I'd get you a chair if you needed to sit a moment. I'd give you my spot in line if you smiled nicely and asked. But if you can have the brain power to pick out patterns, convert the measurements to metric and back again, subtract centimetres to account for a shortened torso on the dress, calculated the requirements for thread, metred out the seam bindings... you can figure out what it means to help the *next* in line. So don't play me lady, Okay? Sheesh!

Chuck The Cat

No, no. That is not a request for action. That is, rather, the newest member of the household. Some of you won't know this but dear sweet Mr. Pooks had to be put to sleep last December as his health was failing. I was a total mess over that and certainly not up for another kitty right away. But this summer Coral went to visit her dad and he had a number of new kitties out in the barn so she picked out the cutest of the bunch: orange and white swirly tabby we've named Chuck. Technically Chuck is Coral's cat, but that doesn't stop me from kissing his head and nibbling on his ears and making him love me, dammit! Sometimes he tries to run away so he can attack the other older cat, Ativan the Avenger. He rides her like a pony and she scrambles about the house trying to get away. She's looking much more lean and healthy lately what with the enforced exercise and all.

So Chuck. Chuck the insane, sucky, ADHD, snuggly kitten. He is now coming up on six months and is showing his true nature. He is a total baby. Any time I'm sitting he needs to be in my lap - well, more like he needs to be climbing my chest trying to get to my hair. He loves my hair. Kinda strange-like. He tries to eat my hair. He also loves water. Sits in the shower while you're in there. Jumps up on the sink in the bathroom when you're brushing your teeth. Must spit around the cat. Over and over I walk into the kitchen and see his head poke out of the sink where he'll keep licking as fast as possible until the last second when I'll be able to reach him - then he takes off running. On a rather regular basis he'll jump up on my lap and I'm like "where have you BEEN?? You're soaking wet!" And he loves it. No point trying to spray him with the water bottle. *doh*

But then there is the other, more darker side of a kitten in the house. He has no problem with sitting on the kitchen counters licking the peanut butter knife or honey spoon or whatever is handy until we are within reach, thought it was fun to take the trailing plant for a walk by tugging it off the shelf and then running with the long piece that broke off, drags everything he can out of the bathroom garbage and then shreds the tissues all over the house, drinks from our glasses and eats off our plates if we are not watching, one night systematically pulled one sock after another out of the clean laundry basket through the little holes along the side, will happily drag panties and bras from bedrooms into the living room where he sleeps on them (bit of a perv), and this morning when he was out of food decided to sound like a baby elephant running about the living room at 7:30am. It is SUNDAY!

But good god he is cute.

I'm Taking a Poll - This means you must reply!

First off, should anyone not know this who SHOULD know this (as I wish I had known a couple days ago), Vernon now has an all-you-can-eat sushi lunch place for $8.75! Yeah baby.

And I did.

Eat all I could eat.

Oomph. So thank goodness Sarah and I then went for a nice little walk with her dog. Highly recommended after eating obscene amounts of sushi.

So, my poll. I want to know who all has made it here. That means you! And for a couple of my friends who said they didn't want to have to sign up for a blog to comment - you don't need to. You can just comment as anonymous (did I spell that right? It is kind of a silly word.) So if you've been lurking around and then do things like phone me to tell me you read my blog - please do feel free to just say hi in the comments section. Yes Laura, that means you.

The second part of my poll is for those of you with blogs/livejournals/etc and whether or not I can link to you in my ever-expanding sidebar area. I need more links! And MORE! MORE!!!! Plus I find it handy to have a quick click to other blogs, and I'm actually amazingly lazy deep down inside.

This is my second to last day of freedom/vacation in Vernon. Tuesday night I'm back to PG, and if you read Leone's blog you'll see that it has been snowing there all day. Gross I tell you. Gross. Someone should really look into changing that about Northern Canada.

Ah well,
xoxo
jenn

Mugs, Massive Carrots, and Mom.

Well I must say, nothing beats waking up in the morning and NOT hurting when turning over. I mean, it was just like this overwhelming feeling of 'thank-freakin-gods'n-goddesses' *whew* A huge thank-you and hugs to all who left little notes and kind wishes. Just to let you know things are coming along very nicely.

Yeah yeah, still couldn't reach the mugs on the second shelf (ah-ha! but I can fwing one down with the wooden spoon - just be sure to catch it as it goes flying towards the kitchen floor) and I'm still being super-duper easy on myself. But all in all, this round is going to heal up quite quickly and I'm so so so glad about that.

I did make my sister do the heebie-jeebies dance by showing her the incisions (through the steri-strips that are currently making them water-proof)which almost make the whole ordeal worth it. She later mocked me about not being able to reach the cups, so I showed her that my feet still worked by kicking her until she called out to mom. Yeah I know, she's 25 and I'm 30... but some things never change, eh?

We had a good day today. Went out to visit with grandma and grandpa and left with canned tomatoes and nuclear-fed sized carrots from the garden (they were absolutely obscene, I tell you). After that Ju and I went to the sushi place mentioned in another post (then closed but this time open, thank goodness) and ordered their 'sushi party platter' - yes, we managed to eat the whole thing ourselves.

My two favoriet moments of the day:
-grandma making us both stand up when grandpa came in so he could see how amazing we looked. Julia and I have both lost somewhere in the 30-40lb mark this past summer. Grandma really got a kick out of that. Grandpa really wouldn't care, but humored her/us anyways. It was very sweet and funny.

-mom and I dropped Julia off at the airport. Mom makes Julia go through security and then get into the clear and wave to us. And wave. And wave. Then mom starts making the international signal for 'phone me' while yelling "phone me when you get home and you're okay! Phone me!" Julia starts making random non-signals with her hands - making mom repeat the above. I stand there and shake my head as the airport security woman considers taking us all into the backroom for strip-search, I'm sure. Then mom blows kisses, waves again and moves so I can do the same. I stand and look at Julia, lift my hand, give a single wave, she does the same, we both then just kinda look at each other, shrug and walk off.

But regardless, my mom is the cutest lady in the world. She's just too funny sometimes.

Well, I'm off to have tea with some friends and see their new baby.
xoxo
jenn

"Minor" Surgery - another icky advisory warning

Hmph. That's what I say to the 'minor' idea. So I'm home and all is well enough. The whole fun game took about an hour and a half and I found it more traumatic than I had anticipated. I've ended up with close to three inches of stitches under each arm and two other smaller spots on the inside of about half an inch each. Last night I was back to being unable to do much for myself, in a fair bit of pain (helloooo T3's with codine!), and having my sweet dad with Parkinson's finding me a blanket and covering me up on the couch as I couldn't get up to do it myself. I really didn't think I was getting into that situation again. I guess I let myself think it was less that it was going to be.

Massive Ick warning: this is my blog so I'm going to say what I need to say but Please, Please, Please don't read if you get squiggy tummy!


Being awake was the trauma. The freezing was not nice, but I could handle it. The two little spots were kinda horrid but much more what I was expecting. Quick and there it is and then the couple of stitches. Then came the more major side pieces - being awake while someone (even my kind wonderful sarcastic-funny and caring surgeon) cuts into you and then spends 30 minutes cutting away at you - NOT GOOD! And then he had to move on to the other side. Let me note again: he was so aware of me getting tense or needing more freezing so I'll sing his praises forever. But I don't know that I could do something like that again anytime soon.

A huge smooch to Jim for being there on the phone when I got home so I could have a little cry and get out all my upset. And then for the flowers later. You are a wonderful man.

I'm pretty much hanging out mellow today, and I'm already aware that this healing won't take too long. I'm drinking lots of good tea and my mom bought me these great pre-fab veggie/chicken/rice things that I can have without any cooking effort. My younger sister Julia arrives this afternoon after having business in Kelowna. She'll stay over night before heading back to Vancouver tomorrow so we'll get a nice visit in this evening.

Many smooches to all,
Jenn

I Clean Therefore I Am.

What is it with me and cleaning. Please note: roommates and sisters are not allowed to comment on this post. *rolleyes*

Yeah, okay. Feel free. But I think I figured part of it out today. So I'm all on 'holiday' so I only brought five books and my current chapter to work on while on 'holiday'... yeah. And I've battled myself over the past two days about how much I'm not to do or going to try and do and blah blah blah. Main point: I've not worked on my thesis for DAYS and it is making me all with the wiggins. So this afternoon I cleaned my parents' house. Vacuumed the entire first floor and basement, tidied, did the kitchen, quick wipe down of the bathroom. I feel much better now.

Cleaning is excellent for when I'm thinking "now what have I actually DONE today?" Cleaning lets me do something and SEE it done. Very satisfying in that manner. Much more rewarding in some ways than spending the same 90 minutes trying to think up that single perfect word I need for that single frustrating sentence - and then not getting it and just leaving the work with 'nothing' done.

A friend in the grad office also talks about it in terms of your mind wanting you to literally 'clear a space' or 'organise a space' for clear and organised thinking. That the act of sorting and cleaning and moving physical objects has an impact on what your brains is always working on (my thesis) and its organisation and completion. I like the idea of that too.

But all in all, the house looks great and I've earned a walk downtown to buy green tea and maybe some overpriced sushi for a late lunch/early dinner.

xoxo
jenn

The Amazing Ever-Changing Post *ohhh, ahhhh*

So I checked out the source of various blogs and then fiddled away with my page. No, it isn't any different because when I changed the margin settings the texts all became too large looking. I could figure out most of the settings and change them to a different percentage (usually by doing something extreme to the section and then previewing and seeing what part of my blog had changed) but I couldn't figure out how to make the main text smaller. I could make the headers, footers (which I don't have btw) profile, comments, and everything else smaller. But the main body of my posts remained strange looking. So then I thought maybe it is the font. I my template defaults to Trebuchet and I can alter that either in the template setting or in some other section where it asks me about pre-formatting all my posts. I also wonder if this is where I could alter the size of the text rather than in the template as I can't seem to find that in the template section.

If not already evident, this is a testing post. And would be actual testing-testing.

Arial
Courier
Georgia
Lucida
Times
Trebuchet
Verdana

Small
Tiny

So now I'm putting this up and gonna fiddle with it in hopes of not destroying the entire blog, just one post.

Woofing Cookies

Warning, the following post is about surgery and scars and things like that. If that tends to make you feel like it tends to make me feel - maybe just wait for the next entry.

Some will know I had surgery in February (breast reduction) and I came to stay with my parents for the surgery and the recovery. Took about two months or so to recover, and now I just have to pop back every once in a while for follow-ups - one of which was this morning. And the main thing I realised today is that my surgeon really doesn't get how easily I get squicky tummy. I kinda knew that around the six month (eight really, but whatever) follow-up is when they will look at doing any touching up of the surgery. Being a perfectionist is cool and having him make everything look as good as possible is super cool. But the part where he's all like "I'll just use a local and don't worry you can drive home afterwards" is not so cool. I don't think he understands the part where I'll most likely go dead white during the first five minutes and turn into a shocky pool of shakey jello by the end. And yes, if in truely good form, I will also maybe just woof my cookies - as they say. I'm thinking I'll try and find someone to drive me back home especially as it is an hour drive away.

On a good note, my scars are doing 'amazingly well' and will fade to almost nothing. The nerves all healed well, there is still a possiblity I can breastfeed, and everything is just as I hoped. I am so happy I got this surgery done and as those who have seen me in the past 8 months, I'm one of the happiest little bunnies around. But I agree that there are the four spots that could be made even more perfect. So all he wants to do is just correct the ends of the incisions and a couple areas where the skin needs to be pulled a little smoother - oh, just typing that made me feel gorky. I'm soooo not driving.

But all in all, everything is just perfect and he's very happy. And I'm very happy.
xoxo
jenn

Happy Turkey Day

To all my canadian friends especially vicki all far away in the land of American Turkey In November, and to my sweetness Marissa whom I've missed like crazy and I actually bounced up and down in my seat when I saw her comment here. We are so overdue for one of our old three hour phone conversations, it isn't even funny!

So, I actually spent the Canadian Turkey day in the car with my mom driving down to her house, as she had spent the weekend with Leone and I up north and I figured it would be nice for her to have some company and I need a little break from school. I've just arrived with her and I'll spend the next week visiting with mom and dad, grandma and grandpa, and some various school friends I've not seen since the spring. We did the dinner deal yesterday so we'd have today to travel. Dinner was great and gave Coral and I a wonderful little push towards some final shifting of boxes and unpacking as there were people coming over. We had just moved into a new place Oct 1st. (oh my oh my! suddenly realising some of the viewership here and how much backstory would be missing! *boggle at the concept* All in all, Coral and I are best friends and will be forever best friends and have been roommates for the past year and a half. I know I will have to fill in more later. But the quick of it is we make most excellent roommates and have just rented a kickass three bedroom full house with basement and yard and trees with pretty leaves. I'll fill in further on the daytime soap that is my little ol normal life as we go *grin*)

So while chatting with Jim on the phone yesterday, I realised with dating someone from another country (even if it is the States) is how any traits or traditions or facts I talk about have the potential as standing for the characteristics of my entire country.

Jim asked what we were having for Thanksgiving dinner. I reply "ham and lots of veggies." He then starts in about "wow, different traditions and isn't that neat and on and on... In America we all eat turkey for Thanksgiving."

Um, yeah. They do in Canada too. As tempting as it is to totally wonk up Jim's ideas about Canadians (enter obvious discussion here about the already wonky ideas americans have about canadians), I quickly corrected the misconception before he was set up for an unfortunate discussion with some random canadian in NYC. I could just see him going on about our interesting canadian traditions of Ham for thanksgiving and Wild Canadian Cariboo for all holidays starting with a 'C'. (Although some hacks have been known to start using the Farmed Canadian Cariboo, but those of us with any real canadian heritage know that the farmed stock is really somewhat lacking in taste and antlerage.)

He's so sweet about actually keeping track of different things about canadians (really attempting to understand our somewhat chip-on-shoulder attitude when it comes to the States) so I'm as good as I can be. (Kisses to Jim)

As for the ham and veggies, it was just that mom said the last thing she felt like doing was cooking a Turkey. Especially since every time she comes to visit us up north she brings all the food she'll need for her whole visit with her. No, really. And although I have explained that we have grocery stores like all the other cities down south.... still she comes with a carload of food. I think she just didn't make a turkey because it wouldn't have fit in the cooler.

So happy day to all and I'll certainly be trying to find those random minutes here and there where dad isn't glued to the computer to catch up more with everyone. I'm so happy to see so many dear wonderful friends here that I get warm fuzzies and I'm a massive-huge cheeseball, I know.

XoXo
jenn

Blog Activities and Manners

So, for those of you who have blogs I was wondering about some of the particulars of blogging. I mean, I have this thing now and I'm seeming to be blabbing away as per normal, so is this about right?

Yes, yes. I know there is no 'right' way to do this, blah blah blah. But all that aside, is this right? I'm just popping in every here and there and I keep thinking I"m going to follow a set theme. My dear friend Dani (Hi dani!) has a live journal - which I just typed as liver journal which would be, well, strange - that I quiet enjoyed reading when she first got herself all off to Japan. Then my life hit a really bad section and I lost the link to it. See, she had all these real things to talk about and places she was going and stuff she was doing.

This will not be the case here.

And I've just really started to read/follow Calli's blog (Hi Callie!) and I enjoy that tonnes. I like hearing all these little tidbits about her life. I like knowing what books she's reading and what her day has been like.

So, any feedback along the way would be great. I think I understand why people read blogs now. I think the secret is to keep it to those of people you like. I tried to follow some blogs of people I didn't really know and I found it boring. I won't name names (send me an email/PM and I'll spill the beans *grin*), but I am going to stick to a few key blogs. I need to keep it tight *nods*

Oh yes, questions. So when people reply to your blog, do you reply back to each of them? Sometimes it seems the comments can stand on their own, but is it rude if the blogger doesn't reply? Why yes, I am Canadian. Why do you ask?

How often do people tend to post on these things? Is there any feeling that there should be no more than one post a day or anything?

How far back to people keep track of new comments and whatnot? I should do that thing where it emails me when someone makes a comment, shouldn't I? That way I won't obsessively keep going back to old posts worried that someone has commented and I haven't seen their reply.

How many questions can you put in a post without it really needing to go to the WD as a BoQ? I realise to some of you that last statement is in total gibberish. Rl friends and family, meet my WD friends and family who are also very real life, but different. I'll expand on that more later *grin*.

And finally, can I expand the margins so the typing spreads out across more of the screen? I feel this post is going to be stupid long and I want to make the entries less narrow.

XoXo
Jenn

I think anyone can comment now

I think I've fixed the settings so anybody can comment. I don't want it to be like some high-pressure to join the cult in order to play the games. But, seeing as I'm amazingly spaztic with this stuff (it took me fifteen mintues to figure out how to actually log into my account again and not just keep viewing my blog like an outsider) if someone could please confirm that this is an open posting blog... that would be great.

Do I need to think up titles for each entry???

I think both Peter and Jim could be right. I really could get into spending a whole lot of time on here fiddling around and posting random nothing. But at least it seems to be a bit more closely tied to journal writing than anything else and my supervisor has been very supportive of that idea.

So writing is weird. As some of you know, I hit a huge snag with my final big chapter. Chapter four is the whole 'what the hell is this thesis really about, anyway?' chapter. No pressure. Nope. So I read and read and wrote and wrote - 35 pages worth. But it was totally random and not at all DOING anything. So Jim very carefully suggested I work on a revised outline as my old one kinda went out the window once I got into the work. Smart boy. I just finished this uber 5 page outline with amazing detail and logical progression throughout the chapter. It ties in all my previous theory work and historical considerations. I had the BIG meeting with the supervisor on Wednesday afternoon.

She loved it.

She thought it was super-nifty, way to go, good job girl, just write to follow this, rah-rah-rah!

And I flew from her office all inspired and my brain started firing up and I wrote!

And I haven't written since then. But my desk is organized, I have new curtains in my room, and I made some really good soup.

My mom arrives today for thanksgiving weekend. I'll be hanging out with her for the next couple of days and then I'm heading back down south with her for a week to visit some family and have a follow up with my surgeon dude. I think that is his real name. Everything is fine, just the standard follow up.

*wave*

Build it and they shall come!

Yeah, so I've now sent out the email to the seven people I think might want to take a boo at this.. and there's nothing to see yet. That is quite like me. Send out the email to create the burning hot pepper of motivation (thanks to allison for that - who is never online so who will not see this, but thanks nonetheless).

So I'll jump into the thesis update. Gah, there is a range of people who could be confused about where I'm at.... but all in all, my supervisor quit the uni and nobody else could really do the same work with me at this institution. This was March when I was down in Vernon recovering from some surgery. Got back to PG in April, put together a revised topic that would work with a woman I really liked here, had a meeting, all went tickity-boo, and I started writing my new thesis. So after almost three years of not much happening at all and so many false starts it isn't even funny - I'm now finishing up my final big chapter of my thesis.

This could be done by the end of the month and leave me with some minor framework pieces to complete. Then I'd be on to the first round of revisions and the goal of my First Revised Draft completed by Christmas. I will defend and be finished my Masters by the spring.

To anyone showing up and giving this a read, I send out a big hello. I also will remind people that I've included some grown-up family members in the list so keep the nekkid jello wrestling comments to a minimum.

Okay, let's see how this all works!

So Now it is Black

Gah, I didn't really want the black. But the title kinda didn't work with the bright green. I'm very attracted to the barbie pink, but enough of all that.

I'll have to just figure out how to do some custom work and make it all perfect. Could also be the fact I'm continally battling between that bright pink girly (J-Lo) side of me with the black with black sarcastic (Lenore) other side of me.