Make Fun Of Me If You Want...

...but I love this song.

I hate to admit it, but I've missed old fun-slutty Britney Spears (as opposed to the current sad-slutty Britney Spears).

My Dad Really Likes Christmas Lights

#45 - LIST FRIDAY, Talking to Strangers Edition

When I was downtown today I didn't actually talk to any strangers, but if I had here is what I would have said:

Things I Would Have Said To Strangers If I Had Talked To Any Of Them While I Was Downtown Today

• To the teenage boy wearing Dark Side of the Moon pajama pants: "Can't you find any music from the 21st century to get high to? Also, don't wear PJ pants in public."
• To the woman who keeps scratching her knee: "Why is your knee so itchy? May I suggest a soothing balm or medicated ointment of some sort?"
• To the girl on the bus who sat in my favorite seat: "I wouldn't really mind if you were using the seat to it's full potential, but when you sit in the putting-your-feet-up seat and then don't put your feet up it is just insulting."
  
• To the guy who works at HMV and is trying to impress a girl by suggesting she buy the new Josh Ritter CD: "Good call, dude."
• To the old man who thinks I am crazy: "You can't see my headphones and are also not psychic so it is probably unclear that I am listen to something hilarious on my iPod. Don't worry, I am not laughing at you."

Beatles, Please, Stop Fighting Here In India!

I love Paul Rudd.
I love Paul Rudd.
I love Paul Rudd.

#44 - There Was That Night That We Thought John Berryman Could Fly.

... but he didn't so he died.

Two things:
1. Jarrett Grode (who played Perry in Undeclared and is now a pretty funny stand-up comic) apparently wrote this, which I found via the TSOYA blog. It is strangely enthralling, though probably more so if your only other option is memorizing French verbs.

2. I am thoroughly enjoying The Hold Steady right now. Even if you hate them you should watch this video for the keyboardists awesome dancing, especially about 51 seconds in.

Did you know...

...that baboons have a strong awareness of rank-relations among themselves and among others?


I can't sleep.

#43 - LIST FRIDAY, Adjectives Edition

The Best Adjectives To Be

• Lovely. I know I have been throwing this one around a lot lately, but I really do mean it when I say it. It has certain connotations that just cannot be achieved with any other word.
• Tough. It is good to be tough. Unless you are referring to pot roast or something else meat-related.
• Graceful/Statuesque. I equate this with each other. I think you can be graceful without being statuesque, but not vice versa.
• Steady. I envy people who are steady, in every sense of the word.
• Thoughtful.
  
• Vivid. What an excellent word. Vivid. It sounds like what it is.
• Curious.
• Daring. This is my favorite one. I think to call someone daring is pretty much the best compliment you can give.
  

#42 - Reading, Writing and Arithmetic

...Are the branches of the learning tree

That is, unless you are me. The branches of my learning tree (for a couple more weeks) are, like: Mermaids, democracy, Jesus and the verb être. University is ridiculous.

Anyway, since I am taking a full 36 hours off from school, and am bumming around at home watching bad television and playing Scrabulous while my friends are going out and being employed and stuff, I thought I would take a few minutes to show you some things that are awesome.* I guess this is kind of a list, but it's Wednesday so I'm gonna let that go. Also, the format will be similar, but different. You might not even notice.

Demetri Martin.
Awesome because:

1. he is very funny
2. he went to Yale
3. his hair is lustrous
4. sometimes he has a pointer and sometimes he has a harmonica
   
5. mostly I just like him because he is hilarious, though
   

The making of a movie based on the book Twilight by Stefanie Meyer
Awesome because:

1. it will give me lots of opportunities to discuss why I hate the book Twilight by Stefanie Meyer
2. not least of which is that she spells her name stupidly**

Ze Frank is making videos again, sometimes
Awesome because:

1. this should be self-explanitory
2. if it's not go here to watch some

And some more random videos
Awesome because (respectively):

1. look at that footwork!
   
2. I relate to the Courier New thing

*Run-on sentence and also a possible comma splice. I would put a period in there somewhere if I weren't so lazy.
**You'd think I would have more sympathy for people whose names are spelled unusually (what with my name lacking an "e" and all), but I guess I don't. At least not in the case of people who write shitty, overrated books which send harmful messages to the many young girls who read them.^



^Wow, I am even more annoyed by this about this than I thought.

Hey, look!

Holiday themed (because it's more fun that homework)!!

#41 - LIST FRIDAY, Christmas Edition (!!!)

Oh man, Christmas is so awesome.

Things That Are Awesome About Christmas

• Twinkly lights
• Presents. they are fun to get, fun to give, and SUPER DUPER fun to wrap. Isn't getting a nicely wrapped gift just the best thing? It hardly even matters once inside if it's got pretty wrapping...
• No school. I was deprived of this last year, because working retail at Christmas is a total un-holiday.
• Getting to see people you don't get to see very often.
  
• Hearing "Carol of the Bells". I am not really big into Christmas music in general, except for this song.
• Egg nog! I have heard that there are some people that don't like egg nog, but I cannot bring myself to believe it. Except for in Matt's case, because he doesn't even like perogies so clearly his judgment is questionable, foodwise... *
• Getting to wear warm-and-cozy Christmastime type clothing.
• Fudge, shortbread, butterscotch confetti and that crazy-delicious chocolatey/brownsugarry/almondy thing that is always at Jane and Jason's.
  
• All the deceit and secretiveness that gift giving entails (especially on Christmas Eve)
• the seasonal calendar store in the mall

My Christmas Wishlist (I swear this is not my fishing for presents, but how could I make this Christmas themed and not make a wishlist? Also, I like thinking about things I want, because usually I realize I want less than I think)

• new mittens
• TV on DVD
  
• deviantArt prints (any one of these, for example) or anything else to hang on my walls
• books, books, books
• earrings
  
• magazine subscriptions (are awesome on three levels: it is fun to get things in the mail that you actually want, you get to read them and then after that you get to cut them up)
• the Married to the Sea "I Hate Voting" tee shirt.
• a new schoolbag
• a straightener (because in the winter it sucks to shower in the morning but at night I am always to lazy to dry my hair so I wake up looking like I have been electrocuted. I would buy one for myself if I weren't so incredibly cheap)
• a new purse
• a pretty pencil case
• beading supplies
  
• a bus ticket from Regina to Edmonton, or Edmonton to Calgary, or Calgary to Regina
• a Polaroid camera (except that even if I had one I cannot afford film)
• socks
• a locket
• stuff to collage with
• good pens

In completely un-Christmas related news...

Songs of the Week

• No Sissies - Hawksley Workman
• Crystalline Green - Goldfrapp
• Let's Get Known - The Unicorns
• The Horses - Rickie Lee Jones
• Birthday - Junior Boys (still!)
  

*my computer is trying to tell me that "nog" is not a word. Clearly Lavinia the Macbook has no Christmas spirit at all.

#40 - LIST FRIDAY, Untitled Edition

Wouldn't it be funny if I made a List Friday that didn't actually have a list. I could call it "LIST FRIDAY - Listless Edition". That is not as funny written out as it is in my head. Oh well.

Songs of the Week

• Puttin' On the Ritz - Taco (especially the "supa dupa" part)
• Birthday - Junior Boys (addictive!)
• Nashville Parthenon - Casiotone for the Painfully Alone
• Civil Twilight - The Weakerthans
• You Got the Style - Athlete
• Something Pretty - Patrick Park (which, three years later, still reminds me of reading the beginning of Hey Nostradamus in the backseat of a van driving home from Cypress Hills)
• Duke of Gloucester - The Foxymorons (excellent buh-buhs)
  

Some Random Book/TV/Movie Related Thoughts

• I finished reading a non-school related novel yesterday! This is both a good thing and a bad thing. One one hand it is excellent because the book is a week overdue from the library, on the other hand I haven't done homework in two days.
• The are making Nick and Norah's Infinte Playlist (Cohn/Levithan co-authored YA excellence!) into a movie with Michael Cera! Do you see how this is two awesome things being combined in to one enormously awesome thing? Do you?**
• My support for the writers' strike and my love for new television are fighting a war in my brain. So far the writers (and my conscience) are winning, but I could turn at any minute...
• I have watched an entire season of Our Hero (which you have never heard of unless you were watching a lot of CBC after school programming in the year 2001, which I was) so far this weekend and it is so good. Also, trivia!: The actor who plays Ross on Our Hero is now the drummer for Broken Social Scene. Strange, no? I think he has a big beard now.
  

I still have not done my Christmas edition, not because I have forgotten but because Christmas is a big deal requiring attention and planning my brain is not capable of at the moment.






*Mainly off the playlist Buddha vs. Jesus that I made for cramming for my Religious Studies midterm. Nine hours straight of religion is tough, my friends, but these songs, as well as some post-Zoroastrianism, pre-Judaism cheesecake got me through it.

**It seems that I have gotten a little carried away with the italics, sorry.

Yeesh.

I am very very late again. Whoops. Except it his hardly even my fault because I had a very hectic weekend. I will tell you about soon. Maybe later tonight after I have had a nap and and read 150 of my Poli Sci text. Isn't it good to see that I have my priorities straight. Also, I may discuss why I will never run away from home (although, I suppose at this point running away from home would just be moving out, what with my technically being an adult and all).

#39 - LIST FRIDAY, I Know, I Know, It's Monday (Not Friday) Edition

Could be titled "Less Lists Than General Babbling Edition"

This week I was going to do a list of crazy things my Poli Sci T.A. has said, but it turns out his insanity does not translate well into list form. Perhaps sometime this week I will post some of my transcripts. Example: "So we colonize their country and force our religion on them and make them eat a bunch of cake or something. No, no, I didn't mean cake. I meant slavery and oppression." And then he starts talking about his new iPod Touch or whatever. He's NUTS. Also, he is exceptionally well dressed. He wears cuff links. Who the hell wears cuff links? Rich dudes from Boston apparently. Fun Fact: Everything I know about cuff links I learned from Peter Pan.

ANYWAY, since I am not going to do that I have to make a list about something else. I have been thinking a lot about Christmas lately (it all started with that crazy guy at the Modest Mouse show...) so I could talk about that, but Christmas is important and I am not mentally prepared. THAT is what I will talk about next week. I saw red and green wrapping paper in Wal Mart yesterday and it complete warmed my heart. I am soooo excited for Christmas it's crazy. Which brings us to an (admittedly kind of lame) list:

Stuff Other Than Christmas That I Am Excited About In November and December

• Going to Saskatoon this weekend for the purposes of seeing Cuff the Duke and generally hanging out. If it were going just to see Cuff the Duke that would be absurd, because they played in Regina on Friday.
• The end of classes. Don't get me wrong, I love my classes. Part of the reason the end of classes is exciting is because it is followed shortly by the start of new, different classes. But I also love not going to class. The end of this semester is awesome on multiple levels, obviously.
• Stars on the 23rd!
  
• Knitting lesson this week! Or maybe next week, in the event that I have to go out for supper with my sister tomorrow night. Not that I don't want to go out for supper with my sister, but the timing is unfortunate. I am a terrible person. Today is her birthday. Happy birthday sister who will never read this!
  
• Seeing all my Edmonton and Calgary family during holidays. I miss everyone a lot.
• Christmas. I know, by definition of this list Christmas should not be on it, but I can't help it. Did I mention that there was ribbon beside the wrapping paper?

I know Christmas is supposed to get less exciting as you get older but I think I love it more now than I did when I was little. Would you guys please all tell me about whether or not you still love Christmas. And why. Please? I would really love that.

Anyway, I should probably go, as this is getting less coherent with every sentence. I have been not writing an essay all day, which is exhausting. I did clean the hell out of my kitchen though...

#38 - LIST FRIDAY, A Week Late and A Dollar Short Edition

The Week In Numbers

• Number of blue candies eaten: 15*
  
• Number of days slept past noon: 3
  
• Number of hours spent on prompt book: 15*
  
• Number of professors met awkwardly in restaurants: 1
• Number of excellent playlists created: 1**
  
• Number of The Office (US) commentaries watched: 5
• Number of Jim/Pam related squees: 4*
  
• Number of pictures hung: 5
  
• Number of leftover Halloween chocolate bars eaten: not as many as my dad
• Number of times the songs Braille by Regina Spektor was played: 8
• Number of podcasts listened to: 7
• Number of new people in Poli Sci seminar completely baffled by the insane T.A.: 3
• Number of union strikes I am worried about: 1***
  
• Number of union strikes currently directly effecting my life: 1***

A Few Things That Are Pretty Much Unrelated Except That They All Make Me Happy Because I Am A Big Nerd

• A movie of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist starring Micheal Cera(!!!)
• A new Joss Whedon show
• A spin-off of The Office (actually, I am unsure of how I feel about this, but I didn't want to have to make a whole other list called Things That Are Pretty Much Unrelated Except That I Have Mixed Feelings About Them Because I Am A Big Nerd)

In un-list related news: Hey! Have you seen my new bookshelf? I like it more than most humans I know, and all animals.











*low estimate
** the playlist is as follows

1. Monarch - Feist
2. Dark Horse - Julie Doiron
3. Jezebel - Iron and Wine
4. Tennessee Train Tracks - Rocky Votalato
5. Braille - Regina Spektor
6. Chicago (acoustic version) - Sufjan Stevens
7. Step Into My Office, Baby - Belle and Sebastian (if you do not know this song you must download it immediately but wait until you are in a really bad mood to listen to it, because it will most definitely cheer you up)
8. Leslie Ann Levine - The Decemberists
9. Dance Music - The Mountain Goats
10. Honey and the Moon - Joseph Arthur
11. Lavinia - The Veils
12. Those To Come - The Shins

*** it is important to note that these are not the same strike. One is the strike at my school, the other is the Hollywood writers strike. Guess which is which. (HINT: the correct answer should make you seriously question my priorities)

Spend 20 minutes listening to this (I'm serious!):


The Sound of Young America: Ask the Optimist

#37 - LIST FRIDAY, Best Things Ever Edition

I took a break last week and I am in the midst of writing an enormous paper right now, so this one will be short, but awesomeness filled.

Things That Are Putting Me In A Really Good Mood Right Now (with LINKS!)

• Mindy Kaling's blog about things she buys. It satisfies all most most shallow urges, but is still hilarious in a way only a very good comedy writer could make it. Also, sometimes other comedy writers contribute and comment and it's awesome. Also, it is where I heard about my second thing...
  
• The song West Coast by Coconut Records (who is actually Jason Schwartzman!!!!)
• Dumbledore is gay you guys!! Why am I so thrilled about this? It is because I suspected all along. Also, JKR got a standing ovation when she said it, which actually makes me tear up a little. ALSO, the religious right is gonna be pissed as hell.
• "Killing Your Self To Live" by Chuck Klosterman. The most shocking parts of the book are when people refer to him just as "Chuck". It is one of those weird names where the first sounds so weird without the last. Also, the book has some excellent observations about the song "Downtown" by Petula Clark, which has a special place in my heart for reasons that are unclear.
  

#36 - LIST FRIDAY, Thanksgiving Edition

Sorry I'm late! I've been busy visiting with family and frantically cleaning my house. Speaking of, my room is looking rather spiffy, if I do say so myself. And I do. Why do I not just keep it clean all the time? Because, it would be like having Christmas every week or cake for breakfast every morning. The novelty would wear off.

Anyway, I have no time to put into thinking of a list, because family dinner is at my house tonight, so here are some easy ones:

My Shows for the 07/08 Television Season

• Grey's Anatomy
• Gossip Girl
• Pushing Daisies
• Private Practice
• House
• Friday Night Lights
  

Shows I Will Catch When I Can

• America's Next Top Model
• Beauty and the Geek

Shows I Am Waiting Until Summer to Catch Up On

• Heroes
• The Office
• Bones
• Weeds
• 30 Rock
• Battlestar Galactica
• How I Met Your Mother

I watch waaaaaaay to much TV. Wow.

#35 - LIST FRIDAY, Fifteenth Edition

Reasons I Am Freaking Out

• Religious Studies midterm
• Political Science midterm
• French test
• Stage management test
• messy room
• stupid health insurance opt-out
• stupid tuition wanting to be paid

Things That Are Making Me Feel Better

• Grey's Anatomy
• the fact that I seem to be getting less sick all the time
  
• Jim and Pam
• Thanksgiving is next weekend! Three days off!
• the prospect of going to a quiet library tomorrow morning
• the prospect of going to Chapters after that
• the prospect of getting blinds in my room
• the prospect of having clean clothes
• the prospect of all my English and French homework getting finished tonight
  
• Kenzie being soooo nice jacketsy

Ways In Which I Could Significantly Increase My Productivity

• stop watching The Office commentaries
• stop downloading the BBC version on Pride and Prejudice
• stop going on stupid addictive Facebook
• stop reading Middlesex
• stop texting people
• stop writing this list
  

#34 - Do You Want To Sit At My Table?

My fighting fame is fabled
And fortune finds me fit and able

In celebration of finishing a first draft (even though it almost killed me)... my essay writing playlist:

• Anchorage - Michelle Shocked
• The Book of Write-On - Joanna Newsom
• Set the Fire to the Third Bar - Snow Patrol f. Martha Wainwright
• The Dress Looks Nice On You - Sufjan Stevens
• Dogs - Damien Rice
  
• Ice Age - Pete Yorn
  
• Coney Island - Death Cab
  
• Blue Light - Bloc Party
  
• From California - The New Amsterdams
  
• The District Sleeps Alone Tonight - The Postal Service
  
• Umbrella - Dog's Eye View
  
• Nightswimming - REM
  
• Walking in Memphis - Marc Cohn
  
• Feel Flows - The Beach Boys
  
• Samson - Regina Spektor
  
• My Coco - Stellastarr*
  
• I Hear the Bells - Mike Doughty
  
• Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, IL - Sufjan again (he seems to show up at least twice on everything)
  
• We Drink on the Job - Earlimart
  

#33 - LIST FRIDAY, In a Pretty Good Mood For Once Edition

Ways To Procrastinate Writing An Essay About Procrastination
(note: It helps to have a special event the next day which requires much thought and preparation)

• try on everything you own in hopes of finding something to wear to the wedding tomorrow.
• upon deciding that you have absolutely nothing to wear in your overflowing drawers and closet go to two different malls to buy an entirely new outfit.
• watch TV while you alter new outfit. for bonus time-wasting it helps if you hand-sew.
• Finish watching What Not To Wear. It is vitally important that you see thorugh to the end the transformation of the frumpy television executive.
• talk on the phone with your sister.
• make a call to your grandmother telling her you can't make Thanksgiving at her house. You were dreading this call, but in the face of actual homework it doesn't seem so bad.
• call best friend and co-ordinate Sunday brunch.
• go on Google maps and look up: your house to the wedding location, wedding location to hotel, hotel to friend's house in Saskatoon, your house to the house of your friend down the street, friend's house to China
• catch up on facebook correspondence.
  
• construct a playlist of perfect essay writing music (this should take at least an hour)
• clean up iTunes songs, deleting doubles and making sure all titles are properly capitalized
• spend half an hour trying to decide how to do hair for wedding. decide to do it like you always do.
  
• make a list of all homework due in the next two weeks, and make a schedule of when everything should get done. exclude essay you are currently avoiding.
• realize how much stuff you have done tonight that is not said essay.
• make a list of all that stuff.
• post that list on the internet.
  

#32 - LIST FRIDAY, An Edition

Songs To Listen To When You Are In A Bad Mood And Plan To Stay That Way

• Dead Ends - Chad VanGaalen
• Tennessee Train Tracks - Rocky Votolato
• Hast Thou Considered The Tetrapod? - The Mountain Goats
• Lavinia - The Veils
• How to be Dead - Snow Patrol
• Wonderwall - Ryan Adams
• Colorblind - Counting Crows
• Recovery Room - The Jealous Sounds
• Blue Light - Bloc Party
• Talk Show Host - Radiohead
  

Help me!

I am grumpy and headachey and uninspired. List suggestions??

#31 - From "This Film Is Not Yet Rated"

"That is what really made we want to fight for my pubic hair!" - Maria Bello

"You better hope your children are doing perverted sex act with food!" - John Waters

#30 - LIST FRIDAY, Grumpy Edition

Things My Grandpa Did At Supper Tonight

• Asked the waitress if her name was Chic.
• Threatened to shoot the speakers down from the ceiling because " who the hell wants to eat in a noisy place like this.".
• Ordered a vodka seven with "a lot of vodka, I mean, not much 7-Up"
• Pointed at a guy until the guy noticed and waved awkwardly.
  
• Accosted a man on is way to the bathroom and preceded to ask him about every possible detal of his personal life.
• Berated us for not knowing is phone number and then got it wrong himself.
  

#29 - LIST FRIDAY, Insomniac Edition

I have, quite honestly, hardly been home at all since I stepped off the bus last night. Sorry for the lateness. Anyway, these are from my eleven hour bus ride home from Calgary.

A Few Choice Podcast Quotes OR Things That Made People Look At Me Funny Because I Laughed Out Loud Listening To My iPod

• "Fuck you Alba. Don't tousle unless you mean it."
• "Know what's worse than the dog killing the baby? The baby resenting the dog."
• "There are different brackets for bloodthirsty and non-bloodthirsty animals."
• "Remember when you blinded that guy with a phosphate? Sasparilla-a-a-a-a-a!!!"

Things That I Think About When I Go For Almost A Day Without Speaking To Someone I Know

• Why is it that The King and I is an excellent (if moderatly racist) movie with Yul Brenner singing songs about his awesomeness and the remake with Jodie Foster is all about dead Burmese children?
• I don't know how to define the word 'laconic'. Well, I didn't until I looked it up just know.
• White chocolate Kit Kats sound gross, even though I love white chocolate. Why is this?
• I never really gave it a lot of though, but I always kind of assumed that Ahab and Ishmael were the same dude.
• Marcus Flutie.
• Why did Tailspin have all those characters from The Jungle Book?
• I hate the name Deirdre.
• If my eyes were a camera I would take so many cool pictures.
• Why do the buses always play such categorically shitty movies? Alien vs. Predator? Again? Really?
  

#28 - LIST FRIDAY, Things That Are Awesome edition

Hello one and everyone. Only one list tonight.

Things That Are Awesome

• Watermelon. I seriously ate a half a watermelon all by myself tonight.
• The chlorine-y smell at the YMCA.
  
• The song Dance Music by The Mountain Goats
• An 11 year old girl who wears a lot of pink but also has Led Zeppelin as the most played band on her iPod
  
• The Glass family
• Less library fines than you thought.
• Micheal Cera's Cannonball dance move. Actually, every Micheal Cera dance move.
• Ted Leo and Stars in November
• When the weather is warm during the day but cool enough at night that you can sleep with blakets without being too hot.
• ABBA in Spanish
• This guy (Fun Two or Funt Wo?):

#27 - LIST FRIDAY, Umbrella-ella-ella Edition

Holy cheesecake-on-a-stick-dipped-in-chocolate Batman! That was a lot of water falling from the sky just now, and quite a walk home. In honor of the Folk Fest getting rained out here is a rain and music themed (and only very slightly late) List Friday.

Best Songs With 'Rain' In The Title

• Rain King - Counting Crows
• Fire and Rain - James Taylor
• Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Wonderful World) - Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
• Famous Blue Raincoat - Leonard Cohen (though I am also very fond of the Jennifer Warnes version)
• Blame It On The Rain - Milli Vanilli (just because it wasn't them doesn't mean it wasn't good)
• Let It Rain - Amanda Marshall
  

My Favorite Things To Do On A Rainy Day

• crossword puzzles
• drink hot chocolate
• read something that makes me feel studious
• swim
• nap
• bake cookies (although this is always better in theory than in action)
  

#26 - LIST FRIDAY, Eighth Edition

Never in my life in Switzerland have I posted so early in the morning!

How I Will Be Spending The Next 36 Hours

• working
• working
• sleeping
• working

Things That Came Up In Conversation The Other Night With My Family That Would Make Good Band Names

• Legion of Decency (first album: Slain by the Spirit)
  
• Evelyn Evelyn
• The Awed (first album: The Odd)

#25 - Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da

Life goes on...

Today was my very last shift at Reflections! It couldn't come soon enough, honestly, because the new manager is basically the idiot of the world. It was like having a 15 year old with below average intelligence as a boss. She sent out an e-mail earlier this week about how our store was setting 'attendable goals'. I am reasonably sure that 'attainable' is what she meant.

Anyway, now I get to work full time at the bookstore for a couple of weeks which should be good. The only problem is that I tend to do a lot of sitting around when I work at the bookstore and have been trying to figure out something to occupy my time in between cleaning books and taking peoples money. I seem to remember making a deal with a friend a few months ago about writing a story and I definitely did not hold up my end. Perhaps I'll try again...

One minor snag with that plan: I don't have a clue what to write about. Ideas, anyone?

#24 (the real one) - LIST FRIDAY, Embarrassment Edition

Hello one and everyone! Sorry about being late again. I didn't forget, I swear! But I might have if my sister hadn't called me to remind me. Anyway, I remembered but then I decided to call in sick and go to the cabin on something of a whim, and at the cabin I am internetless.

Embarrassing Songs That I Love

• Always Be My Baby - Mariah Carey
• Hips Don't Lie - Shakira
• Give It To Me - Timbaland feat. Nelly Furtato and Justin Timberlake
• SOS - Rihanna (who I basically just loved in general until that awful Umbrella song)

...At Least It's Not

• Fergie
• Three Days Grace
• Finger Eleven
• any Pussycat Dolls crap
  

Embarrassing Shows That I Love, Or At Least Watch

• One Tree Hill
• America's Next Top Model
• Kim Possible
• Boy Meets World (the reruns still make me laugh hysterically)
• Degrassi: The Next Generation
• Radio Free Roscoe

...At Least It's Not

• 7th Heaven
• The Bachelor
• Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
  
• any Pussycat Dolls crap

Why am I always watching reality TV when I write these things lately? Some girl on Canada's Next Top Model just said "Umm, I don't like orange cheese. I just... I don't really like orange things."

#24 - LIST FRIDAY, Hangover edition

Postponed 'til tomorrow! Sorry guys, I'm leaving town.

#23 - Called To See If Your Back Was Still Aligned

And your sheets were growing grass all on the corners of your bed.

Hours spent without internet access: 37
Hours spent dealing with Sasktel tech support today: 4
Calls made to Sasktel customer service line: 5
Malls visited trying to get a new modem: 2
Sasktel employees who were really nice: 6
Sasktel employees who were complete dicks: 2
Times I tried to go on the internet only to realize it still wasn't working: 12 (low estimate)

Also, while all this was going on I somehow got roped into volunteering at the folk festival. Which is actually kind of good because I was angsting about having to buy a ticket, and I am not actually working during any performance times. But I am working on the site crew. Which is physical labor and lifting and stuff. Oh dear.

Despite the lack of internet and prospects of actually having to do hard work my days off are going swimmingly. I was expecting to spend most of my time lazing around being useless, but I have actually been pretty busy. Yesterday I: cleaned my house, went for coffee with Number One, had family dinner, went to Vi's going away party and then people were over at my house for drinks. Plus, I got up at 5:30. In the morning. It threw off my schedule completely. I made myself lunch at nine and had woken up from a nap my noon. It was awesome though, the day was so long.

Tomorrow I have a meeting, another family dinner, and then Matt's sure-to-be-a-kick-as-time party! I love days off.

Completely unrelated: I am watching So You Think You Can Dance while I write this and some guy just said "I would love to man handle her all up in the hair". What?

EDIT: Is manhandle one word or two??

#22 - LIST FRIDAY, Harry Potter Edition

Does it seem to anyone else that there are more Fridays than there used to be?

HAPPY HARRY POTTER WEEKEND EVERYONE! Here are some list in honor of the boy wizard himself:

The First Six Books, Worst to First

6. Chamber of Secrets
5. Goblet of Fire
4. Philosophers Stone
3. Order of the Phoenix
2. Half Blood Prince
1. Prisoner of Azkaban


Top 5 Most Underrated HP Characters

• McGonagall
• Lee Jordan
• Molly Weasley
• Luna Lovegood
• Neville Longbottom

Top 3 Most Overrated HP Characters

• Draco Malfoy
• Hagrid
• Sirius Black

And a list that is kind of HP related:

Top 5 Books That Have Been Made Into Movies

1. The Princess Bride
2. The Godfather
3. Romeo and Juliet (the Baz Luhrmann one. A lot of people hate it. I love it)
4. Pride and Prejudice/Sense and Sensibility (Tie!! Plus, it seems a little unfair to give two spots away to Jane Austen)
5. Lord of the Rings trilogy

#21 - LIST FRIDAY, Fifth Edition

Thanks for the suggestions La Reina! I am working on them, but most of them required a little more thought than my little brain could handle this particular Friday. I promise that next week I'll do at least one. In the mean time everyone should keep suggesting!

This weeks lists are mostly inspired by my trip to a family reunion last week.

Things My Family Talks About - Mom's side

• politics
• bridge
• alternatives (energy alternatives, wheat gluten alternatives, non-toxic bug repellent alternatives, etc.)
• crossword puzzles
• the weather
• when Camille is going to get her period (at the dinner table, no less)

Things My Family Talks About - Dad's side

• politics
• the worst songs ever
• etymology and word pronunciation (my family thinks it is hilarious to pronounce words wrong intentionally, or use them in the wrong context. Favorites include: edifying, adirondack, cotoneaster and 'squat car')
• non-fiction history books
• Deadwood
• hair vs. fur
• ourselves

Songs To Sing Along To - On A Roadtrip All Alone

• Paper Bag - Fiona Apple
• Eggs Over Easy - Martina Sorbara
• Love Love Love - The Mountain Goats
• Rudy Can't Fail - The Clash (for a long time my dad thought it was called 'Rudy Don't Care' and still gets confused fairly often. Pretty much the only time he sings the right words is when he is purposely trying to get it wrong because, as I mentioned earlier, he finds that kind of thing hilarious)
• SOS - Rhianna
• Young Folks - Peter Bjorn and John (the singing is fun, but the whistling is what makes it)
• Won't Be Home - Old 97's (my current favorite line of any song is "so please get out/of my car")
• Running Up That Hill - Kate Bush (especially if you sing it very poorly)
• That Time - Regina Spektor
• How Good It Can Be - The 88
• Your Little Hoodrat Friend - The Hold Steady
• I Say A Little Prayer for You (I like the Natalie Cole version, with the Matthew Perry lyrics from Studio 60)
• Always Be My Baby - Mariah Carey (go ahead, mock me, I don't care. I love this song)
• Crooked Teeth - Death Cab for Cutie
• I Think We're Alone Now - Tommy James and the Shondelles (this one is actually better with another person though, so they can do the doo-doo-DOO-doo bassline. I wouldn't touch the Tiffany version with a ten foot pole)

Also, I have some additions to previous lists:

Favorite TV Theme Songs

• The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (the first of two Will Smith songs I could once rap all the way through without the song even playing in the background)
• Clone High
• The Jetsons

People I Want To Be When I Grow Up

• Professor McGonagall
• Will Shortz

A Quick Note

List Friday has to be postponed for this week because I am headed out of town until Monday, to an internet-less location. While I'm gone you should leave some more list requests!

#20 - LIST FRIDAY, Saturday Edition

Okay, so list Friday is a little late this week. I actually did write it on Friday, on my friends' couch, and then I was going to post it when I got home. But then we started playing Wii and suddenly it was hours later and after midnight. So it's really not my fault that this is late. It's Nintendo's fault.

Things That 'Freaks and Geeks' and 'How I Met Your Mother' Have In Common

-Jason Segel
-Foxy boxing
-'Summer Breeze' by Seals and Croft

People I Want To Be When I Grow Up (fictonal and otherwise)

-Diane Keaton
-Nancy Drew
-Leslie Feist
-Audrey Hepburn
-CJ Craig
-not the old man from Bulk Cheese Warehouse, unlike SOME people I know

#19 - LIST FRIDAY, Third Edition

Alas, there will only be two lists this week because I have still not finished cleaning my house.

Websites I Visit On A Regular Basis, or That I Don't Visit That Often But Still Like A Lot (divided into handy categories, because I spend waaaay to much time on my computer)

Blogs:

• McKenzie, Matt and Kaiya's (even though none of you have updated in ages)
• Brotherhood 2.0 (also My Pants)
• Rockets in the Night (Ned Vizzini)
• Sparks Fly Up (John Green)
• Ze Frank
• Heartache with Hard Work

Web comics:

• Dinosaur Comics
• xkcd
• Toothpaste for Dinner
• Natalie Dee
• Married to the Sea
• A Softer World

Misc:

• DeviantArt
• RPL
• Book-A-Minute and Movie-A-Minute
• TV Links
• McSweeney's Lists
• epguides.com
• Facebook
• LibraryThing

Favorite TV Theme Songs

• The Office
• How I Met Your Mother
• The Nanny
• The Black Donnellys (not really a song, but I like clapping along to the BAM BAM BAM BAM-BAM-BAM BAM BAM BAM)
• Veronica Mars
• Fraggle Rock
• The West Wing (I love this song, it always makes me feel better, and I like waving my arms like a conductor)
• Scrubs
• The Daily Show

#18 - Run You Hot and Cold Like a Rheostat

I mean a thermostat.

So, I didn't want to go a whole new week without writing anything except list Friday, but I have been sitting here for a good half hour now and not one thing I have written has been coherent. I think I might have to do this in point form, which is kind of like a list only not really because there won't be any real* theme.

1. My house is a disaster. My dad has been gone for four days and the whole place has gone to shit. Case and point: I just stepped on a fork.
2. I also haven't worked in four days, and it's messing with my head. How did I go four months this summer and fall without a job? It is shocking that I did not become a complete hermit.
3. The last episode ever of Studio 60 is on tonight. I am going to have to write start watching West Wing re-runs again for my Sorkin fix. Note: Kate, if you are reading this, I caught a snippet yesterday and Fitterer was there, so calm yourself.
4. I went for supper with my grandparents at their retirement home tonight. Never has it been clearer where my terrible lack of social skills comes from. I always though my uncle Dave set the McCashin standard for immense dislike of interacting with strangers , but no, it's my grandmother. My grandpa actually loves talking to people, but only so he can mock them later. It would seem that I have inherited this trait also.
5. I am really sick of both the colour and title of this blog. Perhaps I will change it someday soon.

I have to go clean my house now. That fork really hurt me. See you tomorrow for List Friday!

*'real' is not the word I wanted to use here, but I couldn't think of the one I actually meant. I kept thinking 'overriding' but that is not right. Suggestions anyone.

#17 - LIST FRIDAY, Second Edition

Holy crap, it's already Friday again.

Okay, so I couldn't decide what list to do, guys. So I am going to do ALL OF THEM.

Favorite Sauces

• sweet and sour
• seafood sauce (mmm, horseradish)
• chocolate
• ketchup
• pesto (because it counts dammit)
• marinara
• alfredo
• caramel

States I Can Name Off The Top Of My Head

1. Delaware
2. Wisconsin
3. New York
4. New Jersey
5. South Carolina
6. North Carolina
7. South Dakota
8. North Dakota
9. Ohio
10. New Mexico
11. Montana
12. Colorado
13. Georgia
14. Mississippi
15. Nebraska
16. Illinois
17. Michigan
18. Florida
19. California
20. Nevada
21. Maine
22. Rhode Island
23. Conneticut
24. New Hampshire
25. Texas
26. Arizona
27. Alaska
28. Oregon
29. Washington
30. Alabama
31. Utah
32. Idaho
33. Pennsylvania
34. Vermont
35. Hawaii
36. Tennesee
37. Kansas
38. Ok!-lahoma
39. Indiana

39! THAT IS PRETTY DAMN GOOD PEOPLE!!!!!

Things On My Desk

• My U of R acceptance letter
• my camera
• blank CDs
• a Blockbuster case (I am not telling you which movie)
• DVDs of: Almost Famous, Slings and Arrows, The Godfather, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, The Commitments, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, The Office (season 2, US version), and a bunch of my dad's old westerns
• envelopes
• staples
• stapler
• a bunch of CDs (including: two mixes, two Stars CDs, Matt's copy of Seven Swans and the newest Nellie McKay)
• a photo of my mom, my dad, my sister and I
• a penny

My Favorite Last Words

• "Lady, you shot me!" - Sam Cooke
• "Dammit, don't you dare ask God to help me!" - Joan Crawford
• "This isn't Hamlet, you know. It's not meant to go into the bloody ear." - Laurence Olivier
• "Now, now, my good man, this is no time for making enemies." - Voltaire, after being asked by a priest to renounce Satan

#16 - LIST FRIDAY, First Edition

So, I love Fridays. And I love lists. So it only makes sense that I would post a new list every Friday right? Right!

Today's list:

Words I Like (alphabetically).

• ampersand
• bounce
• cameo
• diagram
• Edwardian
• fathom
• garnish ("That caviar is a garnish!")
• haberdashery
• indubitably
• jealousy
• kismet
• mouth
• nefarious
• opaque (not to be confused with 'oblique', they are not the same thing at all)
• petulant
• quagmire
• resin
• situate
• traipse
• utterly
• vanish
• white
• xenphobia (mainly because of it's defition: a fear of strangers or foreigners, or anything that is strange... or foreign)
• young
• zig (but not zag)

I am currently taking requests for next Friday's list!

#15 - Ballad of a Lonely Construction Worker

Today after work I helped my dad put the baseboards (that does not look like a real word!) and crown molding (moulding? I'm not sure. I hope it's the former...) in my room. I volunteer for this sort of thing from time to time because it makes me feel incredibly competent and handy.

Normally I find a way to mess these things up in such a way that my father decides within the first ten minutes or so that I am doing more harm than good and asks me to please go do something less destructive. Not this time though! I take this to mean I am improving. Unfortuantely, when I volunteer for these sorts of things I am always sort of counting on being dismissed in short order. After the first fifteen minutes or so I got bored and ended up playing with the little plastic army men on my back deck.

Why are there plastic army men on my back deck you ask? Excellent question. I have no idea. They were there when the snow melted. They come in handy though. Apparently my father often bores the people he enlists with renovations because last weekend my uncle Pat spent a great deal of time arranging them into different battle situations. He particularly enjoyed setting them up so all the regular sized plastic soldiers were being commanded by the single, very tiny, plastic soldier*.

Anyway, the moral of the story is to be careful what you enthusiastically agree to, because you just might not screw it up enough to get out of it. This can lead to a great deal of horrors, including (but not limited to): splinters, sunburns, the transformation of one's back deck into a warzone with tiny plastic bodies strewn everywhere, and repeatedly being referred to as 'Wilbur' by one's father, for no fathomable reason whatsoever.

Consider yourself warned.



*Methinks if Patrick had lived in Europe in early 19th century he would've been something of a Bonapartist.

#14 - In The Primate World Showing Your Teeth Is A Sign Of Weakness

Everytime someone smiles at me all I see is a chimpanzee begging for it's life.

So, I am not really sure how I am going to avoid ending this summer completely and totally broke. I officially have two jobs and yet I am not working at all. This is worrysom. As much as I would like to spend the summer bumming around the city and decorating my bedroom, I can't really afford to. I really want to be able to work at the bookstore this summer but it's kind of awkward because there are a couple weeks where I will be working every day, and the rest of the time I might not get to work there at all. Can anyone think of another job where I can get more than six hours a week, but also take at least three weeks off over the summer? If so, suggestions are greatly appreciated.

In other news (much less related to real life), it has been a tumultuous week television wise. It is finale season, which gives me mixed feelings. Gilmore Girls is gone forever. Grey's ends tonight. Don't even get me started on the Veronica Mars situation. Even it does get renewed it will be Piz-less, because he will be off wandering around shirtless in Shonda Rhimes-land making out with the chick from Summerland. I find this more upsetting than it has any right to be.

All this is topped off with the fact that I finished watching the second season (and all it's commentaries and special features) and am now in sever withdrawl from The Office. Actually, I am missing the show as a whole but the serious pangs are probably more John Krasinski-related than anything. I am, however, trying to keep firmly in denial about that because my list of fictional boyfriends is long enough as it is. Maybe I'll have to bump someone...

#13 1/2 - They Cut Off My Legs

Now I'm an amputee, Goddamn you.

Know what's gross? Eating marinated cauliflower and then eating butterscotch chips.

Know what's not gross? This:



It might take a long time to load, but it is worth it.

#13 - We Found A New Kind Of Dance In A Magazine

Try it on, it's like nothing you've ever seen.

A few things.

1. Dinosaur Comics has been awesome lately.

2. Maureen Johnson's book The Bermudez Triangle got banned from a school library in Oklahoma because it because it has gay characters. When I heard this (first from Maureen's blog and the on B2) I got really mad. I paced around my house for a while (many laps, because my house is teeny), and then ate a carrot, and then wrote the school's administration an e-mail. And then I went to the B2 comments to read the e-mails everyone else wrote, which cheered me up. Seriously, even if you don't know who Maureen Johnson is and don't care what happens to her book you should read some of these.

3. I start work tomorrow and I don't have any comfortable shoes. Except my Chucks, and I'm not allowed to wear those. Why oh why didn't I spend my money on shoes with arch support instead of those pretty flats I bought the other day? But I looooove them.

4. Matt is coming home today! Maybe he is home already! I don't really know!

5. Actually, I think that is all.

WAIT! How could I forget?

6. The two hour spinoff episode of Grey's Anatomy is tonight. I am a little dubious. Except for, you know, Piz being on it. Because I love him now. I really do.

#12 - You Snooze, You Lose

Well, I have snost and lost.

So I spent pretty much all day yesterday sitting around my house watching TV. Except for when I went outside briefly to rake the lawn and, uh, pick up to more TVs*. We have three in our house now, which seems a little excessive considering only two people live here.

Anyway, televison highlights from last night:

• Gilmore Girls: Luke's hat! Also, Rory had a meltdown, which I kind of enjoy because she is usually so damn perfect.
• Veronica Mars: Is back!! And with a vengance. Mac was in it! Wallace was in it! And Piz was really in it. I liked him before. Now I luuuurve him.
• Kiss Kiss Bang Bang: Is too funny for words. I cannot believe I had never seen it before. Go watch it right now.
• Tobey Maguire on The Daily Show looked (and acted) like someone of Jeopardy Kid's Week. He is like a little child. It's a bit off-putting.

*Side story: While at the TV repair store I ran into a guy I worked with at Open Door two summers ago and we were talking and then dad told me to run outside and open the car door (because he was carrying an enourmous television) and I did, and I didn't say goodbye or anything, and I feel kind bad.

#11 - Start Wearing Purple, Wearing Purple

Start wearing purple for me now
All your sanity and wits they will all vanish
I promise, it's just a matter of time...

I am home! I am sitting in my living room writing this. There is no one else in the house. It's very strange.

I only lived in this house for a month before I moved, so it is still kind of new to me. I forget where things are in the kitchen. I can't find my hair dryer. This house reminds me of Christmas. I keep having to resist the urge to check the fridge for egg nog.

My family came over for supper last night and talked about politics the whole time. I missed them.

Guess what? I know two people flying home to Regina from Paris this week. Odd coincidence.

I miss Caleb and Jake and Kate. There was a baby about Jake's age on the bus on the way home and it was all I could not to ask to hold him. "Can I have your kid for a sec? I haven't held a baby all day." Also, I miss being able to fast forward through commercials.

I have to go renew my license now. I am soooo excited to drive my car, I cannot even tell you.

#10 - Let's Make Friday Part Of The Weekend

And give every new baby chocolate eclair.

What a good song. It is all I can do not to post all the lyrics.

Just got back from swimming again. Swimming makes me soooo sleepy. But I cannot sleep because I am going shopping. I already spent $80 on books today and am feeling a tad guilty about that, but this is going to be my last chance to shop in Calgary for months. And Regina shopping sucks in comparison.

I was so sad today in Chapters. The computer said that there was one copy of Your Disgusting Head left, and that it was on sale, but it was nowhere to be found. It was a little heartbreaking.

Anyway, I am off to shop. This was a completely useless post, except for the title. Oh, screw it, here is the whole song:

Once I was the King of Spain (now I eat humble pie)
Oh... my unspeakable wife, Queen Lisa (now I eat humble pie)
I'm telling you I was the King of Spain (now I eat humble pie)
And now I work at the Pizza Pizza

Royalty, lord it looked good on me
Buried in silk in the royal boudoir or going nuclear free
Or playing Crokinole with the Princess of Monaco
Telling my jokes to the OPEC leaders, getting it all on video

Once I was the King of Spain (now I eat humble pie)
A palatial palace, that was my home (now I eat humble pie)
I'm telling you I was the King of Spain (now I eat humble pie)
And now I vacuum the turf at SkyDome (once he was the King of Spain)

I can't wait, I'm lowering interest rates, my people say:
"King, how are you such a genius?
There's a roof overhead and food on our plates!"
It's laisez-faire, I don't even give a care
Let's make Friday part of the weekend
And give every new baby a chocolate eclair

Once I was the King of Spain (now I eat humble pie)
Hey Clinton! Hey Yeltsin! Got problems? You phone me (now I eat humble pie)
I'm telling you I was the King of Spain (now I eat humble pie)
Now the Leafs call me up to drive the Zamboni (once he was the King of Spain)

Now some of you are probably wondering how I came to be living in Canada
after being royalty in Spain. Should I tell them, guys?
Tell us, King!

You see late one night when the palace was asleep
Out of my royal chambers and into the garden I creep
And I wait till the appointed time, when the moon is lighting the pitch
At which point my peasant friend, who looks just like me
Arrives and we make a switch
Prince and pauper, junior and whopper
World made up of silver and copper
Out of my own volition, I took a change of position

So next time you drool in the pizza line
Remember, slower pizza's more luscious
The King of Spain never rushes!!!

Once I was the King of Spain (now I eat humble)
I was looking for off-handed ways to improve us (now I eat humble pie)
I'm telling you I was the King of Spain (now I eat humble pie)
And now I'm jamming with Moxy Fruvous! (once he was the King of Spain)

In other news: I'll be home tomorrow night!!!!!!!!!! See all those exclamation points? I am enthused.

# 9 1/2 - a.k.a. Super Mini Post Numero Uno!

I just said 'dang'. This was not as funny as the time in grade 10 when, in a (failed) attempt to act natural, I said 'ya'll', but still kind of amusing.

#9 - Our Aspirations Are Wrapped Up In Books

Our inclinations are hidden in looks.


It has been a good couple of weeks book-wise (and generally, i guess, but this post is about books specifically).

• It's Kind of a Funny Story - Ned Vizzini (very good! I liked it way better than Be More Chill)
• An Abundance of Katherines - John Green (formulas! graphs! footnotes! It's impossible to go wrong really...)
• The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie - Jaclyn Moriarty (I love books that refer to other books without actually being their sequels. Also, Jaclyn Moriarty is a genius)
• Sorcery and Cecelia - Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer (is super funny. It kind of reminds me of Libba Bray's books, only with more hilarity)

But now I have finished all of these books and have nothing else to read. Well, I have Cryptonomicon but it is pretty huge and I won't be able to finish it before I leave, thus I am reluctant to start it. Also it would be kind of an abrupt change seeing as last week I read nothing but YA.

#8 - We Got Too Much Time To Kill

like pigeons on my windowsill
we hang around

I was going to write about books and movies, but that will take to long and I am tired. Instead I am going totake an idea from Matt and his thoughts about Sufjan Stevens.

A list of people I would like to have a conversation with, but probably never will:

1. Douglas Coupland
2. Dave Eggers
3. The Pope
4. Cameron Crowe
5. Will Shortz
6. Diane Keaton
7. Sarah Vowell
8. Sofia Coppola
9. Michael Cera
10. Jaclyn Moriarty
11. Megan McCafferty
12. Jon Stewart


This list is by no means complete. Plus, I might need a whole other list for dead people. And fictional people.

#7 - Let’s Pretend We Don’t Exist

Let's pretend we're in Antartica

Here are some random thoughts, events and links:
1. I went swimming today. Swimming always makes me feel tired, but not really in a sleepy way. In a quiet, lets-not-do-much kind of day. I have embraced the feeling.

2. I have been hanging out with Jake since because apparently swimming makes Kate and Caleb feel tired in an I-want-to-go-to-sleep-way. I spent about 10 minutes singing to Jake about his toys. He seems to be feeling quiet too.

3. I read Ned Vizzini's blog every day, because he is an interesting dude, even though I am often overcome by suspicion that he is an asshole. The other day he wrote about going to see a taping of Dancing with the Stars and at the end he mentions a conversation he once had with Joey Fatone and reading about it put in me in a really good mood. Why? I'm not sure. It was a nice thing to say, I guess.

4. My shirt has melted Skor blizzard and chicken casserole baby food all over it, yet I haven't changed it. Normally I would be bothered by this but today I am not.

5. I really love Jaclyn Moriarty a lot.

6. The Delays as well.

8. This is my favorite of recent Married to the Sea comics. Natalie Dee's videos are funny too.

9. I forgot 7.

#6 - What You Gonna Do With All That Junk?

All that junk inside your trunk?

I love Alanis Morrisette again...




In other news: I added an Amazon.com wishlist in the sidebar... because I found out I could.

#5 - Well The Four Walls They Collide

until the blue-eyed girl decides to let me go home

I will be back in Regina two weeks from tomorrow!! I am kind of afraid I'm building the whole thing up a little to much in my head. But I can't help it, I am really excited to go home. Reasons why:

1. the Winnie the Pooh wallpaper is officially gone from my room, and I get to paint it, and buy myself a desk, and actually have my bed back instead of a futon on the floor, and put stuff up on the walls.

2. Lou is moving to Regina for the summer, and even though she is going to be super busy this is still the first time we've lived in the same place in six years.

3. Kyla and Matt are both coming home in May. Plus I get to see everyone else I haven't seen in months.

4. My cabin.

5. I am hopefully getting a bike from Chris!

6. I will have bittorrent again, anf the capabilty to download the shows I have been missing (Boston Legal, The L Word, The Tudors, etc...). I also miss the songs on my iTunes that I didn't bring with me to Calgary.

7. I know I make fun of it a lot, but I really miss The Hearse. And driving places that aren't elementary schools or SAIT.

8. My house, as far as I know, doesn't have any giant, shedding dogs. That'll be a nice change.

9. I am dead set on learning how to cook this summer.

10. A dishwasher!

Seriously, that last one is a big deal.

#4 - Certain Songs

They get so scratched into our souls.

Ain't that the truth.

I like a lot of songs. Some of them I have liked immediately, the first time I heard them. Me and Mia by Ted Leo is one of these. So is pretty much every Death Cab song. Other songs take me awhile. Maybe I think they're okay at first or maybe I don't like them at all, but eventually they grow on me. And these songs are the ones that I eventually become obsessed with. I enjoy them more and more every time I hear them until it becomes a craving. There is something about that music and those lyrics, or maybe it is just one tiny little chord change or an extra little "Woo!" after a line, that makes you need to hear it over and over.

A list* of some of my certain songs:
Twisted - Joni Mitchell
Pretty much any song off of Court and Spark could go here, but this one held special appeal for my nine-year-old mind. I listened over and over and knew every word by heart.

Oh they used to laugh at me
When I refused to ride
On all those double decker buses
All because there was no driver on the top

I Hear the Bells - Mike Doughty
The guitar is so simple, and the lyrics so great. I'm seeking girls/In sales and marketing/Let's go make out/Up in the balcony. What does that even mean? Also, bonus points for being featured it one of my favorite Veronica Mars scenes of all time.

Soft Rock Star - Metric
I like Metric, I do, but I would like them a lot better if they had more songs like this. And I didn't ever know what EH was singing until a couple months ago.


Breathe Me - Sia
You know that feeling when it is cold and you are tired or sad and you would give almost anything just to curl up in bed and go to sleep ot get a warm hug from someone you trust? This song is that feeling.

The District Sleeps Alone Tonight - The Postal Service
I had this CD and ignored it for a long time, until I was on the bus to Calgary with nothing good to read and a long road ahead of me. I pu tit in my discman and didn't take it out for three months.

Girl in the War - Josh Ritter
It's. Just. So. Sad. And pretty. I can't listen to it now without thinking of walking across Holy Rosary park on my way downtown and 7:30 in the morning. It sounds like wet grass.

Omaha - Counting Crows
All the verses of this song are really similar and it's really easy to get mixed up while singing along. One night I couldn't sleep and I must've listened to this 15 times, over and over 'til I got it perfect.

And most recently:

Set The Fire To The Third Bar - Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol is good and all, but it is Martha Wainwright on background vocals that makes this song. I would kill for a voice like that.

Nick Hornby has a collection of essays about his favorite songs and in it he talks about this feeling and how it eventually goes away. He thinks this happens when you 'solve' the song. It stops holding any mystery and the novelty fades. You, the listener, have sucked it dry. I see what he's saying. Most of these songs don't have the same effect on me they once did. But the reverse is also true. I had to solve the song at least partway before I could really enjoy it.









*by no means complete, and not in any kind of order

#3 - I'm Just Walkin' My Dog

Singin' my song
Strollin' along

It was nice outside today! So nice in fact, that when my sister asked if I would take Rusty to the dog park for a "Quick ten minute run!" after dropping Caleb off at school I agreed, and hardly complained about it at all. This was a big mistake. Big. Huge.

Because, aside from dog shit, the two most common things to find in a dog park are as follows: 1) Dogs, and 2)Cheery, talkative, dog-owning strangers who feel a connection to you, just because you both happen to own the most common housepet in North America. And there are few things I dislike more than strange dogs and people I don't know trying to talk to me.

These people kept asking me questions. What's his name? What kind of dog is he? How old? What do you feed him? Is he good with the baby? How long have you had him? And I try to be polite, and answer as best I can (even though I have no idea what he gets fed, or how old he is, or what kind of dog he is), but the whole time I am screaming inside my head "I AM NOT ONE OF YOU! I DO NOT BELONG TO THIS WEIRD, FRIENDLY CANINE CULT! WILL YOU PLEASE LEAVE ME ALONE SO I CAN LISTEN TO MY NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW PODCAST IN PEACE!"

But I never said it out loud. So they just kept on talking. Most of the time, while all this is happening, thier dog is smelling my ass.

Ick. Ick. Ick. I am never going back.

In other news: My mood picked up considerably later in the day when Caleb almost started a brawl with two kids twice his size in Adventure Zone. I literally had to hold him back while he screamed things like: "I can't control myself!" and "They're gonna get a knuckle sandwich, HARDCORE!"

I realize that this could've ended really badly, but since it didn't it is hilarious. I bet he could've taken them too, despite the size difference. The kid is scrappy.

#2 - Oh Jesus Christ Almighty

Do I feel alright? No not slightly.

Actually, mostly I feel okay. Except that it snowed. And it's still snowing. And I'm not sure if it's ever going to stop. Yesterday I was walking around in a t-shirt, I even made a playlist on iTunes called 'Spring!', and now this.

I had to make a new playlist called 'The Godfather/March Blizzard'. Because that is what this is! Also, I'm reading The Godfather. What does it tell you that the music I choose for this weather is the same as what I listen to while reading about someone finding the head of a horse in their sheets?

It is supposed to warm up tomorrow. I hope it does.

A small selection of song off 'The Godfather/March Blizzard':

• Radiohead - Talk Show Host
• The Hold Steady - Certain Songs
• The Jam - That's Entertainment
• Mike Doughty - I Hear The Bells
• Maximo Park - Going Missing
• Bloc Party - Blue Light
• Damien Rice - Grey Room

From 'Spring!':

• Nellie McKay - The Dog Song
• The Beach Boys - God Only Knows
• The Shins - Australia
• OK Go - Don't Ask Me
• The Delays - Stay Where You Are
• Camille - Ta Douleur
• Damien Rice - Dogs

To top it off John Green has an eye infection so Brotherhood 2.0 hasn't been new since Thursday. Caleb has made me watch Nerd Fighters three times today.

Number One

So lately it seems like everyone I know has a blog. And I was feeling a little left out. So here is my first attempt. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but now I am actually typing and finding I have nothing to say. Perhaps this will get easier over time? I really do not want to be one of those people who gets a blog for the sake of getting one, posts four times about absolute drivel that even their closest friends wouldn't care about, and then abandons it. Jeez, I just got snarky. Sorry.

Anyway, I have never had much success with traditional journals. I have little books that I keep notes and quotes and lists in, but very few actual entries with dates and full sentences and so on. Maybe if I am writing something that someone might actually read (emphasis on the might), I will go to the trouble of capitalization, periods etc. I guess we will have to wait and see.