I've been bad... :)

Lack of pics, lack of blog posts...my goodness I'm a really bad blogger!

From last weekend (Sept 26 - 27) on I was sick with the stomach flu - consider yourself warned that this flu is out there, so take good care of yourself!

The previous weekend, I was trying to clean up a calculator from the office - technology and apple juice do NOT mix well, please be careful with liquids, especially ones that get sticky as they dry (Ewww!) *lol*

I've been trying (and failing) at not spending money - damn you Etsy! :)  Investment time is slowly coming and I need to build up as much as I can.  And yes, I DO consider myself lucky that I actually have money invested (RRSP, TFSA, my "I need a home of my own" money) rather than living from paycheque to paycheque.  It's a great habit to get into, if you can manage it at all I definitely recommend it.  Even $10 per month put away in an account that's hard to take money out of adds up over time.  Everyone needs an emergency fund in case of life happening while you were making other plans...

Still looking for work in the same company I'm currently working for - 10 years is a lot of seniority to throw away - but not much is coming up.  I do have a meeting booked with the hiring officer in a department that I'm VERY interested in, so we'll see what happens.  networking.  A life-saver in the office world, or any work-world for that matter.  Make those connections, keep them going, and use them when you need to.  That last step is so hard, but everyone needs help of some sort, and it's not weakness to ask.  It may look like a "friend of a friend of a friend" kind of chain, but perhaps your co-worker or whomever just might know someone that knows someone in another area of your workplace that might be able to help you get a foot in the door...so-to-speak.  One thing to remember...always be ready to try and help someone else the same way if you can.  Pay it forward, return the favour, whatever, just don't be stupid enough to think that you can use people and not give something back!  Reputaions are broken that way, you know...  ;)

TTFN, must get back into the job hunt...

*cough, cough* A little dusty around here...

Ahem. Anywho... *lol*

It's so windy out there today! "How windy is it?" you ask? Windy enough that poor Toto from the Wizard of OZ just bounced off of one of our office windows. And we're up on the 11th floor!

Well, it wasn't Toto, but something certainly smacked into one of the windows up here - bird? Umbrella? A very confused (and now banged up) Superman? We'll never know for sure...no window damage to speak of, but I'm pretty sure that the occupant of that cubicle might need a fresh pair of skivvies! *LOL*

Yep, still alive. Been busy with the departmental move, but thank goodness that's all over with now. I'm back to carrying the workload of one person (YAY!!), with an extra department added on (but I've been the one doing their work all along anyways so it's no change in my workload). Still, it's like a vacation of sorts, for sure. But there's always work there for those that look for it, right? Currently going through my letter grouping of files and "splitting" them (read: shredding old information and getting slowly prepared for storage already by culling the new paperwork into a new, thinner, folder) Might as well, as this is work that got abandoned during my co-worker's MAT leave so there's plenty to do. Do NOT get me started on my co-worker ;)...Although, my new attitude of "What they choose to do with their day is up to them, as long as it doesn't directly impact my workload" is really serving me well. Look, Ma, I finally grew up and got over myself!! It's such a load off of my shoulders - now all I have to do is watch for the knives in my back...

And yes I have been sewing - to a degree. I've been trying to mend and generally repair a lovely 1940's dress taht a friend of mine was sogenerous in giving me - she thought it wasn't in terrific selling shape, and as her shop has a certain reputation of carrying good quality items Icertainly can't blame her. It's been coming along nicely (where's the pics you ask? On my camera at home while I'm here at the office updating my blog instead oif working hard), but I really need more practice at darning (what can I say, there were a few scattered moth holes - tiny - but I wanted to try and fix them)! I found the perfect colour thread (plum, BTW), but didn't really notice the grey weft in the plum-coloured warp (or did I just get that back-ass-wards?). In any case, the holes are so small you don't really notice my (yucky) darning jobs, but I'm such a perfectionist I hate the fact that they show as much as they do. The shoulder pad osrting out will have to wait until I can post pics of the before and after. And praying I figured them out correctly, as they were quite twisted about and scrunched up. No, I did not remove them as it would destroy the lines of the dress (and the terrific period look).

I also appear to have a vintage hat fetish, sadly. Why so sad? They're costing me money, that's why! *lol* But they're so fantastic (to me, anyways)...yes, pics for them will come too.

Well, must sign off and actually get some work done around the office. Thanks to those that have been patient enough to actually check in from time to time to see if I'm still alive! :)

TTFN

My silly life...

Why is it that I can only find someone to love online? What's so wrong with me that I can't seem to "find" someone in the real world...?

Could it be that I'm too independant? Could it be that I'm intelligent? While I'm not ugly, I'm not society's idea of beauty, either (and it doesn't bother me a bit). Could it be that I'm not afraid of using my mind, forming opinions and standing by them until someone has the arguements that might prove me wrong? I enjoy listening. I'm not the most fashionable person, but I'm not wearing my 80's fashions (even if they are back in style, I disliked them then so why would I suddenly like them again? *lol*). I'm old (44 this year), and unable (well, unwilling due to my age) to have children. While I may be stuck in a nowhere career, at least I have a steady job and am very lucky in that regard. I am also trying to take advantage of the "free" education offered here at work to improve myself and my chances at better empolyment.

Men! Too afraid of an intelligent, honest, independant woman. As I'd hate to bruise their delicate egos, to hell with them. *LOL* Actually, that's not totally true, if a man's ego gets bruised by my personality he's SO not worth being around. I've been considering either e-Harmony or Lifemates...but there is one called "It's Just Lunch" that's been tempting. I think part of the problem is that at my age I should be well established in my career, or should have been married once already (or even twice). They're expecting perfection, and it's just not going to happen. Sorry to bust your bubble, fellas, but if you're not acheiving perfection you're not going to get it from me. Just trying to be realistic here.

I'll let y'all know how my possible adventures go. I'll never quite accept that I'm too old for this shit, but frankly I'm getting tired of it. Being alone, that is. And no, I do not do the "I Hate Valentine's Day" thing either, but only because it sullies the true St. Valentine. It's ugly that everyone figures that they can only prove to someone that they love them only one day out of every year, and do that by purchasing over-priced "stuff". It's almost as bad as Christmas these days.

Oh well, enough of my ranting. So, how positive do I sound now, Isapacey? *LOL*

TTFN :)

Back home...

...and hating it already - when can I go back?? *LOL*

Ah, home sweet home (and back to my own bed - amazing how much one misses their own bed while away). Still sorting stuff out, trying to get caught up on e-mail, trying to get back into a work routine...and having a heck of a time getting back into my own time zone! I realise that going East is worse than going West as far as jet-lag, but wow! I slept until 2:00 p.m. (?!) my time on my first night back - and I had gone to bed at about 10 p.m. my time in an effort to get back on track asap. Sheesh! :)

Not many pics as I'm updating this while on lunch at work, but I do have some cell phone shots. My folks have my camera as it was smaller, but they'll be back later so I don't have everything with me just yet.

Let's see, some funny things that happened...

1) Flew out with a Catholic priest on the plane. That was either a really good sign or a really bad one - thankfully a really good one - this time... *lol*

2) I think I surprised my cousins that I was able to handle a rifle during target shooting rather well for a first-time city gal. I had a terrific teacher (thanks Bill!!), and had a really good laugh at myself when I couldn't cock the .410 shotgun (I think that was the one). I laughed more than the guys did! But they were teasing my cousin's husband when I appeared to out-shoot him on my first try with his 300 (I called the big guns the "boom sticks", as you could feel the shot more than hear it) - but it was already painstakingly set up by him, as well as him taking a couple of shots first himself, so I put it down to strictly "beginner's luck". I honestly don't think I could have hit the broad side of a barn door if he hadn't set everything up so well himself...even if I did hit the outermost edge of one of the bullseyes with another rifle (the 7mm, if I remember rightly - the second "boom stick" we were using that day)- freehand... *ahem* *LOL* Honestly, I was more paranoid about either breaking my collarbone or dislocating my shoulder more than anything else, so most of my time was ensuring the butt was snugged against my shoulder joint / collar bone area properly. Super fun, and a sport I'm actually considering. Like I need a reason to spend more money... *rolls eyes at self* One cousin (who shall forever remain Shawn) said I "got all redneck" out there! *LOL*

3) Continued to bug the heck out of my Uncle in Adam's Lake (you won't find a town by that name, it's too small for mapping purposes) by calling him by his nickname (a really cutesy one for such a "manly man" if his breed). Either that, or I kept telling him when he was upset or grumpy about something that he was "...so cute when you act all Neanderthal". Thankfully he still laughs at that one...

4) Got to share a bed with my Mother for a week, something I haven't done before. She snores. And when I kick the covers off through the night she steals them. Guess what I'm probably not doing again unless I have to? :) Sorry Mum, couldn't resist telling that one... And Dad was so cute falling asleep at the drop of a hat watching TV out there. We liked to call it his "Introspective time" as he looked deep in thought propping his chin up and looking so serious...while lightly snoring... ;)

5) Flew back with the VP of our department - small world or what? They were coming back to Toronto after a conference in B.C. - just sheer shit luck that we were on the same flight. Which was a good thing, I like to think - at least if the plane crashed more effort would be put into looking for them, so better chance that I'd be found, too! *LOL* Just kidding, but I do think like that occasionally for humour's sake...

6) While not terribly funny, I'm glad I came home when I did as everyone out there is sick with a darned good cold. Fighting it a little myself, but not near as bad as everyone else sounds out there. Mwa ha, ha, ha - I've spread my disease and fled the town!! Seriously, it wasn't me, though...who cares who it was, I hope everyone gets better soon!

All in all, a great trip, and fantastic getting caught up with various cousins and Aunts and Uncles. Both Uncles have sucessfully beaten Cancer, so it was even better seeing them. And it was wonderful as always to get caught up with Hugh (I think he's a cousin of some sort, but I tend to get a little confused there). Re-connecting with my cousins is always terrific - they're a great bunch, and a lot of fun. We even got connected over the subject of Zombies (Shawn...of the Dead?)! Funny enough, we all like joking about being prepared for the Zombie apocolypse, and it was fun talking about the Walking Dead and Z Nation TV programs - Z Nation has the funniest deaths / re-animations IMO, especially the toddler that became a zombie (yep, it's been noted that my sense of humour frequently crosses over into "sick puppy" territory), and I even learned how to (implosibly) kill a zombie using a hand-held mixer or beater watching that show. See? Hilarious!!

Oh, and two Thanksgiving dinners while out there. Oy vey! Double the turkey, double the food comas - and double the "wind", shall we say... When you consider how much gas the average turkey gives a person (well, me in any case), that part of it was not fun - I kept stepping outside with my Mum when she went for her smoke to release the pressure valve a little. Thank goodness I didn't get too close to her or I might have gone up in flames! See, I did funny things out there, too, I don't just tell stories on my Mum and Dad! ;)


TTFN

Alive and well

Just a short post - alive and well in the wilds of B.C.. Amazing how relaxed I'm feeling now that I'm away from the silly situation called work! *lol* Funny how every time I'm hre I think about ditching it all and starting over again...

TTFN!

Yep, still here...

What do you mean it's been a month?? Holy schmoley!

I guess an update is in order...

Dad's still doing good on his meds, especially now that he's off of the steroids. It'll be nice to see him get rid of that puffiness around the face that he developed (just the cheek area, but a normal reaction so no worries there).

Mum's good, the lucky one that's healthy *lol*

I'm back on my iron meds as my blood test came back with it too low to register - my red count is way down too because of that. Severe Anemia is common for me, and I've been through this before so I know what to do/expect about it. No, food does not help in my case. Regular suppliments that one can get over the counter do not help, either (10 - 11 mg at a dose - really, you're kidding me, right?) For my particular case, Euro-fer (perscription, not available as OTC) works the best, but getting the timing right for me can be a bit of a Bitch-kitty. One hour before meals, or two to three hours after meals. Sounds simple, right? I don't eat three squares a day, I'm one of those multi but small meals people. It works best for my Celiac and blood sugar, what can I say? Anywho, I'm only taking one a day right now, will work up to two a day. Did I mention that these puppies are 300 mg? Yep, really high dose, so lots of fiber, gang! *lol*

It's only been about a week and a half, so no major difference right now. Will wait about another week or so to get my follow-up blood test done to see if anything's improved. If not, back to iron infusions. That's a process where I get hooked up to an IV for about a couple of hours as an outpatient treatment at my local hospital. Time-consuming, boring, and a little painful as they put the IV in the back of my hand - which makes it hard to read a book as I can't really use my hand due to the IV needle in there. The plus side? Not only does it really work, I get to joke around with a terrific gang of nurses about me being there for Happy Hour - the "stuff" used smells like a strong rum and coke, I kid you not! *LOL*

All of this because I went to see my doctor regarding my migraine headaches. I get one a month (yep, at that time), sometimes 2 (during ovulation), and when the weather acts up. I also get stress/tension headaches, cluster headaches (my term for them, "cluster-fucks"), sinus headaches...it's just the migraines that are a real problem as I end up calling in sick to work. Therefore I use up my sick days well before the end of the year and wind up losing pay every day I'm off. Right now I'm using either Advil or NSAIDS (if it's a bad one) and coffee (if my stomach can handle it) and sleep to "cure" one, but I'm hoping that my Doctor can suggest something that'll knock it back a notch or two and leave me still capable of doing my job. I don't care if it gets rid of the migraine completely, I just want to be able to go to work and function without too much brain fog.

Well then, I guess that covers it. Say, if any of you are jonesing for a glamour fix for the day, check out this blog called "It's the Pictures That Got Small" (bonus points if you know where the name came from). There's lotsof amazing photography of major stars from the 1920's up to the 1960's and even 1970's. And he's just recently started posting men's pics on rare occasion - who says men can't be glamorous?? Anywho, enjoy the site and the incredible pics! :)

TTFN

Update on the shenanigans :)

The womderful Social Media team at VPI have been very generous with me - apparently they will be sending me one of their super-cute Foam Terrier pups!! How neat is that?? According to the kind responder to me e-mail, the Social Media team at the company liked the creativity of my request - I tried to be very nice and polite, and as Mum always taught me, good things will come of it! As the team are very attached to the Foam Terrier puppies, I had to promise to send them a pic of the little one once it reached it's new forever home - which I certainly will.

Not too much on the personal front. The back deck and porch are done, thank goodness. It finally stayed dry enough outside for us to get the whole thing waterproofed. Sorry, no pics yet as I'm updating you all while I'm at the office - I'm such a naughty employee ;)

Looking to do a little shake-up in my life - going through the 'Is this it?" kind of phase...I'm quite sure you've all been there before (thanks Diamondback for putting as close a name to the feeling as I could). It's the time in your life when you're looking for more and it just doesn't seem to be there. You feel almost guilty for getting tired of reminding yourself of all the good things in your life, all the blessings or whatever. Perhaps I am being selfish, I don't know. But I get the feeling I'm just spinning my wheels, wasting time that's far too precious to waste on just sitting around (in a metaphysical sense). I'm looking for new work, so in the meantime I think I need to focus on education/learning, and simplifying my life - get rid of some of the flotsam and jetsam floating around in my space and get a clearer view on my life in general. Drop the shit and get to the good stuff, I guess...or at the very least, try figuring out what the fuck I WANT.

Any ideas / thoughts / comments? (Diamondback, just send me an e-mail, can't re-adjust my blogger settings at the moment - silly me! *lol*)

TTFN

In case you need a laugh...

Ok, gonna be bad and link to a page of a website. This one is about pet insurance, and I dug around and found a great page on pet breeds that is packed with information. I especially liked this one. It looks like the ideal dog breed for almost anyone - hypoallergenic, a small breed, very small appetite, very few health problems, and an all around generally low maintenance dog! Perfect! *lol* Now, I have no idea if this amazing dog will be allowed to live in our Canadian climate, but I admit I sent the company an e-mail to try and see. I'll let you know if I get to be the proud owner of this truely incredible dog...

Update on Dad:

Numbers are down to 10 (!!) - these are the inflammitory figures that all of the blood tests are for (besides checking liver and kidney function). Not bad considering he started at around 200 - 300, eh? Now it's a matter of weaning him off of the steroids again - he's like the Energiser Bunny or something lately, more like his old self - but the appetite that goes with it is having it's effects...Still, small price to pay when he can now curl his fingers to make an approximation of a fist. And thanks to him we've got the back porch and deck finished! Yay!

Me? Oh, just chugging along. Super crazy busy here on the work front - quarter-end and all that rot. Thinking of quitting the office "Social Committee" at the end of the year - due to lack of communication. Seems some members of the group think that others are psychic and know what's going on in some members minds. Yeesh - please, I get enough of that in my job, I don't need it in something that I've volunteered to do out of the goodness of my heart (and yes, I do actually have a heart, contrary to what you might have heard from the peanut gallery!) Hanging in there long enough to join the Christmas Party at the end of the year, then I'm out. Hell, I put in my three years, it's someone else's turn, for goodness sakes.

Quickly learning that Marcelle's skin care and makeup seems to be mostly gluten-free! Even they admit that some products do have gluten, but they tell you which ingredients to look out for. There's always a risk of cross-contamination - unless the company or production line is dedicated to gluten-free ONLY - but so far it's been smooth sailing. LOVING their cleansers, and the BB cream hasn't caused me any problems. Still hesitating on the lip products, but I have purchased one so I have to try it soon, or risk not being able to return it. I myself can find Marcelle products at both Shoppers Drug Mart and Rexall / Pharmaplus, but I honestly have no idea if they can be found State-side...? I'd say try the big chain drugstores first - these are not salon-quality products, not super-exclusive or anything like that, but they can be a little on the pricey side. Well, pricey as compared to the drugstore brand or products like Neutrogena. Still loving my Neutrogena Naturals, but looking to branch out because my skin gets bored and wants something new every once in a while - ahhh, the wonders of being human! *lol* Oh, and still in love with my Lush brand "Coal Face" soap - my blackheads are actually a little less noticable! Wow.

Holy crow, another long entry. All the better to keep you up to date on my tiny corner of the world... ;)

TTFN!

Back again!

Thank you to Kay for my very first comment - makes me feel all warm and squishy...oh, wait, that's just been the effect of the humid weather lately! *lol*

Been pondering what to write next...a little more about myself, I guess. Ugh, so self-centered *winks*

Hmmm, let's see... After high school I tried a brief stint in college. Unfortunately I found out after the first year that I made a bad future-career choice, and dropped out. Since then I've been bouncing around trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. But as I refuse to grow up completely, that could be a problematic issue!

Right now the job I have is a means to an end (read: make money), but I've been plagued by thoughts of possibly going back to school. As this would be a total change in career, I've been quite hesitant - it's the fact that it would be a total money and time drain that I'm not sure I'm ready for right now. I live at home (which is a terrific money-saver, even though I pay rent) with my ever-suffering parents *lol* - for which I feel extremely fortunate that I even had that opportunity and option. I'm stuck in a bit of a conundrum, though - save money for a place of my own, or go back to school for a career I'm not totally sure I want to challenge myself with for the rest of my working life? Throw in the fact that I'm over 40, and perhaps you can see the pickle I'm in. More research and pondering is needed...

What else to bore you with?

I'm single, and happy - bet you don't hear that very often, eh? *lol* The dating scene is just... Well, let's just leave it at that, shall we? Hell, it'll happen when it happens, I'm certainly not worried about it.

Ok, I think that's enough for now. I'm thinking this might be a weekly posting thing, or perhaps more often if anything of note comes up. Really can't say for sure, but I do know that I do not want to be posting daily - just far too much effort for me to say anything of any sort of use that often. Oh, sorry, didn't you know? I'm an average, lazy-assed caucasian North American, I'm supposed to be lazy! *lmao* But if I can say this : I totally agree with the late, great, George Carlin. Calling myself "Caucasian" really does sound like a shoe style, doesn't it??