I just happened to revisit my Vox account and realized that I've been absent for almost 6 months. That means it's been 6 months since I sat down to just freely write. And that's 6 months too long.
I wish I could say that life has been really blah while I was gone. To be honest, I really started posting more and more stuff on Facebook and reconnecting with old friends. And I've been out living life, as I ought.
I took a few minutes to revisit my posts from 2009, and, well, it's kind of amazing how much The Boy has grown and changed, and I'm so intrigued to see how I've grown as a person. I feel like I'm kind of getting the hang of this motherhood thing, like I can take that role in stride now and not let it be my primary focus. As such, I've started wearing short skirts again and occasionally heels, and I'm taking better care of myself. That's not to say that I gave up wearing jeans, of course. I still wear them, but they're a little more fashionable now and not simply utilitarian.
Recent introspection has made me realize that I really haven't been myself for a while. I took a trip up to New York the weekend after Halloween and kind of found myself again. I saw glimpses of a younger, happier, more vibrant Eileen and realize that's the real me. That's the Eileen I need to get back to.
So, this past month has been interesting, at best, as I rediscover myself. Basically, I'm the same person, but I'm taking steps to figure out - and go after - what I want and be the kind of person I want to be. I feel like an amarylis bulb that was sitting dormant in the ground for such a long time, now finally blessed with the right conditions that are enabling me to bloom once more.
And it's a great feeling.
First snow on La Cité, which means that, while Bixis are stored for the season, Alouettes are coming home, and...
ILLUMINATI's back whipping their favourite target: One Random, current rank Captain.
Big week-end on the conspiracy fornt.
My anonymous benefactors contacted me again through a flash drive left on the bus. The content was interesting: the CV of a Tunisian Security Guard, phone numbers and contact to a nearby shopping mall plus a couple of photos, including a CCTV snapshot. Noted everything down and disposed through the usual channels.
Still confused about the Serena Williams-lookalike in a thong picture's significance in the Game...
Of course, this small win was compounded by the fact that my ATM card has been gobbled up. Hopefully a minor setback and not a prelude to me fleeing the country in the middle of the night...
AND I almost lost a couple of days of vacation because I thought it was more logical to split a 7-hour block (as I lost a day and half-an-hour from last year's Happy-fun-Exile) into 2 workable 3,5 hours since by union rules, a work day is supposed to be a minimum 4 hours of work. But Union & HR didn't seem to be on my same logic plane. It took a lot of convincing (and putting the phone away to cover the sounds of my teeth grating) to get the message through.
To quote Xander: "And the fun just keeps on leaving..."
Could be worse, I guess, could be Tiger Woods. What? Too soon?
Hmm, DRAGON SCALES? This is a weird draw. Clearly it's an indication that I need to "Suit Up!" in order to prepare myself for the fight.
At least the stakes are less personal this time around, which is a big plus.
The holidays are in full effect, so tell us: What's your favorite holiday song? Bonus points if you share it with us!
I'm a big fan of the Charlie Brown Christmas special, so the soundtrack is on heavy rotation as soon as the last pumpkin is put away...
It's the light at the end of the tunnel, less than 24 hours to close. It's doable, I'll be cutting it close but I can do it, I got the knack.
Having said that, I would have preferred had my week-end been more an opportunity for me to rest at home instead of having to write during the hour of the wolf.
Still, compared to the previous years, it has been a relatively hassle-free month.
I have taken a few hours Saturday to visit the Raven to in order to celebrate Ms Raven's birthday. Had a lots of fun as always and managed to play a turn of the Galactica boardgame, which looks interesting, even for one who has only a superficial knowledge of the mythos. The tricking of not knowing who to trust brings a nice twist to the game.
In other news, my quest to find a new starting point for next year,story-wise has taken me, not towards a new RPG source, but rather a nice collection made by BigMediaCo's publishing arm.
Starting with a list of basic recipes, they offer lost of alternate choices, which makes for a lot of fun.
From barbecue to pies, I can find many uses for this, if only to get inspiration to depict "original" food in another atmosphere.
Having this already planned, I kind of postponed my "celebration" of my 1-month exile last year. The past 12 months has been illuminating. I went through such a whirlwind of emotions when I didn't know what would happened, being out of the loop only to be relayed the apocalyptic gossip was gut-wrenching. I'm still on cruise control and while some people raise an eyebrow now and then expecting a reaction, I choose to bite my tongue. BigMediaCo is only my employer, no more no less.
Today's MtG Tarot is SHIELD WALL.
Raising shields is a nice euphemism when everything's going down. The problem with that is that, one has to be careful. Keep them up for to long, and not only do you drain yourself, but you run the risk of losing perspective.
It's all about balance, which I guess is the main lesson I keep from my misadventures.
It's Week 12 of the NFL season. How's your team faring?
Well, to be fair, I don't have a favourite team as such, although I have to admit that ever since the Saints returned to the Superdome, they're my sentimental favourites.
Must have been the U2-Green Day show...
In other news, Montreal Alouettes won the Grey Cup!!! So that's 2 titles for La Cité, next stop Stanley Cup??? kinda unlikely...
The past week has been BUSY! Last weekend my little brother came to visit. We very much enjoyed having him out to hang with us for a few days. Rock Band got a lot of air time :) When we dropped him off at the airport and drove off, Stephan kept asking, “Where’s uncle Eilert?” and then we talked some about him, and I, being sad that uncle Eilert had to go home. He’s such a sweet little boy, already planning uncle’s next trip out!
I also made the apple pie for our mini "Turkey" feast.
After Eilert left, I endured my one and only workday of the week, rushing home to get down to the Pepsi Center so we could shoot some hoops before the Nuggets game. Unfortunately, we only ended up with five minutes because we got there so late and they booted us off the court earlier than I’d expected. We then walked across the parking lot for dinner and went back for the game. At halftime Stephan was part of the “High Five Squad” and got the chance to high five some very tall NBAers. Due to a mix up, he did not get to see the Nuggets up close, and some of the other kids parents were jerks, but he did get one Nets player to come up and give him a high five, which I tried to play up for his sake. He was disappointed to only high five one player, but that’s more than some people ever get so it was still pretty darn cool!
That afternoon I’d called my OB’s office and found out the preeclampsia labs she did all were fine. Still going to check my BP on Tuesday and see if I’ll need to start meds, but what a relief to know that it’s not preeclampsia, just the high blood pressure right now.
Wednesday Andy and I took Stephan to daycare and spent the day together. We went to see Pirate Radio (not a bad flick, but not the comedy I’d expected from the previews) and he took me to Red Robin for lunch. Also stopped at Sam’s for tp, but otherwise an official date mid week, something that doesn’t often happen.
Turkey day we went to Mimi’s Café for lunch with my in-laws. I’m not a huge turkey fan, so I just got a breakfast frittata that was pretty good and shared Andy’s pumpkin pie. Even though it was a pretty small meal, I didn’t eat much the rest of the day. We sent Stephan off with nana & papa and had another afternoon to ourselves before heading to the Bronco game. So glad they actually won again. A little chillier than I like, too bad the game wasn’t played in the afternoon when it was 60 and sunny out. On the way home we drove by Best Buy and Ultimate Electronics to see where we might have the most luck getting Andy his PS3 deal. I decided to ask him if he wanted that as his Cmas/Bday/Anniv gift this year and after combing the ads, those two stores were the only ones with deals. Best Buy looked NUTS already at 9:30pm so we decided to skip that and go for Ultimate since there were only about 15 people waiting there. After going home and getting a few hours of sleep, we got up at 3am to head out for …
Black Friday. This is only the second year we’ve done the BF thing. When we got to Ultimate, there were about 40-50 people in front of us and we plopped down in our camp chairs and bundled up in our blankies for a couple hours. When the store employees finally started walking down the line with vouchers we luckily got one for the PS3, 7 of 10! The deal there was that they were going to sell 10 PS3s with a bonus $100 gift card. With that bonus we were able to get the BluRay remote and a game for Andy and I got a game for my DS too since they were already sold out of my Mario game. Oh well, it’s on my Christmas list along with Wii Fit Plus! After the hour long wait to check out, we drove over to Target to see if they still had a couple toys in the ad for Stephan. They did. Andy was unsuccessful at finding his Psych season, but got a season of Monk instead. So far a pretty good morning. We stopped at McD’s and then went to Kohl’s to see what was left there after them being open for 3 hours or so. There was a toy I wanted to get for Stephan, something to hang on to and give him from the baby in the hospital, and some frames, and Andy said he’d wanted to have me pick out some earrings for my Christmas gift. We found everything and while the cheaper earrings that were in the ad were all gone, they probably looked kinda crappy anyway, and I found some pretty diamond earrings to coordinate with the necklace he and Stephan got me a couple years ago for Mother’s Day.
We went home and got everything inside. I decided that while Andy was setting up his PS3 I’d pull out Stephan’s presents and get them all unboxed and ready to go and then wrapped them so he wouldn’t discover them AND know what they were like he did this year before his birthday. Took a while, but now his gifts are not only purchased, but wrapped and ready to go under the tree and in his stocking. Good thing too, cause he’s already found them and asked about them and wanted them. Sheesh.
After waking up a little with showers, we headed up to nana & papa’s to get the kid and stopped along the way at Dick’s to see if we’d get lucky there too. While they did not have the plum Crocs I wanted (don't even think they stock that color), they did have my size in the cute emu ugg boots so I snagged those. I’ve been wanting a pair but holding out since so many are made in China and not Australia. I did not want to spend a ton of money on a pair of boots that are probably made for ¼ the cost or less. These were 60% off and have a cute button accent so I decided to give them a try and see if I like them enough to maybe order some that are really made in Australia.
I crashed with Stephan when we got home and had a lovely nap that got me through dinner and more Rock Band with some friends we haven’t seen in years, not since just after Stephan was born. We enjoyed catching up with them and just hanging out.
This morning Andy woke up feeling crummy after so little sleep yesterday. After he drank some water and ate some he started feeling better and we were off on our last errand of the weekend. Went to the mall and the Christian bookstore. Their deals were good for three days and not just three hours so I didn’t want to stress or feel like I needed to rush there yesterday. We got a couple Veggie Tales DVDs and CDs for Andy and I, Stephan picked out a Veggie ornament for his tree ... and we picked up a DVD and doll for my youngest niece.
WE ARE DONE WITH CHRISTMAS SHOPPING!! YAY!!!
One tradition left to go. Andy and I buy stocking suffers
for each other last minute. Have for years. We go to Target and make a game of avoiding each other in the store and seeing how much
we can get for the other person’s stocking for just $25. Fun challenge.
If Andy’s still feeling better he might go down to the garage and dig out the tree and all our other Christmas stuff. Right now of course, he’s shooting up somewhere in Warfare land on his Christmas gift. I’m glad everything worked out.
Tomorrow, we’ll head to church and then probably rest the afternoon away.
I only worked 8 days in Nov + one day at a conference. There are 12 up in Dec, three whole weeks and then Christmas break. I feel a bit spoiled. Hard to believe that come January I’ve only got about 10 more weeks till baby’s here and then I’ll have most of the rest of the year off before summer. This year has been QUICK.
Last stretch.
I have my plate full with Cloud City and a few extra-curricular activities but I should be on schedule to complete yet another year.
News of the day is that Stephen Harper willl FINALLY drag his Neanderthalian butt to the Copenhagen Climate Conference. There was a time when Canada was on the foreront on subjects like the Environment, Human rights, and other socially-conscious fields. But Harper's PC have done a great job of torpedoeing all of this.
When Bush's US has a better environmental record than your own government...
To celebrate my 1-year anniversary of my exile, today's MtG Tarot draw is TWIGWALKER.
Seeing oneself as an insect is not really a stretch, with the bosses's attitude towards our brethen, but it's the card's ability that I find interesting. To sacrifice one's self to strengthen others, it is an intriguing possibility.
If things go any worse, I'll need to remember this line.
A lot of people start decorating for the holidays before the Thanksgiving leftovers have been eaten... What about you? When are you going to start putting up your holiday decorations this year?
Never been much of a "hanging Christmas decorations" kind of guy . The most I will do is hang a few Christmas decorations in my cubby at work. Each year I buy this year's Starbucks and one or two of the Peanuts' Hallmark stuff, making each year an ever-expanding array.
As for when I'll put them, I usually put them on the week of our office Christmas party, to add to the mood...
On a roll, story-wise...
Great, just great. After having to move last week's vacation because of a BigMediaCo meeting that was later postponed to this Monday only to have it moved again... to Thursday, which I had planned to take off.
<Falls down on my knees> WHY??? <sobs>
On the week-end, I bought and got to read something that I wanted to get my hands on since I saw the author on the Jon Stewart show a while back.
Jake Adelstein's Tokyo Vice is the story of a Missouri-born Jew who, while in Japan, decides to become a journalist at the Yomiuri Shinbun newspaper specializing in crime reporting.
It's truly the product of a poison pen, the author channeling the greatest of noir archetypes while in a battle of wills along with the Yakuza, while developing friendships and acquaintances on both sides of the fight.
Moral ambiguity aside, this read as the kind of life I would have dreamt while I was younger. Exotic locales, dangerous jobs and other sundry anecdotes.
Here's a great quote between the author and a guy he calls Alien Cop while in a strip club.
Jake"So you think I'd be a slimeball if I did what you're doing?"
Alien Cop "No. I just think you're stranger. Not a strange gaijin but a strange person. You have a code. You stick to it. It's a weird code, but it's a code. I admire that. And you're a good guy. Now don't take this the wrong way, but I'll tell you something..."
Jake"Tell me."
Alien Cop "You'll break your code sooner or later. Vice does it to you. Like the saying goes, lie down with dogs and you get fleas. You'll get fleas."
Jake"I'll get a flea collar."
Alien Cop "Hah. Won't work. You'll sleep with someone not just for money or information but because it seems like the thing to do. Like shaking hands. It's a slippery slope. And you won't even feel guilty about it. It won't occur to you that it isn't right or out of the ordinary. The job screws you up. You should ask for another posting. You're lucky you're already married, at least. I could never get married."
This is what the movie 'Black Rain" should have been about.
Let's keep the karaoke scene, though!
Today's MtG pick is ANGEL'S MERCY
Must be the Fates' way to remind me how to celebrate my exile. or maybe a message on the upheaval that has begun with Polynesia...
Black Friday is the unofficial kickoff to the holiday shopping season. When are you planning on beginning your holiday shopping?
Sponsored by Best Buy. Find holiday gifts for everyone on your list.
Black Friday's not that big a thing north of the border. Still we already got flyers at the office for some corporate-sponsored
pre-Christmas sales, so I'm already stocking up on CDs and books.
