Barracuda!

Well, I did intend to post a somewhat intelligent post about the last show of Canada Rocks, but then the after-party happened. It started out with the traditional back of the house gathering, and then it migrated down to the office. This year there was a co-celebration between Box Officers and FOHers, with a few unexpected interlopers thrown in. And there were eggrolls. And Pepsi. And there was some dancing (not by me). And there was some sort of talk by someone about my smile. *blush* And I wore the necklace that Michelle told me to buy, and I think it was very fetching. And now I'm really super zonked and rambling. Attempts at thoughtful writing will have to wait.

Thursday Night TV Party!!!

Right, so now my mind is all confused with the Grey's Episode 1/Episode 2 fiasco. It's hard to keep them straight in my head. But fear not, there will be no lashing out in anger tonight. I still have some lingering disappointment that I'm watching the episodes out of order, but at least I get to see them both.

Besides, I'm so happy that Abby and Luka's baby didn't die. Now, I only hope that they had his hearing screened before he left the hospital, and that they continue to have his hearing screened every six months until age 3.5. He is at high risk for late-onset acquired hearing loss, after all. I'm sure they'll be right on top of it. Although wouldn't it be interesting if he did develop hearing loss, and then Dr. Benton and Reese came back for a visit? Hmm?? Wouldn't that be fun for everyone and not just the audiologically-minded ER fans?

P.S. - I'm heading for Charlottetown right after work tomorrow! Only one more Anne till the long winter hiatus. Don't worry, I'll cope.

Wanted: people who sing

My Wednesday night choir is having recruitment issues. Well, actually, we're having retention issues. We weren't a very big group to start with - maybe twentyish people last year. And then we lost quite a few people for various reasons (jobs elsewhere, graduation, living in Wales for a year, etc). So we're down to 2 to 4 people per section. And every week we have a few new recruits trickle in, but they rarely come back the week after. Maybe our Big Bad Bach piece scares them off. I don't know why a 27-page German piece for double choir is intimidating. I mean, it's not like we have to sing both parts - we're "Choir II". Or perhaps our director's fondess for Swedish songs is a turn-off. But really, it's a university choir, and there are only 4-6 students in it. I mean, I can maybe pass for a university student, but still, we need more people!

It's such a contrast to my Tuesday night choir, where the pews in our rehearsal space are overflowing with singers. It definitely takes the pressure off, and I can just sing softly until I know what I'm doing. Plus, it's so interesting to watch a large group of middle-aged people interact with one another. You would think that habits learned in high school would have worn off by now.

I have the same choir director for both choirs, and he has just realized that I'm in the Tuesday choir. I'm really a shy, wallflower-type person when I'm in choir, so I didn't think he would notice. However, this evening he greeted me by name and we had a little chat. Interesting. And here I thought I was blending into the woodwork.

$3.85 is my kind of price

Well, after my fabulous P&P-filled mini-break, it was back to work today. I will try to recap more when I get the chance of it, but if you're dying to know more details, check out what Laura and/or Rosey have to say on the topic.

Michelle and I went to see The Last Kiss this evening. I was a little wary about seeing it, because I felt that the plot might hit a little close to home (29 year old has a crisis regarding the current state of his life), but my intense appreciation for Zach Braff won out, so off we went. It was indeed very enjoyable, if somewhat uncomfortable to watch. I do recommend seeing it, especially if you have the special "buy one get one free" coupon that gets you in for half price!!

I'm also still feeling the love for "Studio 60". Howver, my beef with this week's episode was the utter lameness of "opening sketch" of the show. I didn't think the song was particulary witty, and the "cast members" are dreadfully unfunny. Who knew it was so hard to write/perform sketch comedy?

Making dessert with some classy ladies...

Rosey: I'm a classy lady.
Lynda: Of course you are. Only classy ladies lick the bag.

Back to P&P2...

Oh. This is really awkward...

Seriously. I thought something was funny with Grey's last night. It was as if there was this huge time gap between the season finale and where the action started. And during the "previously on Grey's Anatomy" recap, there were scenes I didn't recognize. I was initially confused, but then I decided to go with it.

Turns out my instincts were right, because according to this article, we (as in, Canada) were watching EPISODE 2!!!!! We missed episode 1! Seriously. Of course, as you can read in the article, CTV will be airing the actual season premiere at a later date. But won't that be anticlimactic? And what are they going to do next week? Air episode 2 again?

Stupid people who don't know how to push buttons right. I am most seriously displeased.

"Oh. This is awkward."

Okay, so perhaps there were a few to many snackies at our tv party this evening. Ben and Jerry's Half-Baked ice cream, ringolos, corn nuts, bits n bites, chocolate-covered pretzels, nibs, and pepsi. It was all so tasty, but my tummy's a little sore right now. Next week, only two treats - ice cream and something else. The ice cream is definitely worth another go - chocolate and vanilla ice cream with cookie dough and brownies. Mmm...

And was anyone else soo happy that McSteamy showed up in Addison's hotel room while Derek was there? Take that, Dr. "oh Meredith, I pick/choose/love you now for real and I mean it this time". And really, I think the real reason Izzie was making all those muffins was for Meredith to eat. Hint hint, Meredith.

And the only other thing I'll say is I am very glad that no one died on ER tonight except for bad people. I thought for sure that Jerry was a goner, or that Abby and Luka's baby would meet a tragic end.

And the only other thing I'll say is that I still love George, even though he looks better with curly hair.

Betcha bottom dollar that tomorrow there'll be sun

Well, surprisingly, today was a much better work day. Perhaps it was the highly informative online education session I attended at the end of the day. Or perhaps it was the fact that I ignored all my paperwork in order to attend said online education session. In any case, I no longer feel the need to quit my job and become a spokesperson for the Ab-Roller.

Plus, it had to be a good day today, because it's the birthday of my favourite news editor, mel. In honor of her b-day, I present this link to a partial episode of Sports Night on YouTube. Coincidentally, this is almost the 8th anniversary of airing of the pilot episode of this fabulous show (pilot original airdate: September 22, 1998). I do own the entire series on DVD. If you want to see it, feel free to come over and watch it with me.

On second thought, maybe I should post the link to the mini-wheat commercial again, since everyone loves it so much. ;-)

A good memory is unpardonable

Let's just forget this work day happened, shall we? Let's just forget me slamming my pen and file folder down on top of the filing cabinet in frustration and anger. Let's also forget the 15 minute time-out I gave myself in my office. Who am I kidding, let's just forget it all.

Instead, perhaps it would be best to remember my audition for Christmas @theplayhouse. Apparently, it's a variety show that's holiday-themed. And they let real people try out for it. This latest audition went better than my Canadian Idol audition. I still had issues with my shaky nervous voice, but after it was done, I got some positive feedback. It's a show, there's lots of singing, and it's about Christmas. What could be more fun? Keep your fingers crossed for me.

And let's also think ahead to Thursday Night TV Party (Greys! ER!), and to the upcoming weekend, where I expect to be soothed and entertained by P&P2, shopping, and the happiness of Halifax hospitality.

Only two more work days to go. I can do this.

Happy NB Election Day!

Two elections in one year.

Man, I love elections.

Last time I voted, it was snowing.

Today, as I went to the polling station, it was hot and humid. However, the weather did not diminish my enthusiasm for voting. It's such a privilege to be able to vote, and I take my responsibility very seriously. Afterwards, I was so pumped that I had to go for a walk for an hour to calm myself.

Then came my favourite part - watching the election results come in. I put my two tv's in the same room so I could watch CBC and CTV simultaneously. I prefer CBC coverage, but sometimes CTV is quicker with their results and decisions. I was anticipating a long night of back-and-forth results, so it was somewhat disappointing to have things over by about 9 o'clockish.

So, when's the next one?

"Live from Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip..."

So, I just watched the pilot episode of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, and it was freaking awesome. Mostly stellar writing, fantastic cast, great production values - this is what tv is supposed to be like. I won't spoil it too much, because I don't think it's aired yet in most time zones. I was such a fan of Aaron Sorkin's Sports Night, and I really want this new show to do well. It will fit nicely in my Sunday night tv viewing.

This is my favourite new commercial. I don't even like mini wheats, but I really dig the song.

Now if you will excuse me, I'm off to enjoy The Amazing Race. Huzzah for tv!!!

Mainland weekend.

Some of you may have figured out that I decided to stay in Fredericton for the weekend. It was a really busy week this week, and I anticipate a busy period of activity for the next month or so, so I decided to take a little break and slow down. It's amazing what you can get done when you don't spend seven hours of your weekend driving.

Today I went to the market and waited at least half an hour for samosas, only to get to the front of the line and find that they had mostly veggie ones left. The samosa person pointed at a bowl and told me that there was a mystery mixture of flavours available - maybe meat-filled ones, maybe not. I took my chances and got five of them. I had one, and it was a hot chicken one. Now I'm afraid to eat the rest, because I'm sure they're all veggie. And I just can't cope with chickpeas. They're quite vile.

To console myself after my failed samosa mission, I bought some stir-fried noodles for lunch. They were tasty, but I have a sneaky suspicion they were terribly terribly unhealthy. Perhaps the salty chunks of squishy unidentified foodstuff that I found throughout the noodles led me to this conclusion.

But the day didn't stop there. In the afternoon, I finally had the chance to assemble a nightstand I had purchased ages ago. Whilst I was up to my elbows in Parts A through L, my local NDP candidate dropped by for some campaigning. I was glad to speak with her, since I haven't seen any of my candidates in person yet, and I know very little about any of them. Of course, I couldn't think of anything intelligent to say, but really, it was her job to impress me, and not the other way around.

Then it was off to Home Depot to buy a new lamp! I would be even more happy if the bulb the Home Depot guy picked out for me actually fit in the socket.

And then, I bought two end tables!! They were part of an end table/coffee table set I had seen at the furniture store where Michelle had got her futon. I was able to talk the guy into selling me the end tables separately from the coffee table. And they were preassembled.

And then, I went shopping with Michelle again (second time in as many nights). I got a pretty tea kettle and windshield wipers.

And now, I'm trying valiantly to adjust to my new furniture by not looking at it and pretending everything is the same. Seriously, change is so hard. Perhaps I'm just cranky because my throat is sore, and I feel slightly sick. On one hand, I'm disappointed, because I really wanted to try out my new sneakers tomorrow. On the other hand, a day of relaxation in front of the tv is mighty tempting...

Do what you love. F**k everything else.

If you get the chance, go see Little Miss Sunshine. Michelle and I stumbled upon it at the cinema this evening when we were trying to pick out what movie to see as a part of our "dinner and a movie" date. It's heartwarming and hilarious. While you're at it, I can highly recommend the steak panini at The Back Nine, especially when you get to eat it while sitting in a booth on the restaurant's exclusive top floor while surrounded by a private birthday party. Happy Birthday, dear Jean! (or was it Jeannie?)

P.S. I bought new sneakers today! And they're green. Not just green, but that particular shade of green that makes me oh so happy. And to think I get to wear that green on my feet! They're so lucky!

Help me.

A while ago I took advantage of an Air Miles promotion at Sobey's, and I bought seven boxes of Oreo Thinsations. It got me 50 air miles. That's huge. I didn't count on the fact that having several boxes of Oreo's in the apartment makes me want to eat them all in one sitting. I was strong for the first week, but now, my will power is in a downward spiral. The picture shows two days' worth of Oreo consumption. My tummy is sore, but my taste buds are happy.

12 of 12 - September 2006

Bonjour, tout le monde. Here's another edition of Chad Darnell's 12 of 12. It was another hectic work day for me, I'm afraid. Soon September will be done...

7:40 a.m. My, what a bright, sunny morning.

7:50 a.m. I was late for work this morning, partly because I didn't get out of bed soon enough, and partly because I wanted to eat some oatmeal for breakfast.

11:30 a.m. You may notice that my office walls have been painted an (almost) lovely shade of pale green (I think my fluourescent lights are messing with the colour a bit). You also may notice that I was a busy girl today, hence the shot of me tearing my hair out.

12:40 p.m. See this plant in my office? I can't be trusted to keep it alive, so someone waters it for me.

3:25 p.m. Taking a break and resting my feet. Today I wore my infamous "Shoes from Hell". I call them that because they are too big and give me blisters on the heels. But they're pretty, and they match my new pants.

5:08 p.m. My previous four work days have been annoyingly busy, so I was happy to be able to leave slightly early today (I usually get off at 5:15).

5:23 p.m. A quick supper of leftover chicken piccata and brown rice.

5:30 p.m. After receiving a lengthy unsolicited recorded voicemail advertisement from Leon's, I called them to ask why they haven't sent anyone to look at the stain that came with my brand new sofa. They're gonna get back to me. Riiiight.

6:12 p.m. Talked to my littlest brother on MSN. He's away at uni, and I miss him.

7:00 p.m. Off to my first choir practice of the fall season. We're doing Handel's Messiah. And we're going on tour with it!!

9:52 p.m. Got back from rehearsal in time to see Mike Boogie with BB7. I was sorta glad I didn't have to watch ChenBot fumble her way through the finale. Five minutes of awkward pauses were enough for me.

10:20 p.m. I'm attempting to make chicken stew in my crockpot for tomorrow's supper. Wish me luck.

Bonus Pic: This week's theme was "break". I love to relax by curling up on the couch with my pillow to read and/or watch DVD's. Add some Pepsi, chocolate, and friends (not pictured), and I'm in heaven.

Today's entry is brought to you by the letter "P"

Nothing like a super busy day at work to make this girl feel all tuckered out. Madness, I tell you, pure madness. And I have to work five whole days this week. Wish me luck.

Tonight Michelle and I had a very productive trip to Zeller's, where I bought a plant, some watercolour paints, and three cartons of Pepsi (3 for $9.99. Go now.). That's right, I'm making yet another attempt to grow living things in my apartment. I find this quite tricky, because plants need water, and I have great difficulty remembering this. As a result, all of my previous plants have died slow painful deaths, wasting away from extreme dehydration. Therefore, I appreciate any plant-growing tips or watering reminders you all have to offer.

It stinks.

After several weeks of postponing the inevitable, I finally decided to deal with the wretched smell emanating from my car. Earlier this week I made the effort to clean out all little bits of garbage from the interior of my car, but the peculiar odour still remained. I decided that only a full-blown vacuum assault would be sufficient. So, this afternoon I spent two hours using my mom's hot-pink vacuum to suck up every miniscule piece of smelliness.

It was only after I had finished vacuuming that I discovered a liquified bag of baby carrots in the trunk.

Problem solved, I hope.

Tonight I watched the second half of Anne from Row BB. Keep in mind that I have spent all summer watching the show from about Row O. Oh, there have been times that I was as close as Row J or H, but Row BB is a whole other story. It was quite overwhelming to be that close, in fact. It felt like people were going to jump on top of me. I was quite self-conscious, because I felt like I was sitting on the stage. Way too close.

Takin' care of business

Right, so someone forgot to tell the world that it's a short work week, because it's felt like I've spent the last three days doing five days' worth of work. Yeesh. Perhaps the memo got lost in transit.

Happily, the Fredericton/Charlottetown weekend shuttle route is in operation again, after a brief hiatus last week. Only a few more Anne's left for me, and then the drought begins. I shall endeavour to endure as best I can.

Peacefully, in her 92nd year...

Is there nothing sacred?

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2006/09/07/death-notices.html

They cancelled the funeral announcements? What the heck? How's a person supposed to find out who died?

Farewell, beloved mattress

Last night, I finally asked my super to help me get rid of my very very old mattress. It's been leaning against my bedroom wall, unused and collecting dust, for a year and a half.

As you can see, I have issues with change and letting go.

In my defence, it was the mattress I've used since I started sleeping in a bed. Think of it as a giant teddy bear or blankie.

And now it's gone. Tonight the super came and took it away. As per Michelle's excellent suggestion, I clipped a few scraps of fabric so I won't forget it. My bedroom looks so empty with only one bed in it.

Le sigh.

It's the most wonderful time of the year... (aka School again! School again! School again!)

I don't know about everyone else out there, but I love the start of the school year. How I would love to buy some school supplies or textbooks right now. I would love to be able to register for classes and organize my schedule. Alas, I'm going to have to settle for signing up for choir and living vicariously through the back-to-school experiences of my friends and family members.

I did get to have a little taste of back-to-school happiness this weekend. First up, Catherine came to visit while she was attending a strawbaling workshop. For those of you who don't know, strawbaling is the wave of the future when it comes to home construction. I went with Catherine to an information session on Friday evening, and we sat on actual straw bales in our makeshift "classroom" inside the frame of a soon-to-be built house. It's a really really interesting subject, and I'm so happy that Catherine got to learn more about it all weekend. And, it was fabulous to spend some time with her in the evenings after she was done of her learnin' for the day. I do so enjoy entertaining at my apartment.

On Saturday, I had lots of fun with Michelle and her parents. We went to The Market in the morning, where I bought a piece of chocolate truffle. Then we spent most of the afternoon helping Michelle settle in to her new digs. One of the big projects was buying (and assembling) a futon. I was glad to offer my help in that area, because after my couch search, I think I have a pretty strong feel for the furniture stores of Fredericton. Also, her dad has me convinced that I must buy compact fluorescent bulbs for all my lighting fixtures.

And what's back-to-school without a little shopping? Tonight, I witnessed the legendary shopping karma of Michelle. I had heard about her prowess, but this was the first time I had experienced it for myself. Thanks to her, I came home from the mall with two pairs of pants, two tops, a camisole, a necklace, and a jacket (whee!!). I cannot wait to go to work tomorrow. It's going to be busy as heck, but I am going to look pretty darn spiffy.