Free cookies!

Sometimes, I get really spoiled.

I just got a couple of double chocolate cookies from the wonderful people at Cookies By George. Hmmm...How can I get more....???

(Gratituous plug ahead) What a fantastic product they sell there at Cookies By George. You can get them in many different flavours and they are all Fat free and have ZERO calories!!! What an amazing food product!!!

Ok, they aren't really fat free or a zero calorie product, but they are tasty and like everything else on the planet, they are intended to be consumed in moderation. :-)

What's up Y'all?

So I'm hearing rumors about a blogger gathering in Regina, and perhaps one in S'toon this summer. This would be Uber cool! I'd like to meet some of you out there. See who is really behind some of these awesome thoughts and amazing pages!

So let's get out there and mingle over a bbq pit and perhaps a Rider game. Count me in!

EDIT: I just got a note from Stephen Glauser. He and Saskboy are making the arrangements for the get-togethers. The links to RSVP and such are here: Stephen and Saskboy. Stop by and get your name on the list!

The Bachelorette Party...

Here's a few pics of the evening (in no particular order):

Preparing for "Put the Bowtie on the Guy"

Visiting at the Bowling Alley

Sister is Decked out for the Night

One of the Males who crashed the party...
(and he's probably NOT cooler than your Mom)

Three Inebriated Females

I think that I'm still a little hungover...

What a weekend! When you really don't drink that often, and then you have a blow-out, house-shaking, close-down-the-bar kind of party, you are hurting after.

I went home for my sister's Bridal Shower / Stagette party last weekend. I thnk we had a good time. :-) The pictures make it appear that way at least :-)

Friday, we pulled into town at about 9:30 and visited with family and friends. I got a suprise though... My parents had renovated the bathroom from top to bottom! Plus, I went into the living room and discovered that the bookcases / TV cabinet had been modified to fit Dad's brand new widescreen TV! NO FAIR!! Us kids move out, and they get new stuff, NICE new stuff! :-P

We stayed up kind of late, and then I had to get up on Saturday to make breakfast. I spent the day in Moose Jaw with Tara, her Hubby Eric, their son Antoni, and another couple Chris and Cindy. We did some light shopping and then went to see X-Men 3. I really enjoyed it. I would go see it again with anyone! I won't spoil it for anyone, but I thought that this was the last one...They almost leave it open-ended for another sequel. Maybe I read too much into things. If you've seen it, what do you think? Is it really "The Last Stand"?

I'll be back with commentary on Saturday night (with Photos) and How much life hurt on Sunday morning A little later today.

Stay Tuned!!

An explanation for those of you out there

Regarding this post:

I've had it. I'm done! End of rope reached. Fin.

I'm discovering how little some people truly care, and how impossible it is to climb that corporate ladder in the sky when NO ONE can even see you. I'm invisible around here, unless I have an opinion. If I dared to get one of those, I can be assured that it is the wrong one to have.

Therefore, a career change is in the works, and That's all I can say for now.

I probably should not have said anything, but I was very angry / sad / hurt / confused / repulsed, and I had to tell someone.

Thank you to everyone who cares. You made these last couple of days easier. Y'all ROCK!!

Thursday 13 Time!

Thirteen Things Tracey is looking forward to about her Little Sister's Bridal Shower / Bachelorette Party this weekend... 1. I haven't seen my family in a few months. 2. My Sister's friends are a ton of fun! 3. I get to see my Bestest Girlfriend Tara! 4. I get to have some "beverages" with said bestest friend... 5. That usually means TROUBLE. (Or a phone call to Mom for bail.) 6. I'm driving to Assiniboia with my other sister (the Second one). 7. That means that we are going to sing loudly and off-key the whole trip. 8. My Grandma will be there! YAY! 9. I haven't had a road trip in a good long while. 10. The Ice Cream stand in Chamberlain. PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM!!! 11. There is a good chance that I will get to torture my two Brothers while I'm there :-) 12. Did I mention Tara was going to be there?!? 13. I love my lil Sis, and I'm happy to see her celebrating the start of her life with Dave!!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

I'm done, I'm out!

I've had it. I'm done! End of rope reached. Fin.

If anyone is looking for me, I'll be at the underpass with a sign reading, "Will work for anyone except Village Idiot"

Start saving those Pennies...

...'cuz it's time for a road trip.

November 4th - Rexall Place or November 5th - Calgary Saddledome. Y'all choose. I'll drive. We'll have a blast!

link via Grrrlmeetsworld

PS - I have the disk, and I LOVE it!

Oh Lordi!

So Take that American Idol!

The Eurovision Song Contest is a long running show that puts singers and songwriters from different European countries against each other in an effort to win a contest very similar to Idol contests we know. Usually the winner of the Eurovision contest is a pop-y type singer.

This year, these guys won. They are a heavy metal band from Finland who dress like monsters. Take that Ruben, Fantasia, Carrie and whoever will win this week!

Beautiful Poem

I'm reading the third book in the "Dan Poole" trilogy by Brian McLaren (among other things I'm reading now too!). This one is called The Last Word and The Word After That. I've just cracked it open and already I have somthing I just have to share.

I read this chapter and put the book down to share this poem. I hope that it touches you too.

Boxes

We like things boxed. Cereal,
Candy, soap, gifts and corpses.
They seem safe when boxed, as are
We. As is God and other
Potential dangers. So we
Sleep in a box, awake in
A box, shower in a box,
Refrigerate food, store knives,
Drive to work, work for hours, where
We stare each day at boxes,
In boxed lives. Boxed-in we live.
Through boxed windows we look out, in.
God, once boxed, broke out, broke free.
But we keep pushing God back,
Our Jack, popping out on cue,
To music, though it's not fair.
Nests have birds. Dens have foxes.
God will have none of our small
Boxes.God is free and we
Are too.

Life of Pi - What is it about?

There is no right answer to the question "What is Life of Pi about?" There is an answer for each person who reads this book. I looked online and found that people are classifying this as a tale of survival, a tall tale, a story about human/animal relations, and a fictional story about India, adolescence, zoology, and the Pacific Ocean, which I guess means that people are desperately trying to define this book. Someone told me that he couldn't label Pi, that it "defies definition". The book is about all of these things -- and about none of these things, really.

Piscine Molitor Patel, our hero, declares that this story will make you believe in God. Life of Pi may or may not make you believe in God, but you will want to believe in Pi.

The book starts in Pondicherry, an area in southern India. We learn about Picine's childhood. His father owns and operates a zoo which becomes Pi's playground. He explores and loves every inch. Pi learns a lot about animals. He teaches us the ways of the animals and how to keep them Happy and under control. He confirms that like our domesticated pets, and farm yard creatures I am familiar with, wild animals are creatures of habit and once all their needs are met, they're content and willing to do the same things day in and day out. Change their routine, even a bit, and you have an unhappy animal on your hands. Pi tells a story of a lion tamer who controls his beasts by being the alpha male of the group, providing for them and caring for them, so the lions stay submissive to him. (It turns out to be a good lesson for Pi to learn because his adventure places him in very close quarters with a tiger.)

As he enters his teen years, Pi goes in search of God. Pi, being from India, is basically a Hindu. He then encounters Christianity, and embraces the message of Jesus' Love. Then he discovers Islam, "a beautiful religion of brotherhood and devotion." Pi becomes a devout member of all three religions, happy with his "discovery" of God. At one funny point in the book, all three of his religions are put head to head, and he is forced to choose one. It was very telling to hear the three men of God fighting and belittling each other's beliefs.

Pi puts them all in their place with the declaration that he was just trying to love God.

The book then leads us to his adventure. The family decides to close the zoo, and move to Canada. The animals are sold, the papers are filed and the family books a passage on a Japanese cargo ship. Life is good. Except, the boat sinks.

Pi is tossed onto a lifeboat with an injured zebra, a hyena, an orangutan, and a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. His first few days are violent and terrifying, as the animals battle in the boat. Pi watches as a surprising set of events leave just him and the Tiger there for the remainder of his 200+ days on the ocean.

Pi is in emotional and physical distress for the most part, but he still revels in the greatness of God and his creations. There are lots of opportunities for him to give up, and he won't. From the start, you know that Pi survives the voyage at sea, because it is him as an adult retelling his story, but you still have to wonder how he will make it! When the book ends, frankly it is a matter of faith. Do you believe his story, or do you feel like the alternate explanation is the right one?

Life of Pi is a book that challenges you to look at your soul. This book offers no answers to the questions that you have when you finish reading it. My best friend said that reading this book was Zen-like. "The book isn't trying to be anything, it simply is".

Live Blogging!! Woo Hoo!

Good Morning! How's this for fun? Today Joshie and I are going to live blog the day. Hopefully it will be interesting for you. Check back and see what I do on what was supposed to be my day off.

8:43 - Open up shop. I arrive (late) (damn Train on 33rd St.) (I hate Driving to work) and I have no time for Starbucks...Yet :-)

8:47 - First Call answered. Someone wants to know what time we are open. Here we go!

9:24 - The Guy from Coles just went by, making strange noises... That's what it takes to work here, a strange sense of humor!

9:30 - Made the opening announcement. Now the fun really gets to start. No, really, this is fun!

9:47 - I just received my first complaint / Suggestion of the day. A woman just told me that in the summertime, the mall should be open at 6AM or earlier, because she was awake and had to "waste daylight waiting for the mall to open to do [her] shopping".

10:31 - It looks like I'm not the only one who is running behind today. Josh hasn't shown yet. Meanwhile the phone just won't stop. Arrgh! I lie. Joshie just appeared.

10:56 - So here we go, Josh just told someone that "we like to see old people hurt." In reference to not having an escalator in clear sight. Plus, he just admitted to getting panty lines.

Oh dear. It's going to be a long day!

11:16 - Security just turned a cell phone in to us, and we got to play with it, trying to find the # and information. The owner just called it and is on the way to pick it up.

11:22 - So this is joshie now, i just saw the slowest express courier on the planet. How many express couriers have you seen with a cane, seriously that's express service.
The courier was the owner of the phone aswell. The on button was a mystery to her.

11:43 - I don't want to be Josh's friend any more. He is serenading me with a rendition of 'I Want You Back' by N'sync. HELP ME!

11:56 - Shocker! Josh has never heard the South Park Christmas song: "I'm a Lonely Jew on Christmas". Is there nothing in this world special? Plus, he just burped at me. eeew. (That was so Girly of me... I'm sorry!)

12:23 - Alright! We just hit our Peak noon hour rush, and Our parking gates are NOT WORKING!!! I've just handwritten 5 parking slips in a row. The good news is that I haven't answered the phone in nearly an hour. There is talk of sending someone to 7-11 in the parking dept. 'gator' to go get a bunch of Slurpees....

1:04 - Josh again, Becky and her friend Tara from swift current just paid us a visit. We were topic free until they came. We are now back on the topic of Jesus and tom hanks.... ponder this ... is tom trying to grown his hair to look like Jesus. This makes me think of my friends and i who believed in our younger years that if God was a home boy He would be 'Big Papa G-O-D'.

2:36 - Wow! It's been a busy hour and a half! We took a HUGE complaint from a customer who was very angry at San Fransisco, so we made her happy again! :-)

Plus, Josh showed me this version of Dance, Dance by Fall out Boy: Ted's Pants Watch it! It's funny.

3:42 - So Becky and Tara came back and just harrassed Josh for owning / reading Align, Revolve's counterpart for Men. Harassed is a little harsh, but it was a neat conversation. The best part is that I think that Josh will be into checking The Freehouse out sometime. :-)

4:02 - Only 58 minutes to go. It has been a wild and crazy day!

4:27 - We give out the refunds when the Coke machines eat your $$. Lately that policy has been abused by some bad people, so now we have to figure a way to track this better, and find a way to discern the scammers from the honest people. I think that we are just too trusting with a lot of things here.

4:59 - Well, I'm outta here for another night! Josh has to stay for another half hour, so you still have to stop by and say hi to him. Have a good night Y'all!

5:05 - Good night everyone. This is Joshua saying good night and God Bless.

Works of FICTION vs. works of NON-FICTION

Seeking thin spaces


I recently made a comment on a post by a loveley woman who has a problem with the Da Vinci Code and Dan Brown. Good Gravy people! Let's re-adjust our mirrors and take a look at the Definition of fiction.


Here's the thing Ladies, It's a WORK OF FICTION!!!

If I wrote a book about Satan having a child on earth, or a book about Jesus getting his driver's license, and people took those obvious works of fiction as truth, it's not me to blame, it's them! If the public cannot discern fact from fiction then you have to question their upbringing.

(and I'm sorry, but having a hissy fit over a movie that portrays Christ as a family man is not bad. Perhaps IF Jesus was married and had children, then MORE marriages would survive, because of the example he set. It wouldn't make Christ any less divine, I mean he came in the form of a man because he was to be WHOLLY human... I was asked by a non-catholic "If Jesus was a woman, would she have menstruated? Would that have made her 'less divine'?")

I'm a roman catholic, and I have no problem reading this book, or watching this movie for the simple fact that it is a work of fiction. Nothing more than a couple of hours entertainment. If these were produced under the pretense that they were the truth, then I would feel much differently about the subject. I would believe that Dan Brown was wrong in his statements and then I might boycott the film.

You mentioned going to 'Over the Hedge' this weekend instead. Enjoy it, but be careful. If you don't teach them any differently, your kids might start to believe that animals can talk. And after that, they might believe that Jesus got married!

American Idol - Blah!

As someone who could care less if FOX cancelled American Idol, I have a secret obsession with Kelly Clarkson. She is the only Idol to have garnered any real success. Sure, there have been other Idols who have put out a record, but Kelly is the only one with any songs actually charting. (Note: Songs as in plural, more than one hit)

I watched the first season of the show, but since then, I couldn't have cared in the least. I have a co-worker who will discribe each episode in great detail, so it feels like I am watching it :-) I guess that people concider that last winner, Carrie Underwood (the country singer), to be a hit, but I thought that they were looking for America's new popstars.

Anyhoo, here's my latest obsession: Walk Away. If you sneak up on me in the mall you will either find me on the internet, or singing along to this song on our Muzzak, or a combination of both.

"Walk Away"

You've got your mother and your brother

Every other undercover

Tellin' you what to say

You think I'm stupid

But the truth is

That it's cupid, baby

Lovin' you has made me insane

So before you point your finger

Get your hands off of my trigger

Oh yeah

You need to know this situation's getting old

And now the more you talk

The less I can take, oh

I'm looking for attention

Not another question

Should you stay or should you go?

Well, if you don't have the answer

Why you still standin' here?

Hey, hey, hey, hey

Just walk away

I waited here for you

Like a kid waiting after school

So tell me how come you never showed?

I gave you everything

And never asked for anything

And look at meI'm all alone

So, before you start defendin'

Baby, stop all your pretendin'

I know you know I know

So what's the point in being slow

Let's get the show on the road today

I wanna love

I want a fire

To feel the burn

My desires

I wanna man by my side

Not a boy who runs and hides

Are you gonna fight for me?

Die for me?

Live and breathe for me?

Do you care for me?

'Cause if you don't then just leave

To Travis: I love you!

May 18th 2006

Since today is my fourth Wedding Anniversary, here are Thirteen Reasons I love My Husband 1. He snuck out to my parents house to ask my Dad's permission to Marry Me. 2. He will help me with computer stuff, even though he doesn't think that I should blog. 3. He drives me to work even when doing so will make him late for his job. 4. He watches girlie movies with me, and he only laughs a little bit when I cry during the sappy parts. 5. He puts up with all of the craft supplies, and boxes that come with me being the Head Guider in my Spark Unit, even though we have a VERY small house. 6. Two words: He cooks. 7. He treats my little Brothers like his own. 8. He stands up for what is right, and he will always defend the little guy. 9. He is irresistible when he tilts his head, gives me a grin and a wink, and saunters away. 10. He looks HOT in a suit. 11. When I do stupid things, he still loves me. 12. When we said our wedding vows in front of God, our families and our friends, he was so nervous, he could barely squeak out the "I Do". I decided then and there that I had to love him forever, because there was no way he could say those words ever again! 13. He has a cute bum. Yeah, I'm superficial :-)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It's easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Being Bad has never felt so Good

Only 7 more sleeps until the newest Dixie Chicks CD is released. I am already in line to grab a copy :-) I'm guessing that these Chicks know how to throw a good party! They are three gals who refuse to take crap from anyone and are ready to stand up for what they believe. The first single (which has played on my computer many, many times since this Grrrl pointed it out) is an anthem to standing firm when your beliefs are challenged and not saying sorry for having an opinion.

In honor of the imminent release, here's a couple of fun excerpts from The Bad Girl's Guide home page and let your inner bad girl shine.

Things to do with....Self-Help Books:

• Throw an Accept Yourself Party and invite all your equally dysfunctional pals over for mojitos and a self-help bonfire.
• Drill holes through hardcovers, stick them on the ends of a broomstick, soak in cold water, and then do arm curls and bench presses.
• Tear pages into strips to make Bad Girl pom-poms.
• Press those gorgeous "wildflowers" that you find in people's gardens.
• Keep a copy or two on your night stand to throw at unwanted intruders.

Things to do with....Duct Tape:

• Repair a cracked engine hose.
• Hog-tie a misbehaving hitchhiker.
• Temporarily conceal license plate numbers.
• Two words: Strapless Bra.

Aras won Survivor!

That means that I won our illegal work gambling! Thank you Aras for allowing me to buy something really frivolous. :-) According to Survivor, the next show will be in the Cook Islands. At supper we, (Travis, Kimberly, Curtis and I) were saying that there needs to be a not-so-tropical Survivor. We got to thinking about places to have the next one.

Survivor: Southern Saskatchewan. The contestants have to juggle between +35 degrees Celsius and the summer thunderstorms, they have to try to catch gophers and grasshoppers for sustenance, and the real challenge... Finding things to do for fun in downtown Gravelbourg or Willow Bunch. OR even communicating with the natives to get supplies :-) These are all very tough challenges!

(I'm allowed to be mean, because I've been stuck in both communities at one time or another.)

Now, If the Hippies can manage to keep their lead in The Amazing Race, I'll have won both office pools this year and take everyone out for dessert this week:-)! Go Hippies Go!!!

Guess who's going to the Chili Peppers???

That's right! ME!

Yay for working on a Saturday! Andrea bought 8 tickets, but her confirmation said that she was charged for 12. That means that she's got an extra 4 to sell, so I grabbed one. Yay :-) If anyone wants to go too, email me and I'll see about hooking you up too!

Who ever said that nothing good comes from working on a Saturday?

Is Deadwood Over?

The HBO series Deadwood, about a mining town in the Black Hills, might not last after this new season. Travis and I both like this gritty drama about the gold rush in South Dakota, circa 1876. Apparently, HBO has announced that they are not going to pick up the contract options for Deadwood's cast members. This could be a sign that there will not be a fourth year. Boo Urns!!!

In spite of the violence, and the cussing, and the dirt, I really like this show. Plus, it has the incredible Canadian actress, Molly Parker as Alma Garret, a woman whose husband, Brom, died under mysterious circumstances. She is also slightly addicted to laudanum, but really, who isn't these days?

We have Season one, and Season two comes out on May 23rd. Season three airs on HBO and in Canada on Movie Central on June 11th. I know that we will be watching, and hoping that they renew the contracts for a fourth year.

By the power of Greyskull!

If you know what that means... Then you should check this post out in today's Slate Magazine.

Us 80's kids must have had it good, because all of our cartoons are back in vogue. Walk into any t-shirt store and you will see walls covered in our beloved characters: Transformers, Care Bears, The Smurfs, The Muppets, and last fall, I even saw my heroine, She-ra the Princess of Power!

Factoid: I was She-ra for halloween one year. My Dad made me a sword of power and everything! I was such a spoiled child ;-)

The Saga is over

It is finished. I have completed my required viewing of The Godfather Trilogy. Now I can get back to my required reading.

I have about 20 pages left in my second Brian McLaren tale which I plan on finishing tonight, and I have just purchased a book by Douglas Coupland called Girlfriend in a Coma.

I've never read anything by him before and I have heard mixed reviews so I think this will be an interesting read. It's about a High School senior who meets a boy, they do the deed, she gets pregnent and ends up in a coma. You know, your typical high school romance. When she wakes up 17 years later they are reunited on a "conspiracy-driven supernatural television series". It sounds strange, but I love strange so...

A little post-dental surgery humor

There has been a lot of talk about wisdon teeth here in Cyberland lately. All of the Cool people have had their teeth out, or they need it done.

Here's an actual photo of my mouth now - Post removal:

Here I go again!

Thirteen Things about my first official campfire of the year! 1. Campfires make people happy! 2. Campfires smell really nice. There is something about that smoky musk that makes you remember campfires of yesteryear. 3. Campfires can cook MARSHMALLOWS!!! 4. Hot dogs are 100% better on a campfire than on the barbque or boiled. 5. They keep you toasty in the cool evenings (But you have to keep rotating or one side of you will freeze). 6. You learn a lot about your friends when you discover that they are 'Fire Bugs'... 7. You learn a lot about you when you discover that YOU are a "Fire Bug"! 8. A copper pipe in the embers makes the flames turn really neat colours. 9. Anything and Everything will burn, if you leave it in the fire long enough! 10. Wearing glasses only protects you from the smoke for so long, and only from certain angles :-) 11. Although, there are NO MOSQUITOES in the smoke!!! 12. Everyone can sing at a campfire, and no one cares if the song is horrible or you are off key. 13. Campfire season in Saskatchewan is as short as summer, so go out, light a fire, and enjoy the evening before the snow flies again!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. ItÂ’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Birthday success!

Weekend was fun. Friday Travis opened his present as I wanted, :-) and we watched the first Godfather movie. It was ok... Truthfully, I was hoping for more. The best scenes were ones that I already knew. I watched the second one in two parts the last couple of nights, and I think that it is a far superior film. I Loved the back story of Vito's rise to power in the early part of the century.

And am I the only person who thinks that Kay needs to be beaten?!? What The F? Girl, if you weren't going to grow up to be the Diane Keaton that I love, I would have reached through the TV and smacked you myself!!! That's what Michael gets for not marrying an Italian girl like his Mama. I am SICK of seeing these "oh poor me" girl characters in "crime" movies and shows. Everyone from Kay Corleone to Meadow Soprano bitches that her life is so terrible and she hates it! You knew what you had gotten into from the start. And if you didn't like it, then why are you still there? ARRGH!

Anyhoo, I'm off to view #3 tonight. Hopefully it is as good as the other two. I doubt that I will be disappointed.

The birthday party was a success! There was much merriment all around. Travis even got up and kareoked a personal favorite of mine : CCR's Who has seen the rain. No one will let me put up any pictures though ;-) I guess they may have had a little too much fun!

In other news, we started some spring cleaning on the weekend and I love my clean house! I would actually have people over to visit now! Perhaps a dinner par-tay is in order... I promise, no crazy foods, and only vegetables that your mom would make Curtis. No eggplant!

Busy, busy, busy...

I'm going to make an angel food cake tonight for Travis' birthday this weekend. He is going to be, um, older. (He gets a little sensitive about his age) There are people going for drinks and Kareoke on Saturday night, so I'll have a few pictures of the festivities.

Other than that, I'm going to make Travis open his present early, I want to use it this weekend.
I'm going to wirte it here, so Travis No Peeking!! I bought him the box set of The Godfather movies... We can watch them this weekend! Ok, now you can read again.

I was a good wife yesterday. I fixed a bunch of his shirts that had loose or missing buttons. I hate sewing so I kind of let it build up until there is a bunch. (I usually lose the buttons before I get the shirt fixed.) I still have to fix a pair of his pants, and I think that I need to hem (and learn how to hem) some new pants that he's bought.

I cannot believe that it's Freaking May already! I have so much to do and that I want to get done. I remember being a kid and the days would drag on so slowly. I have a weird schedule for the next couple of weeks. I'm having Mondays off and having to work on Saturdays. I think that for your enjoyment, I will live blog a Saturday in the Mall for you. If you are interested. :-)

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

I'm not sure how the Mexican independence Day celebration became a beginning of summer Drink-fest, but Happy independence Day! Now, will someone pass me a cerveza, por favor?

In other news, a hostile takeover was, sadly, averted. I was looking forward to a screaming match here at work. Now, It's all up to our legal department in Toronto to resolve. Aaah the smell of conflict resolution. The funniest thing about The Office on NBC, is that I really do work with people just like the ones on the show.

What a great present!

I just read my emails, and I am one of the featured blogs at the Thursday 13 Hub! What a great first time out present. Here's to many more Thursdays! Be sure to check the 13'ers out. There are some neat lists.

My first shot at joining the Thursday 13 Club!

Thirteen Things that Tracey was asked at work!1. When does the Our Lady Peace concert start tonight? 2. Where are the bathrooms? 3. Who makes the best sandwich in the mall? 4. Where can I get a beer? 5. Why did the _________ store close? 6. Can you do something about the panhandlers outside? 7. Do you have change for a $20? 8. What time does the mall close? 9. How do I get to the 6th floor? (asked by someone standing in front of the elevator!) 10. Can I get bus tickets from you? 11. What is the phone number for __________ store? 12. Is there a dentist in this building? 13. Are you single? (tied with) Can I buy you a drink?

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
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Where have all the good guys gone?

I mean good guys and girls here at work. Our team is dropping like flies. All departments are losing staff members left and right, and there are more people with fleeing on their minds. I've thought about my options here, and discovered that they are kinda limited. For me to move up any higher on the corporate ladder, I'd have to have three people above me quit, and I know that one of them is NEVER going to leave. She has worked here for nearly 20 years, and has had many chances to leave. She has taken none of those options. She hasn't really climbed the ladder either in 20 years. She has sat here and done the same job, with a rotating cast of sidekicks. I'm just the newest one. A part of me envies her ability to deal with the same crap for 20 YEARS!!! And another part of me is really worried that I will be able to do it too. I don't want to be here in another 18 years, and say "I could have done so much more, but no, I sat here and watched the mall become obsolete. Damn internet shopping!!"

Ok, I would never damn the internet! I get hours of enjoyment playing Yahoo games! :-)

I would love to go back to school full time, and get my degree finished, but I can't afford it right now. If I were to quit, it would be after my little sister's wedding in July, because I want to be able to take the time off to go and spend a week at home. I could be hitting my two year itch that I usually get when I have a job, where I start looking at other options I have, and either choose to leave or stay put for another two years.

I generally like the people I work with, and our staff parties have been killer, but if a great majority are making this exodus then I have to wonder, when I should go? There's nothing more pathetic than the aged party girl still hanging on to her glory days.

Have any of you, Dear Readers, clung to a job because it was comfortable or convenient. What was your scariest move? Should I stay or should I go...

I am going to go mad!!!

My wonderful husband rented The Godfather : The Game for the Playstation 2. He is enthralled with acting out one of his favorite movies in video game form... I on the other hand, am humming the theme to this movie incessantly both in my head and out loud.

I went to Sparks tonight, and as we made lip gloss, I was asked what song I was humming. They wanted to know which movie it was from, and one of the Moms that was there laughed as I tried to explain The Godfather (which I have never actually seen) to a group of five year olds without the whole mafia thing.

I want to be "a new kind of Christian" too!

I just finished A New Kind of Christian by Brian McLaren. Let me re-phrase that. I finished re-reading this book. I burned through it in a couple of days, and then went back, and read it again to really 'get' the content.

A few of the WOW moments I had while reading this book were based on the realization that other people think and question the same things that I do. Which leads to a realization that we can work through these questions with the help of some good friends (and new ones too!)

On Saturday, I went to talk with a Catholic priest, an old friend, and I got his take on some of the passages in the book that really affected me. For example, there is a chapter on the Bible, and how "when you let go of the Bible as God's answer book, you get it back as something so much better." He suprised me by confirming the book's answer by saying that the Bible has value in our spiritual growth, as not only a source of answers, but as a source of inspiration to gather people together to learn and discuss the effect of God in our daily lives.

He also suprised me by agreeing with the phrase "I believe Jesus is the Savior, not Chrisitanity." We had a good talk, discussing the impact of the "Christians" in this world who are not very "Christ-like". He completly agrees with the thought that Jesus was not one to seggregate his followers. He preachd to all who would hear him. He didn't judge people. He loved sinners every day, but he did have a list of sins that he told people to obey, and that if they did, then they were going to be rewarded.

He said that Heaven is big enough for everyone, and there will be good people there. People who have lived the best lives that they could for God, not necessarily for religion.

I really enjoy Brian McLaren, and am working my way though his second book in this trilogy, The Story We Find Ourselves In. Reading him has sparked a few conversations that I wasn't ready for and a few conversations that I needed to hear. I am being changed, and stretched in this spiritual evolution that I find myself in. And I think I like it.

What the???

I just heard a clip of Feist's Mushaboom in a commercial for a Lacoste Fragrance.

When I think of Leslie Feist's songs, I do not necessarily want to think of 'overpriced alligator polo shirts'.

Side note: Who wants to road trip to Regina to see her at the Folk Festival in Vic Park??? It's August 13th, and I really want to see her live.