Constant Dreams of Alaska

GOOD GRAVY! Podcasts for the Attention Deficient

2011-04-22T13:20:00.004-06:00

Come and listen! Follow! New podcasts will air Wednesdays and Saturdays!

I probably will be here even less, because I'll be spending my time there. Where the gravy is.

You heard right...

GOOD GRAVY

You know you want to! BOOKMARK THAT SHIT!

Mark it off my life list.

2011-04-21T17:32:00.001-06:00

Today I found an original pressing of the Flying Burrito Brothers' Gilded Palace of Sin. You don't even understand.

Religifying.

2011-04-18T10:21:00.001-06:00

Lucky he got his mama's looks.

2011-04-15T10:58:00.002-06:00

Time Warp!

2011-04-08T10:12:00.003-06:00

Know what? I'm not even going there. I'm going to try and be present on the blogosphere again. For now, here is a photo of our favourite corner in Amsterdam!

Getting to it- I promise!

2010-10-18T17:27:00.003-06:00

So here we are- back in the land of the living! Here are a few shots from our wedding- which was awesome!!! Fantastic day, fantastic food, fantastic locale!! As we relied on our awesome families and friends for photos, we have yet to get documentation of the day in its entirety, so here are a few we have received!

Amsterdam was unbelievable. What a phenomenal city! And what better place for a honeymoon than somewhere with legalized drugs and prostitution? I have about 400 photos to edit, and friends, you all know how I feel about photo editing. That feeling is compounded by the fact that I'm working 6 days a week right now.

I decided to spend my day off today going record shopping instead.

Good things!

2010-09-05T08:20:00.006-06:00

1) PASSPORTS! Our honeymoon to Amsterdam is booked! 10 days!! Direct flights both ways! Hooowee! Is it nerdy that I've already started planning my outfits?

2) Wedding shoes! I have a thing for gold shoes. These remind me of ballroom dance shoes.

...but which glasses should I wear??

3) Cake topper! by Melabo.

On Sunday, two weeks from now, we'll already be married- whoah!

Still the best.

2010-08-28T14:17:00.001-06:00

What girl in her right mind would chose that trust fund dick over Duckie? This movie ends for me the second they walk down the stairs to the prom.

Ukrainian Village!

2010-08-02T17:19:00.009-06:00

Champagne birthday.

2010-07-30T16:25:00.005-06:00

Yep...It was my birthday on the 28th- and I turned 28! That makes it my champagne birthday.

We had breakfast at the High Level Diner, went in and dropped off our passport applications, went record shopping, had dinner at the Blue Plate, and drank champagne! Good times were had by all.

Being the super spoiled individual I am, I was upgraded to a 160GB (!!!!) iPod thanks to Shawn (who has noticed the size and scope of my musical addiction), and a new point-and-shoot thanks to Mum and Dad.

The camera came pre-loaded with photos, the iPod (which I have named Otis for obvious reasons) is a magical blank slate of possibilities.

Sunsets of yore.

2010-07-23T10:06:00.002-06:00

An Open Letter to my hometown.

2010-07-20T10:34:00.000-06:00

Dear Vancouver-

Hey- what's up? I know it's been a while, and after so many harsh words spoken, hearing from me out of the blue is probably a bit jarring...but we need to talk. We need to clear the air.

First off, I'm sorry I haven't been around much over the past few years. I really felt like we needed time apart to figure things out on our own. You know, go our separate ways, have some separate experiences- and we have...but as much as I tried to harden myself against you, and fill the void you left with other things (other memories, other cities) I've come to realize how important you are to me.

You're a part of me. And you always will be. You are at the very heart of who and what I am. Let's be honest- we've been through a lot together, and that should have made us stronger. There have been so many good times, but for some reason I tried to trivialize all of them after I left. You and I both know that they are too significant to discredit, but up until now I was still experiencing a serious amount of hurt. I was reminded too much of the hard things you put me through to want to see you, or spend much time with you.

Here's the thing, though- over the past year, I've come to realize that I miss you.

You heard me- after all my hard talk, cynicism and pouting, I officially miss you. A lot. I'm not the same without you. I still cry everytime I see the ocean and mountains. I still occasionally get up on a day off and think I'd like to go to one of our old haunts, get excited at the prospect, and then realize you aren't there anymore. You don't miss your water... right?

I know I was broke, or broken most of the time we were together, but I had an epiphany a while back- none of that was actually your fault. Honestly. That was my baggage, those were my issues and my insecurities. That was my struggle. Sure, you didn't help things any at times, but you had your own issues to deal with. You pushed, and I pushed back. There wasn't a lot of give or take with us, and that's probably (at least in part) why things ended the way they did, and why it's taken me so long to come around.

I know things will probably never be the same between us again, but maybe that difference will make all the difference. It will be a new era- a new understanding. I'm a little older, you're a little older, I'm not as quick to lay blame these days.

So yeah.... This is me extending the olive branch, hoping maybe we can try things again someday. If you ever want to grab a beer and a burrito, I'll be down. Holler.

Lots of love,

Teagan

Japanese Pompadours prefer Carl Perkins.

2010-07-16T11:56:00.000-06:00

Carry on, carrion.

2010-07-16T09:55:00.004-06:00

I grew up shopping in thrift stores. Yeah, yeah...Now that vintage is a buzzword, didn't everybody...

Don't give me that bullshit.

Ask my mum- she taught us the glories of second hand. Even as a young kid, in spite of occasional sneers from my peers, and socio-economic slurs, the concept of getting a handful of treasures that no one had ever seen before for the same amount of money as one shirt that three people I know already own, made sense to me. And it was more fun. I was never a fashion plate growing up (and that is a severe understatement), but at least it gave me the freedom to experiment with styles and decorating without going broke, and without blending in too much. Because I was shy. And the only way anyone was ever going to remember me was because of how ridiculous I looked.

The financial part is great, obviously, but truly, I love the thrill of the hunt- Neolithic woman love berry picking. Grunt. I touch almost every item. If the colour isn't quite right, maybe the phenomenal texture will make up for it. If I can't use it in it's current form, or if it has seen better days, could I repurpose it? I love finding neat things. Old things. Even basic things. House things. Books. Things I remember my great grandma having. It makes my day to find something I will use. Something I'm going to give new life to, and save from the junk heap.

I understand the universal appeal of the thrift. It's been a huge part of my life, not just as a purchasing entity, but almost as a lifestyle choice. I prefer to find things second hand. 'New' makes me a little bit uncomfortable most of the time. I like a bit of dirt, a bit of dust, a bit of wear on things. Second hand items are often made better, and their continued functionality in spite of age are a testament to that. I also seem to have a somewhat anachronistic figure (or perhaps taste...), and the clothes of yesteryear tend to fit that little bit better. I'm sure I'm not alone in any of this. I mean, what's not to love? I guess it was only a matter of time before someone began to capitalize on that love by preying on 'our' collective inherent laziness.

The whole thing has taken a greedy and frivolous turn. It's not personal anymore.

Nowadays, it seems that every kid with a fashion or design magazine is opening up an online store or flea market booth showcasing "vintage" and "retro" items. Marking them up, even while the Value Village price tags are still stuck to the bottom.

Obsessive collectors? Well, sure....I can handle that a bit more easily...You buy too much, then have to finance your addiction, so you flip some choice items. Honey, that's a compulsion that has it's own set of issues, so I'll leave you out of this for now...Even lifestyle thrift stores kind of fall into this categories. The owners live it- they aren't just out to make a quick buck. I'm not talking about estate sales, and grandmas and grandpas clearing out their attics either- no middle man is involved there. It's the people that I know are doing nothing more than scoping out trends, and buying up stuff they have no intention of loving or displaying themselves that are starting to incur my wrath. You are, essentially, as useless and loathsome as middle management dollar jockeys.

When I buy something, I picture where it will go in my house, what I will use it for, what I will wear it with, or just how much I'm going to enjoy it. I don't see dollar signs.

The aforementioned Value Village price tag incident? A set of 3 beautiful bowls- Pyrex, gooseberry print, not by any means in mint condition, scuffs and a bit of missing print- marked $40. VV price- $6.99. Almost a 600% mark-up. You must have serious delusions of grandeur if you believe your "time" plundering is worth that money. Let me guess- you fancy yourself a "stylist"? Took a graphic design course once? Are a part time make-up artist? Dropped out of fashion school when you realized sewing was too hard, and you'd rather just read magazines?

Ugh.

Another brand of thrift store thief I've been encountering more and more is the ironic jock hipster. "Hyuk hyuk. This statue is retarded. I fuckin' want it." You asshole- I actually really like that pretty chalkware bird statue. I would place it lovingly amongst my stuff, and dust him, and name him. I can't help but smile apologetically at the little figurine, knowing what fate holds in store for him- certain death after the first kegger.

A recent trip saw some obnoxious trust fund douche who, between outbursts of "this place fuckin' stinks" (met, of course, by mean girl titters from his female shopping companion who refused to touch anything), picked up a beautiful (BEAUTIFUL) snap front, embroidered western shirt (it was rusty orange with horseshoes and red roses!), and exclaimed- I shit you not- "I'm fuckin' wearing this to the steers and queers party with those short shorts."

FUUUUUUUCK YOU.

That shirt is going to be the last thing some teenaged sorority girl remembers before she contracts her first STD, and then it will probably end up in a dumpster by dawn. She will probably develop some Pavlovian response to snap fronts, and will never be able to look a cute rockabilly boy (who isn't, you know, prone to date rape) in the eye because of the incident. You are a small man (not only in stature), and that would have fit me perfectly. And I would have ironed it, and taken care of it, and worn it for serious, yo.

Y'all are vultures. And thieves.

Update!

2010-07-08T09:54:00.007-06:00

So. I know there are like 5 of you who visit my blog on a regular basis, and of those 5, 4 probably visit Shawn's blog as well. This up date will, therefore, be a bit of a repeat for 80% of my visitors.

Nonetheless!

My brother got married at the end of June, and we went out for the festivities, as well as a stop over in Penticton on the way home! Here is what little photo documentation of the event we have. iPhone only!

Truth.

2010-06-21T12:53:00.001-06:00

Presenting...

2010-06-19T11:40:00.002-06:00

...my other boyfriends.

HEY GUYS. How about you stop SOMEWHERE in the prairie lands? I mean, I know Edmonton's not exactly a destination location, but I'd even settle for going to Calgary. I was considering heading to Vancouver for the October show, but things are (predictably) sold out. Dang.

Mmm-hmm!

2010-06-17T15:05:00.003-06:00

I've posted this on the unnamed social networking site before, but it's worthy of reposting here. Behold! The Cool Ruler at his zenith.

I challenge anyone to look as badass in a powder blue suit.

Want to feel like an outcast at a table?

2010-06-17T10:55:00.005-06:00

In response to the age old question "The Beatles or the Rolling Stones?", answer "The Rolling Stones".

That always has been, and always will be my answer. I've always preferred swagger. And a bit of sleaze.

The Impossible Cool.

2010-06-16T09:54:00.005-06:00

...is a fantastic (FANTASTIC) photo collection blog that makes me realize I'll never, ever, possess that level of cool, and I should probably just throw in the towel while I'm ahead.

Top to bottom: Newman, Redding, Coltrane & Davis, Boss.

Red

2010-06-15T15:44:00.001-06:00

Oh baby, give me one more chance...

2010-06-11T13:14:00.005-06:00

So the last time I attempted to make sourdough starter, I failed miserably. "How is that even possible?" you might be asking yourself. Well...I can only guess that it had something to do with living in an igloo. No- an igloo probably wouldn't have had as many demon drafts! Let's just say it was somewhere where "set starter in a warm place for 4 to 7 days" would only have been possible if I had kept the oven on for 4 to 7 days.

So! Summer attempt. New house. Let's see what happens!

Ideas for summer vacations 2.

2010-06-10T11:44:00.001-06:00

A time machine and Jamaica in the 70's.

GOOD GRAVY!

2010-06-07T10:59:00.000-06:00

I should have known better than to discredit Taj Mahal. Well, not discredit fully, just kind of shrug at for the most part. After all, this girl has a penchant for blues as old as the hills with no amplification. BUT...as with most artists, all I have to do is dig into their back catalogues to find something delicious. Produced before I was born? Done and done. Goooood album.

Loveful heights to one and all.

2010-06-06T09:12:00.000-06:00

Wait for it........tempo change/guitar entrance! Still amazing.

Satta massagana.

Baskets

2010-06-05T11:51:00.000-06:00

I've been loving them, lately. Especially the plastic-coated wire kind. The older and farmhouse-y-er the better.

Case in point: two recent second hand purchases!

Clever wings up/down handle design on the yellow chicken....

...And just enough rust on the new apple basket.

Total: $5. Woohoo!

A cautionary tale:

2010-06-04T10:26:00.004-06:00

If you try to decorate cupcakes with Jim Beam on your side, it will LOOK like you decorated cupcakes with Jim Beam on your side.

Sloppy action! Ew. At least the flavour still holds up.

Redemption!

2010-06-03T17:24:00.002-06:00

So, remember the epic baking fail I had a while back? Well, the baking gods have smiled upon me again.

This is probably the BEST banana bread I've ever made- and I'm a sucker for and connoisseur of quick breads, so that's saying a lot!

Steady-rock cool killer...

2010-06-03T10:36:00.004-06:00

...Rocksteady floor filler.

Ideas for summer vacations.

2010-06-02T10:25:00.004-06:00

I want to go drinking with mystics.

BAHAHAAHH!

2010-06-01T11:04:00.003-06:00

Black metal? They look white to me....

Sometimes I miss smoking.

2010-05-31T19:34:00.001-06:00

A lot.

Popped collars and cowboy hats.

2010-05-30T18:42:00.004-06:00

The morning's beat to keep you shakin' in your seat.

2010-05-29T08:53:00.000-06:00

Re-establishing.

2010-05-28T19:17:00.003-06:00

Oh hi!

I've had something shift in me over the past few weeks...I've been looking to get back to some lost loves. Namely- music that was made before I was born. Namely namely- 60s and 70s singer/songwriter-country-folk-rock. Right now, that seems to mean one thing, and one thing only- Gram Parsons.

My love affair with Gram Parsons started in my early 20s, though for whatever reason (okay, because no one around me was into him, and I used to get swayed by the in crowd more than I care to admit) he's been in a dark corner of my musical closet for almost a decade now.

No more!

"A Song For You" with beautiful Emmylou!

Related: At the record store today, there was an exceptionally attentive clerk circling like a little shark as I went through albums. Maybe it's just all the years of second hand shopping, knowing you have to look at EVERYTHING so you don't miss the hidden gems, but I think he thought it was weird (or maybe suspicious?) that I was flipping through EACH TITLE. After he asked me for the 6th or 7th time if I'd like to put my stack of records downstairs, I grabbed what I THOUGHT was "Close Up The Honky Tonk" (Flying Burrito Brothers- more Gram) and instead threw "Last of the Red Hot Burritos" (no more Gram) into the mix. I didn't realize until I got home. BOO.

So now you know the truth- you can take the girl out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the girl.

More in this vein in the months to come.
Music is an excellent distractor, and however many hours I may idle away in the pursuit of new tunes, I never feel like my life is being sucked away by the time vampire that is (insert social networking site here).

Baking FAIL (plus demon cheese!)

2010-05-22T16:20:00.003-06:00

This is what happens when you try and tip the quick bread out of the pan immediately after removal from the oven.

Satan loves the Swiss!

More pre-snow Spring goodness!

2010-05-22T10:18:00.003-06:00

A beautiful evening for a BBQ!

Afternoon project

2010-05-21T17:35:00.004-06:00

If you're feeling blue, make lace-trimmed pantaloons!

Because grey sweatpants just don't say "summer mornings".

iSpring

2010-05-21T11:40:00.002-06:00

When all else fails, there's always iPhone!

Spring

2010-05-21T11:24:00.002-06:00

I actually took these before the snow hit, around the end of April. It's been beautiful here since then- +25- our cherry tree is in full bloom, the tulips have tulipped, and the peonies are well on their way! The camera is never charged (batteries seem to be lasting about 30 seconds in it these days) so I haven't been able to document our BEAUTIFUL, full, pink cherry tree. Sakura at the end of May! It's been rainy for the last few days, which we need; however, it has also destroyed most of the pink fluffy blossoms. Ah well, good for the plants, and for the Thorhild brush fire- WHICH WAS CAUSED BY ATV USERS APPARENTLY. Shocking.

Anyhoo.

WTF.

2010-05-04T12:10:00.001-06:00

Eyeglasses anonymous.

2010-04-16T18:10:00.008-06:00

Okay, so it's not THAT bad...But I do have a pair of glasses for every day of the week.

I love mail!

2010-04-16T17:39:00.006-06:00

And with the postal service what it is between Canada and the U.S., by the time the item arrives, it's long been paid off, so it's almost like it's free! Almost.

Now proudly residing in our kitchen. The mint green sets off the smart-assery just beautifully, don't you think?

Interview taste!

2010-04-16T17:34:00.009-06:00

Just some quick snaps!

And yes, the photo I took of Shawn with a roasted marshmallow on the end of a whittled down stick, somewhere in the bush couldn't be more fitting, for you few strangers out there in blogdom. The rest of you are well aware.

Shawn O'Connor- Natural Wonder!

2010-04-15T09:40:00.005-06:00

Check out who's the first feature in this month's International Tattoo Art!

As is generally the case, I was just going to snap some photos of the spread, but the camera's batteries died. Again. I'll get some shots of the article up when I'm recharged!

It's super nice that the magazine approached Shawn about doing this interview at the Edmonton convention last year- any publicity is good publicity!- but it is hilarious that the piece they initially noticed (a really pretty FULL BACK PIECE with chrysanthemums and a koi) is pictured about the size of a credit card in the article. Also, one of the cooler little old school pieces (a skull apple and pencil crossbones) done on a teacher client of his is featured eeeeentsy weeentsy on the cover, with no credit, and then not featured in the article at all!

Nonetheless...Little to no interpretive liberty was taken with the questionnaire, and a good cross section of work is featured- which makes me happy! Shawn O'Connor- Natural Wonder! Way to go, darling dear!

(Also...I don't mean to be catty- really I don't!- but does anyone else love looking at tattoo magazines just for the laugh factor???)

A Radio Star of sorts.

2010-04-14T10:23:00.002-06:00

So, we have a favourite night-time radio show...In fact, we really don't feel like our night is "complete" until we've listened to it. It's called "The Road Home". Let me give you the run-down; it's featured on the CKUA Radio Network, Monday through Thursday night, 9:30 to 10:30 (MST), and is hosted by Bob Chelmick, who broadcasts from an off-the-grid solar powered cabin about an hour outside of Edmonton. I'll quote from "The Road Home" page on CKUA's website:

"The Road Home offers a quiet cabin in the woods for listeners to enjoy, a place of refuge and discovery, rife with images that move the mind and the heart through readings, songs and personal ruminations on the country life. Host Bob Chelmick offers poetry, song and reflections on his world of dogs, horses, birds and other wide subjects for a gentle adventure on the road we all share.

The Road Home is inspired from moment to moment and from season to season by the world outside Bob's cabin windows. For Bob, perhaps the best thing about living in the quiet woods, and depending on the forest for heat, the sun for power, and the aquifers for water, is the close connectedness with the natural world. Balance is easier to come by in a natural setting, away from the city.

What goes on around Bob, as mundane as it might seem sometimes, provides all sorts of odd, humourous, even provocative points to talk about. Inside the cabin, books of verse are rich sources of inspiration, elevation, excitation."

A really great program. Bob Chelmick may have the most soothing voice in the world, and I can get behind anyone who has chosen to live in the woods, and off the grid.

ANYWAYS...back to the post title...Bob let his viewers know that he'd give a virtual nickel to the first person to spy the first Robin of Spring. And guess who claimed her virtual nickel AND whose letter was read on the air?

I'm the Teagan B in question!

I'm sure this is not nearly as exciting to any of you as it was to us. Shawn may even have been more excited than I was!

So, you know, turn off your TV for an hour, and tune in to "The Road Home". Listener-supported radio is awesome!

Wedding Blang.

2010-04-13T10:59:00.003-06:00

Paid in full. By BMJNYC.

BABY BARN OWLS!!!!!

2010-04-07T18:43:00.001-06:00

Online video chat by Ustream

I saw it first on Whirly Bird!

Growth Chart, FYI.

2010-04-07T10:04:00.000-06:00

The Homestead.

2010-03-27T12:17:00.000-06:00

Oh, hi! Come on in!

Super 60's entry way fixture.

Congratulations basket from our real estate agent!

First dinner in the new house- Champagne and pizza.

Our pink fridge.

Minty delicious kitchen. Gas stove!

Living/ dining/ record listening room. Look how grown up it looks! Look how much sun there is!

The pink hall that is REALLY growing on me.

Our amazing coral-tiled bathroom. Wall to wall medicine cabinet and above shower storage!

More bedroom pictures soon...

Back yard! Cherry, spruce and oak tree.

Garage.

More back yard.

My studio!

Laundry room!

Shawn's studio! Look at all that storage!

Oh hi!

2010-03-25T17:59:00.000-06:00

So, we moved and stuff...I was going to post some pictures of the new homestead, but have yet to locate the camera cable to transfer photos.

I'll get to it!

Top 10 things I LOVE about our- that's right OUR- new house:

1) Carved oak front door.
2) Bedroom large enough to house bed, night stands and dressers AND allow room for dressing- ALL IN ONE ROOM! Who knew?
3) Light! Glorious, glorious sunlight! In all rooms!
4) Double glazed windows! Drafts are a thing of the past!
5) Mint green kitchen with 1950s fridge. At first, I wasn't 100% sold on the mint. But I love it now. The fridge is completely impractical due its small stature, power suckage (and freon leakage, I'm sure) but the vintage lover in me ADORES it in all its cream and Hollywood pink-ness, and will be sad when we inevitably have to replace it.
6) Finished laundry room! Finished basement! Finished studios!
7) As of today, for the first time in my adult life, a bathroom with an outlet. No more extension cords to dry my hair! I kind of want to buy a curling iron just to celebrate!...and, of course, awesome 60s coral red tiles!
8) The new grown-up living room. Thank-you, Ikea and Ikea Stockholm via parental unit generosity and saved gift certificates!
9) A functional, tidy backyard! THE POSSIBILITY OF A GARDEN!
10) .....and finally, NO MORE LANDLORDS. If we find someone randomly creeping around the backyard, we just call the police!

Goodbye, little rental house! You were our first house, and in spite of your myriad issues (MYRIAD), we did love you a bunch, made you our home, and had some wonderful times.

Now go listen to "Sun in an Empty Room" by the Weakerthans. Close the door. And move on to the new chapter!

HOME OWNERSHIP!

Pictures soon. Ish.

How am I doing?

2010-03-09T22:18:00.001-07:00

Appropriate sentiment thanks to Alyson Provax's Time Wasting Experiment.

Music.

2010-02-26T11:31:00.000-07:00

Long ago, Craig-aitch posted a fun survey. Today, I completed mine. Fun!

List 10 musical artists (or bands) you like in no specific order. Answer the questions below AFTER PICKING YOUR ARTISTS! NO LOOKING AHEAD!

1.Weakerthans
2.Neko Case
3.Mark Lanegan
4.Tom Waits
5.Black Keys
6.Iron & Wine
7.Neil Young
8.Ween
9.Beirut
10.Corb Lund (with or without the Hurtin' Albertans)

1. What was the first song you ever heard by #6?
Lion's Mane. First song, First album. Around the time Shawn and I first started dating. Good memories of meeting him at the Seabus terminal for the midweeks we spent together early on.

2. What is your favourite song of #8?
I don't accept this question. And much like this survey, it largely depends on my mood. Flutes of Chi? The Mollusk? Buckingham Green? Transdermal Celebration? Can't pick. All I know is that it all makes me smile. And makes me think that huffing solvents must be REALLY REALLY FUN.

3. What kind of impact has #1 had on your life?
They have been the soundtrack to the good times, and the bad. They have inspired a desire to love your hometown, no matter how much you hate it, to find the beautiful in the mundane, and to bare your heart, no matter how fragile it makes you feel. Awww...

4. What is your favourite lyric of #5?
Wreeeeoooo-waaah-eeeeer. Did you get that? It was an amalgamation of every dirty electric blues guitar riff they make happen. It still surprises me that this band consists of two bearded white boys. Also, this test is too hard.

5. How many times have you seen #4 live?
Zero. Sad. So sad. I could have, but my brain was broken at the time, and I had no desire to camp over night for tickets, ignoring the fact that I did not have the money either. This seems like a no-brainer now, but at the time the thought of staying all night on Granville Street made my head swim, and my lungs constrict. ALAS. I will have to live vicariously through others.

6. What is your favourite song by #7?
Down by the River. Gotta love a song about murder. Old Man is a very close second, largely because the Harvest album means a lot to me. It was one of the first records that I stole from my Dad.

7. Is there any song by #3 that makes you sad?
Entire albums. However, this artist (though one of my longest standing favourites) is so tangled up in past people and places that I can't dissociate the lyrics from the memories. Oh, Mark. You junk-adled ginger. SO I'll pick his cover of "Consider Me"- not that is makes me sad, per se, but it just makes my heart ache. In a good way.

8. Favourite song by #9?
Brandenburg. Listening to this song at unsafe volumes in headphones makes me feel like I'm part of an 18th century Gypsy army that has the ability to fly.

9. When did you first get into #2?
I think around the time we moved to Edmonton, and upon hearing "That Teenage Feeling", though I recall liking "Deep Red Bells" when Blacklisted was released. It's been true hetero-girl-crush love ever since.

10. Favourite song by #4?
Gun Street Girl. Hands down. Still my favourite. Rain Dogs was the first Tom Waits album I ever bought, from the $6.79 bin while working at A&B Sound. It was the only song that upon first listen, I pressed repeat. I think I listened to it about 5 times before moving on.

11. How many times have you seen #9 live?
Zero so far. Edmonton is not always a hub for travelling bands, and opportunities to see them/him at other times (i.e.: in Vansnoozer) were dashed by dirt poor-ness.

12. What is a good memory concerning #2?
Seeing her perform at Folk Fest this summer, under the moon, on the dried out grass, with mist creeping up from the trees, and my best friend beside me. I had a hard time not sobbing through the entire performance. That girl has some pipes. And some demons.

13. Is there a song by #8 that makes you sad?
Hahahahaha! No. No there isn't. Sad that I don't huff solvents, maybe.

14. Favourite song by #1?
Our Retired Explorer (Dines with Michel Foucault in Paris 1961). My Favourite Chords.

15. How did you become a fan of #10?
I'm a sucker for a good roots country song- truly. But there is nothing worse than the saccharine, bleached blonde, new country crap out there these days! Ugh! Corb brings me back to the days of rebel country, story songs, a healthy dose of sarcasm, and early twang while still being wholly believable, without being gimmicky. I think it surprised me one day while working at Free Range when, after a day filled with post-rock and hip hop, a Corb Lund mix was put on. I may have asked Shawn if he was feeling okay, and though I thoroughly enjoyed it, I doubt the other employees shared the sentiment…

Blah.

2010-02-19T15:54:00.001-07:00

I'm sick of paperwork. I'm sick of legal jargon. I'm sick of being in limbo. I'm sick of not knowing what I'm agreeing to. I'm sick of agents- no matter how awesome they are (and we have some awesome agents, let me tell you). I'm sick of insurance, and health policies, and being scrutinized, and all the while packing our lives into boxes.

I just want to move.

New House

2010-02-05T20:19:00.000-07:00

...and this time I don't mean renting!!

We take possession on March 12. Holy crap! Time to get packin'!

Sixties-tastic! It is in absolutely pristine condition, in a mature, quiet neighbourhood, and has only had one owner. No smoke and mirrors this time! No turd polishing, this was the real deal!

Woohoo!!

“Courting Forgetfulness”- Robert Bly

2010-02-05T20:08:00.000-07:00

It’s hard to know what sort of rough music

Could send our forgetfulness back into the ground,

From which the gravediggers pulled it years ago.

The first moment of the day we court forgetfulness.

Even when we are fully awake, a century can

Go by in the space of a single heartbeat.

The life we lose through forgetfulness resembles

The earth that sticks to the sides of plowshares

And the eggs the hen has abandoned in the woods.

A thousand gifts were given to us in the womb.

We lost hundreds during the forgetfulness of birth,

And we lost the old heaven on the first day of school.

Forgetfulness resembles the snow that weighs down

The fir boughs; behind our house you’ll find

A forest going on for hundreds of miles.

Robert, it’s to your credit that you remember

So many lines of Rilke, but the purpose of forgetfulness

Is to remember the last time we left this world.

(Thanks to the lovely L.C.D. for posting this in her latest entry!)

UBI's, not TMI.

2010-01-27T12:00:00.000-07:00

I have to confess something- I have a bit of a blog crush on Whirly Bird (a.k.a. Johanna Inman). She has mighty good taste! And for that reason, and that reason only (okay, that and I love a good collection of UBI's) I'm also going to compile my list of 7 useless fun facts about myself, like she did a few days back.

1. My fingers and toes are almost always cold, even though I am almost always drinking tea.

2. I am a proud third-year university drop out. And though I won't get into the myriad reasons I think post-secondary education is a racket, I will state for the record that in spite of this, there are few things I love more than learning- just not in that structured setting. I have been known to read textbooks for fun.

3. I have a weakness for vintage glasses, and have been rockin' the cat's eyes since highschool. I have 2 pairs currently in need of lens-ing, but am finding it harder and harder to find places willing to put my lenses into old frames. Because of this, I bought a couple pairs of "modern" frames last year, and subsequently have not felt like myself since. Let's back it up a little further...The REAL reason I went in to look for new glasses was because, while hiking near Canmore, I went to swat a mosquito away from my face, caught the arm of my signature (yes, signature) white cat's eye glasses, tossed them about 6 feet, and broke the frame. I actually cried.

4. I can't think of a single food I don't like, or wouldn't be willing to try.

5. I have a face designed for jeans & t-shirts. Although I really like pretty dresses and skirts, and ladylike dressing, I can only ever pull it off from the neck down. I need hair lessons, I think.

6. My nickname is Guns.

7. I have no idea what I want to be when I grow up.

How about you?

2010-01-26T23:20:00.001-07:00

New post...New year...New layout?

What do you think?

New Year- Oh dear!

2010-01-20T22:18:00.001-07:00

Big things are set to occur one decade after I graduated from highschool.

1) Buy a house. No more renting.
2) Train to run 12km. in the mountains.
3) Get married. Also, in the mountains.
4) Buy my own automobile.

Now we all know resolutions are made to be broken, but there are some simple things I'd like to change this year. I'll write them down in ink, though. After all, it's harder to break resolutions when pen has met paper. You may as well be writing it in stone.

Happy New Year, kids!

Guess what?

2009-12-26T20:23:00.001-07:00

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rhodes.

2009-12-09T23:19:00.001-07:00

Oh my. Look what came home with us today.

1" Buttons!

2009-12-08T11:35:00.000-07:00

Coming soon thanks to Andrew!!!

The Tree Friends Shoppe is open for business!

2009-12-07T12:50:00.000-07:00

BUY STUFF! YAY!

Took me long enough, eh? Buy some cute tree plush!! I make them with lots and lots of love! A forest friendly alternative to chopping down a Xmas tree?

To all my Etsy friends- please make me a favourite!! That is, of course, if you like Tree Friends!

If this was a creepy Russian movie...

2009-11-25T20:24:00.000-07:00

...I'd probably watch it.

Alex Andreev's "The Horror of Subway".

Why does it make it creepier just knowing it's Russian? Anyone want to write the screenplay with me?

For the record...

2009-11-19T20:21:00.000-07:00

Pabst Blue Ribbon is shitty beer. Crappy, tasteless, shitty ass beer. It's the kind of beer that is drunk by 60 year old dock workers who have smoked 4 packs of cigarettes a day for the last 50 years, and no longer have taste buds.

Are we clear?

Good.

Hello? Hello?

2009-11-19T10:45:00.001-07:00

Boy, now I know how to figuratively kill a room- mention Ted Harrison! Geez. No one has any love for graphic, rainbow-y representations of the Northern lights? Crooked Yukon buildings? Really? No one?

Now! Onto more information to bore you! I am finally learning how to drive a standard vehicle. Yes, I did not know how to do so before. Actually, up until Monday, I had not been behind the wheel of a car in 8 years. When I moved away from home, I left my beloved beast- my first, last and only car- behind. I still miss that vehicle. It was a 1984 Buick Skylark, dusty pink exterior, chocolate brown interior, grandma-driven before me...It was basically like driving a big, squishy mattress down the street. Boy, I loved her...But really, I've never liked driving for the sake of driving. I come from a car family- my Dad used to drag race out at Mission (a 1975? Ford Fairlane), and my brother raced zippy go-karts around puberty- but I've never seen cars as anything other than transportation. Sure, I can pick out a classy vehicle (I have fine taste, too), but generally cars elicit little more than a shrug from me. Here in Edmonton, what with Entitleades and other such gas-guzzlers out in droves, they often elicit eye-rolling and mockery as well.

Where was I going with this?

Oh yes! What with the horrible sprawl of Edmonton (the most poorly planned city in the world!), and the continually unpredictable shift of my work schedule, it is getting increasingly difficult to operate as a one vehicle household- and not only a one vehicle household, a one driver household. I feel better knowing that, in spite of my currently limited experience, I could actually drive Shawn to a hospital in an emergency. So who knows, fair readers! You may see me driving my own vehicle in the New Year. Ugh.

In other news, I have a lung inspection tomorrow. There is a $20 fee for lung inspections apparently. In an odd way, I'm looking forward to it. Mostly because I will (hopefully) discover the reason(s) I have periodically not been able to breathe and been susceptible to annual bouts of bronchitis over the past few years, but also because it is not invasive enough a specialist appointment to be scary. Since my cilia have been free from their nicotine/tar paralysis for several years now, I would have thought their now happy wriggling would have improved things. Alas.

Also also, there are potential changes afoot! Big changes! They are exciting, and a bit scary! I am reading about superstring theory and quantum physics to put it all into perspective. I find knowing that the building blocks of everything in the universe is essentially nothing, and that we create our own realities comforting.

And if you managed to read to end of this entry, even without the promise of photos, congratulations! Your attention span is longer than the average adult of the insta-generation! Now scroll down and feed the hamster!

Something you may not know about me...

2009-11-14T20:48:00.001-07:00

I love the art of Ted Harrison. Absolutely love it.

It started with this book:

...and this one:

...and this one- which is sadly the only one I still have!!

Anyhoo...upon receiving a trio of newly minted copies of "Painting Paradise" at growl job today, I snooped around on the internets a bit and discovered Ted Harrison may be coming to Edmonton as part of the book tour/launch!

I'd love a big Ted Harrison art print, but there are very few to be had! Oh, those northern lights.....

Of note:

2009-11-14T19:34:00.000-07:00

I have been considering starting a new blog. But don't worry- the three of you that stop by will be informed of the change, if or when it happens.

Annoyance.

2009-11-13T20:12:00.000-07:00

Kids whose Mum's still pay their cell phone bills don't deserve badass tattoos, or tattoos that allude to their feigned badassery.

Eat it. The end.

Giving inanimate objects voices.

2009-11-02T10:04:00.001-07:00

Magical.

Rune Guneriussen

When I grow up...

2009-11-01T16:59:00.000-07:00

...I want to be a teenaged Francoise Hardy.

Swoon.

I used to really love writing...

2009-10-29T20:15:00.000-06:00

I wonder what happened? I don't write down much more than grocery and to-do lists in ink any more, though I used to carry a notebook with me everywhere. And typing? Well, it's abundantly clear that this blog is relatively neglected, and yet some of the most important conversations I've had have been clackety-clacked out in front of a desk top. Maybe that was the problem- writing became conversational, less exploratory, and seeing how I generally dislike people (present company excluded) the conversational association has turned me off.

Maybe?

I really don't know. I did have a dream I was a writer last week. Shawn was calling me down from some attic workspace for dinner, and I was frantically rummaging through papers, with manuscripts piled up next to me.

I'll blame post-secondary education (Okay, okay. Just in part. Not wholly.) for extinguishing any spark of individuality my prose may once have carried. Not that I deny the utility of editing- far from it- I can go off on a tangent just as easily as the next person...

Wait...What was I just saying?

Day off!

2009-10-18T17:57:00.000-06:00

And it's gone already. Oi vey! Onto a seven day work stretch!

Sewed the first of the production line Tree Friends this afternoon, and am working on my Etsy shop as we speak- it's about time! This has, after all, been in the making for over a year now...

To be honest, I would have finished getting my shop together sooner if I was any good at, or had any interest in learning Photoshop (you know, for banners and logos and such...), but I just don't! Maybe I can get a Shawn tutorial tonight...

The snow has melted, and things are back to beautiful, autumn-y temperatures! I am covered head to toe in Rocky Mountain products, and it's pizza night tonight!

In other words, nothing is happening, I just happen to have some spare time on my hands to say hi!

Time to dig out the Sorels...

2009-10-08T22:09:00.000-06:00

Mark it down. First snow, 2009. One month and three days earlier than last year. With temperatures set to dip into the negative double digits tonight, winter may be here.

It really is true that autumn in Edmonton lasts about a week- much to my chagrin (autumn is my favouritest of seasons after all). Two weeks ago it was +30! With those kinds of temperature fluctuations, it's no wonder everyone gets sick this time of year. Not me- I eat my spinach every day, drink lots of tea, lots of water, stay bundled up regardless of how nerdy I look, keep out of doors, eat lots of berries, and wash my hands (and by "wash" I mean SOAP AND WATER not those crappy hand sanitizers!)!

Speaking of sanitary conduct...I'm always disgusted by how little regard people have for others when it comes to sneezing and coughing. COVER YOUR MOUTH. And yes, your precious designer coat may get a smudge (boohoo) but just because you can afford four digit clothing, does not mean you are allowed to spew your mucosal shrapnel everywhere. Stick your freakin' face in your sleeve- PLEASE. Is complete disregard for others part of the age of entitlement?

ANYHOO...In other happy news, I've recently acquired a (second) job with a company I really love! Only four days off this month- eep! Thankfully the growl (first) job "days off" that have been replaced with lovely (second) job shifts, are just like paid days off! Foot in the door...Fingers crossed for more involvement with lovely in the future, and less with growl!

Time to cuddle up in bed with something light- like essays outlining the effects of globalization and shifting economic policy and legislation on rural communities! If Shawn wasn't in Vancouver on a crazy overnight trip to see a show, I'd be cuddling up with something much better.

So goodnight! And remember kids- cover your coughs and sneezes, try to mind and be kind to those around you, and if you ate today, thank a farmer.

Time Travel...Birthday!

2009-09-04T10:54:00.001-06:00

So! We're going to pretend I haven't been absent for the entire summer, and go back in time to a few of my favourite adventures from the past few months....as I edit them. (Of note: there are few things I hate more than editing photos, so the speed with which this will occur is debatable.)

To start! I decided that all I wanted for my birthday was to spend it in the mountains. I love me some mountains. And some camping. We had a brand new tent to test out as well (a North Face Moraine 33, for those of you interested- super sweet). The drive in from Canmore is beautiful- we even saw a young moose grazing along the road! I love mooses. I referred to him as "my birthday moose".

Neither Shawn nor I had been "real" camping in years- and what better way to test our skills than to set up camp in the rain!?

I honestly can't think of a better place to spend my birthday. Or a better person to spend it with...

Shawn works on the manly business of wood chopping- best to get the fire cracklin' during the brief breaks in the weather!

As you can see, the rain doesn't dampen our spirits one bit! Oh man, I didn't even mean to be punny there....

All set up! We greatly improved on our tarp a few hours later- complete with moat, and directional rain drain. We learned (rather, reestablished) that we make an excellent team.

Once we set up, Mother Nature rewarded our efficient work with a burst of sunshine around the dinner hour...

Perfect smoky roastin' weather!

Fire stoking (complete with headlamp!) pre-s'mores! We even splurged on a box of glow sticks to mark the tent pegs and tarp lines! The marshmallowy goodness was followed by a fantastic night's sleep! I'll admit it, I have a completely unfounded fear of bears, and I'm never sure how soundly I'll sleep when protected by little more than a candy wrapper at a relatively remote campground, but it was great.

The next morning dawned so beautiful, and so clear...well, I'll just let you look for yourself. It's the stuff postcards are made of.

This is the view FROM OUR CAMPSITE. The site we stayed was by far the nicest, and most secluded of the entire campground. We had a whole beach to ourselves, and the water was so absolutely crystal clear. We even had a little mule deer come right up to our site to graze at dusk!

The rest of our pictures are on camera #2, currently in Shawn's backpack at work. Part 2 will be coming soon!

Soo....

2009-07-19T12:52:00.000-06:00

It's nearing the end of July??! Sorry I haven't been around. I don't really feel bad about that. Lots has happened and nothing at all has happened!

Life plans have changed, and this time we're REALLY excited!

That's all I've got for now.

Super-KALI-fragillistickexpialidocious

2009-06-08T17:09:00.000-06:00

Do you know Kali Fontecchio? She is a super talented, super awesome, and super cute drawer of drawerings of the cartoony kind. Go look at her blog now- you will be amazed!

After creeping around her blog throughout the winter, I finally asked her really, really (REALLY) nicely if she'd draw a caricature of Shawn and I- because her caricature work is rad- and BOOM! This showed up on our doorstep!

HOLY ACCURATE!

I commissioned this as a surprise for me and Shawn, and lo and behold, both times I attempted photos of the characters holding their caricatures, Shawn was wearing his signature shirt!

Thank-you Kali! <3

Just in time for vacation...

2009-05-22T14:25:00.000-06:00

...I mysteriously threw my lower back out! So I've been taking it easy at home for the past few days, icing, stretching and relaxing in hopes I can nip the worst of the sprain in the bud. Seems to be going okay... KNOCK ON WOOD.

Regardless, we leave on Sunday evening, spend the night in Banff (at the Inns of Banff, with the awesome roof top hot tub!), and then onto the future hometown! I can't wait! Especially since this is the forecast for the week we'll be there...

Hoooweee! See you next week!

Getting out of Dirt City!

2009-05-07T10:25:00.001-06:00

As many of you may know, Shawn and I are planning our eventual escape to the Okanagan Valley, and at the end of May we will be going on a fact finding mission! Well, it's more like a fact finding mission, combined with a vacation and wine stockpiling. Yay!

Shawn will be working with Kai at Stix Ink in Penticton from the 25th of May to the 29th. Tell your friends! Here's the pretty promo poster!

Prototype, on Earth Day!

2009-04-22T12:14:00.000-06:00

...I didn't plan it that way- that's just how it happened! How appropriate!

Tree Friends will not only be available in prints (soon!) and maybe cards, I am working on a cuddly, huggable version of the Tree Friends.

This is my first attempt:

Obviously, I have some changes in store for the next little guy...But for the first pattern, first attempt, finished in a few hours, he did turn out pretty cute!

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Spring Cupcakes!

2009-04-18T18:40:00.000-06:00

So, I've been feeling a little, err, off for the past few days- generally unfocused, unmotivated, blah. I talked to Shawn after he got to work this morning, and he suggested I make cupcakes to de-funk myself.

After I hung up I thought, THAT'S IT!

I haven't baked and decorated cupcakes since....well, probably Christmas!

So here are my spring cupcakes! I tried to pull off dahlias, and although I don't think I quite got it, I'm pretty happy with how they turned out!

...maybe I'll pretend these are belated Aku and Tomas Magnum birthday cupcakes!

To all the fake'n'bake dummies out there!

2009-04-12T14:50:00.001-06:00

As I've been saying for years, tanning beds ARE just as dangerous as the sun! Exclamation point! Stop turning yourselves into orange-skinned cancerous tumours!

Blue skies and 15c!

2009-04-11T19:27:00.000-06:00

And how did I spend this beautiful day? Cleaning the freakin' house! There isn't anything more satisfying than a vinegary clean bathroom, and floors you can eat off of! Yay! Well, maybe drinking beers in a park in the sun would have been more satisfying, but spring is young yet.

I rode my bike (who I am tentatively calling "Ingrid" at this point) to and from work for the first time on Friday, and was rained on BOTH WAYS! Thanks Edmonton. You fuck me around with 5 months of winter, and then, when the weather is finally nice enough to ride a bike in, you piss on me! Insult, meet injury. The way there wasn't bad. Just a refreshing spring spittle- the ground smelled sooooo good- but on the way home, there was thunder and lightning (already!?) and I got soaked! Good ol' hub brakes got their first workout in the wet, and handled great.

In a bike-related vein, I read this breakdown of Dutch cycling culture and thought, as I do several times daily, that I am definitely living in the wrong country. Almost everything in this little write up rings true to me, especially (re: saddles) "not for us the crotch cutter seats of racing bikes, because we value our reproductive body parts!". Also, the "Bike Helmets & Lycra" section made me giggle. Good stuff.

I've been toying with the idea of making some of my silly paintings into prints lately. I got some quotes from places around town, and may actually give it a shot. I painted a little bit the other night. The usual. Anthropomorphic cartoon trees and hearts. I guess I'm kind of a one-trick pony. Oh well! Buy my cute prints if I make them! If not for you, for your favourite six year old little girl! After all, that's secretly all I really am.

Hill o' beans

2009-04-09T10:29:00.001-06:00

This is in no way new news, but I'd just like to mention that, thanks to the lovely (and muchly missed!) Wheels, my morning coffee has contained a far higher dosage of awesome lately.

"Black Mountain" might just be my favourite coffee of all time- So rich! Full-bodied! No bitterness! It is magical. The Ethiopian Harrar is verrrrry good too (a lighter or brighter taste, if that makes sense?), but you just can't beat Black Mountain.

You know those coffee commercials, where one sip immediately transports the drinker to misty hills and verdant jungles? The same thing kind of happens to me, except I picture campfires and forests and log cabins... Yes. It's that good. I miss Bean Around the World.

New bike!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-04-07T17:58:00.001-06:00

I saw her in the window, and it was love at first sight.

Pashley Bicycles- made in England since 1926. I pick her up tomorrow at noon!!!!!!!!

A (very) early birthday present because, well, getting a new bike at the end of July pretty much means there's only two months of good riding left- this way, I get a full Spring and Summer's worth of riding in! I can't wait- basket, dynamo lights, built-in pump, Brooks saddle, fenders, chain-guard- everything I could need!

I had no idea I would be getting a bike today! I love you Shawn!

Coming soon!

2009-04-06T18:19:00.000-06:00

...Do you??

Early Easter!

2009-04-06T10:32:00.000-06:00

Look what we got from my Mum and Dad this morning!!!

Easter candy with a few awesome bonuses:

1) PLAY-DOH!! Which, as the packaging makes VERY clear, is NOT intended for consumption. No? Then why does it have all of those "CAUTION: Contains wheat" stickers?

2) New toothbrushes! Such a mum-like addition to a sugar-headache-inducing package!

3) Grocery gift certificates!!!!!!(not shown)!!! Even pushing 30, this is by far one of the BEST "care package" goodies to receive! Yay!

4) Kitty treats!! And treats that even Tomas will eat! Aku, well, will eat pretty much anything- he's more like a fuzzy black goat, really.

But in true kitty fashion....

...the box it all came in is FAR more interesting.

Mmmm.....Candy for breakfast...Thanks Mum and Dad! We love you!

Saturday afternoon snack!

2009-04-04T16:19:00.000-06:00

I have Saturday off this week- and before you start dishing out the high-fives, this really isn't a treat for me. I've become accustomed to my days off being weekdays, and since I've never had a Monday to Friday type of job (neither does Shawn), I think I may always associate Saturdays with work. I like being able to do my weekly "stuff" without the weekend throng. It's much more relaxing.

Maybe that's why I feel so restless today- like I should be accomplishing something other than surfing Etsy, breaking in my new shoes, getting quotes for prints, and of course, baking!

One of my new favourite blogs, Everybody Likes Sandwiches (which is an AMAZING collection of yummy recipes, by the way), featured a recipe for cranberry and blood orange loaf earlier in the week, and I have been thinking about it ever since! Unfortunately, I could find neither blood oranges nor frozen cranberries (I really didn't want dried) at my corner grocer, and was in no way in the mood for a Saturday afternoon larger-chain-grocery-store venture. The horror, on the weekend! The horror! So I grabbed my last three navels (which had been languishing in the fridge for a good month), and subbed frozen cranberries with frozen strawberries. The results?

Exactly what the doctor ordered! A nice fresh-from-the-oven slice, with a hot cup of Natural Farmworks Chai, and I'm not at all concerned that I haven't got anything lined up for dinner. Strawberry orange loaf sounds fine to me...

Spring fun at the leaky house! Sarcasm as well!

2009-03-28T16:35:00.000-06:00

It figures- we've just agreed to sign on for another year at our place (which is depressing in and of itself- Edmonton for another year...), and in spite of already knowing the kind of structural doom (cracked foundation) and other ailments associated with this place, we have had relatively few problems of late- only a broken (again) washing machine, and a blown fuse in the ancient dimmer switch in our dining room. Knock on wood.

When we were initially shown the house, there was notable water damage in the little boot room at the front- the ceiling paper was peeled away and stained, and there was definite damage to the large tiles on the floor, with at least 8 being loose, completely loose, or seemingly sunk into the (somewhat) rotting floor (there are also 2 and a half tiles right where the boot room meets our front room that were broken and missing to begin with). It was presented to us as having been a one time leaky problem.

Clearly, that is not the case.

I'm collecting my melt water in a bucket right now, hoping that come (real) spring one of us won't:

a) fall through what we know now to be a long-time rotting floor
b) have the sopping wet long-time rotting ceiling collapse on us
c) be electrocuted by the boot room light whose housing is a mere 6 inches from where there is water actively dripping.

Delightful.

Anyone with any roofing experience is welcome to offer suggestions or recommendations.

Where The Wilds Things Are...

2009-03-25T21:02:00.000-06:00

...is probably the single most important book of my childhood. I can picture every page and (nearly) recite the entire story. I still giggle along with Max every time the jungle starts to grow in his room...! So, when I heard that there were plans in motion to make the story into a feature length movie, I was understandably skeptical- CGI wild things? A 40-ish page book drawn out to 60-plus minutes? My skepticism is officially dead.

Magical!!! Not just CGI wild things (as I'd feared)- muppetry!! Max is adorable! The dreaminess of the colours!! It made me cry- not just in a "shed a single tear" way (it was kind of embarassing!). I can't wait- and I'm sure will be blubbering on my way out of the theatre!

Okay-It's not the book, no, and I tend to be a bit of a purist on that count. Nothing can ever replace the magic of reading that story as a child for the very first time, but thank goodness Spike Jonze seems he may actually have given it a lovingly crafted tribute. Yay!

Children! Don't grow up!

Spring Cleaning!

2009-03-19T16:05:00.000-06:00

Wanna see what $56 worth of bottles and cans looks like?

That's 560 (mostly) cans. Whoah.

Also removed from the premises: 2 enormous bags of clothing, 2 boxes of books, a broken behemoth of a television, and a handful of worn out bike tires.

Almost time to start sprouting bulbs and seeds on the windowsill!

Slow Recovery, Second Winter.

2009-02-25T15:35:00.001-07:00

I went home for the first time in nearly two years over Reading Week to visit my family, and unfortunately, instead of enjoying non-snow, and non-minus-thirties, going for walks on the beach, and generally enjoying not wearing Sorels for a while, I caught the flu. So did my Mum. A really, really, bad flu. I was so sick, I wasn't even feeling well enough to mope about my bad luck until my last day in town, when I realized I was going home again.

Then I started to mope. Oh no!

It's been a bit of a crappy week back.

I've decided I'm not going back to University next year (I have a whole diatribe to unload on that subject, though that's for another day), but haven't determined whether I'm willing to go further into debt in pursuing something technical institute related (read: with gainful employment attached at the completion end), or whether I just want to work my ass off so we can get back to the right side of the Rockies as soon as humanly possible.

It's -31C with the windchill today, and my Farmer's Almanac predicts snow and frigid temperatures into April.

I'm generally pretty upbeat about being here- the third of the year that there isn't snow is actually pretty nice. I've kept a smile on my face through the winter, but I think I've reached the end of my tether. I can't imagine growing up, let alone growing old here. I haven't even entertained the idea of putting down roots, so I haven't, and in doing so have wound up in limbo.

Sorry for the bummer post. Woe is me! I feel like this is the second winter of the year, and spring is way overdue.

Men with backhoes making loud noises.

2009-02-07T12:36:00.001-07:00

Last Thursday I came home to unannounced traffic signs being piled on our front yard. Upon asking the sign man what was going on, he informed me that starting tomorrow, the city was ripping out our sidewalk and large chunk of front yard in order to repair a sewer connection. Thanks for the notice guys.

Lo and behold, the next morning at 8 sharp, we had backhoes, jackhammers, and a crew of 6 to 10 guys on our front lawn, and as the day progressed, a 10 foot chasm opened where our minuscule front yard used to be.

About 2 pm yesterday, Shawn and I were coming home from lunch and upon skirting the crew to get to our front door, they announced that in getting to the sewer they had broken our water intake line.

Pardon me? Not only were we given no warning as to what was going on, everything WAS in fine working order up to this point- and now you're shutting our water off? Thanks guys. Again.

I shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth- we DID had lead intake pipes (as I'm sure the vast majority of the aged and aging houses in our neighbourhood do, and they are now shiny new copper- but as 6 o'clock rolled around, the crew informed me that they were done for the weekend, but weren't going to insulate the new pipes so, you know, your pipes might freeze. Sorry. See ya.

Again, for the record, we had NO PROBLEM before you guys showed up. Now we may have frozen pipes and potentially no water- not to mention our water pressure is "unexplicably" less than it was before?

Now (upon the advice of the city crew and Epcor) we have to leave water running in our house ALL WEEKEND. Let me just state for the record that our house is tiny, none of the rooms have doors, and the only faucets we have are directly next to our bedroom. Let's not even get into what a HUGE waste of water this is. Needless to say, it was a restless, drippy night, and we have two more to go.

Not impressed.

All I have to say is that we had better be accumulating some SERIOUS house karma points for when we actually own our own house.

Big White!

2009-01-19T19:23:00.000-07:00

After a near meltdown and throwing-in-of-the-university-towel due to poor professorial assignment on school's part (ahem), I skipped school for a week and Shawn and I headed west- or as I like to say, the right side of the Rockies! We went west to our favourite place- the Okanagan Valley!

In spite of having been born and raised in the Vancouver area and its environs, (okay- the 'burbs.), I never took advantage of my primo mountain location to learn how to ski or snowboard. My family isn't exactly a winter-loving group, so our mountainous forays- which were frequent- took place mostly during warmer months.

Since Shawn and I were both raised on steady diets of mountain appreciation (me, in the summer, and he in the winter), I figured it was time to learn!

It only took 3/4 of a run and the better part of an hour, but I made it down! With little to no strength left in my arms, I think I managed it finally out of fear of having to push myself up out of the snow again!

My bottom did not suffer as much as I'd be warned it would, but I did have to roll myself out of bed the next day!

There was a super cute little yellow bubble gondola that went to an area of the mountain called Happy Valley- we are riding inside the yellow bubble, and we are happy! Yay! Except I have really, really terrible hair thanks to hotel shampoo. Blegh!

We stayed at the Inns of Big White- this was the view from our hotel room. Yay for B.C. mountains!

And yay for Big White!

....but most importantly, yay for BC wines and beers! We stocked up- this has to last us until the summer!

What a great vacation! But then again, we always have fun.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-02T19:03:00.001-07:00

I hope you all had fantastic holiday seasons- whatever the denomination! We sure did.

2009 is going to be awesome. I have a lot in store, and I feel good about making New Year's resolutions for once, not like they are cop-outs to excuse the failures of the previous year!

In 2009:

-Yoga and stretching EVERY MORNING. I have never been as toned, or felt as well (physically- we won't get into the psychology of that era) as when I was doing this. Back on the horse.

-Buying locally as much as possible. Although it's a little harder during an Edmonton winter in terms of produce especially, come spring I'd like to be able to regularly get my eggs, honey (and beeswax), fruit, yarn, and maybe even meat directly from a local producer. Although I have an adventurous palate, more and more over the past few years I've begun to appreciate simplicity in terms of food- it's the quality of ingredients that makes the difference, not the number! Anyone who has done the backyard-vine-ripened tomato vs. store-bought tomato test knows what I mean. If anyone in the area has any leads, or farms/ co-ops/ markets they would like to recommend, please let me know!

-More creating. More raw. It is so rewarding to accomplish something as simple as a knitting a scarf for yourself, making your own candles, or sewing a piece of clothing. I'd rather buy the raw ingredients than the finished products at this particular juncture in my life.

-Less sweets. I don't mean homemade muffins and cookies made from good ingredients- but processed candies! The silly thing is, I can't think of any instance where I'd choose a candy bar over a fruit bar or cowboy cookie, and yet I always seem to have some kind of crap sweet on hand!

-Read more for fun. Whether this is fiction, non-fiction, how-to...I used to read constantly. Instead of television, or mindless internetting, pick up a book!

-Learn how to (properly) can, cold cellar, and compost (maybe invest in a Green Cone).

-Work towards "the 5 year plan" at all times! Long term goals are awesome for keeping the above short termers in focus.

What are your New Year's Resolutions?

First snow

2008-11-11T14:40:00.001-07:00

The search for warm light.

2008-11-09T10:27:00.000-07:00

If anyone remembers, Shawn and I have a trap door that closes off our basement from the main floor of our house. For the door to sit flat, it has to be slammed for full closure- imagine the sound of a 2m by 1m, 2cm thick sheet of MDF being dropped. Jarring to say the least. This is nothing compared to the effect it has on the poor incandescent bulb and light housing that lights the stairwell. Without fail, we lose a bulb every 2 weeks or so. Poor little rattled filaments.

The house was almost fully decked out in CFLs when we moved in, but they were all changed out within days. I cannot- CANNOT- deal with the putrid greeny tinged light that comes out of those bulbs. I have passed apartments up in the past due to a sickly lit entrance way, or exterior lights.

Now, considering there are plans in the works to phase out incandescent bulbs by 2012- not to mention CFLs use less energy, and burn longer- I'm going to have to make the switch, and yes, would probably feel better about it.

However, my question is this- is there such thing as a CFL that gives off an incandescent glow? When I walk by houses with those greeny little things burning at night, I wrinkle up my nose- are those just the older models?. I know that CFL light colour is based on a lower K rating, but is it true? I'm looking for testimonials. One thing I don't want during the long, cold winter is a coldly lit home.

Congratulations!

2008-11-04T21:38:00.000-07:00

Proof that the voting public CAN make a difference. Way to go, USA.

If only I could get as excited about Canadian politics...

My new favourite time-waster.

2008-11-04T10:05:00.000-07:00

This is sand.

Neco z Alenky (Alice)

2008-11-03T16:22:00.000-07:00

A while ago, April mentioned the upcoming Burton version of Alice In Wonderland. Shawn and I were discussing this today, and he asked if I had ever seen the extraordinarily weird Czechoslovakian version of the movie by Jan Svankmajer.

"The WHAT?!" I exclaimed. After some imdb-ing, and perusing viewer comments with titles like "Want to give your kids nightmares for the rest of their lives?" I knew it would be right up my alley.

The taxidermied white rabbit escaping from his glass box!

The skeletal menagerie, and the cabinet (or broom closet) of curiosities!

Why have I never seen this movie before?!?