Everything is a spoon

Boot Camp - 4 Down, 4 To Go

2010-05-18T23:02:00.002-04:00

Halfway through boot camp and it's still kicking my ass. This instructor is so much tougher than the one I had last Fall. And she uses more equipment, like medicine balls. And she makes us do waaaay more Plank. I can't wait for each session to end but I'm always proud of myself when I make it through.

Still, there are a lot of reasons to love Spring boot camp. The days are longer now than they were last Fall so I have a beautiful view of the sunset as I do my ab work. There are no mosquitoes and the lilacs are in full bloom so the park has never smelled better.

So now I just have to power through the last four sessions, and figure out some way to keep the fitness up over the long weekend at the cottage. Sadly, doesn't look like we'll be having biking or swimming weather at the beach.

It's Official, I Need A Bigger Place

2010-05-08T18:45:00.004-04:00

Mom, Kelly and I got up bright and early this morning for the Flamboro Antique Show at the Brampton Fairgrounds. This show used to be held at the Aberfoyle Antique Market but in recent years has alternated between Milton and Brampton in an effort to attract more Toronto shoppers. Big mistake. A lot of the original dealers have dropped out and the show has gone way downhill. But it wasn't all bad, I picked up this gorgeous West German vase for only $20. What a score!

Because Brampton didn't sufficiently satisfy our antique habit, we headed to St. Jacobs afterward where I saw an almost identical vase for $50. I also picked up a large West German planter and a barely played Dr. Hook album.

Did you know that Shel Silverstein, who wrote most of Dr. Hook's songs, also wrote Johnny Cash's A Boy Named Sue? I just found out today when I was looking up Dr. Hook online. Silverstein's book, Where The Sidewalk Ends, was a HUGE part of my childhood.

But back to the pottery... it is now imperative that I move to a bigger place because, with the addition of this new vase, my collection has now outgrown the one and only shelf available to house it.

Three of these pieces are actually Poole.
Can you tell which ones?

Collecting and tiny downtown condos do not mix!

I Love Boot Camp. I Hate F'n Boot Camp!

2010-05-05T21:58:00.003-04:00

Boot camp - Round 2. Not the ideal first session today. My last meeting ran late so I didn't have time for dinner and then it rained the whole time. But at least there weren't any mosquitoes.

Have to admit, today's session was humbling. I was expecting to kick ass, on account of all the skating I've been doing, but not so. The cardio wasn't bad but my muscle strength is lacking. Ten minutes in I was checking my watch wondering when the punishment would be over. I was pleased with my initial measurements, though. I'm right where I left off last Fall. Maybe even a little better. Not bad after a semi-lazy Winter.

I only signed up for four weeks this time around so I don't want to miss a single one. Plus I'm going to do a third workout each week. Not the boot camp DVD, mind you. Probably more skating or biking.

First Antique Show Of The Season

2010-05-02T21:49:00.004-04:00

The season has officially begun! On Saturday, I hit up the Aberfoyle Spring Special and scored a vintage West German pottery planter and a couple records, Tattoo You by the Rolling Stones and 5150 by Van Halen.

West German pottery is becoming scarce so I was pleased to pick this piece up for $10. The dealer told me a collector's guide was just published (or about to be published, I'm not sure) so he thinks it's going to gain popularity and prices will jump. Good thing I started collecting it eight years ago. What can I say? I'm a trend setter.

Next weekend is the first of the Flamboro shows and just a couple weeks after that is Christie, with the May 2-4 - prime garage sale weekend - in between. I may need to move to a bigger place.

Almost All Sprouts Are Sprouted

2010-04-26T20:56:00.003-04:00

After a little research on the good ol' interweb, I discovered that my earlier sprouts are basil which means these new ones are parsley.

And these teeny tiny sprouts are mint. They're actually a few days older than the parsley but are so small that I could barely even see them at first.

Now all that's left to sprout are the french marigolds but I'm starting to have my doubts. Maybe I did something wrong when I collected the seeds last Fall. Or perhaps I didn't store them properly. Fingers crossed.

More Things Are Starting To Happen

2010-04-20T20:14:00.004-04:00

My chives have sprouted! They only started poking through the dirt a couple days ago but are already outpacing the rest of my little herb sprouts.

Spring Into Shape

2010-04-18T18:33:00.002-04:00

Turns out my sporadic workouts and half-assed attempt at the Couch to 5K program over the past few months allowed me to retain some small remnant of the fitness I had built up last Fall. I went for a skate along the lakeshore today and felt uncharacteristically strong for April. I calculated that my typical skate is about 13km and I do it in about 45-50 minutes, depending on the wind. That's roughly 16km/hour. Not bad considering my typical bike ride is one hour at an average of 20km/hour. However, it's the people more so than the terrain that slow me down on my bike. 20km/hour is about as fast as you can responsibly ride on the Martin Goodman Trail.

All this bodes well for bikini time. My goal is to lose 3-5lbs (I don't own a scale so I just go by how my jeans fit) and continue to tone up and I've signed up for another boot camp for four weeks in May to help me do exactly that. Don't get me wrong though, I love my body - always have, always will - I just want to show it off to it's best potential this Summer because I'm proud of how well I've been taking care of myself lately.

This also bodes well the Ride for Heart on June 6. It'll be my fourth year in a row riding the 50km loop and I know this will be the fittest I have ever been going into the event.

Things Are Starting To Happen

2010-04-17T15:52:00.003-04:00

Last weekend, I started seeds for my balcony garden and a new windowsill herb garden and things are already starting to happen.

These teeny sprouts growing on my windowsill are either basil or parsley. I planted both in the same planter and it's too early to tell them apart.

And these little ones are a variety of african marigold called Crackerjack that will grow extra large yellow and orange blooms. I also planted french marigolds from seeds I collected last Fall but they haven't sprouted yet. I hope they do because I've never collected seeds before and really didn't know what I was doing. These are growing on the kitchen counter for now but will move to the balcony in about four weeks.

Question

2010-04-13T22:29:00.003-04:00

Is 36 too old to wear a bikini?

When I was 10 and my mom was 36, I would feel sooooo embarrassed when her friends wore bikinis at the beach. But now I'm the same age that she was then and I'm like, "Fuck it, I'm gonna let it all hang out!"

Hmm, guess I just answered my own question.

Cacti and Succulents

2010-04-11T22:12:00.005-04:00

My green thumb was itching today. Seeing as how it's a still too early to start on the balcony, I did a little indoor gardening instead. Here's a picture of my collection of cacti (well, cactus, there's only one) and succulents in a portion of my collection of vintage pottery. Did I mention I'm a collector?

You know, I've never blogged about my plants before. That's about to change. This afternoon I also planted an indoor herb garden and started marigold seeds for the balcony garden. More to come on those.

So Long, And Thanks For All The Fish

2010-01-22T19:02:00.007-05:00

Only three posts in the last three months. I didn't write about my trip to Chicago and seeing the Pixies. Nor did I blog about my attempt at the Couch to 5K program or my first cross country ski outing. I didn't even write a Year In Review post. This has me thinking that perhaps my blog has run its course.

Seems fitting to post this on my five year blogiversary. It's been a good run. 295 posts. That's an average of about one post per week. Not bad considering I took a break from it for four months to launch, and then retire, a different blog.

Over the last year my activity has shifted from this blog to Twitter. I like the immediacy of Twitter and I think that, in part, has contributed to my lack of interest in composing fully baked blog posts. And I'm still posting my travel and project photos to Flickr, mixing it up with all the other crafty nerds out there. So I'll definitely continue creating content in one form or another. I'm even toying with giving Tumblr another go.

For those of you who have followed my posts all these years (Matty, I'm looking at you), thanks. I may be in your hood tomorrow so I'll give you a call.

And with that, I raise a Mill St. Organic to you, fair Everything is a spoon. We had some times.

UPDATE: Check out my new thing.

UPDATE, AGAIN: Every time I think I'm going to shut this blog down, I just keep coming back. Maybe it's because I have so many years invested in it. Maybe it's because it was my first foray into social media (and we all keep a soft spot for our first, don't we?) Either way, I missed it. I'm back.

Ladyhawk + Constantines = Awesomesauce!

2009-12-21T13:53:00.002-05:00

Yet another awesome show at Lee's last Saturday. This time it was Ladyhawk and Constantines, two of my all-time favourite Canadian bands. However, I'm at a loss for words in trying to describe the show. For my sister and I, it was our fourth time seeing Constantines and third time seeing Ladyhawk (the rest in our group were noobs). I could go on and on about how amazing the bands are and how hard they rock out live, but they're both so consistently awesome that it's starting to get a bit repetitive.

Ladyhawk debuted a bunch of new material so I'll be keeping my eye on the record store for their next release. Funny, it usually takes me three listens to really love an album and Ladyhawk is no exception to that rule... except when I see them live. The passion of their live performance always gets me right in the gut and then their albums, whether new or old, end up in heavy rotation on my stereo for weeks to come. After Saturday's show I know I'll love the new album right from the first spin.

Seeing Leslie Feist on stage for the encore was a nice surprise. She and Bryan Webb did their take on Islands In The Stream. I'm a Feist fan and thought the duet was very charming, but I don't think I'll ever be able to hear that song without the voices of Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers in my head. I think I just dated myself.

I Want!

2009-12-17T15:58:00.010-05:00

Apparently Threadless Twitter Tees came out in May but I just found out about them now. How could I have been so out of the loop? My nerd cred-o-meter is plunging as I type.

Just like the Threadless site says, "Tweets on Tees. Awesome."

Mass for Shut-Ins

2009-11-01T10:33:00.004-05:00

One of the local TV stations plays this mass for shut-ins show on Sunday mornings. It's a low budget video production of Catholic Mass in front of a small, live audience. There's an organist and an awful choir. But the worst part is that it's actually called Mass for Shut-Ins! They couldn't have just called it Mass and let the "for shut-ins" part be implied? Damn!

Boot Camp - Week 8

2009-10-30T22:28:00.004-04:00

You may be wondering, what happened to Week 7? Well, the last couple weeks have been a bit of a blur and I missed a session or two. But I stayed on track by squeezing in a couple runs and a climb up the CN Tower and made it to both sessions in
Week 8.

Monday's session felt awesome. I killed it. Wednesday's session was a bit tougher but I still worked surprisingly hard considering I'd been up late the night before. And then it was time for the final weigh-in. I'm pleased with my results.

Weight lost: 5lbs
Body fat lost: 8.5lbs
Lean muscle gained: 3.5lbs
Total inches lost: 6

I feel so much stronger than when I started and there's been a huge increase in my energy. I'm excited to keep it up but I want to try something different. I get bored so easily so it's important to keep things fresh to stay motivated. So I'm going to do the Couch to 5K program. I've already tried out a few runs but now I'm going to start over and commit to three runs a week. If I stick to it, I may be able to run 30 minutes solid by the end of the year. I won't be disappointed if it takes me longer though. This is the first time I've tried running so I don't really know what to expect.

Master! Master!

2009-10-29T23:05:00.002-04:00

Just got home from having many pints of beer at the Beaconsfield with my old boss Cory. He's awesome and he's doing really well. Now, I'm home and pretty drunk, listening to Metallica, Master of Puppets on vinyl. Cause i still can't get enough after the show last night. I can barely type. But holy shit this album is so good!

Obey Your Master!

2009-10-28T09:52:00.008-04:00

Thanks to my awesome Roadie, I scored two passes to the Metallica show at the Air Canada Centre last night, and what a kick-ass show it was!

The stage was set up "in the round", with the drum kit in the middle and multiple mics on all sides. When my brother-in-law, Dave, and I entered from the backstage area we were on the floor facing the back of the drum kit. As a result, the crowd was sparse (everyone was on the other side) and we were able to stand about four people from the edge of the stage. Then, about a quarter of the way into the show, the drums rotated and we were right in front of the action. Just in time for One.

One isn't necessarily my favourite Metallica song but it is the first I ever heard. None of my friends were into metal back in the day so I didn't know who Metallica was until that video came out. When it was time for the One's guitar solo, Kirk Hammett was right in front of us. I mean, like, 15 feet in front of us. I could see every finger on every string playing every note and it was fucking amazing!

The rest of the show just as fucking amazing. There were lasers and fireballs and the guys worked the crowd so masterfully that even the ACC felt intimate. They obviously know what the audience came to hear and played a setlist that heavily favoured their earlier albums.

That Was Just Your Life
The End Of The Line
For Whom The Bell Tolls
Holier Than Thou
One
Broken, Beat And Scarred
My Apocalypse
Sad But True
The Unforgiven
The Judas Kiss
The Day That Never Comes
Master Of Puppets
Blackened
Nothing Else Matters
Enter Sandman
Die, Die My Darling (Misfits cover)
Motorbreath
Seek & Destroy

Now, all I want to listen to is Metallica. On a related note, want to know another thing that makes my Roadie so awesome? He has all Metallica's early albums on vinyl. Time to fire up the turntable!

24 minutes, 14 seconds

2009-10-22T22:41:00.004-04:00

That's how long it took me to climb the CN Tower today. All 142 flights.

I was really nervous going into it. Signing up seemed like a good idea. A good way to test my fitness after six weeks of boot camp. Then I remembered that I'm kinda claustrophobic, but by that time it was too late to back out.

It turned out to be much easier than I thought. There's a huge air shaft that runs up one entire side of the stairs, separated by heavy wire mesh, making the stairwell feel spacious. It also helped that the stairs and railings were open metal. I kept a steady walking pace. Perhaps I could have pushed myself a little harder but I was cautious about overheating and feeling suffocated.

All the recent exercise has done me good. The cardio was tough but my legs were super strong. My muscles didn't burn at all. My legs have felt more tired after a boot camp session. But let's see how I feel in a day or two.

All in all, the event was a bit tedious (2 1/2 hours of waiting for 1/2 hour of climbing) but totally worthwhile to be able to say that I took the stairs to the top of the CN Tower. Elevators are for suckers!

Boot Camp - Week 6

2009-10-17T18:23:00.003-04:00

This week was a bit weird. Monday's session was postponed because of Thanksgiving. Then I missed Wednesday's session because I was at the office until 10:30pm working on a new business presentation (we killed it). But I went for a run on Tuesday and to a make-up boot camp session this morning so I'm still on track. In fact, today I held Plank for two whole minutes! Yay for me! So I rewarded myself with a new pair of lululemon pants. I needed them. Honest. It was barely above freezing when I went to boot camp this morning. Way too cold for the cropped pants I was wearing.

I'm still determined to fit in a third workout so I think I'll pack my new pants when I fly to Calgary tomorrow (another new business presentation) and go for a run there. Provided there isn't any snow on the ground. I'm not THAT hardcore.

Boot Camp - Week 5

2009-10-11T22:11:00.003-04:00

Boot camp was awesome this week! I'm feeling really strong and worked hard through both sessions. That's not to say that it's getting easy. I've yet to go through a class where at some point I didn't think, "Please let this be over!" But that's the whole point. Boot camp is group training and the role of the trainer is to push you harder than you would yourself.

I'm proud to say that I finally found time for a third workout this week. I went for a run (a run/walk, really) for the first time ever. Running has never appealed to me in the past but I felt the desire to try something different and it was really fun. Once boot camp is over at the end of the month I might try the Couch to 5K program, which should take me until Christmas.

Anyway, the last thing on my mind right now is exercise. I'm full of turkey, cake and wine, flaked out on the couch with the siblings, watching Murder Party in preparation for Halloween.

Bonne Nuit

2009-10-04T20:52:00.005-04:00

This year I got an early start on Nuit Blanche and headed down to Liberty Village with my camera. The exhibits didn't blow me away. As always, it was the community that made it awesome. And this year I saw a different side of it - families with kids, older couples, sober people. Who knew?

The Apology Project was my favourite exhibit and the stand-out of Zone C. Though Fire and Sausage was suprisingly effective at setting the "urban disaster/catastrophe" tone. It seemed at almost every corner there was a group of people wrapped in emergency blankets around a bonfire patiently waiting for morsels of sausage and cups of hot chocolate. I wonder if the exhibit was as impactful (and orderly) later in the night, once the crowds descended.

I also noticed a number of attendees creating their own mobile exhibits involving costumes, instruments and bikes. I hope it catches on and there are more of them next time. It added to the participatory feeling of the night and made me think of events where the participants become the performers, like Burning Man.

Finally, I loved seeing Nite Lite as I made my way back up Strachan towards home. It was like a giant Lite Brite beckoning me, so of course I had to go over and play.

Boot Camp - Week 4 (Kinda)

2009-09-30T21:44:00.002-04:00

Okay, so it's not technically the end of Week 4 because I missed Monday (stupid cold) and am doing a make-up session tomorrow. Plus, now that I look at the calendar, the four weeks were really three because we started mid-week due to Labour Day. Regardless, today was the Week 4 weigh-in and I'm excited to post about my results.

Weight lost: 2lbs
Body fat lost: 2.3lbs
Lean muscle gained: 0.3lbs
Total inches lost: 3.25

Doesn't look that exciting, does it? But when I consider that I didn't change my eating habits and failed to squeeze in that third workout each week, it's not bad. However, if I want more significant results (and I do), I'll need to amp it up for the next four weeks. The good thing is, I feel stronger now and have more energy so I can push myself harder without running out of steam or hurting myself.

Let's see if I'm still feeling so positive tomorrow. Boot camp two days in a row. What was I thinking?

Boot Camp - Week 3

2009-09-28T13:30:00.002-04:00

Got lucky with the weather this week and did not have to do boot camp in the rain. It was close - on Monday it only stopped raining an hour before my session - but I stayed dry. Man, the rain sure brought out the mosquitos though!

I'm definitely stronger now than when I started. How do I know? I held Plank for one full minute! Of course, it happened to be the session where our instructor bumped us up to two minutes of Plank (which I could not do), but whatever, one minute is still a milestone in my books. Other people seem to be noticing the effects of boot camp too as I have received some very flattering compliments in the past few days.

Still haven't done the recommended third work-out though. But this week I had a reasonable excuse. I caught the cold from hell. It's been a few days but I still feel like death warmed over and will probably skip tonight's boot camp session as a result. Looks like it may be cancelled anyway, if the weather report is to be believed. I hope so, because then there will be a make-up session on Saturday and I won't technically be skipping.

Psyching Myself Up For The Big Climb

2009-09-25T10:05:00.005-04:00

As part of it's annual United Way fundraising campaign, my agency is entering a corporate team in the CN Tower Climb on Oct. 22. I figured, what better way to test the effectiveness of my boot camp? So, I signed up. Then I remembered that I'm kinda claustrophobic and stairwells are not a happy place for me, as I discovered one Summer trying to climb Brock's Monument with my family. Guess I'll just have to suck it up and confront my fear for the sake of a really cool accomplishment. I mean, how many people can say they climbed the world's tallest tower? Besides, it won't be the first time I had to overcome claustrophobia to have a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Navigating the cramped tunnels of the Great Pyramid of Giza comes to mind - full of tourists and too small to stand up straight.

So, not only will I be raising money for a good cause, I'll also be conquering my fear to acheive a personal goal. If that's not reason enough to sponsor me, then I don't know what is!

Boot Camp - Week 2

2009-09-21T09:10:00.004-04:00

Completed my second week of boot camp and by the fourth session I was already starting to feel stronger. I can tell because my form has improved. I feel like I'm doing controlled moves rather than flailing around the park for an hour. Still can't hold Plank for a minute without breaking but the instructor assures me that everyone can do it by the end of the course. I may have also lost a pound or two. I'm not sure because I don't own a scale but I am feeling marginally less doughy.

So far, the best thing about boot camp is exercising outside. The cool evening breeze makes the cardio work bearable and I love staring up at the stars when it's time to do crunches. The occasional bat fly-by keeps things interesting too.

My love for the outdoors will be tested this week though. Today is the start of Week 3 and, if the forecast is correct, it'll be my first session in the rain.

I also need to squeeze in a third workout, as recommended for maximum results. I was going to go blading last Friday but flaked out. Chasing my nephew around all weekend has to be worth something though. Right?

Douglas Coupland Is A Collector

2009-09-17T09:10:00.008-04:00

Ever since I was a kid I liked to collect things. Often little things, like marbles, dice or hot wheels. The problem I have as an adult is that I want to display some of my collections but find it difficult to do so without making my home look cluttered and junky. Then I saw pictures of Douglas Coupland's new house.

Coupland is a collector too and has custom display areas built right into his home. Often symmetrical and on a white or black background, the displays appear as large-scale pieces of art rather than an assemblage of many tiny pieces. Decidedly un-junky.

Target Stack

Wall of Dice

Collection of Building Kit Pieces (far right)

Thread Organizer

"I collect shapes." - Coupland

For more pictures of Coupland's house, check out the slideshow at the New York Times site.

Incidentally, one of the building kits that Coupland has collected is a set from the 60s called Super City (pictured in the background of the third picture, above). I know my Grammy has an old set under one of the beds at her house and I'll be digging it out next time I visit.

Boot Camp - Week 1

2009-09-14T19:34:00.020-04:00

I decided it's about time to get off my lazy ass and do something about these extra 10 pounds I've been bitching about so I signed up for an 8-week boot camp. It's twice a week at 8:00pm in the park across the street - late enough that work won't get in the way and convenient enough that I have absolutely no excuse to skip.

The first class wasn't too bad. Proper form is important so there were a lot of breaks in the action for instruction. I came away feeling like I was in better shape than I thought. Then a day or so later the soreness set in. Oh, how wrong I was! I entered the second session feeling much more humble, which was a good thing because it got a lot harder and I may not have made it through if I hadn't paced myself. Though that might have had something to do with the fact that it was a morning class (to make up for the holiday Monday) and I'm certainly not a morning person.

Biggest lesson learned so far... When exercising in the park at night, WEAR BUG SPRAY! Fucking mosquitos.

I mentioned my desire to lose a few pounds but that's not my sole motivation for doing this. That's good because everything I've read says that weight loss is not a sufficient long-term motivator. One needs to find other reasons for exercise if the ultimate goal is life-long health and fitness. So here are my reasons, in order of importance.

More energy
Less stress
Increased fitness and strength
Weight loss

The first two are the ones that I quickly forget when I'm going through a lazy phase. Then I start exercising again and am amazed at the almost immediate impact on my energy level and mental state. I saw a quote somewhere that sums it up, "Exercise doesn't take time, it makes time." So true, so true.

What I Did For My Summer Vacation

2009-09-09T19:21:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was the first day of school but, whatever, that means nothing to me. As far as I'm concerned there are still 10 days of Summer left. Maybe that's why I haven't been feeling the usual back-to-school blues. Then again, the blues are usually a result of Summer flying by before I have a chance to enjoy it. So maybe this year I'm not feeling melancholy because I had a real Summer for the first time in a long time. I'm talking out of the office at 5:00pm, weeknight beers on patios, camping, fishing, biking, jump in the lake, check out my tan lines, real for real Summer!

Looking back, there are very few items on my Summer list that didn't get checked off this year.

I went camping and fishing with my sister a few weeks before her wedding. We used to camp together on the Bruce Peninsula back when she was in high school but it had been years. At least this time we (meaning she) had better success with the fish.

Then there was the wedding itself. A four-day extravaganza at the beach with a whole mess of relatives from BC. The weather was perfect, big waves were crashing in the background, my little nephew stripped naked and ran into the lake during the ceremony and we had the giant fire to end all giant fires.

Mid-Summer was punctuated by a two week road trip to the East Coast including 8 days of camping, hiking and fishing around the Cabot Trail. Turns out all the nice Summer weather was holed up on Cape Breton. It was sunny and hot enough to swim in the ocean, meanwhile everyone in Toronto was in raincoats and rubber boots. And to top it off, we hit up Montreal on our way home. L'Express, Santropol, Beauty's, Copa, Biftek - that about sums it up.

Even after the big trip I managed to squeeze in another camping and fishing weekend with my Roadie (I'm on a boat!), a cottage weekend with my best friends and their new baby, popsicles and splash pools with my Benjamuffin, a kick-ass rock show (I love you, Kim!), mini donuts at the Ex and some backroad antiquing.

And it's not over yet. While everyone else is settling in to another year of homework and brown bag lunches, I'm gonna milk every last moment out of this Summer. Maybe if I work on my tan a bit more it'll last until Christmas.

This One Made Me LOL

2009-07-17T09:06:00.003-04:00

Oh Flickr, you made me LOL today.

Archie, Noooooo!

2009-05-29T08:54:00.019-04:00

The internets are abuzz with news of Archie's upcoming proposal to Veronica. After decades of indecision he's finally made up his mind, leaving loyal Betty out in the cold. My first reaction was, Noooo! How could he choose that spoiled bitch over girl-next-door Betty? But on second thought, Betty would be a subserviant and mind-numbingly boring wife. At least Veronica has some edge and would keep Archie on his toes. Then I realized that both girls are stupid for allowing themselves to be strung along by Archie for so long and I wish they would both dump him. Besides Reggie's way hotter and everyone knows Archie is secretly in love with Jughead.

So now you may be wondering, why do I care? And who the hell reads Archie anymore anyway? Well, I got back into the comics two summers ago. My boyfriend picked up a handfull of issues to take with us on a camping road trip out East. Awesome move! Nothing beats reading Archie comics while snuggled in a tent on a rainy afternoon. Except reading them aloud to one another ("It's Betty. She has an inflatable dinosaur.") Pure hilarity!

I'll be following the proposal storyline, as it just happens to coincide with another East coast camping trip. Gotta say, the fact that they announced Archie's choice so early has me suspicious. Could this be a set-up for a major plot twist? I'm crossing my fingers for a very special coming out of the closet issue.

Black Beauty

2009-04-25T17:24:00.004-04:00

I was so busy not blogging last Summer that I forgot to post about my new aluminum and carbon baby. My matte black beauty. My Specialized Tricross Sport Triple, lovingly handpicked specifically for my riding style by my brother-in-law Mark at Gears. I love it more with every ride. Behold.

You may be wondering how I found the transition to clipless pedals. Was it tricky? Did I fall? The answer is a big fat YES, while barely moving, in front of a bunch of other cyclists, and dressed head to toe in shiny new gear like some more-money-than-brains douche. FAIL.

Fucking Hipsters

2009-04-22T21:21:00.006-04:00

Recently, I've been feeling like my Queen West hood has become too cool for me. When I first moved here it was still kinda sketchy. Then it got cool. Then it got too cool for school. Now, I can barely step out the door without getting run over by some mustachioed hipster on a fixie.

But just when I thought all hope was lost, it seems the tide may be turning. Look at this fucking hipster. Let the backlash begin!

via brazilian faith healer

iTouch Apps I'd Like To Have - Pt. 2

2009-03-22T10:51:00.004-04:00

Balcony Gardener

It's the early days of Spring and I'm already looking forward to planting the containers on my little condo balcony. It crossed my mind that I could start some plants inside if I plan well enough in advance. But I don't really know the proper timing. Or how early you can move plants outside. And sometimes I need help just figuring out what plants have balcony potential because the gardening centres are geared more to yards. What I need is an app that would allow me to input the plants I want, or even help me select them, and then tell me when to plant, when to move outside and remind me when to water and fertilize.

Canadian Tire should get on that and serve up ads from their weekly flyer with the reminders.

iTouch Apps I'd Like to Have

2009-02-27T22:39:00.006-05:00

I pretty much always have a laptop within arm's reach. So whenever I want to know something or do something, the first place I turn is the Interweb. But since I got it, I've found it easier to grab my iTouch than pull out the laptop. And often the information I'm looking for doesn't warrant a full website anyway. I frequently find myself searching for apps that aren't there. So I decided to keep track of all the iTouch/iPhone apps I wish existed.

AFI's Top 100

Tonight I was surfing channels and came across Mr. Smith Goes To Washington just as it was starting. I got sucked in and watched the whole thing. Awesome movie! As I was taking in its awesomeness, I recalled that it was on the American Film Institute's Top 100 Movies list. When the list was first released, and before there were all the spin-off lists (100 Laughs, 100 Movie Quotes), I had a photocopy of it and I crossed the movies off as I watched them. Don't know what happened to that list but after seeing Mr. Smith I felt like crossing it off. How perfect would it have been to have an app containing all the AFI's Top 100 lists with the ability to check them off and provide reviews?

Somebody should get on that.

RIP, Old Laptop

2009-02-21T17:38:00.006-05:00

After three and a half years of faithful service, it's time to put my HP laptop out to pasture. When I first got it I had a feeling it would become my inseparable best friend and I was pretty much right on. Much time was spent blogging, downloading, burning, socializing and surfing. For a while it was the only thing I had in the way of a TV. Not only did it endure heavy, regular use, it even survived the soup incident, hard-drive intact.

RIP, Old Computer. We had some times.

But time moves on and so do I. It's not just goodbye Old Laptop, it's goodbye PC. I'm a Mac now.

Every Album Ever Made

2009-02-17T20:44:00.005-05:00

So true, so true...

Play Date

2009-02-08T20:05:00.002-05:00

Know what's awesome? Going to a redemption arcade and winning tickets for prizes! Know what's even more awesome? Going to a redemption arcade and winning tickets for prizes at 35 years old and not giving a fuck.

Yesterday my friend Tanya and I went to Playdium in Missisauga, and no, we were not accompanying children. We played Dance Dance Revolution and a bunch of racing and shooting games. Then we played skee ball and pop-a-shot and won handfuls of tickets that we traded in for prizes. I got a blow-pop, a superball and a stamp that says "You are the best!"

When I told my boss of my plans for the weekend he made fun of me. I think I'll use that stamp on the next document he sends me for review.

Establishing Good Habits

2009-01-19T20:43:00.003-05:00

I'm surprised at how far I'd fallen out of the blogging habit. I really felt it writing the last few posts. But now it's all coming back and the ideas are flowing. And all it took was a couple of posts. So that got me thinking, if I could get myself into some sort of regular habit of twittering maybe the tweets would come more easily and I'd finally discover some real value in Twitter. Cause I gotta admit, I've been on Twitter for a while but it's still not doing it for me. On my last attempt to get into it, I subscribed to a bunch of social media types but the conversation just wasn't interesting to me. And anyone who tweets more than 10 times in a day is waaaay too chatty for me. So I un-followed about half the people on my list and added a couple new ones that are more relevant to me, personally (wilw and nerdist - thanks for the tip, regalbear). Now that I think of it, it's the same sort of housecleaning I did on my RSS Reader a while back. And I love reading my feeds now. Anyway, to the point... I'm going to attempt to post one tweet every day for the foreseeable future, just to see what will happen.

A is for Apron

2009-01-18T20:14:00.005-05:00

I'm finally catching up on my posts. Maybe I'll even get around to posting my year in review soon.

Anyway, I received a lot of really cool and thoughtful gifts for Christmas, including a craft book called A is for Apron.

So over the holidays I picked up some super cute Amy Butler fabric and made two aprons from one of the patterns in the book, called Big Pockets. Its the perfect apron to wear while crafting or working on projects around the house. I made one for myself and one for my crafternoon buddy, Ninette (Ninette, if you're reading this - Surprise!) I'm pleased with how they turned out.

I'll have to get a picture of both of us in our aprons at the next crafternoon.

My First (Completed) Quilt

2009-01-17T15:20:00.006-05:00

I made reference to a secret project in a couple of previous posts. Well, I actually finished it over a month ago but I've been so busy I haven't gotten around to posting about it.

It's a baby quilt for my best friends. They're expecting their first child in March. This is the third quilt I have started and the first one to be completed. It was also the most challenging and the one that I put the most effort into. I have so much more patience and dedication when I'm working on a project for someone else.

The quilt was inspired by a Japanese fabric that I ordered from Purlsoho.com. My friends love cute, Japanese things and the animal print has a vaguely 70s feel that reminds me of our youth. I combined it with a couple of 30s repro prints and coordinating dots on white that give the quilt an overall vintagey feel.

It ended up being one of the best things I have ever made and I'm very proud of it. My friends love it, of course. I can't wait to see their little baby wrapped up in it. Or playing on it on the porch at the cottage.

Ladyhawk

2009-01-16T20:57:00.003-05:00

I love Ladyhawk. Can't remember where I first heard about them but The Dugout had me pretty much hooked from the first listen. I saw them open for Tapes n Tapes at Lee's two summers ago and they rocked out extra hard. Picked up their second album, Shots, on vinyl but didn't get into it right away. Then, the magical third listen happened live when my sister and I saw them open for Attack in Black at the Horseshoe last Fall. Since then I have been in love with the album. Listening to it right now and I think it's my favourite of last year. I Don't Always Know What You're Saying might be the best song I have ever heard.

Well, until the next album and the next third listen and the next best song I have ever heard.

A Charlie Brown Ad Agency

2008-12-19T12:08:00.002-05:00

Fuckin' hilarious!

Thanks jejfwith1f and Dice!

F*@# You, Canadian Telecom Companies!

2008-11-27T12:42:00.002-05:00

I have such a hate on for the Canadian telecom industry right now!

First, Rogers abruptly changed my boyfriend's mobile plan (without notifying him, I might add) so that his unlimited text plan no longer includes texts that he sends while in the United States. He is on the road all the time and often working evenings while I work days. Text was our number one way of staying in touch. Grrr.

Then I started investigating pay-as-you-go phones for my mom, who only carries a cell phone for emergencies, only to find that the minutes that you purchase in advance actually expire within 30 to 90 days (depending on how many you buy). WTF is the point of having a pay-as-you-go phone if you still have to buy a minimum number of minutes every month?!

Now this, from Twitter:

Unexpected changes in our billing have forced us into a difficult situation with our Canadian SMS service. We can’t afford to support this service given our current arrangement with our providers (where costs have been doubling for the past several months.) As a result, effective today we are no longer delivering outbound SMS over our Canadian shortcode (21212).
The ability to update Twitter over SMS will still be supported over 21212. But we know that this is only part of the experience and we want to make Twitter work in the way folks want … regardless of where they live.
There is a realistic, scalable SMS solution for Canada (and the rest of the world.) We’re working on that and will post more details on the Twitter blog as we make progress.

Yet another reason to buy an iPhone, if you ask me. Except that I can't. I'm locked into my Telus contract for another 2 years and Rogers is the only company offering the iPhone. The penalty for breaking my Telus contract is about double the cost of a new iPhone.

My faith in the industry was almost restored a couple weeks ago when Bell called me, unprompted, to tell me that their system showed I was receiving less than optimal speed via my Sympatico high-speed connection and could they send a service technician to identify the problem. I agreed and patiently waited for the technician to arrive between 8:00am and noon on the following Sunday. At 6:30pm someone from Bell called to say the technician couldn't make it (no shit?) and promised someone would be out the next day between 5:00pm and 9:00pm. They also said they would be sure to call if the technician was going to be delayed again. That was 10 days ago. No technician. No phone call.

At this point I'm thinking a couple of tin cans strung together with dental floss would be the best option.

People Like Space Invaders, Too

2008-11-17T10:37:00.003-05:00

My Space Invaders cross-stitch was featured on one of my favourite blogs, Sprite Stitch. It's the second in a video game series I'm working on. Sprite Stitch posted about the first one a while back.

I've also been joining groups and sharing more of my crafty projects on Flickr. It's always exciting to receive positive comments on my work, which in turn point me to inspirational work by like-minded crafters. I'm dying to post work-in-progress images of my current project but it's a gift and I don't want to ruin the surprise. Must be patient.

The Answer

2008-11-14T15:11:00.004-05:00

Did you know that Google can be used for more than just searching websites? For instance, type in "time London" and Google will return the local time in London, England above the search results. Or type "30 inches in centimeters" and Google will instantly do the conversion. You can even type in an equation and Google's calculator will crunch the numbers for you.

Either Google's calculator is powerful enough to process 7.5 million years' worth of data in a split second or some sci-fi fanboy is behind it's algorithm...

Thanks for pointing this out Rod (via Facebook)!

Happy Birthday To Me

2008-11-11T21:32:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was my birthday. However, I did most of my celebrating in the days leading up to it. I spent four days in Jacksonville, NC and Myrtle Beach with the boyfriend, visiting family. It was non-stop fun, adolescent-style. We set off firecrackers in a parking lot, played ski-ball at the arcade and traded our tickets in for toys, hit the Hawaiian Rumble mini-golf course (where I won by 4 strokes), ate cupcakes, jumped in an inflatable bouncy house and fired bottle rockets. It was the perfect way to celebrate my 35th year. We even snickered, immaturely, at an unfortunately named gift shop.

Needlebook

2008-10-29T22:26:00.005-04:00

I made this last Friday but am only getting around to posting it now. It's what my sister calls a craft for craft's sake. What she means is that it was more about making the object than it was about the need for the object. She's right, I suppose. I could've survived without a needlebook but it gave me a chance to play with my beautiful new wool felt and this super kawaii japanese bird print that I ordered online. Just look at how cute it turned out!

Whew, I Feel A Bit Better Now

2008-10-29T11:15:00.003-04:00

This is just what I needed after my last post.

God prefers Atheists (click to view)

Witness Wear

2008-10-28T11:11:00.005-04:00

I'm heading down to the States next week and will be spending a couple days in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina while I'm there. So I went online to check out the tourist attractions and shopping and came across this.

I think I'm going to be waaaaay out of my element down there.

ABC... Always Be Closing

2008-10-20T22:09:00.002-04:00

As you can probably tell from my recent posts, I have been in a super crafty mood lately. For the first time in ages, I had no plans last weekend so I dedicated an entire two days to working on projects. There was only one rule - no new projects until I completed some old ones. Let me tell you, it was tough to stay focused what with all the new supplies and inspiration I picked up at the Creativ Festival. But I stuck to my guns and finished the top of my second quilt.

Second quilt, you ask? It's true, I've yet to complete my first one. But one day I was looking at this awesome vintage fabric I picked up at an antique show and next thing you know I was cutting scraps and assembling blocks. Here's the fabric that set me off.

Then yesterday at Crafternoon, I finished the Space Invaders cross-stitch that I've been working on forever.

It's second in a series. Pac Man was first and Donkey Kong is up next. But I think it will be a while before I start that one because I just received some new fabrics in the mail from purlsoho.com. They're for a new project, with a deadline. But I can't talk about it here because it's a gift.

Despite the obsessive non-stop making, I have yet to work all the craftiness out of my system. My fingers are still itching so expect more completed projects and more photos soon.

Loot!

2008-10-18T16:41:00.006-04:00

I spent the afternoon at the Creativ Festival and was in crafty heaven. The quality of the exhibitors was excellent and I came home with a big bag of loot - quilt batting, cotton fabrics including the perfect grey background for a wall hanging I've been thinking about, beautiful wool felt, a triangle template, disappearing ink marking pen, bobbins for my Pfaff, emobroidery floss cards, glass-head pins and new sharps.

There was a super cute craft book I wanted as well but by the time I went back for it, it was already sold. Probably just as well because I would've ended up starting new projects instead of finishing the ones I already have on the go.

After watching numerous demonstrations, I also came home with a serious jones for a long arm quilting machine. Never mind that they cost upwards of $7,000 and take up an entire room. Maybe I should concentrate on actually finishing a quilt first. So far I have two in progress, two in planning and none on my bed.

Overall, I'd like to see the festival organizers adapt the class schedule to attract more young DIYers. Aside from one amigurumi session, I didn't see any new skool crafts. What I did see was a lot of traditional quilting, country cross-stitch and scrapbooking. How about some doodle stitching, a display of felt softies or a lecture by Jenny Hart? I noticed one or two cool looking crafty chicas in the crowd but otherwise it was dominated by grey hair. A more diverse mix would bring greater inspiration to everyone. Regardless, I'll be back next year. Should be due for another supply restock by then.

See? Crafts ARE Cool!

2008-10-07T23:18:00.002-04:00

Trailer for Handmade Nation: The Rise of DIY Art, Craft & Design, a documentary by Faythe Levine coming out in 2009. Watching this makes me want to stay up all night, listening to records and working on projects.

Hungover

2008-10-05T17:29:00.003-04:00

My day-long recovery from Nuit Blanche continues. The experience was different this year compared to last. More socializing, way more drinking, a little less art - which is why more of my photos ended up like this:

Than this:

Liberty Village made an excellent backdrop for the sponsored installations. We started with I Promise It Will Always Be This Way, which consisted of a group of mascots dancing on the field in Lamport Stadium. Maybe it was my state of inebriation, but it was humourous and surreal and I loved it. Then we continued to Imagine Peace, where we were both entertained and baffled by the messages in the Wish Tree ("I wish we lived in a world where anti-oppression wasn't just a framework"), Overflow and the light/sound installation, DANDYBERRY. Turns out we missed a few pieces in Zone C. Chalk it up to a mix of drunkenness and Liberty Village's confusing layout. Still, it was fun to stumble around, laughing and chatting, with a group of good friends.

After a pit stop at my place (read: more drinks), we hit West Queen West. The move to Liberty Village meant no sponsored exhibits along Queen, so it felt a little less special this year. We were also extremely disappointed to find the upper floors of the Gladstone closed at 3:00am. At that point, the group started to break up and head separate ways so I started my walk back home, popping into the Great Hall along the way just in time to catch a jam-band cover of Boogie on Reggae Woman. It was the perfect capper to the night and reminded me of why I love Nuit Blanche so much - it brings people out into the neighbourhood. Exploring my hood at 3:45am felt more like 3:45pm.

Of course, the day after has been a complete write-off. I blew off brunch with friends to spend the day nursing a hangover. Being hungover makes me feel depressed. It's a mix of post-party let-down and the feeling that I'm wasting the day. Yesterday, I had thoughts of spending today working on crafty projects. Now, it's 6:00pm and I'm still in my pajamas. At least I knocked off all my chores yesterday. I usually procrastinate and put off everything for Sunday afternoon, which leaves me feeling stressed out and dreading the start of the week. Now, my place is clean, the groceries and laundry are done and I can nap on the couch guilt-free. In fact, I think I've seen the light and will be making Saturday my chore day from now on. I didn't realize how important a true day of rest could be to my mental state.

Tetris For Renovators

2008-09-29T14:32:00.003-04:00

Okay. As soon as I get that house, I'm going to redo the bathroom with these Tetris tiles. They are made of win!

[via technabob]

Sometimes I Get Obsessed

2008-09-28T13:12:00.005-04:00

Sometimes the urge to create hits me and I become completely obsessed with a project (or two, or three). Everything else falls to the side - I don't cook, I don't clean, I stay in my pajamas until 2:00pm - and I can't quit until the urge is satisfied. This weekend was one of those times. It started Friday night with virtual projects. I downloaded more apps for my iPod touch and did some major housekeeping on my multiple social media and email accounts. That continued on Saturday morning before I switched over to crafts. Once my iPod touch was all set up, the next step was to create an awesome case for it. Figured I'd make one for my old iPod too, while I was at it. Any excuse to play with my felt and vintage fabric scraps, really. The results were totally worth it, if I do say so myself.

And now, with a sense of accomplishment, I can return to my regular everyday activities like eating, showering and dressing.

This Is A Test

2008-09-25T23:28:00.001-04:00

This is my first post from my brand new iPod Touch. It was a gift from work for volunteering to participate in a social media research initiative. First thing I did was download the software update required to run iPhone Apps. Then I downloaded Twitterific, Facebook and Blogpress. So, friends, you can expect a flurry of mobile tweets, posts and status updates coming at you from wi-fi hotspots far and wide.

Mmm... Crab

2008-09-21T19:20:00.003-04:00

I'm embarrassed to say this, because my friends will make fun of me, but today I went to T & T Supermarket for the first time ever.

I went to the new-ish Cherry St. location and was absolutely blown away. Fresh dim sum, sushi and BBQ made on the premises. An endless selection of asian pastries and frozen dumplings. An entire section of dried meats, including salmon jerky. And an incredible fresh fish counter with two large tanks of live dungeness crab - my most favouritest food in the entire world - at a mere $5.99/lb!

It was tempting to bring home a big crab (or two) for dinner but considering I had no idea how to cook and prepare a live crab, I resisted. Now, thanks to the good 'ol interweb, I know exactly what to do for next time. Turns out it's not so hard.

Until then, I'll enjoy my mango pudding, young coconut juice, shredded pork with garlic black bean sauce and local organic oyster mushrooms. Yummy!

How awesome is it that after 10 years in this city, I'm still uncovering new cultural and culinary experiences?

Don't Tell Me Graffiti Isn't Art

2008-09-21T10:22:00.002-04:00

MUTO by blu.

Why Urban Living Does Not Kick Ass

2008-09-20T11:46:00.009-04:00

It's rare that I say anything negative about living in the city. But lately, I have developed two very strong and very conflicting desires that have taken some of the shine off my fair Toronto:

I want to buy a house.

I want to live downtown.

Now, I'm no property virgin. I understand the realities of buying real estate in the city. I'm willing to invest some sweat equity and I don't want more space than I need - 1,200 square feet would be a palace by my standards. Plus, my wish list is relatively modest:

2 bedrooms
1.5 baths
2 parking spaces, not necessarily covered
No major structural renovations required

My dream would be to own a house in my current neighbourhood of Trinity-Bellwoods but I'm also looking at emerging areas like Parkdale, Dufferin Grove and The Junction. I'm even giving consideration to Mimico/New Toronto. The little brick bungalows in that area are super cute but the thought of commuting makes my stomach turn.

So where does that put me? Average house price $544,000!

Half a million dollars for a house. Even considering the equity in my condo, that's ridiculous. Good thing I love my little shoebox on the park. Looks like I could be living here for a long, long time.

Crafternoons at Studio Nine Gallery

2008-09-16T13:11:00.005-04:00

I am so excited. This weekend is the inaugural Crafternoon at Studio Nine Gallery, a new art space recently opened by my friends Ninette and Todd. Check it:

Crafternoons

Looking to share your crafty knowledge?
Need some time to finish your projects? Join us for Crafternoons on the
3rd Sunday of every month, starting September 21!

Drop in for an afternoon of crafting,
socializing, and of course, tea and cookies! Access our extensive
library of craft and art resources, sewing machines, serger,
and beautiful studios.

Only $15 for 3 hours from 1:00-4:00pm
Pre-registration is required.
Become a member and
participate in an exhibition in the spring!

Ninette and I had a couple informal crafternoons last Winter and I'm thrilled that it spawned a regular program at the gallery. Maybe I'll actually finish some projects this year. It certainly promises to be more disciplined considering the gallery doesn't have a liquor license, so we'll be paying more attention to our crafts and less to our gin and tonics (the official drink of crafternoon).

Book Club for Bloggers

2008-09-11T13:01:00.003-04:00

Fair readers, I should have warned you when I relaunched this blog that you can expect an increase in interweb-related nerdiness. Just because I retired my social media blog, doesn't mean I don't still need an outlet...

So, today I discovered the MiniBook Expo: Business Edition via One Degree. The concept is simple. Commit to posting a review of a book and said book will be shipped to you for free. I just staked my claim to Click: What Millions of People Are Doing Online and Why it Matters by Bill Tancer.

I'm waiting for email confirmation and should then receive my book in 4 weeks. Stay tuned.

I'm Sick With The Foo

2008-09-07T20:31:00.005-04:00

Woke up feeling sad this morning but couldn't figure out why. Then I realized it was because the Foo Fighters show was last night. And now it's over. I have a Foo hangover.

I'm almost embarrassed to say that last night was first time I saw the Foo Fighters play live. It was worth the wait. Dave Grohl is a fucking rock star! It was an outdoor show at Olympic Island but we had VIP passes, which meant we watched the show from risers at the side of the mosh pit. From our vantage point, it was like seeing them play a mid-size club. Saweeet!

The whole experience served to solidify my long-standing crush on Dave Grohl, thus the post-show let-down today. It wasn't just the intense rocking out, but also his awesome stage banter. I'd paraphrase, but could never do him justice. You'll just have to check it out for yourself...

Never Too Old For Punk

2008-09-06T17:00:00.002-04:00

Went to see Lagwagon, one of my all-time favourite punk rawk bands, with my best friend last night. Jaded concert-goers that we are, we used the time shown on the ticket and the number of openers to calculate the optimal arrival time so we wouldn't have to stand around for too long. Upon arriving, we hit the bar and chilled in the back of the room with our beers as the kids bopped around to MXPX. We are so over mosh pits.

Then Lagwagon came on and it was as though they constructed their entire show for old, mid-30s punks like us. They drew heavily from Trashed - kicking things off with Island of Shame, confusing the kids with tracks like Coffee and Cigarettes, even choosing Know It All over setlist staple Bombs Away in the encore. When they played Falling Apart half-way through the show it felt like an inside joke that only we could truly understand.

Our back-of-the-bar cool quickly disolved into a beer-fueled blur of fist pumping, head banging and blazing air-guitar solos. We left sweaty and high on adrenaline. It was like being transported 10 years back in time. Except 10 years ago I wouldn't have woken up with such an evil hangover.

C'mon Baby, Don't Be Like That

2008-09-05T14:57:00.003-04:00

You know I love you, right? You were my first and you'll always be number one in my heart. Sure, I was with that other blog for a while but it didn't mean anything. You're the only one I really care about, Everything is a spoon. Look at this new pretty new template. I made it, special, just for you. You like it, don't you? C'mon baby, give me another chance and I'll prove that I've changed. I'll post regularly, link to you on Facebook and everything. Please?

You will?

Yeah, I knew that you would.

People Like Pac Man

2008-07-16T21:00:00.003-04:00

Awesome! My Pac Man cross-stitch got mentions on Sprite Stitch and Technabob. Technabob was particularly complimentary. Plus, he has a category called "geek art & craft", which earns him an add to my RSS reader.

Is This The Death Knell For The Blog?

2008-05-30T17:14:00.002-04:00

Thanks to the BF, there is now a 46" flat panel TV in our living room - complete with full cable package and HD movies on demand. I may never post again.

Things Are Not Looking Good For The Blog

2008-05-16T10:02:00.002-04:00

Holy crap, I didn't realize how long it had been since I posted! Ever since I revived this blog I've been struggling to get back to a consistent level of posting. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like I'll be getting there any time soon. Last Summer was bad enough. Between the blading, biking and boyfriend, I just didn't have time for blogging*. Now this Summer, I have a new bike and the boyfriend has moved in. Poor little blog, your day will come again. But probably not until October.

*Today's post was brought to you by the letter "B"

Spring!

2008-04-19T23:08:00.002-04:00

Spring is finally here. I've come out of hibernation. Yesterday, I went blading along the lakeshore for the first time this year. Today, I shopped along Queen W. and hung out in Trinity-Bellwoods. Then I took a nap on the couch with all the windows open and listened to my neighbour playing guitar on his balcony. Ah, life is good again.

Intro to Plastic Surgery... for 6-year-olds

2008-04-16T12:56:00.002-04:00

I saw this post on Boing Boing today, about a doctor in Bal Harbour, Florida who has written a children's book about plastic surgery called My Beautiful Mommy.

While in Miami this past Spring, my boyfriend and I took a drive up the coast and stopped for lunch at the ultra-high-end Bal Harbour Shops (I'm still dreaming about the snakeskin Louboutin pumps that cost more than my mortagage payments). After witnessing the decadence first hand I'd say, yeah - a book to help you explain your nose job, tummy tuck and breast implants to your 6-year-old daughter makes perfect sense!

Doggy Style

2008-04-09T20:15:00.002-04:00

I just caught Snoop Dogg on American Idol: Idol Gives Back. He performed "Can't Say Goodbye", a song about his roots and how growing up on the streets made him the man he is. At the start of the second verse a group of kids marched up onto the stage wearing Snoop hoodies and crowded around him, rocking to the beat. It was quite the fuzzy, feel-good (and totally contrived) scene. Just about made my head explode, coming from the man who brought us such classic jams as "Gin and Juice" and "Pimp Slapp'd".

I (Heart) My Blog

2008-03-26T21:03:00.003-04:00

I'm in the process of going back and adding labels to my past posts - all 235 of them. Needless to say it's a tedious task. But it's giving me cause to revisit posts that I haven't read, or even thought about, in months. I'm amazed at just how much I have written! And it's reminding me of how much I love this blog. And how funny I think I am. And how posting doesn't have to be such a big deal. And how I really need to get back in the habit no matter how busy I am at work.

Why Urban Living Kicks Ass - Pt. 5: Winter Edition

2008-03-09T20:39:00.003-04:00

Living downtown, huge snowstorms have very little impact on my day-to-day life. I live in a condo so there's no driveway to shovel. And my car rarely leaves the underground parking anyway, even when the weather is nice. So when the snow hits, all that's required is a good pair of boots.

During this weekend's heavy snowfall I managed to head across town for a crafternoon at a friend's house, go out for cajun catfish po' boys at lunch, take her dogs to the park, head to another friend's house for a birthday party and do a late night munchies run to the store before grabbing the streetcar back to the West end and bed.

So yeah, life is easy in the city during Winter. But am I missing out on anything? Not with a toboggan hill like this right across the street.

A Canadian Moment

2008-03-09T12:51:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I was riding the Queen streetcar to the East side, on my way to make crafts at a friend's house while hiding out from the big snowstorm. A man got on with his hockey bag and stick and the driver came over the speaker and said, "Two minute penalty, high sticking."

Not much of a story in the re-telling, but it felt awesomely Canadian at the time.

Hipster Doofus Defence

2008-03-06T16:42:00.005-05:00

I'll admit it. I'm a closet celebrity gossip junky. The Superficial is my regular lunchtime reading (while eating at my desk, like the hard-working suit that I am). Today, it almost made me fall out of my chair laughing. But not for the actual gossip. It was for these step-by-step instructions on how to defend against a verbal attack by David Arquette.

Because there's nothing more terrifying than a hipster doofus in your grill. I mean, seriously. All you have to do is say Bright Eyes sounds just like Arcade Fire then, when he rambles on for five hours, you beat him over the head with his Mac Powerbook.

It's funny because it's true! Seriously. I live on Queen West and work at an advertising agency. I know from hipster doofi.

Hurry Up, Spring!

2008-03-01T21:33:00.003-05:00

I am so sick of Winter. It's making me lazy, antisocial and depressed. Today, I stayed in to give my apartment a much needed cleaning, managed to tidy up a bit and then took a nap and talked on the phone. Tonight, I'm choosing to spend quality time with my laptop instead of going out with friends. I just don't feel like doing anything. I need sun and fresh grass and bike rides.

Get off your ass, Spring, and hurry the fuck up!

Sinfully Good Cookies

2008-02-21T16:28:00.001-05:00

The other day, I received the following FlickrMail asking permission to use one of my photos.

I'm writing to ask permission to use your photo of Christmas Cookies on a green background (72682860) for a Bible study that I teach to about 20-25 women. I will give you credit, it is for non-commercial purposes and I will share alike. It is for a series called "What's Cookin' " and would be for the handout for the week about Christmas. Thank you, Jo Anne

It was nice of Jo Anne to ask. She didn't have to considering my Creative Commons license states that anyone is free to use my photos for non-commercial purposes provided they give me credit and maintain the share-alike designation. I said yes, of course. But not before pausing to wonder if Jo Anne would still want my photo if she knew I am an atheist.

It's A Sad Day On Queen West

2008-02-20T20:09:00.003-05:00

Early this morning a good chunk of Queen West, near Portland, burnt to the ground in a 6-alarm fire. Duke's Cycle, in operation since 1914, is gone. As is National Sound, where I bought my turntable. Same goes for Preloved, Suspect Video, Nikolau and a number of other businesses and apartments. One of the worst parts is that the neighbourhood had just been designated a heritage area, in part to save it from becoming part of a huge condo/retail development planned for the adjacent parking lot. Who knows what will happen to that block now?

View of the smoke from my balcony at 8:00am this morning.

Awesome Mixed Tape #8

2008-02-11T22:02:00.000-05:00

Just got back from visiting the roadie boyfriend in Miami. It was his birthday so I made him a care package of all things Canadian to remind him of home, including this mix. When making mixes for him in the past, I tried to pick songs that I thought he would like based on his own musical tastes. This time I just went straight for my current Canadian favourites. Non-stop indie rock. I warned him that it might take a couple listens to get into it, but most good music does anyway.

It's The Canadian Mix, Eh!

The Dugout - Ladyhawk
My Rights Versus Yours - The New Pornographers
Sleepwalking Ballad - Apostle of Hustle
Lucky Ones - Kevin Drew
Young Lions - The Constantines
Attitude - The Inbreds
Tell Me Why - Neil Young
Ro Ro Roland - Tangiers
Intervention - Arcade Fire
The Mending of the Gown - Sunset Rubdown
Hotline Operator - The Constantines
Advice - Ladyhawk
Little Bones - The Tragically Hip
Everything You've Done Wrong - Sloan
My Moon My Man - Feist

One Great City! - The Weakerthans

Morning Rush

2008-01-27T22:42:00.000-05:00

There are prostitutes in my neighbourhood. This doesn't bother me. The prostitutes were here long before I was. And it tends to be the same small group of women. I recognize most of them by now. They work along Strachan in the early evening, rush hour basically, servicing the commuter Johns on their way to the Gardiner and home to the 905.

Anyway, on Friday morning I had to leave for work extra early and was surprised to see one of the women working the corner at 6:30am. Makes sense, I guess - there's a morning rush hour too.

In Stitches

2008-01-26T17:44:00.000-05:00

I've been going crazy for crafts lately. Looking back on some of my previous posts, it seems that I always get into a crafty mood at this time of year. Must have something to do with the weather. Why go outside in the cold and snow when I can stay in and stitch?

I'm a fickle crafter. I used to be super into jewlery-making and beads, then I got into paper, then softies, and these days I'm all about the needlework - quilting and embroidery. I have one quilt that I've been working away at for a couple years. It's at the hand-quilting stage, which is very tedious, so I keep dropping it in favour of other projects. A little while ago I started a second quilt. Almost done piecing the top and then I'm going to machine-quilt it. It'll probably be done before the first one. And then there the fun little embroidery projects that have no purpose whatsoever, except to make me happy.

I created the pattern for this tiny pixel-perfect Pac Man cross-stitch from a screen shot of the original arcade game. Not sure what count the Aida cloth is but I had to separate my embroidery floss into single strands to work it. Lucky I didn't go blind.

This owl pillow started out as an Aunt Martha tea towel pattern. Just started it one day because I was bored and when I finished, I didn't know what to do with it so I grabbed some scraps and made a pillow. Kind of like a little soft picture in a frame.

2007: The Year In Review

2008-01-03T20:04:00.001-05:00

Wasn't sure if I should write a Year In Review post for 2007, considering I abandoned this blog for more than half of it. But what the hell, here goes!

Looking back on my review of 2006, it seems that the past year wasn't signifcantly different. But it was significantly better and that's really saying something 'cause 2006 was pretty kick-ass to begin with.

2007 was the year I hit my stride at work.
My first year at the New Job was overwhelming. In retrospect, it's a wonder I got through it without developing a bleeding stomach ulcer. But then I hit year two and it began to feel natural - easy even. Now, I execute my responsibilities with confidence and feel like I have my finger on the pulse of the business. Here's hoping 2008 will be the year of The Promotion.

2007 was the year of new musical discoveries.
After two years of heavy music consumption, I started to get bored with my collection. So in 2007, I focused on discovering new bands. Luckily, Toronto was host to some amazing shows and I was able to see a few of my new discoveries play live. !!! rocked the house (make that houses - saw them twice). And Ladyhawk's The Dugout might be my new favourite song of all time (for now). But seeing Battles at Lee's Palace on my birthday, surrounded by my math-rock nerd brethren, literally blew my mind (I think a little bit leaked out of my ear). It was the highlight of the year. Unbelievable when you consider I also saw Stevie Wonder in 2007.

2007 was the year of health and fitness.
I biked. I bladed. I joined an ultimate frisbee league. I got a gym membership. I cooked healthy meals. I lost weight, gained muscle and ended the year in the best shape I've been since my university days. Yay, me!

2007 was the year of the new cottage.
It's finally done! For all the times I made fun of Mom and Dad and their endless floorplan revisions, their careful consideration really paid off. The layout naturally draws everyone together into a single open-concept living space. The only thing that will top Christmas at the new cottage will be Summer at the new cottage!

2007 was the year I fell in love again.
I have the most awesomest boyfriend in the whole wide world. Life with him is a non-stop, fun-filled adventure. I'm sad that he's back on the road but, honestly, I need the break. My cheeks were starting to hurt from the perma-grin that's been plastered on my face since last Spring.

Happy Holidays

2007-12-22T16:18:00.000-05:00

The Cool Kids Rock

2007-12-21T23:05:00.000-05:00

The Cool Kids - I Rock

I'm Back

2007-12-15T12:02:00.000-05:00

I miss my old blog.

I miss posting about random shit. The new blog has been going well, despite the fact I haven't posted in a month. But it's not the same. It requires more thought and effort and sometimes I just feel like being lazy and posting about whatever.

So, because I don't already have enough to do, I'm going to bring Everything is a spoon out of retirement and keep the new one going too.

Cause I need to do stuff like post video of Battles.

Update: Had to break down and change the video because the sound was so bad in the live version.

Goodbye!

2007-08-09T17:26:00.002-04:00

You have probably noticed that I haven't been posting much lately. It's mainly because I've been busy. Seriously, this has been an action-packed summer full of cottage weekends, parties, dinners, theater, movies, concerts (including backstage at White Stripes, woo!), biking, blading, frisbee - you name it!

But there's another reason too. I simply lost interest. Not in blogging in general, but in this blog specifically. It started as an experiment - a dip of my toe into the Web 2.0 pool in order to learn a thing or two. And I intentionally kept the subject matter very broad so I would never have a lack of things to write about. Now, 2 1/2 years later the experiment has worked and I have developed a fair amount of knowledge in the area of social media. As a result, I feel this blog has run its course. It's time to focus if I want to further my experiment and continue to learn.

So, fair readers, I announce the new blog...

Being social with media

If you would like to know more about my motivation, check out the inaugural post.

No doubt the new blog will not be of interest to everyone. If you're looking for photos of Benjer or updates on the new cottage, you won't find them there. But that's okay, cause I know who you are and you're already on my Facebook Friends list.

Closer... Closer...

2007-07-17T20:25:00.001-04:00

Haven't posted about the cottage construction in a while. And just look at how much has changed!

It has a roof and windows. It's starting to look like a real house. A real, really spectacular dream house on the beach.

According to the general contractor, it will be complete at the end of August. My parents, on the other hand, feel like mid-September is more realistic. Though, the deciding factor will be the selection of finishes. As construction progresses we quickly approach the point at which it could all come to a grinding halt if my mother is unable to make definitive decisions about flooring, tile, countertops and such. Then there's the furniture, fabrics and window coverings. So while there is a good chance we'll be in before Summer ends, there's an even better chance that we'll still be sitting on milk crates come Christmas.

Oooh, I am in so much trouble if Mom reads this!

Cutest. Baby. EVER.

2007-06-29T10:30:00.001-04:00

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this post are absolutely endorsed by Everything is a spoon. They are extremely biased and yet 100% true and scientifically proven (just don't ask for the data).

Just look at this picture of little Benjer. He is the cutest baby in the history of all babies. It's official. You read it here first.

Boyfriend Vs. Blog

2007-06-27T21:49:00.001-04:00

Allow me to provide you, dear readers, with a rare window into my personal life...

For the first time in a while I have a boyfriend and it's getting a little serious. He travels. A lot. For months at a time. Right now he's home and it's summer so there are a million fun things to do and we've been doing them all. He's been home since mid-May. Curiously, around the same time my usual flood of blog posts dried up to a mere trickle. After two and a half years of surprising consistency.

Coincidence? I think not. There's a boyfriend vs. blog battle going on and so far the boyfriend is winning. Check back in September when he hits the road again.

Experience Is The New Reality

2007-06-19T21:55:00.001-04:00

I Will Kick Your Ass At Rollercoasters!

2007-06-12T23:15:00.001-04:00

Just back from Cedar Point, home to more rollercoasters than any other amusement park in the world. And man, did we ride us some coasters - 17 rides on 10 coasters over the course of 19 hours in the park. Here are the highlights.

Maverick - 3 rides
Cedar Point's newest coaster in only its third weekend of service. Features a 95 degree drop - that's steeper than vertical, people! With only three cars to a train, this one felt super fast, twisted and turned in unpredictable directions and ran smooth like butter. Tied with Millennium Force for our favourite and by far the most fun. We were laughing out loud as the train pulled back onto the platform. Expect this one to win a Golden Ticket Award for 2007.

Millennium Force - 4 rides
My favourite type of coaster - no inversions just an insane first drop (310ft) followed by a crazy fast ride with lots of air time and only a lap bar holding us down. We kept daring each other to raise our hands for the first hill but on the fourth ride we were still holding on for dear life as our car cleared the peak. If I ever become one of those coaster nerds who logs 1000 rides and has the t-shirt to show for it, this will be the one I do it on.

First closed circuit coaster to exceed 300 feet in height
First coaster to utilize an elevator cable lift system
Fourth tallest rollercoaster in the world
2006 Golden Ticket Award Winner - Voted #2 in the Top Ten Steel Coasters

Magnum XL-200 - 1 ride
This one holds a special place in my heart. I rode it in 1989 with my dad when it was brand new and, at the time, the tallest and fastest rollercoaster in the world. I remember waiting in the hot sun for over two hours, screaming around the track in what felt like about 10 seconds and then being this close to getting right back into line to do it again (Mom wouldn't let us). Magnum is a bit of a rough ride now compared to Millennium but it still ranks high on my list.

First closed circuit coaster to exceed 200 feet in height
2006 Golden Ticket Award Winner - Voted #3 in the Top Ten Steel Coasters

Top Thrill Dragster - 1 ride
Did I say Maverick felt super fast? What was I thinking? With an initial launch of 0-120mph in just under 4 seconds Top Thrill Dragster was so fast I thought my contact lenses were going to blow right out of my eyes! The only drawback was at that speed the 420ft height barely registered. I missed the anticipation of being dragged up a hill before the big drop. Still, one of the most thrilling rides in the park. It was worth the extra wait to get the front seats but with nothing to protect me, I ended up covered with squashed bugs!

First closed circuit coaster to exceed 400 feet in height
Second tallest rollercoaster in the world
Second fastest rollercoaster in the world
2006 Golden Ticket Award Winner - Voted #10 in the Top Ten Steel Coasters

Mantis - 2 rides
This stand-up coaster with four inversions scrambled our brains. On the first big loop I could literally feel the blood rushing away from my head and into my feet. Makes all other stand-up coasters feel like kiddie rides in comparison.

First coaster to feature an inclined inversion
Third tallest vertical loop in the world
Third tallest stand-up rollercoaster in the world

Raptor - 2 rides
This one provided an ass-kicking start to our weekend. Just inside the park entrance, it was our first ride of the trip. Raptor is an inverted coaster (cars hang below the track, feet swing free) and at the time it was launched (1994) it was the world's tallest and fastest coaster of its kind. It comes to a rough stop just before the platform though. Ow, my head!

First inverted coaster with a "cobra-roll" element

Corkscrew - 1 ride
A 1976 classic. This one is short and sweet. And as much fun as it is to ride, it's almost more fun to watch. The track passes over a pedestrian walkway, so low you can almost reach out and touch it!

First coaster with three inversions

Millennium Force

Questing For Burgers

2007-06-08T15:49:00.001-04:00

Take a look at my blogroll and note the new addition, Burger Quest - the tales of an ex-pat Texan searching the streets of Toronto for the burger of his youth. I don't even eat beef and yet I can't get enough of this blog. One line in particular ("Another Successful Social Interaction." - you'll see it) made me laugh so hard that beer almost came out of my nose. I write this from my office, about 15min after beer cart made it's Friday rounds. But I digress... Those of you familiar with my blogroll will already be acquainted with the Burger Quest author as he is also the brilliant literary mind behind Selections From Tron. If you don't read that one, get on it!

Kudos, AGP. Kudos on the new blog and godspeed on your noble quest.

Home Computer Circa 2004

2007-05-31T17:14:00.001-04:00

Scientists from the RAND Corporation have created this model to illustrate how a "home computer" could look like in the year 2004. However the needed technology will not be economically feasible for the average home. Also the scientists readily admit that the computer will require not yet invented technology to actually work, but 50 years from now scientific progress is expected to solve these problems. With teletype interface and the Fortran language, the computer will be easy to use.

Learn From Latawnya...

2007-05-29T23:09:00.001-04:00

... and say "No" to drugs!

"No, Latawnya, you should not smoke or drink," Daisy and Latoya said, remembering what thier mother and father had told them about drinking and smoking drugs. Then Daisy slapped the alcohol and drugs out of Latawnya's hoof.

Click to see the whole story.

Seriously, you will not be disappointed.

Sponsor Me! All The Cool Kids Are Doing It

2007-05-25T10:28:00.001-04:00

On June 3, I'll be riding the 50k loop in the Becel Ride for Heart. Your pledge will not only support heart and stroke reasearch in Canada, it will also help me reach my goal of raising more money than my friends, thus putting them to shame. Because what fun is charity without competition? THAT is the true spirit of philanthropy, people. In your face!

PLEDGE ONLINE

I like to ride my bike.

I'm Back!

2007-05-23T22:25:00.001-04:00

Back from where, you ask? Nowhere. I've been right here the whole time! But I have been so non-stop on-the-go for the last week it feels like I've been on a fabulous vacation. Let's see... I went to see Tapes n Tapes and Ladyhawk at Lee's Palace, ate Tibetan food, went blading on the Lakeshore, mixed fruity blender cocktails, watched Pick of Destiny (hilarious), went blading again, hung out in the park, played frisbee, cruised the shops on Queen West, went to an art opening at Magic Pony, ate Mexican food, back to Lee's for Holy Fuck! and !!!, went antiquing at Aberfoyle, went hiking in the Elora Gorge, ate the best chicken wings I have ever tasted in Fergus, watched Pan's Labrinth, thoroughly washed my car inside and out (it looks so hot), ate Thai food, played Ultimate and had a massage. Not bad for one week, eh?

Elora Gorge

Too Nice For Blogging

2007-05-10T22:16:00.001-04:00

I have been a bad blogger. But you know what? I don't even care. It has been way too nice outside to spend time indoors with my laptop. I've been rollerblading, biking, going to outdoor antique shows and playing with Benjer. And based on the weather report, I don't expect things to change anytime soon. Sorry to let you down, dear readers. But here are some photos of from my recent bike ride on the Leslie Street Spit for you to enjoy in my absence.

An urban inukshuk.

View of downtown and portlands from the Spit.

Art, where you'd least expect it.

Don't Poo On My Hand, Boy

2007-04-27T19:24:00.000-04:00

My new pastime is watching My Humps covers on Youtube.

Blogging The Bible

2007-04-26T21:33:00.001-04:00

Those who read my blog probably know that I'm not big on God, being an atheist and all. Truth is, I find religion fascinating and was immediately intrigued when I came across David Plotz's Blogging the Bible, an experiment "to find out what happens when an ignorant person actually reads the book on which his religion is based."

This is exactly the kind of approach to religion that I respect. One that is open-minded, free of political agenda, even a little humourous (because why does religion have to be so serious all the time?) and results in wicked soundbites like, "The Lord—not so good at follow-through."

Hello, Spring!

2007-04-20T17:58:00.002-04:00

Today is the best day ever! Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating. But it is definitely the best day so far this year. Spring has finally arrived in T.O. It's warm out, the sun is shining and the sky is blue. I left work in the middle of the afternoon and went rollerblading along the lakeshore. The City has being making some great improvements along the Martin Goodman Trail over the last year. Starting out from Ontario Place and heading West to the Humber footbridge, there is only one rough patch of pavement left. I skated out to my favourite look-out point, watched the swans and contemplated the downtown skyline for a few moments before turning around and heading back. And although my workout routine was sporadic, at best, over the Winter it seems I did a better job of maintaining my fitness than in previous years cause I skated for an hour and was feeling really good. Now I'm back home, chilling on the balcony with a cold beer and listening to Broken Social Scene. Ah, Summer music. I feel like I just woke up from hibernation. Tomorrow, I have plans to ride my favourite rail trail en route to the cottage, where I'll be enjoying more cold beer in 20+ degree weather on the beach. Bliss.

Crackbook

2007-04-19T22:36:00.001-04:00

Sorry, no time to post. I've developed a full-blown Facebook addiction. I think I need an intervention.

P.S. Add me to your Friends list.