I'm back...

So it's been a while, but I promise I'll attempt to blog every day in 2005. The main focus of my week has been watching movies. Since Christmas day I've watched: The Explorers & Walk Like A Man (both given to me from my brother who undoubtedly knows about every single movie I loved in the 80's) - the first made me miss River Phoenix, and the second wonder what the hell happened to Howie Mandel; Greg The Bunny, the tv series - a twisted sitcom involving disfunctional puppets & humans attempting to co-exist. The episode that made me buy the series in the first place involved the castration of a dog that tormented Greg, whose balls were then replaced by a pair of fake "Sammy Davis Jr. eyes" that were supposed to play Mr. Bojangles when shaken. Funny, weird shit. Now that I'm looking at the list, most of the movies I watched I had seen before; Regeneration (wrongly re-titled "Behind The Lines" for American release even though it's a Canadian co-production), The Legend of 1900 (very dramatic film about a genius pianist who lives his entire life on a ship), Dream A Little Dream (the 2 Corey's star in one of my fav's from the 80's), Mansfield Park (on my top 5 of all time), and Watchers (horror-ish 80's movie based on a Dean Koontz book). What I'd never seen before: Kill Bill, Volumes 1 & 2 (the first was almost pointless, but thankfully I decided to watch the 2nd one, because it was quite enjoyable. Forgetting the original intention was to make one movie, I thought that one 2 1/2 ish hour movie should have been made instead.) All three Harry Potter movies - the first two were ok, and I really enjoyed the third, especially the cinematography and the whole time travel thing. The Day After Tomorrow was definately one of the worst movies ever, but I really only watched it because I wanted to see Emmy Rossum in something else after watching Phantom of The Opera, the only movie I actually watched in the theatre. I liked it a lot, especially the stuff near the end. And although I've seen the musical and know the soundtrack by heart, for the first time I really felt connected to the characters and felt like I understood the story more then I ever had before. So considering that, I think the movie definately does the musical justice. (It's just too bad Gerry can't sing for shit!)

So that's it for 2004. I'm going to Erik's now. Until next year.....

Employee’s log, hebrew date 11 Tevet 5765

9:10 am – A member here for breakfast receives call that her choir party has been cancelled and I find her and tell her. Her response is not pleasant “What do you mean? What are we supposed to do with all the food?” (Like I know!)
9:20 am – Someone calls to sponsor a breakfast next week
9:25 am – Boss’s cousin calls
9:26 am – Co-worker arrives with new glasses. He looks smarter then yesterday.
9:35 am –Member plays for us “I Just Called To Say I Love You” by Stevie Wonder on a hand held tape player (in honour of his 60th wedding anniversary) He also wants to know if the old folks trip to Casino Rama is still on (not bloody likely). He doesn’t gamble, but goes to “pacify” his wife. We call someone and find out it is cancelled and then he plays her the song.
9:46 am – Caterer calls to find out how late we’re open on Tuesday
9:52 am – Employee #1 wife calls
10:01 am – Employee #2 father calls
10:06 am – Got a cup of tea
10:12 am – Misc. call for employee #2
10:19 am – After shovelling the walkways here, Boss asks employee to go to her house later and shovel her driveway too. He asks if he can have a break first.
10:26 am – Misc. call for employee who is on vacation today
10:34 am – Someone shows up for meeting with Employee #2, who is out for breakfast with #1. Did he forget? He said he’d be back at 11am…….
10:36 am – Employee #2 father calls again
10:40 am – Boss leaves to pack because she’s going to Boston tonight….maybe…Employee leaves with her to shovel her snow
(Me = annoyed. Why am I at work today?)
10:47 am – Call for boss
10:50 am – Call for boss
10:53 am – Another Co-worker who is on holiday this week calls to say hi
10:53 am – Employee #4 family member calls
10:56 am – Employee #5 brother calls
10:59 am – Employee #1 calls to tell us that #2 is shovelling his parents driveway (hence the two calls from his father), while person is still waiting for appointment…
11:00 am – Put 680 news on radio
11:07 am – The zoo is closed
11:33 am – Call for boss
11:59 am – Personal call for co-worker
12:00 pm – Call for #2
12:09 pm – Call for #2
12:19 pm – Annoying ho calls to find out exactly to the penny how much security will cost for an event happening a year from now. An approximate amount is not good enough. Are ya quoting me on this bi-atch?
12:22 pm – Call for #1
12:23 pm – Mail arrives
12:32 pm – Member calls about something stupid
12:33 pm – Call for Employee
12:55 pm – Call with a question about the rabbi
12:56 pm – Call regarding a notice for the next bulletin (which will not go out until February…)
1:13 pm – Raided chocolate drawer and got a cup of coffee
1:15 pm – Call for co-worker
1:15 pm – #1 calling to check voice mail
1:22 pm – Wrong number call
1:57 pm – Boss calls and says we can go home!
Bye!

My oh my these blog-lazy days…

Right now I’m fixated on the new security monitor that has been positioned so that I can see it just about my monitor. It keeps jumping cameras and flashing back and forth between NTSC and NO SYNC. My co-worker keeps expecting an INSYNC video. One of the cameras is sporting a gorgeous lens flare. I wish I were outside.

I won my first item on Ebay last Thursday, by not bidding until 30 seconds before the time out. There was still enough time for someone else to bid, so I bid again and won with no seconds to spare. Yay me! As you’ve probably guessed, it was for a Robbie Williams DVD that is only available in the UK. I got it in the mail today. Yippee! God bless the Brits! I had a fun time to explain to my coworkers what region 2 means…

I also discovered there is a Robbie Avenue located only a few blocks away from where I work…anybody know how to remove street signs???? I’m half way through the book I got last week – I normally read an entire novel in one sitting, but I trying to make this one last cause it’s so good! I should really think about a Robbie blog like Johnny-A-Go-Go. (Then y’all wouldn’t have to hear about him so much! If there is anyone still reading this……Hello? Is anybody out there?)
Today we had a fat Hanukkah lunch sponsored by our caterer. It was mighty tasty. There were latkes, but they arrived with dessert.

Blog in Bulleted Time

• I made gingerbread & shortbread cookies, nanaimo bars, and brandied fruit squares
• I watched The Exorcist III, Evil Dead II, and the Return of the King, extended edition
• Daniel needs a time machine for Christmas
• Matt’s eggnog is the bomb
• 1 leafy green + 1 vegetable does indeed constitute a salad
• Robbie is not a "fat chutney ferret from Stoke"

Somebody stop me!

What's worse?
My addiction to buying stuff online, or my obsession with Robbie Williams?

Happy 46th!

This is a perfect opportunity to delve into the music archive of “pop music I couldn’t have survived without.” Now I’m not a huge fan of canned top 40 stuff in general, but occasionally something will leak through into my being and I will be hooked forever. With me, once I’m a fan, a fan forever I will be. I’m no pop music whore. I’m committed. Just ask anyone who witnessed me (ecstatically) buying Jordan Knight’s first solo album (which was promptly played in a sound room at Deluxe!) Now I didn’t jump on the Donny Osmond bandwagon until he released his (comeback?) album in 1989; in fact I had no knowledge of the The Osmonds, the purple socks, or Goin’ Coconuts. But when I heard Soldier of Love on the radio, I was in. I made special trips to Toronto to see Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat three times, although I have yet to see him in concert. (Very few concerts happen in Kingston, let alone in Napanee, one actually. Kim Mitchell did a show at my highschool and EVERYONE was there, cause well, no one played in Napanee.) I religiously watched the (new) Donny & Marie Show and discovered just how kooky he is. Like the time he demonstrated some of the different meals you could make in a coffee pot (Kraft dinner, pancakes, etc.) The charm of the show was the extent to which the brother & sister duo would verbally abuse each other. Funny stuff. I also have his Christmas album and his biography. What can I say - it’s puppy love!

Happy Hanukkah!

So, uh, all the stuff I write here is true, and rarely exaggerated. So when I said I bruised my ass yesterday I was not kidding. And today I seem to be suffering from some very minor whiplash.
Ouch!
He's chosen my attic - I feel it in the static
He lives in my basement, and I can hardly face it
My performance is easy, I am the god of romance
And in my confusion I have the right to reign

(Little Robbie outburst there…)

Much to Chris’s surprise I was reading and not playing on the new baby (who really needs a name!) when he came home last night. I did spend several hours transferring and organizing my music in itunes. The only sucky thing so far about my Mac is that it will not read anything I have burned onto an HP disc, only Fuji. Unfortunately, most of my music is on crappy HP discs, so most of my “spare time” at work has been transferring my music onto Fuji discs.

Ouch.

Ouch.

The twelve phases of Christmas...

Most of the weekend is now a blur. I’m still recovering from the shop-a-thon, but it was worth it because I’m nearly done all my Christmas present shopping. Plus, shopping is what Erik and I do best! (And I honestly don’t think anyone else could handle a trip with the two of us, except maybe Mariana if we weren’t blasting the Christmas tunes!) (Phase one complete) And we got a tree and decorated it on Sunday. It’s biggish and looks real purdy. (Phase two complete) Soon I will start phase three; baking (any requests?) and phase four; wrapping presents. But the MOST exciting thing about my weekend was the purchase of my new computer. It f*cking rocks! And I’ve only just skimmed over what it is capable of. It’s fast, needlessly (and breathtakingly) flashy and one sleek, sexy machine. Sammy is the most jealous.

I’m digging all the snow, but the layer of ice over everything is too much. AND I almost broke my ass when I left for work. I guess from an onlooker’s point of view it probably looked all America’s Funniest home videos, but if I didn’t have that extra padding on my butt, I probably would have broken something. Thankfully I think I only bruised my tailbone (among other things.)

I probably should have stayed in bed today, but if I had I wouldn’t have been at work to get my Robbie book from the UK! That was super-fast considering I only ordered it last Wednesday. It’s a VERY nice looking book, so I already think it was worth the shipping and customs charges to get it here.

Erik has a highly contagious disease.

It’s called Extremeshopitis. I was in Old Navy at the Eaton Centre for well over an hour last night mulling over what to buy a certain relation of mine for Christmas. All boys seem to need (nice) clothes. I was successful, (only purchasing one thing for myself like I do at Christmas time), gave my money to a very cheerful Irish bloke, and left the store only to notice (20 minutes later) that one of the electric security tags was still on one item. Now I understand that stores are only trying to prevent shoplifting, but this happens to me all the time, and the alarm never goes off when I leave! I usually don’t notice the tag until I’m home, so I have to haul my ass back to the store, and try not to look guilty when I ask them to remove it. They always give me a funny look. Always.

The (only) good thing about Buffy being totally over, is that the cast and crew have all moved on to other projects, and while none of these come even close to the fabulousness that is Buffy, there are always things to get excited about. So last night on the Gilmore Girls Rory noticed Paris all dolled up (very unlike her) and ready to go out. Rory: It’s 11pm! It’s late? Where are you going? Paris: I’m going out to meet people. Rory: Who are you going to meet at 11 pm? Spike and Drusilla? (Paris ended up in bed with none other than Danny Strong.) That totally made my night.

My book was shipped from the UK today. If it makes it here before Christmas I’ll be ecstatic!

And because no day is complete without a little Robbie Williams:

“ I‘m a born entertainer – when I open the fridge door and the light comes on, I burst into a song. “

Q: “You’ve been through a period where…”
Rob: “Where I really enjoyed myself!”
Q: “I didn’t want to put it this way! … with drugs and that stuff… how did you get out of it?”
Rob: “I lost all the phone numbers to my dealers!” (radio RPR, 3.11.98)
Q: Is it true that you have a tiger tattooed on your willy.
Rob: no.
Q: How can you prove that?
Rob: There's no room for it because of the giraffe....
Q: If you were on a desert island with an ugly woman or a cute guy which one would you sleep with?
Rob: The guy, but I would have the woman watch.
Rob: No... (grabs his head) ... just kidding. I wouldn't do that. (Shaking his head emphatically, serious like). I would just sleep with the bloke. The woman could cook. (Someone just said "sounds like an evening out with the Beckhams")

"An awful lot of gay pop stars pretend to be straight. I’m going to start a movement of straight pop stars pretending to be gay. That’s very important in this day and age."

Dreidle dreidle dreidle, I made you out of rat,
Dreidle dreidle dreidle, I am a spinning cat.

That poster belongs in a toaster.

The actual writing aspect of my blog is fading, so now I’ll attempt a real post. Legit-i-blog. My first instinct when sitting down at my desk at work is to fall asleep. Seriously. It used to happen when I got behind the wheel of a car so y’all can thank yer lucky stripes that I cannot afford car insurance. It doesn’t help that I was at work until 8:30 pm last night albeit for a very good cause; a new membership/financial program to save our sanity! If you’ve never heard my griping, the program we “use” now is actually completely useless! Five years and the programmer still cannot get any component to work properly without destroying something else. I’m glad I was there; cause I’m not saying I have any power or anything, but I think my arguments for the system may cause actual progressive action to take place. (Fingers crossed)

I left work, starving and shaky as I was coming down from the all the sugar I consumed during the meeting to keep me awake. Thankfully Erik was propelled out of his house by the mating rituals of his relations (well one relation + ms. Anonymous, as his abode is an incest free zone) and I was whisked to a place where food was served to me (instead of going home to the remains of the chilli I’ve been eating all week.) Lovely. I found out that our weekend of shopping has vomited itself into this week. Like Erik wins a prize for Walmart whore. He was sucked into the vortex for several hours on Tuesday, and then dragged (as if anyone has to drag me into Walmart) me into one at 10:30 pm last night. This time he pulled the disappearing act, and only when it had been announced several times that the store was closing, was I able to get him outta there! Whore! Bets are now open on how many different Walmart I will visit this week…

I got home at 11:30 pm and interrupted a battle of will between Chris and The Day After Tomorrow DVD sitting on Matt’s shelf. I sat down on the couch and it took me an hour of battling my own will to actually go to bed. Chris also had a very serious decision to make; when he adds a new shelf beside the current residence of his DVD collection, should he keep alphabetizing across onto the new shelf, or make it a continuation of the end of the alphabet? I suggested he put all of his favourite movies on it, because my DVD organizational system is based on favouritism and hottie actors. Matt’s system is sort of a combination of alphabetical/auteur/box set. 3QF is a strange place.

God bless the queen!

Muh-ha-ha-ha...soon the book will be mine!

All 'bout Kate!

Kate Kate,
She's so great!
Visit www.texasgary.com
To appreciate!

(And props to Matt for the slickgasmic design!)



But y'all knew me and the 80's were tight!