life is large. why insist on living small?

Adieu

2007-09-12T06:55:00.000-07:00

As those who read this silly blog can tell, I haven't exactly been committed to updating it lately. I've tried to shut 'er down before, but that didn't last long because I still had things to share (not to mention plenty of time on my hands, as I wasn't working at the time). Now, however, the time has come to say so long, farewell, auf wiedersehen,adieu.

It's not you. It's me. Really, it is. It has nothing to do with you at all. It's all about me. You're amazing; you're great. I just need some time to figure out me : )

Thanks everyone. Ya'll can still send me an e-mail if you want to know what I'm up to.

Adieu.

Where?

2007-08-30T07:37:00.001-07:00

Where the heck does the Summer go??

Since my last post -- oh so many days ago now -- I hurt my back (during the slo-pitch playoffs), went to my 4th gay wedding of the Summer, went camping at Pitt Lake, and celebrated Perdita's comback silver medal at Worlds. Yippee Perdita!!

This Labour Day long weekend, my guy and I are heading to Keats Island for some fun with friends. Lookin' forward to it big-time! After that, it's the unofficial end of Summer and the start of volleyball season, with the added lead up to skiing!!

Hope everyone is doing well in their part of the world. Enjoy the end of your Summer -- or stay warm if you're living Down Under!

The Playoffs

2007-08-18T05:12:00.001-07:00

So the "cottage" was fantastic. We had a great time visiting with our friends, enjoying food and drink, sea kayaking, and just enjoying island life. Unfortunately, I had a terrible case of allergies -- or possibly a cold. I'm not sure which it was, but I was a sneezing, snivelling, stuffed up fool all weekend long. Not. Impressed.

While I was on Pender, my slo-pitch team won its last game of the season to finish at 6 wins and 12 losses. While nowhere near the top of the league, we surprisingly won 4 of our last 5 games, and are the hottest team heading into this weekend's playoffs. We know we can beat any team in the league, and now is our time to show it. Bring it on!!

My guy is away this weekend, as he celebrates his parents' 50th wedding anniversary with the entire family at his brother's cabin up at Shuswap. I was invited -- bless his family -- but had to decline, as the playoffs beckoned. My guy gets home Sunday afternoon and we have a wedding to go to Sunday night, which we're really looking forward to.

I called Tower Girl for her birthday last Monday, and we had fantastic chat. The gal is back in Canada and working hard as a circus freak. She and Leona and I are still hoping to rendezvous in San Francisco around Christmastime, so there should be some planning in the works soon.

OK, gotta go now. I'm up very early -- anxious for the playoffs to begin -- but I want to go back to bed and try and grab another hour of shut-eye.

Happy weekend, everyone!!

The "cottage"

2007-08-09T22:26:00.001-07:00

In our last four slo-pitch games, we've beaten the 3rd place team, the 2nd place team and the 1st place team, in addition to being totally drubbed by the last place team. What gives?!

Still, we know we can beat anyone in the league, which is a good place to be in as the playoffs approach. That's the weekend of August 18th and 19th, so keep your fingers crossed that we put in a decent performance!!

In the meantime, however, it's off to Pender Island to relax and visit friends who have a weekend home there. I've seen the city home of these fellas and it's absolutely fantastic, so I'm really looking forward to checking out the "cottage" on Pender.

Yippee!! My first time to one of the Gulf Islands!!

Pride

2007-08-07T21:36:00.000-07:00

Yup, still busy. Still doin' fun stuff, like leading my soccer team in our fan-favourite dance in the Vancouver Pride Parade.

We rocked it, man. And here's the proof:

I'm the one wearing jersey #21 at the front, starting in the right-side line and finishing on the left, just out of the frame in front of the skinny little bitch who gets most of the camera time. Yup, I was the humble dance leader, countin' down the intro and leading the troupe through our choreography in fine form.

Here's a still picture of me, again in the front of the right-side line and showing the incredibly stunning definition in my quads and the perfectly straight back that we were all instructed to show.

And it wasn't just me in the parade. My guy was marching with the Vancouver Men's Chorus and, in my humble opinion, was by far the best of the bunch. Check him out (tip: he's the one in the orange shirt and jean shorts, second from the back in the line closest to the camera, right in the middle of the frame from the time the clip's countdown timer goes from 25 seconds to 15 seconds remaining).

And here's a better picture of him, too. He's centre frame, lookin' sharp!

My first time ever marching in the Pride Parade. But probably not my last...

Busy

2007-07-26T22:39:00.000-07:00

Yup, I've been busy. But busy good, not busy bad. I'm still alive, kickin', and livin' life large.

I hope you're doing the same!

Lime green, polyester, and stretchy

2007-07-18T23:30:00.000-07:00

I'll look like Andrew McCarthy and James Spader, the rich kids in Pretty in Pink; or maybe even the cool kids in that other Molly Ringwald classic, Sixteen Candles.

I am so gonna look like all the snobs from my High School!

It's my office's Summer Staff Party tomorrow and the theme is -- you guessed it!! -- the fabulous 80's! So in the pursuit of high fashion, frivolity, and a fantastic prize for best costume, I'll be Kip, a prepster tennis instructor in fantastic 80's attires and sporting a fantastic 80's attitude.

And to this end, I went to a consignment store and actually forked over money for:

an orange/mango-coloured Polo Ralph Lauren shirt that I'll wear with the collar standing up, thank you very much (just like the snobs from my High School wore theirs)
a pair of slightly-too-tight-but-thankfully-stretchy lime green polyester short vintage-80's tennis shorts with a couple of orange diagonal stripes around the slanted side pockets which happen to perfectly match the colour of the polo shirt
a very scratched-lenses pair of typically-80's-oversized Vuarnet sunglasses (just like the ones worn by the snobs from my High School)

I swear, I'll look exactly like I did in my high school grad year of (can it really be 22 years ago already?) 1985 except that I'm 40 pounds heavier, have a face full of wrinkles, and never actually owned a Polo Ralph Lauren shirt ever in my life, because I was never cool enough, unlike the snobs from my High School. Oh, except that I ain't done yet!

I'll be combining these gems with my lime green bandana (yes, actually taken from my own closet) worn headband-style, just like Mike Reno of Loverboy, and a pair of long stripes-at-the-top tube socks (yup, another gem from my own personal collection). Ya, ya, and then I'll spike my hair for maximum effect (just like the snobs in my High School). The result: I'll look, like, totally awesome, as if I just stepped off the pages of a 1985 high fashion magazine.

Nobody can say I ain't got team spirit. And I don't think anyone will be able to hold a candle to me in the Looking-Bloody-Ridiculous-at-an-Office-Party department -- including all those snobs from my High School : )

Stay tuned -- I'll try to get pictures.

Update: I won the 80's Trivia Contest (like there was ever any doubt!) and, even more importantly, I took away top prize in the Best Dressed Contest for my Kip ensemble and personna -- cuz it was just as much about the attitude as the outfit!! There were plenty of Kip fans, and more than a few pictures taken, so I'll be sure to post one or two at some point.

4 more

2007-07-17T23:29:00.001-07:00

Only four more sleeps until my guys gets home from his three-week European adventure.

Whee!!!!!

Brighter

2007-07-13T06:35:00.000-07:00

A note from Uma. A reminder of past days of fun. A chance to look forward to a reunion. One e-mail can make me smile for hours!

Oooooh, I am so looking forward to this weekend! No reason in particular, to be honest -- it's just that I look forward to every weekend. That's what happens as I've become a weekend warrior once again. And with all this record-breaking heat (BC is going through yet more crazy weather extremes, with records being smashed all around the province), it may be a pool or beach or park-filled couple of days.

Have a fantastic one, everyone. Make your world brighter!

Provence

2007-07-10T07:25:00.001-07:00

Well, if it ain't just the most fantastic day! My guy just called from his vacation at a villa in Provence to say how much he misses me.

It was wonderful to hear his voice, and suddenly Tuesday is looking to be fantastic!

Here

2007-07-09T07:23:00.000-07:00

Fear not, for I'm here! Working, playing, loving life, missing friends, looking forward to new adventures.

Hope your Summer (or Winter, if you're Down Under) is going great!

Canada Day

2007-06-30T07:50:00.000-07:00

It's the Canada Day long weekend, and clearly time for reflection.

Did you know that, in addition to Canada turning 140 youthful years of age, famous Canadians Pamela Anderson (the Big 4-0!) and Dan Aykroyd (turning 55 years old) are celebrating this weekend? True! Happy Birthday to all who celebrate this weekend, including my friend Darla.

As you can tell by my sporadic tendencies, blogging has become less of a priority for me these days. I'm busy with my guy, busy with a new job, busy with a charitable event I'm helping organize, busy with soccer, busy with slo-pitch. Busy busy busy. I'm not officially saying that I'm quitting blogging, but am just puttin' it out there. I'll post an entry when I feel like it, but refuse to feel guilty about not blogging regularly. There -- I've said it:

I refuse to feel guilty about not blogging on a regular basis!

So a quick recap on what's new -- cuz you may not get another recap for a while.....

My guy is gone to Europe for three whole weeks. He left yesterday and doesn't get back 'til July 21 : (
My soccer season has turned into a bit of a fiasco. After winning our fist two soccer games, we lost eight games in a row. Luckily, we had a great team and really had some fun. And I learned a lot more playing with my co-captains that I ever have in my three other years in the league. For July and August, they shuffle the teams, so who knows how the second half of the season will go?
Slo-pitch has, similarly, been a travesty. Our record is a paltry 2-7, and we lost our last game by a score of 31-13. Ugh. Still, we have some fun folks on our team, and I've made some new friends. If only we didn't play like the Bad News Bears!!
Still on the sports theme, I've had a groin injury for the past several weeks that's causing me grief. I hurt it playing slo-pitch, and darn if it hasn't healed yet!! I've had to miss a couple of slo-pitch games because of it, and it's a real thorn in my ~~side~~ leg. Hopefully at my doctor's appointment next week, I can get some advice on rehabbing it.
Work rocks. I'm having fun and doiong (I think) a great job. I've received several compliments from a variety of people, and I feel like I'm really making it what I want. I know I'm doing a lot of things that my predecessor didn't, so I believe that adds value to my stakeholders, simply by providing additional services that weren't offered before. Things are great at the office!
I booked time off to go home to Ottawa for Thanksgiving. It turns out that my 9-year-old nieces from Australia are going to be going to school in Ottawa and living at my grandparents' place from September through January. As a result, I figured I'd better get my butt over there for some quality niece time!
And some other time off has been set aside for November, when my guy and I are heading to New York to finally use our free flight coupons (both of which we earned last year, independently of each other). We're flying on separate airlines, and his coupon had terms that meant we have to fly out of Seattle (did you know there there just aren't any direct flights to NYC out of Seattle?), but at least we're using them and getting value. We're very excited about seeing my friend Priscilla, and being in New York together for the first time.
I'm heading to Seattle today to watch friends of mine play in a slo-pitch tournament, and for a chance to simply get out of town. With my guy gone, I wondered what to do for the long weekend, and then decided that Seattle is it. I head down this afternoon and come back on Monday, hopefully after I've done a wee bit of shopping!

That's it in a nutshell. You're up to date now, and I'm excused for feeling guilty about not posting very frequently. And that, my friends, is a great way to head into a long weekend!

Happy Canada Day to everyone out there!

Alive, kicking, and fantastic!!

2007-06-19T07:05:00.001-07:00

Clearly being a workin' gal has cut into my blogging time. There's plenty of good things to blog about, but (like my last post) you'll just have to be content with the knowledge that things are great, things are busy, things are varied.

Life is good and I'm currently watching the smooth-as-glass water of English Bay on a bright, clear Tuesday morning. My guy came over last night with a huge bouquet of beautiful flowers, and then we went out for dinner to celebrate our four-month anniversary. And of course, we had to have a relationship review.

What's a relationship review? You know, it's like that frank talk that you have with your manager at work every quarter -- just to make sure that things are going well and there are no surprises lurking in the wings that may take you by surprise when it comes time for your annual performance evaluation. Just making sure that things are on course for the desired end result.

Well, the review went well, and we're happy to be on the same path with the same goals in mind. Pretty cool! Suffice to say, I'm alive, kicking, and fantastic!!

Rock Star

2007-06-10T22:57:00.000-07:00

It's been a great week, a great weekend, and I'm exhausted. Sorry, but that will have to suffice for now.

I am indeed alive and kicking. Just bloody tired after a very busy and social week. You'll have to take my word for it -- I partied like a ~~40-year-old man reliving his youth~~ rock star.

The weekly sports wrap-up

2007-06-03T20:24:00.001-07:00

It was a busy week on the sports front, starting Wednesday with a soccer game against the White team. Our goalie was on holidays, so it was one of those who-gets-stuck-playing-goal scenarios. Seeing as how I've been nursing a groin injury for ~~freakin' ever~~ a few weeks now, I volunteered to play net for the first half.

I did OK, and made a couple of stops, but did let in one dribbly little goal that I could have had a better play at. But our defence did a magnificent job of clearing the ball and keeping shots to a minimum. On the one that I did let in, our captain said it was his fault -- he's very good at taking ownership, even when it wasn't exactly all his fault -- and said I did a great job.

I played my usual forward position during the second half and very nearly had a picture-perfect header goal that would have tied the score at 1 goal apiece. Alas, their goalie just barely got a hand on it and punched it over the net to keep me off the score sheet. In the end, we lost 3-0. If we had our regular goalie, I'm pretty sure we would have won, but at least we gave it our all and kept it more competitive than the score would indicate. And my captain said he made a mistake in putting me in goal -- that my absence from the forward line was bad for the team, because I wasn't there to provide my normal spark and excitement. I love my coach ; )

Thursday was a slo-pitch game that ended in disaster. During the top of the first inning, we were fielding and had two outs. Things were looking good, when they got a few hits and had started a two-out rally. Then they got another hit, and one of their players was running from 2nd base to 3rd. Suddenly, he slowed down, began to stumble, and started falling to hit knees. He pitched forward, dropping face first onto the baserunning path, and started gasping for air, choking in dust, and convulsing. Our 3rd baseman turned him over so he could breathe, and then a few people jumped into action. They started first aid, eventually doing CPR for a very long time as we all waited for the ambulance to arrive.

I won't go into too much detail but, after what seemed to be forever, the ambulance finally arrived and he was taken to hospital. We have gotten a few updates on his condition, the lastest one being that he regained consciousness briefly, then struggled to breathe, and was sedated and hooked up to a ventilator. He's in critical condition and is certainly not out of the woods, but our entire league has him in our thoughts as we struggle with the whole thing. How could someone who's around my age, and seems fairly healthy and fit, have his heart simply stop working so suddenly and without warning?

Obviously, the game was postponed and will be rescheduled at some point in the future.

Today we had our first slo-pitch double-header on what turned out the be the hottest day of the year thus far. We soldiered on, despite the heat, and managed to split the games. We beat a good team in our first game, taking a squeaker by 6-5 on a last-inning clutch hit by our captain, Sindee. I batted terribly, fielded OK, and felt a bit disappointed overall. Still, we won the game and felt pretty good.

The second game was a whitewash. We lost 11-5 and were never in it, at one point trailing 9-0!! I batted terribly again (but at least got on base this game, unlike game #1) and was OK in the field. I know that I can't be perfect in the field all the time, and that I'll improve as I play more games, but the perfectionist in me wants to be perfect all the time : )

So that's the weekly wrap-up. Our soccer record stands at two wins and three losses (those three losses coming all in a row, after having started the season with those two win), while our slo-pitch record is now 2-4. We clearly need to ramp it up to notch up a few more wins!!

All good

2007-06-02T17:59:00.000-07:00

The first week is over,

Yes, five days are done.

Full of laughter and visiting,

You'd think work was all fun!

I finished my first week of work yesterday, and it's been an absolutely awesome re-introduction to the life of a workin' gal. I had a nice, smooth transition into the job, and the people -- many of whom I already knew -- have been great. I've felt very much at home in my new surroundings, and feel like I'm really going to like it.

And what is this new job? Well, I'm working as an ~~undercover agent~~ Office Manager for my old company, but in their corporate office as opposed to the tech group. I worked in this office back from 1998 to 2000, and am familiar with the ins and outs of the company and the runnings of the office.

I won't go into too much detail on the job or the company, but suffice to say that it's all good.

Happy Hump Day!

2007-05-30T06:29:00.000-07:00

The job continues to go well -- if two days can be a real gauge, that is. Like Monday, I didn't need to take a nap yesterday either, so that was a continued good sign of my abilility to cope in the real world after so many months away : )

Today I head back for day #3, while my guy copes with the reality that he's hit a new decade. His 40th is today and, despite the fact that we celebrated on the weekend, it's still a big day. Unfortunately, he's got rehearsal for his chorus tonight, while I've got a soccer game. At the very least, I'll find a way to get a card to him.

And that's it for Wednesday. Happy Hump Day, everyone!

Vegas: part 5

2007-05-29T21:13:00.000-07:00

Part 1 here

Part 2 here

Part 3 here

Part 4 here

Up early on Monday morning, the plan was to drop off my guy at the airport for his flight home, following which I'd hang out with my friends Ladybug and Monkey Boy. I didn't have to fly out until Tuesday afternoon, and was looking forward to gettin' in some fun time with those two fun folks.

I dropped off my guy at 7AM, and drove around for a while as I killed time until it was late enough to call Ladybug and Monkey Boy and head to their place. But then I received a text that sent me right back to the airport:

Oh God. Not sure how or when I'll be getting home. Been in line 40 ins, flt to Phoenix is cancelled, and AC to YVR just left. More updates to follow...

As you can guess, I hightailed it back to the airport to wait with him. I surprised him just as he was walking away from the check-in counter, and heard the bad news and the good news.

The Bad: his flight had, indeed, been cancelled.

The Good: he was rebooked on the same flight home as me the next day!

To make the rest of the story short -- as I know this has dragged on for far too long -- we had an extra day and a half in Vegas, hanging out with Ladybug and Monkey Boy and their adorable puppy Aussie. It was awesome, everyone clicked fantastically well, I decided that I need a puppy like Aussie, and my guy and I simply bathed in the splendor of our bonus day in Vegas.

My guy and I returned home tired, happy, and even more in synch than before. The best trip to Vegas EVER!

The end.

The Return

2007-05-28T18:34:00.000-07:00

I was with a fantastic company for 11-1/2 years, but left 3-1/2 years ago to pursue my dream of living in Sydney, Australia. My departure was bittersweet -- I was sad to leave my "home" of so many years, but stoked/excited/scared to follow a long-held dream. I didn't burn any bridges upon leaving, a fact that has served me well in this tale of everything coming full-circle.

My first day back at the company -- a company that shall remain nameless -- was today. And it was awesome! I'm in a totally different job than the myriad of positions I previously held, and I think I'm gonna like it. I feel like I can take ownership of my area, and my familiarity with the company has already served me well on Day #1.

To be honest, after seven months of sleep-ins and afternoon naps, I was quite worried that this old body would rebel after lunch and demand some head-on-desk time to cope with my new lack-of-Oprah reality. Happily, I was wrong, and I ploughed through the day with grace, aplomb, and complete alertness.

Plus, the fact that I was welcomed with hugs and kind words from plenty of friendly, familiar faces kept me flyin' high all day long! It's awfully nice to feel wanted : )

Respite

2007-05-28T07:50:00.000-07:00

Rest assured, I'll finish off Vegas: part 5 shortly. But it's been a very busy weekend and Monday.

Saturday morning, I met my guy's sister and brother-in-law. Saturday afternoon, I met the rest of my guy's entire family. Saturday night, we had a party to celebrate my guy's 40th birthday. It was all wicked, and meeting the family went well. In fact, his family kinda reminds me of ours - not exactly the same, but I saw some similarities.

Sunday, I had brunch with my guy and his entire family. Then it was off to the ball field, where my team finally won a game! I played like one of the Bad News Bears, but we managed to squeak out a win by a mere run. Phew! The winless streak is over and we're well on our way to a winning streak -- hopefully!

Today, I start my new job. Yippee for me!

Stay tuned for Vegas: part 5, coming soon.

Vegas: part 4

2007-05-25T07:15:00.000-07:00

Part 1 here

Part 2 here

Part 3 here

We took it easy Sunday morning, then made our way to the Caesar's Palace pool for a quick visit with our friends. After making plans with them to meet them "after they saw Celine that night" we trotted off to Treasure Island to see Mystere with Ladybug.

The show was absolutely fantastic -- a real tribute to the older-style circus shows that thrill and excite you from start to finish. I remember Tower Girl telling me that Mystere was her favourite show, and I think I may have to agree. Don't get me wrong, because I absolutely love "O" and La Nouba and my old show Quidam and certainly Love from the night before. But Mystere was bright, colourful, simple, and joyous. Check it out when you go to Vegas!!

Laydbug joined us for a bite to eat, then my guy and I headed to the car to do a quick change and clean up. For what? He didn't know, but I managed to spin some kind of tale about "having reservations somewhere...." He bought that reluctantly, although was a bit ticked that I, apparently, had another surprise up my sleeve after having said I was all done with them.

Walking through the Caesar's lobby, we walked right by the line-ups to get into the Colosseum for Celine, and about 20 metres from the hordes, I handed a ticket to my guy and told him he were joining the masses to see the chanteuse. While he was pretty much blown away, he somehow managed to come to his senses and join me in line. It took us quite a while to negotiate the line and make our way into the theatre -- there was more security than an airport -- but we eventually headed all the way up to the verrrrrry last row of the theatre. It was far from the stage, but we had a great view -- and my binoculars, which I had surreptitiously kept hidden from him so as to not give anything away.

The show was fantastic, and substantially different from the last time I saw it with Suzie in October 2003. We were spellbound for 90 minutes, and left the theatre with tingles going up and down our spine. We never ended up meeting our friends at the theatre, but looked forward to comparing stories when we had a chance.

We went to bed in our luxury room off the Strip, and made plans to take my guy to the airport early the next morning. I was going to stay until Tuesday afternoon while my guy jetted home Monday morning, but there was one more surprise in store for both of us!

Part 5 to come

Vegas: part 3

2007-05-25T00:30:00.000-07:00

Part 1 here

Part 2 here

Our friends had tickets to see Celine on Sunday night and my guy, of course, didn't know that we did as well. So when he announced at the pool that he knew all about my surprises and that he was "so stoked about seeing the show tomorow," one of our friends quickly volunteered that they were going to the show as well.

Meanwhile, I was gripped with panic and trying my best to steer the conversation away from this topic with a few thinly-veiled attempts at distraction. In the end, we avoided disaster and my guy didn't find out that we would be seeing Celine the next night. Our friends got with the program and avoided discussion of the topic. And I started breathing again -- long enough to sneak out and pick up our tickets from the Caesar's Palace Box Office.

So are you following all of this? To recap, I had arranged tickets to see Love on Saturday night. My guy now knew this. I had also arranged tickets to see Mystere Sunday at 4:30PM. My guy also knew this. And I had purchased tickets to see Celine Sunday night -- which my guy definitely didn't know. OK, we're all on the same page here.

My guy and I lounged around the Caesar's pool a bit longer, then grabbed a bite to eat and toodled off to see Love at the Mirage. And I can tell you: the show did not disappoint!!! Having seen many updates during the creative process (via regular bulletins to all circus employees), I was worried that it was going to be a bit cheesy, and a bit too gimmicky with the entire concept built around the music of the Beatles. Boy, was I wrong!

We loved the show! It was original, but familiar for its circus elements. With seating in the round, it was a different experience than many of the other circus shows, and the entire 90 minutes was captivating. Not expecting a whole heckuva lot going in, I was very happily blown away!

To cap off Saturday night, we headed to the hottest new nightclub in town for their gay night. We met our friends there -- all of whom were by-now tight-lipped in order to avoid spilling the beans about Celine the next night -- and had a boogy and some cocktails.

We went to sleep tired and with big smiles on our faces - him expecting one show the next day, and me knowing that I'd surprise the heck out of him with a second show he would be extremely happy to see.

Part 4 here

Vegas: part 2

2007-05-24T09:33:00.000-07:00

Part 1 here

Saturday dawned bright, beautiful, and hot. We wandered around the Village for a while, then made plans to meet Ladybug and Monkey Boy for a couple of drinks and some chow. Jumping onto our rental car, we headed to the Strip and checked out a couple of shopping options, then met these fun folks and laughed and visited and thoroughly enjoyed each others' company for a couple of hours.

The first of my surprises was let out of the bag when Ladybug accidentally let on that she and I and my guy were going to see Mystere the next day. No big deal, because I had planned on letting my guy in on one of the secrets that day anyway. I was happy that my awesome friend Ladybug let her new friend -- my guy -- know that we'd get to see an amazing show while Monkey Boy, unfortunately, worked.

So he was stoked about finding out about Mystere the next day. But I wasn't done with the day's surprises : )

My guy and I started to walk down the Strip to Caesar's Palace and I wondered how I was going to spring my next surprise. So I made a lame excuse ("Oh, look! The Mirage! I think that's the only hotel I haven't gone inside. Can we just take a quick look?"), marched into the Mirage, then made a bee-line to the Box Office. While my guy looked on and wondered what I was up to, I picked up the free tickets that Lucky had arranged for us to see Love!

So my guy was very surprised to find out we'd be going to a second show -- this one that very evening -- and we continued on our way to Caesar's. There we met our friends and enjoyed a couple of cocktails poolside while soaking up the sun. I told my guy a little white lie that all of my surprises were out in the open -- that I had arranged Mystere and Love and that those two shows were the big surprises for the weekend. So when we were chatting with the friends poolside, my guy mentioned that he know all about the surprises and that he was "so stoked about seeing the show tomorow."

And that's when one of our friends nearly let the really big cat out of the bag!

Part 3 here

Vegas: part 1

2007-05-23T12:29:00.000-07:00

Well, the trip was simply stellar! Oh boy, where do I begin?!

In the cab on the way to the airport on Friday afternoon, I received an e-mail on my handy dandy Blackberry Pearl. Would I be available for a phone call on Tuesday morning to discuss some good news?! Uh, ya I am!!

Also in the cab, we exchanged cards to mark our three-month anniversary. It still seems crazy that we've been going out for only three months, because it seems so much longer. Things have gone so well this past little while that it just seems like we've been dating forever, which is a tribute to how well-matched we are.

But anyway, back to our story......

So before we even got to the airport, we had exchanged anniversary cards and I had learned that I had a new job. The weekend was definitely off to the most amazing start! And then it just kept getting better and better. We ran into two friends at the airport -- friends who I knew were on our flight, but who my guy didn't know were on our flight. Well, he didn't know until one of them accidentally let it slip in an e-mail a couple of days before. Still, it was great to be able to travel with them.

We had a good, uneventful flight. Got to Vegas around 10:15PM and my guy realized he had left his jacket and house keys at the Vancouver airport. But fear not! One of our friends is a Super Elite Aeroplan member, and has access to a concierge service for these types of high flyers. A quick call to the private concierge number with details, and the ball was rolling for the recovery of the jacket and keys. Phew!!

On to our fantastic accommodations. Organized by my guy, we were lucky enough to get three comp nights in a lakeview room. Sure, it was 17 miles off the strip and we needed a rental car. But it was worth it to be in a nice, luxurious, serene setting. We even had champagne chilling upon arrival -- the same guy who comped us our room took my request for champagne and went even one step further. Yup, he organized it free of charge!

Free accommodation, free chilled champagne, an exchange of cards for our three-month anniversary. Pretty good start to the weekend!!

Part 2 here

The interview

2007-05-18T12:16:00.000-07:00

The interview went well. I spoke to three different people and didn't have any really hardball questions thrown at me. I didn't have to bullshit at all, and felt very genuine and honest with my interviewers.

I wrote thank you cards and brought them up to Reception to be distributed today. And it's a good thing, because they're gathering this afternoon to make a decision ~~and change someone's life~~. Lord knows I love a quick decision-making process, and the fact that I could know as early as 4PM could be the perfect start to a fantastic weekend! Then again, it might not be until Tuesday. Either way, I feel confident and happy with my performance. And that's the important thing ~~except that getting the job is the real goal here~~.

Now bring on Vegas, baby! Mama needs a new pair of red suede pumps! And with the Canadian dollar at a 30-year high (91+ cents USD!), now is the time to find 'em!

IDAHO

2007-05-17T00:01:00.000-07:00

I have a funny shirt that I bought for a whopping $5 in Philadelphia. It has a map of the state of Idaho, with the caption:

Idaho? No, U da ho!

It's a funny shirt, but not representative of the IDAHO of which I've recently become aware.

IDAHO is International Day Against Homophobia, and has been celebrated every May 17th since 2003. I only became aware of it today, so I'm (somewhat belatedly) doing my part to raise awareness and try to eradicate homophobia.

Remember how you complained to your spouse about declining property values when that dyke couple moved in next door?
How about the snide comment you made to your cubicle-mate when you found out the guy who works in Accounting is a fag?
What were you really thinking when your niece came out as a lesbian?
Did you think we couldn't see your disgust as you sneered at the Pride Parade on the 6:00 news, with all those drag queens in full over-the-top regalia?
Have you ever considered why the simple comment "That's so gay" refers to something stupid or undesirable? And how about the feeling of degradation at being associated with something stupid or undesirable for someone who actually is gay?

If none of these reflect who you are, then bravo! On the other hand, if some of these ring true.....if they hit a little too close to home.....if you didn't realize they were hurtful.....then you may have some work to do.

Nobody's perfect -- and I'm far from it, that's for absolute certain!! In fact, the gay community can be just as bitchy and backstabbing as anyone else towards their own. But, for all of us, being aware of our behaviour might be one way to recognize that we can change it.

I love people for who they are. But sometimes, I don't like what they say. Sometimes I don't feel comfortable with what they do. And sometimes I'm made to feel less of a person because of it.

Please take a few minutes to think. IDAHO is today, and today can be the first day during which we can all start to form new, and less hurtful, habits.

Thank you for your time.

Full report to come!

2007-05-16T23:16:00.000-07:00

We lost our soccer game 2-1 tonight. I had a couple of good scoring chances, but didn't get the ball between the uprights.

Our record now stands at two wins and two losses, but both losses have been very competitive games, so we're still in this competition, folks!! With a bye next week, I have some time to (hopefully) heal a strained right groin that's been giving me mucho trouble. Hmmmm, my slo-pitch team doesn't play this Sunday either, meaning that I have a 10 day stretch with neither a soccer nor slo-pitch game. If that doesn't give that little fella a chance to heal, I'm not sure what will!!

Y'all know I'm takin' my guy to Vegas this weekend, right?! Uh, no, it's not to get married, you crazy freaks! Just to have plenty of fun with a whole bunch of surprises that he doesn't know about yet : )

You'll get a full report of the festivities upon my return!!

Early and beautiful

2007-05-15T16:08:00.000-07:00

The other day, I woke up far too early for someone who's not working. On that beautiful morning, I looked out my window and saw a procession of cruise ships (well, two cruise ships) heading to the cruise ship terminal downtown. Here's the first one lumbering majestically around Stanley Park and towards its destination:

We're having beautiful weather here on the Best Coast -- er, the West Coast. It's supposed to turn kinda ugly for the upcoming long weekend, but that doesn't matter at all.

Why, you ask??

Have I mentioned that I'm heading to Vegas?? Ya, baby!!

My follow-up date with Jann

2007-05-15T08:56:00.000-07:00

As expected, Jann was fantastic again last night. Her voice was as clear as a bell, while her humour had all of us rolling in the aisles. The gal has wit that absolutely slays!

And instead of gushing even more about how great she was, both Friday night and last night, I'll simply attach this video of Good Mother, the song with which she always ends her performances. This is the original video for the song, and I remember watching it for the very first time way back in 1995. And crying. It's that beautiful of a video and song.

Enjoy. She's brilliant.

Good Mother. From the CD Living Under June, released 1995.

Slo-pitch: game #3

2007-05-13T12:46:00.000-07:00

OK, despite the fact that we're now winless in three slo-pitch games, there was controversy. We knew we could win, so were a bit disappointed to see that they had recruited a ringer to play with them. It definitely changed the complexion of the game, and we lost a close one.

Personally, my defensive play has never been better. I snagged some tough line drives and was rock solid at 1st base. My hitting, on the other hand, wasn't up to snuff. I went 1-for-3 at bat, and need to hit the batting cage at some point to get some practice time in.

Still, it was a close game and I'm happy with the solid fielding I did today. And that, my friends, is what you call progress!!

Two dates in four days

2007-05-12T16:57:00.000-07:00

Last night, I was privileged enough to attend a fantastic and very private intimate performance by one of my favourite artists in the whole entire world, the talented Jann Arden.

I went as a guest of my guy, who was invited by a friend of his, a gentleman well-known for throwing fabulous parties in celebration of his birthday. The only problem was that when he originally hosted the party -- back in March -- Jann had to cancel at the last minute on account of a very unexpected illness that required hospitalization and provided a bit of concern for all her fans.

Jann was eventually able to reschedule with our party host and, in the midst of her relentless tour schedule, sacrificed the sole day off that she and her crew would have enjoyed during the stretch from May 6th to 15th. All of this in order to live up to her responsibility and perform for our host, and us. In fact, Jann revealed to us last night that March's gig was the only time she's ever cancelled a performance in 30 years as an artist. Truly a professional!

And last night? Well, she was amazing, as always. After my guy was lucky enough to be one of seven friends invited backstage to a meet-n-greet with Jann, he and I situated ourselves front and centre (naturally, as we're both huge fans!!) for her performance. Let me assure you that we were pinching ourselves at our good fortune -- standing a mere seven or eight feet from our heroine. And I tell ya: her much-publicized weight loss has left her looking svelte and trim, healthy and even more beautiful than ever! I mean, we all loved her before, just because she made no apologies for who she is/was. And now, she's healthier and looking absolutely fantastic!

She sang a substantial set of about a dozen songs, but the real gem was, as always, her between-songs banter. Anyone who has ever had the privilege of being entertained by Jann knows that she's equal parts songwriter, singer, and stand-up comedian. Love. Her. Sense. Of. Humour. Absolutely hilarious!

OK, I'm gushing now, aren't I? Well, that's the kind of evening it was -- a mere 100 people or so in attendance, a small and intimate venue, plenty of booze and appetizers, and entertainment by the best in the biz. I'm still all giddy like a schoolgirl just thinking of it!!

Oh, and did I mention that we're also seeing her in concert on Monday night as well? I had purchased those tickets long before I was ever invited to last night's intimate and interactive performance and, instead of feeling like Monday may be a let-down after such a fantastic performance last night, I look forward to my second date with Jann in four days. I'm all aquiver with excitement!!

Soccer: game #3

2007-05-11T06:44:00.000-07:00

We played our third soccer game on Wednesday evening. After winning our first two games of the season, we faced the fearsome Orange team. Tough, fast, and young, these guys really surprised us by totally dominating the play in the first few minutes of the game. We were back on our heels initially, but then managed to recover somewhat to craft some good scoring chances before halftime -- including a couple of good rushes compliments of yours truly.

The game was tied 1-1 at halftime, and the second half was even tighter. They scored 2 more goals to go ahead 3-1, but the play was actually slicker, faster, and more frenzied. We had a few more good scoring chances and then it finally happened -- I scored my first goal of the season!!

So we had drawn closer to trail by only one goal, 3-2. The last few minutes featured a couple more frantic scoring chances, but they weren't converted and we lost. Still, our team played well, we keep improving, and -- oh ya, did I mention?? -- I finally scored my first goal of the season. At least there's that!

Top of the Rankings

2007-05-10T18:42:00.000-07:00

Sure, there are some rankings we're proud of. For instance, Vancouver has often finished in the top 3 in studies that determine the best cities in the world in which to live.

According to Mercer Consulting, Vancouver is the #3 city in the world for quality of life in both 2006 and 2007, both times behind the dynamic Swiss duo of Geneva and Zurich. I haven't been to Geneva, but totally loved Zurich, by the way. Just for a point of reference....

Alterntively, if you prefer to believe the Economist Intelligence Unit, Vancouver is at the top of the list -- ahead of Geneva, Vienna in Austria, and beautiful Melbourne, Australia. Ahhh, Melbourne. Love it love it love it! And Lucky is there right now! Just. A. Bit. Jealous.

I keep saying this is the best place in the world to live, and these rankings support that belief. But add another top ranking to the list and some of the luster comes off our perennial gold rankings statuette.

On tonight's newshour, I was not all that surprised to hear that Vancouver has the highest gas prices in North America. Ugh. Hovering around $1.27 per litre, it's ugly -- ain't probably ain't gettin' better anytime soon. Apparently, we're getting gouged -- not shit, Sherlock!! -- and the actual price of gas that the petroleum companies should be charging us is right around $1.00 per litre. Sure it's still high (sigh, I remember the Summer of 2003, when I nearly gagged at the thought of going above 80 cents per litre!), but is a bit more palatable.

Oh, I suppose it could be worse. I don't drive my car much, for which I am thankful. So hearing a reporter on the newshour saying the following made me ~~dirty my diaper~~ thank my lucky stars:

"Let's look at a typical scenario here. If you spend $100 a week in gas -- and I know that doesn't sound like much; you probably spend considerably more -- you'd save $22 a week if gas prices were where they should be -- around $1.00 a litre -- instead of up at $1.27."

Oh my dog! $100 a week in gas, or more?!?! Since moving home last October, I've spent, on average, $50 per month in gas. That includes a few trips to Whistler and the odd trip to Burnaby to visit my Aunt, a few airport trips, the occasional trip to volleyball, and not much else. And here I was the other day cursing the fact that it cost me $61 to fill my tank. At least I won't have to fill up for another month or so!

Thank goodness I ain't no daily commuter. But, personal desires aside, I sure wish Vancouver wasn't at the top of the rankings list when it comes to the highest gas prices in North America. For once, we're happy to be way down the list!

Rosier

2007-05-09T12:56:00.000-07:00

But today I don't.

I love my life, and things look even rosier after this meeting.

Fingers crossed!

Tomorrow

2007-05-07T16:25:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, I'm meeting someone for coffee to discuss a job that, apparently, I'd be perfect for. My little angel Ms. Header is the one who first brought this to my attention just a few short days ago, and the excitement has now spread to the point where the person who currently occupies the job is convinced that I'm the one to replace her.

And she even said to me on the phone, "I'd be happy to have coffee and convince you that you're perfect for the job!"

Well, shiver me timbers. I'm interested in hearing more!!

Hips don't lie

2007-05-04T08:54:00.000-07:00

0-2. That's our record so far in slo-pitch league play. *

Last night we lost another close one, this time to our sister team. We played a bit of a sloppy game, didn't get the bats as crackin' as we needed, and just didn't put it together. I had three fielding errors, went 2-for-3 at bat, scored a run, and had a spectacular double play put-away. I caught a flyball, and then tagged out the baserunner who had led off 1st base and couldn't get back in time. My first-ever double play!!

I'm pissed off about my fielding errors, but that's a simple lack of experience working against me. I need to remember that I had some other great catches to get runners out at 1st, and that (as my coach says) I'm still on the learning curve. But I also really need to work on my batting. It's atrocious! I mean, I got on base twice, but each time with these dribbly little hits that are more akin to a Tykes T-ball game. I'm a big fella, so how come my hitting ain't up to snuff? Aside from the fact that I haven't been at-bat any more than a combined total of 9 times between our one practice game and two league games, I think it's cuz I need to get my hips turning into my swinging motion.

After all, hips don't lie! But mine ain't saying anything at all : (

* My soccer team won on Wednesday by a score of 4-2, so we're 2-0 for the season. I suppose that, combining my slo-pitch team's record and my soccer team's record, it all evens out at 2 wins and 2 losses. I suppose I can live with that : )

Oh ya, just don't ask me about the Canucks game last night. This season is officially over!

The slide

2007-05-03T08:32:00.000-07:00

In the post about my first slo-pitch league game, I mentioned that I had two slides and sustained nasty scrapes on my elbow and shin. Well, here's the photographic evidence to prove it, courtesy of Muffin's camera.

First, Muffin somehow managed to capture this gem highlighting my lightning-fast baserunning. I'm not sure how she could even capture me at all, given my blazing speed, but she's a master photographer!

I think this pic was actually taken just before I made my first-ever slide. I mean, I'd never even tried sliding before in practice, but somehow was cocky enough to give it a try it in a game. Slightly risky : ) But in actuality, I don't think it was even a conscious thought process and, instead, I just knew I had to slide. Truth be told, I had to slide in this case because I made a fatal error in hesitating before leaving 1st base. I realized I had to slide to actually have any chance of being called safe at 2nd. But alas, I was called out and my slide was for nought -- but it prepared me for my next attempt at glory.....

At our first practice, my captain had warned us that he never slides unless the game depends on it and/or it's the playoffs. Still, I guess my first attempt at sliding had shown my captain (my good friend Sindee, by the way) that I had some idea of what I was doing -- although how, I'm not exactly sure. Anyway, a couple of innings after my first slide, I was again on base (did I mention I went 3-for-3 at bat?!) and then eventually hightailing it towards 3rd. Sindee was in the coaching position just beside 3rd base yelling at me to.....

"Get low!!!
Get lowwwww!!!
Sl-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-de!!!!!"

I slid, I evaded the tag, I was called safe, and I drew blood. Wicked!! And the results:

Now you'll have to trust me: it looks waaaaaay worse in real life than in that picture. Seriously! The scrape on my elbow is ugly and scabbed up and realllly delightful to look at -- not. Still, I wear my injuries as a badge of honour! And the scabbiness is terribly ~~butch~~ important to the healing process.

While we lost that game 15-13, the weather was perfect and it was a great first game of the season. We've got our second game tonight, weather permitting -- which isn't a given at this point. It's against our sister team -- the same team we played in our practice game last week. We didn't really worry too much about the score that time, but I think it'll be top of mind tonight.

Go Blue team!!

Gloom

2007-05-02T07:57:00.000-07:00

OK, things are looking a bit gloomy after last night's Canucks game. After blowing a 2-0 lead, and being a hair away from tying the series at two games apiece, our heroes lost in overtime. It ain't lookin' so good, trailing three games to one now. Still, those pesky cowboys trailed the first-round series 3-1 and managed to come back to force Game 7.

Fingers crossed that we take the next three and eke out the series!!

And now, despite the gloom surrounding the Canucks, and the gloom that hangs over our fair city today, I thought it would be appropriate to brighten things up with some pics of the gorgeous sunset I witnessed from my balcony the other night.

Read 'em and weep, kids! While I live in a freakin' expensive city (at $1.25/litre, it cost me a jaw-dropping $61 to fill my gas tank yesterday!!!!), if I get to see sunsets like this ~~every night~~ once in a while -- can you blame me?!

Of course, these pictures don't even do it justice. You'll just have to imagine that it looked a thousand times better!

Everyone deserves a Cookie!

2007-05-01T15:05:00.000-07:00

I wish I could give everyone a bit of Cookie today. It's her birthday, you see. And she's 25 27 29 30 years old!

Nevahmind the fact that she's happy to be out of her 20's, it simply reminds me that I am a mere 10 years older than her -- instead of having the entire decade of the 30's in between us.

Happy Birthday, Cookie! Miss ya lots and love ya even more!

Happy Birthday Cookie!

The first league game: slo-pitch

2007-04-30T15:17:00.000-07:00

So it was the real thing on Sunday. We were ready, rarin' to go, and rather dapper in our blue uniforms. And I even had three fans who came out to ~~jeer~~ cheer me! Yay for Muffin, Suzie, and my guy!

It was so-so close, but in the end we lost 15-13. Our bats were crackin' some wood, but our fielding definitely let us down. There were too many errors from our team -- in reality, an inability to stop infield hits that would have prevented plenty of runs from scoring. But we also had some awesome plays when it counted. And not that I was without error myself -- my fielding was fine, but I had a baserunning error that I'm still kicking myself over.

Still, it was our first game and we did OK. Personally, I went 3-for-3 at bat, with 2 RBI's and a run scored. I had some good catches at 1st base, and caught an infield fly. I had that one baserunning error, but managed to do some other good stuff around the diamond -- including two star-riffic slides that left me with ugly wounds on both my left shin and my left elbow. The first slide wasn't executed all that well -- can you blame me? I'd never slid before in my life!!! -- but the second slide saw me avoid the tag at 3rd base, from where I eventually scored my run. Yippee!

I tell ya, it was tons of fun! And, while my second and third hits were infield dribbles that I managed to convert into singles with some pretty solid speed to 1st, my first hit was a whopper. Well, for me, anyway. After a full count, my hit went over the head of the shortstop and was easily the best hit I've ever had. And, again, given the fact that my slo-pitch has been pretty limited to now, that's not a huge achievement. But still, I was pretty damn stoked to have a great hit after having taken a full count. Yay me!

Oh ya, and there was the other little point about my accidentally blocking runners along the baserunning path. OK, I'm the rookie -- please remember that! But I really need to remember to step out of the baserunner's path as I'm watching the play develop, instead of mistakenly blocking his or her path to 2nd. Must remember, must remember, must remember.

Next game: Thursday night!

The Weekend Wrap

2007-04-30T11:45:00.000-07:00

Great weekend. Where do I begin?

A Canuck win in OT on Friday night. A Canuck loss on Sunday : (
My first league slo-pitch game (more on that later).
Great weather all weekend long!
A great Saturday brunch with Little Bub and Muffin.
Had some great news in anticipation of a trip to Vegas!!
Cleaned the hell out of my "pile of forgotten stuff" tucked away at the back of my closet.
Plenty of time spent with friends.

And you? How was your weekend?

The first league game: soccer

2007-04-26T07:06:00.000-07:00

We had our first soccer game last night in the cold and rain. I played pretty well (considering it was my first game in 4 years!!) and had some good chances on net. I didn't connect with any goals, but was in the thick of several great plays.

My fitness was better than I had expected. I'm still not where I want to be, but playing through the fitness issues will help get me there. Let's just say that when I need to put on a burst of speed to get in the open and take a pass, that's not a problem!

My legs are a tiny bit sore today. Specifically my quads are a bit tight, which isn't a huge surprise after last night. Normally, my quads of steel are immune to pretty much any fatigue and trauma. But last night was cold enough that, once you trotted off the field to sub out, you got cold and tight within minutes. I subbed out in both the first and second haves, so felt it in my quads nearly immediately. Yes, I stretched, but unfortunately, I ain't a youngster anymore : (

We have a fun team, and made a point of going for a post-game beer despite the fact that we all smelled like wet dogs. I think I'm gonna have fun playing in my league again -- yippee! Oh, and we're the blue team, naturally : ) Thank goodness I ain't playing in orange -- it just doesn't bring out the spectacular blue of my eyes!!

Oh ya, and I nearly forgot! We won 4-3 on a late goal. Check out the Blue Team -- we're undefeated!!

"Our dinner special tonight is Duck..."

2007-04-25T13:39:00.000-07:00

Round 2. Game 1. Tonight. 7:00PM PDT.

Gosh, I think the sky is gonna be clear tonight. That's cuz the Stars are out : ).

And it's nearly dinner time. Anyone care for Duck?

Go 'nucks go!

Thanks to the ~~Swedish~~ German twins for the jpg!!

UPDATE: OK, OK, so those pesky Ducks took the first game. But we can still win the next 4 games and take the series in 5....

The first pratice game: slo-pitch

2007-04-24T16:53:00.000-07:00

So we had our practice game yesterday, and I broke in my new glove (which will take a couple of games for me to really get used to it). The main difference between practice and this game: everything comes at you much faster! Holy heck, is that ever true! And, although I had an error at first base, I went 3-for-4 at bat and made a couple of good defensive plays. It was fun, I felt OK, and I know I'll just continue to improve all season long, so bring it on!

I think we lost the game (someone was keeping score, but I really don't know the final score for sure -- nobody really cared), and we most definitely need to do some work on our cheerleading and teambuilding. Still, we had fun, we gave the rookies (me, in particular) a chance to get game-tough, and we got to look at some fairly attractive young specimens on the opposing team. Not that this league is all about that or anything....but it certainly helps to pass the time as I stand on first base.

Our first league game: Sunday, April 29 @ 2:15PM. Come on out to Brockton Oval and look for the team in the flattering blue uniforms!!

In from Surrey

2007-04-24T07:32:00.000-07:00

Last night, we had our practice game (more on that later), which prevented us from seeing the first two periods of the game, but we got home just in time to see the non-stop drama of the final frame. Thank goodness, cuz I would have been pretty pissed if I'd missed it, Mary!

And, in a nailbiter, the Canucks won it in a game much closer than the score would indicate. The final was 4-1, but the final two goals were empty netters and, until notching their third goal, the Canucks were hanging on by the skin of their teeth against the relentless Stars attack.

In the end -- and with the able assistance of series superstar Roberto Luongo -- our fellas played like the heroes they've been all year, and prevailed. Next stop: the Ducks!

But now for my pet peeve. What is it with all those people who ~~have no lives~~ insist on celebrating the victory by jumping in their car, hoisting all their team paraphernalia (jerseys, flags, etc.) outside their car windows, driving down Robson or Denman Streets, and honking their horns for freakin' ever?

I swear, it's like they all found their car horns for the first time ("Oh look, Darryl, that's what this here thing is for!") and started honkin' 'em for the next couple of hours. Clearly they're bridge-and-tunnel folks, in from Surrey ~~to add some much needed spice to their otherwise-pathetic lives spent on the periphery of civility~~.

A bigger pouch

2007-04-23T10:25:00.000-07:00

I got myself a new glove the other day. It had become apparent that the old glove I was using -- my sister's -- was a bit small for me.

Having no baseball/softball/slo-pitch experience to speak of, I honestly had no idea that it was too small until my captain told me. He made it clear that I needed a bigger pouch : )

Our practice game is on tonight. At the same time Game 7 of the Canucks series starts. Bugger.

Game Seven

2007-04-22T07:47:00.000-07:00

After leading the series by three games to one, the Canucks have had two chances to wrap up their first-round series against the Stars.

And twice they've failed to send those pesky cowboys packin'. Bugger!

Hopefully Monday will see the series end as it's supposed to -- with our heroes taking the series and moving on to face the Ducks. Fingers crossed for Game Seven!

No special reason

2007-04-20T11:33:00.000-07:00

I love my family. I just thought that I needed to say that. And there's no special reason for saying it now, except that it feels good every now and again.

Thank you for your time. We now return to our regular program, currently in progress.

Ultrasuede

2007-04-17T19:39:00.000-07:00

It finally arrived today! A promise of four weeks turned into triple that -- an agonizing 12 weeks. But the good news is that it's here, it's all mine, and I love love love it!

Flat: Easily converting to a bed for the company that I fully expect to visit at some point, it's remarkably comfortable and long enough to easily fit all 6'1" of me -- plus a close friend beside me, if I'm lucky. But I'll likely leave it for Luscious Lorna, Tower Girl, Cookie, Lucky, and anyone else who may be making their way through Vancouver anytime soon.

Lounging: But not only can it lay flat, it clicks into place at a nice, relaxed angle for lounging. Perhaps viewing a flick, perhaps just cudding with someone special, the partway up position will be a favourite, I'm sure.

Tall: Next stop is fully, ahem, erect. This is the standard position for more intense television viewing. Lost, Brothers & Sisters, or even Project Runway will be best viewed from this fully up position.

Versatile: And, like a fabulous luxury automobile with split back seats, my new couch is versatile! Leave half the couch fully flat while the other half sits up. Perfect for the couple that enjoys different levels of vertical.

For some reason, it's a much darker colour than I remember from the showroom, but I love it nonetheless. It's a very groovy ultrasuede that demonstrates how cool and hip-and-happening-bachelor-like I am. But if anyone -- and I mean anyone -- spills a cocktail on it, they're banished from my skypad ~~forever~~ until they bring me some Three Olives cherry vodka!

I love my Summer sports!

2007-04-17T10:16:00.001-07:00

I'm all signed up for my soccer league and my slo-pitch league.

We had our first couple of slo-pitch practices this past week and I'm bloody surprised -- I'm way better than the last time I played! Yippee! In fact, I'm showing so much potential that my coach is making me the first baseman. While nervous, I'm also excited because I had a freakin' fantastic practice on Sunday and feel really good about how much fun our team had. Well, and beers afterwards didn't hurt things at all : )

So I'm a slo-pitch rookie, but a soccer veteran. And after three Summers away from Canada and away from my league, soccer evaluations begin tomorrow. This is the chance for each player to go through drills, impress each captain, and get rated prior to the draft. I'm way more confident in my soccer skills than my slo-pitch skills, so (judging by how much I seem to have improved at slo-pitch) I'm damn stoked!

I love my Summer sports! Volleyball may be done -- unless I play the odd tournament and/or some beach ball at some point -- but bring on soccer and slo-pitch, baby! And as soon as my ankle is fully healed, I can't freakin' wait to start running again. I gotta lose this paunch of mine!!

My specialty

2007-04-16T13:26:00.000-07:00

On Friday, I hit IKEA and realized that ~~I'm a weak man~~ it was full of things I needed to buy. Chief among them -- and the reason for my going in the first place -- was the need to get balcony furniture during the "Suddenly it's summer!" sale. Well, bejeezus if I didn't walk outta there with more crap than anyone in the history of the world has ever needed. But at least I managed to find furniture for my wee balcony-with-a-wicked-view.

Picture #1: This chair, table and bench were a very thrifty purchase. And, coincidentally enough, they are the exact same pieces I used to have for my VIP terrace at the circus. Except that apparently Canadian IKEA assembles these pieces for you, while American IKEA makes you do it yourself. God bless Canada!

Now, I need your opinion on something. Despite the minimal size of my balcony, I think I may be able to find room for one more single chair to go along with the bench and the table. What do y'all think?

And just in case anyone needs reminding, here are some pics (fresh from Saturday) to entice you to come over and enjoy my hospitality! Imagine it at sunset with a cocktail in-hand!! Anyone interested in martinis? I could even be persuaded to mix up a batch of margaritas or something else fruity. Fruity, after all, is my specialty!!

Picture #2: I counted 10 tankers in the harbour -- a fairly solid showing for a Saturday afternoon!! This picture depicts the view looking West-ward, towards the amazing sunsets we get over English Bay. Can you feel the ambience?!

Picture #3: This is the view looking over English Bay Beach towards Stanley Park and West Van. You may be able to see the Seawall snaking its way between the shoreline and the road, then towards Stanley Park. The Seawall is where all the action happens, particularly on weekends -- it's packed with walkers and runners, families and singles, old and young, gay and straight, normal and on-the-fringe -- and is the perfect place for people watching ~~particularly with a cocktail in-hand, stealthily concealed in a thermos or Big Gulp cup~~.

Picture #4: This is the view looking down onto a couple of buildings just below mine. Notice the rooftop gardens and balconies where folks gather to try and look at the fireworks displays in July and August. And then, notice how poor their view will be compared to mine : ) The fireworks barge parks itself smack dab in front of the beach seen in the Picture #3, and spits out its spectacular show for 500,000 peope to see. But who'll have the best vantage point in town? Me ~~and everyone else in the four towers that make up my apartment complex~~! And notice as well the fact that I'm a two-minute walk from the beach. Out my front door, turn right, turn left, cross the street, and I'm there. I love living in Vancouver's West End!

All you readers are invited to come on over for a drink. Just give me some warning first so I can clean the bathroom!

Polyester

2007-04-13T12:19:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday the 13th.

Steer clear of ~~people in polyester~~ black cats!

Now is the time

2007-04-12T14:37:00.000-07:00

I've never posted a video on this here blog thang, but now is the time.

If you haven't already seen it, you need to take the next minute and a half to enjoy this. But you gotta wait until the end, when they get separated and manage to float their way back to each other!

Filmed right here at the Vancouver Aquarium!

Tails

2007-04-12T11:48:00.000-07:00

Go Canucks, go. Send them tired ol' Stars back to Dallas with their tails 'tween their legs!

Game time: 7:00pm PDT tonight!

UPDATE: it took four overtime periods to finish the sixth-longest game in NHL history, but the Canucks finally prevailed in the end. Yippee!!

Reminded

2007-04-09T12:24:00.000-07:00

So how did Calgary go?

There were a total of 10 teams in the B division. During pool play on Friday, we played each of the other teams once -- each time a single game to 25 points. We ended up having some good games, some bad games, and some downright ugly games. One of the disadvantages of being a team that's never played together is that you never know how you and your teammates will react in pressure situations. You know what I mean -- when you're playing well and in the lead, things are rosy and playful, bright and fun. Then you lose a string of points, and things turn on a dime. Pressure mounts, energy levels drop, criticism creeps in, tempers flare.

As the team captain, you do everything you can to turn those episodes around. You keep things talkative, you make sure to maintain eye contact with your teammates between points, you let a struggling teammate know that he's still playing well by doing a lot of slapping of the hands, you lead by example as best you can. But I have to admit that there were times when I didn't feel like putting myself out there for everyone on my team -- when I didn't feel as invested as I had been when playing with a team that I felt really connected with; when I let thoughts creep in like, "He's the one in the funk, so I'm not going to spend my energy in a futile attempt to get him engaged again." And that, my friends, is very un-captain-like behaviour, so shame on me. In the end, there were some frustrations but we all just did the best we could to deal with them.

After Friday's pool play, we had a record of 4 wins and 5 losses, which we figured would put us right near the middle of the pack. The 10 teams were ranked according to their won-loss records and, sure enough, we were seeded sixth. The 10 teams were split into two divisions -- High B division, and Low B division. The good news was that our sixth place seeding meant that we were the top seeds in the Low B division, and that we would have some close matches in medal play -- with a chance to take home some hardware after it was all over!

Saturday's playoffs were double-elimination format, with matches consisting of the best of three games, and with each team in contention until they incur two match losses. To make a long story -- and a long day -- short, we ended up going undefeated and won the gold medal in Low B. Withstanding some patchy play, some on-court (well, off-court as well) tension, and a near-disastrous injury in our final match, we ended up as the champs. And, perhaps most importantly, one of our team members won the "Shut Up and Sleep With Me!" award, voted on by members of all competing teams! I guess it pays to be cute, skinny, and 22 years of age : )

So Calgary ended with the Bus Drivers driving home the gold medal. And with me reminded of the dynamics of team play.

Guns and roses water

2007-04-05T09:27:00.000-07:00

I often don't sleep all that soundly before a trip, and last night was no exception.

I'm headed to Calgary today for my favourite volleyball tournament -- one that I haven't played in since 2002 -- and so, predictably, I had a restless sleep last night. I remember dreams about guns going off in every direction. Oh, and there was another dream this morning about bottled water. I don't remember any more details except that there was lots and lots of bottled water.

What the hell? Oh well, I'm awake and fully stoked about Calgary. Bring on Apollo Cup!!

Calgary, here we come!

2007-04-03T19:30:00.000-07:00

After wanting to be there two years ago and having to bow out because I started my life as a circus freak, I'm finally getting to Calgary again for the first time since 2002.

I fly out Thursday and return Sunday. Pool play is Friday, while the double elimination playoffs happen Saturday. There are 9 teams in the B category, so there should be plenty of action and plenty of potential for our team to do well. But most importantly, I think we'll have lots of fun.

Our team name: Bus Drivers.

Don't ask....

Monday, MondayCan't trust that day

2007-04-02T12:42:00.001-07:00

So another Monday rolls around, and what do I have to show for it? How about:

A Friday night spent having a drink with friends, followed by a great tapas dinner to celebrate the birthday of one of said friends.
A whole lot of time -- all weekend, in fact -- spent with my guy.
Fantastic skiing Saturday in paradise. Sunny, cloudless, perfect day with abundant snow. Oops, forgotten sunscreen = red face!
Games night on Saturday night with friends of my guy. It was interesting saying farewell at evening's end, because his friends shyly said to me things like, "Hey Jeff, it was nice to meet you. Hopefully we'll see you again sometime...." Well, I'm definitely planning on seeing 'em again sometime, cuz I ain't expecting this thing with my guy to be a temporary thing!
An awesome brunch with Muffin and Little Bub on Sunday afternoon. Muffin really outdid herself with an amazing menu of waffles, fresh fruit, delicious whipped cream, savoury peppers and home fries, scones and cream, and champers. Dee-lish!
Cocktails and the Junos with Suzie and my guy on Sunday night. My gal Nelly cleaned up, with 5 awards!

Stellar weekend! Only 3 days to go until I go away for Easter!!

Dining Out for Life

2007-03-29T09:42:00.000-07:00

There is an important event that takes place annually in cities all around North America, including the Vancouver-Whistler corridor. Dining Out for Life is a fundraiser to help fight AIDS, and offers you a chance to do your part.

Visit a participating restaurant, enjoy a sumptuous meal, and know that 25% of the food revenue from your meal will help in the fight against AIDS. It's a great way to give back while indulging in some fine gastronomic delights. For more information about this great event, and to find out when your city hosts its own DOFL day, click the link above.

And, coincidentally, today just happens to be the day when Vancouver, the Lower Mainland, and Whistler do their part. To find out which restaurants have hopped on the bandwagon to help out, and where you should dine in our fair city tonight, check this out.

As for me, I'm going out for both lunch and dinner today. Because, really, it's the least I can do! Bon appetit, everyone!

Waiting for the return of dreary.For now, though, sun!

2007-03-27T15:31:00.000-07:00

Yup, our record-breaking weather is about to hit new heights yet again! March is about to be crowned the wettest on record. Or wait! Is it?!?

Just when we were about 20mm from breaking the record (as of only the 23rd day of the month), we hit a sudden and very unexpected sunny patch. The rains are temporarily gone, the sun is out, the smiles are back, the umbrellas tucked away.

How long will it last? Surely not long, so then we'll be able to ~~celebrate setting yet one more unwanted record~~ lament the return of dreary.

Still, for now it feels like Spring is in the air. And, not so coincidentally, I feel a certain spring in my step as well. But that's only partly related to the weather.

For the record

2007-03-26T11:35:00.000-07:00

I suppose it's time I went public.

Yup, I'm finally ready to announce that I'm dating someone. Someone I've known for a long time, who is wonderful, who is very together, who brings joy and happiness to my already-abundant life. And -- to satisfy my shallow side -- who is really hot!

But for now you probably won't get too many details beyond that. Suffice to say that this guy has been the reason I've occasionally put up posts like this and this. Yes, and even this cryptic little one, which everyone assumed was career-related.

Hee hee. Guess what? That cryptic post wasn't about work at all, but about the start of something wonderful with him : )

Things are all good. And I seem to have this perma-grin on my face! Yay me!

At the 3.5 km mark

2007-03-23T11:46:00.000-07:00

After getting a couple of questions about the status of my ankle, I realized that I hadn't posted an update since I rolled it.

In short, things are good. It's still a bit sore and swollen, and I don't have complete range of motion, but it's all good. After giving it a rest from volleyball, I bought a new ankle brace and hit the court again last weekend. It didn't give me any grief at all, so that was a huge relief.

Calgary is still on the agenda for Easter weekend. This is a tournament that I've played in 4 times in the past, but most recently in 2002. It's been far too long since I've played Western Cup, so I'm stoked to have the chance to go to Cowtown and have some fun.

The biggest problem I have with the ankle is the fact that, in a moment of weakness, I agreed to join my friend's corporate team for the Sun Run. Despite the fact that I had started running and felt that I would be ready, my ankle injury has precluded me from running since I hurt it. Sure, I've been cycling in the gym, swimming, and pool running -- but it's not nearly the same as real running. As a result, I think I'll be hooped for the Sun Run, simply because the ankle can't take the pounding of real running yet. I guess I'll be walking it.

Luckily, my apartment is right along the course, so I could simply duck out and finish my walk at the 3.5 km mark : )

Number One

2007-03-22T23:39:00.000-07:00

Just got back from seeing my gal Nelly, and she was awesome! The show was a blend of soft stylings, amazing colour, pitch-perfect vocals, and lots and lots of hi-energy anthems that had the crowd on their feet and slammin' big time. Even better than I had expected, that girl has really learned how to put on a show!

She played my favourite Nelly song, Forca. I love the energy of that song and what it does to get my blood a-pumping. In fact, it's the first song on the Cardio Mix playlist I have on my iPod when I'm on the cycle at the gym or warming up for volleyball. It just gets me goin' something fierce!

If I was a Nelly fan before, I'm an even bigger fan now. Yup, Nelly's number one in my book.

The Nellster

2007-03-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

I'm going to see Nelly in concert tonight. Yippee! And I'm feeling tingly and loose all over.

"As you know, in fashion, one dayyou're in and the next day you're out"

2007-03-21T08:04:00.000-07:00

How excited am I?

A Canadian version of the bestest-ever reality show on TV!

I know Tower Girl will be watching just as closely as me! I only have one question: who could ever fill Heidi's shoes?!

Random picture of the day

2007-03-20T11:27:00.000-07:00

Lucky and Tower Girl (Ottawa, May/06)

God love 'em!

Yummy

2007-03-19T16:52:00.000-07:00

I had the bestest-ever dream last night!

I was getting ready for bed and, instead of regular pillows, I noticed a very special treat! My pillows weren't covered in white pillowcases, but were slathered in lots of luscious white cream cheese icing.

I'm salivating just thinking of it.

Ten

2007-03-17T07:36:00.000-07:00

Ten years ago today, I came out to my cousin and finally started the process of accepting, and loving, myself as a gay man.

It's been a liberating decade, one with triumph and joy, hardship and heartache. Still, it's been a great journey.

It's a good thing that the importance is in the journey, and not the destination. Cuz I'm still not sure what the destination is...

Hot and bothered

2007-03-16T16:14:00.000-07:00

I did hot yoga the other day for the very first time.

My body acted somewhat like a human fawcett, given the amount of sweat I was expelling. Not comfortable. At all. Ick.

Not going back.

Probably....

Two

2007-03-15T08:37:00.000-07:00

Two years ago today, I boarded a plane from Sydney to Melbourne to start my career with the circus. The roller coaster ride began and -- although I suppose the roller coaster is more apropros to an amusement park -- the symbolism is completely appropriate in this case.

Thankfully, the roller coaster ride is over. I'm home, I'm happy, I'm settled, and I'm embarking on a new chapter.

I'm so happy to have met so many great friends -- Lucky, The Hire Guy, Tower Girl, Nebraska Girl, Ladybug, and Leona Lowenstein -- but don't miss many of the others. What I do cherish are the good times and the experience but, heck, even the losers on tour taught me how much of an effect ineptitude and ineffectiveness have on an entire team of people.

Two years ago is a distant memory. But I have no regrets about the decidions I've made or the results I've gained.

PS: it's Caro's birthday today, so happy birthday to her!

Battin' and throwin' and runnin'

2007-03-14T16:06:00.000-07:00

I did it. Honouring a vow I made over two years ago, I joined the community slo-pitch league. It could be interesting, given my only previous experience playing one game in the Sydney league, where I not-so-expertly demonstrated my batting and throwing abilities. While my running is just fine, my attempts to bat and throw were atrocious, to be honest.

Still, it's all about opportunities for growth and change, ain't it?? And my friend Sindee promised to help me figure out how I can make my battin' and throwin' more man-like : )

Architectural Eye Candy

2007-03-12T18:41:00.000-07:00

OK, today is Architecture Day here on life is large. A few stellar pics from some of my travels the past few years:

(1) This is one of the many gorgeous temples located inside Beijing's Forbidden City. The details along the edges of the rooves are indicative of the incredible commitment to beauty that's evident in all of the buildings inside the Forbidden City. (picture taken December 2005)

(2) This building was directly beside our site in downtown Singapore, and had gorgeous detailing at the very top -- instead of gargoyles, there were men holding spheres that would light up at night. (September 2005)

(3) After taking the rickety tram to the top of The Peak of Victoria Mountain in Hong Kong, I was rewarded with this amazing (but somewhat smoggy) view of the skyline below. The density of the city is pretty visible from up in these rarified heights. (November 2005)

(4) This was a monument that was new to me, having been erected since my last visit to DC in 2001. It was a tribute to World War II veterans and was laid out beautifully on the Mall adjacent to the Washington Monument. (August 2006)

(5) One of the beautiful buildings in San Diego's historic Balboa Park, this structure featured incredible detailing all over its front. (February 2006)

And there you have some of my fave architectural highlights of my recent travels. Thanks for indulging me!

Could have been worse

2007-03-10T12:31:00.000-08:00

So I was playing volleyball last night at Britannia Community Centre. It was great -- I was playing with some really talented guys, I was forced to step up my game to be competitive, I was doing that for the most part (with a few notable errors), I was understanding a bit better where my weaknesses continue to lie.

We'd been playing for over two hours and were about 5 minutes from the end of play. "Great," I thought, "this evening has been fun and I feel like my game is rounding into shape in time for Calgary."

But just when I thought I was home free, it happened.I went up for a block and landed on the foot of the guy who was hitting on the other side of the net. And you just know that it can't be good when you hear a nasty crunching sound as you land.

Instant pain.

Shooting pain allllll over my right ankle.

Feeling sick to my stomach.

Limping around in anger/frustration/pain.

Questions about how bad I've done it in.....

And in the end, it's not nearly as bad as it could have been. The scariest part was hearing that crunch sound that could have been a bone breaking, some tendons stretching, or ligaments snapping. I'm guessing it was just the force of landing on my opponent's sneaker or something. But thank goodness it wasn't anything breaking!

I was able to drive home and it was sore last night, but not too swollen. Today, it's definitely still sore (!!) but at least I can walk and function without too much difficulty. Thanking my lucky stars!!

The Lone Star State: a few words of advice

2007-03-09T10:28:00.000-08:00

Dear Cookie:

While I'm incredibly stoked for you with your latest news -- you know how I've been pulling for this to happen, after all -- I feel I must warn you about a few things that you may not be ready for.

Making my way from Long Beach to Ottawa last April, I did a big ol' road trip across America. A huge chunk of my route included a loooong road across the Lone Star State, where I spent some time in some of the state's hot spots.

Well, to be clear, I wouldn't call them hot spots. Oh, and it's not like I actually spent a lot of time in these places. Specifically, I slept a night in wee little Ozona (population 3436); I passed an enjoyable 24 hours with great folks in beautiful and hospitable Austin (thanks to Caro and my cousin!), and I slept (and did laundry) in big and brash Houston (where I considered passing a few hours lookin' for those gals from Destiny's Child).

As you can see by my considerable experience in three days, I'm what you might call a Texpert : ) In fact, Texas has taught me a whole lot. Look and learn, my dear!

Texas is full of cowboys. Not surprisingly, cowboys wear cowboy hats. Sometimes, cowboys even wear leather chaps. And, often, those chaps are buttless. You may have to go to a gay bar to find those particular cowboys, but don't be afraid to do some, ahem, sightseeing.
Texas is full of Republicans. Like GWB. Be careful.
People in Texas like guns. When you're hiring those temp staffers, do a pat-down to make sure they're not packin' heat!
Texas has a lot of prisoners. Don't be duped into hiring them. And, even more importantly, don't be duped into writing letters to lonely gentlemen who seek caring, giving lady friends -- who can visit them every Saturday.
If you're not familiar with football, learn it. Fast. You'll be able to contribute to 90% of the conversations that occur in Texas if you know football. Unlike me, you should understand a little bit more than the term tight end.
You may want to consider developing a taste for Country music, if you're not already a fan. It may make your time a bit more "endurable."
Have I mentioned the cowboys? Even if they're not wearing buttless chaps, cowboys are amply sexy. Can you send one to Vancouver for me?? Please?!
Steer clear of tornadoes and hurricanes. Please! Run, duck, and cover when necessary.
Texas is big. Big big big. And bad. And by bad, I do mean in the good sense of the word. You'll always find something to do in big, bad Texas.

There ya go. Forearmed is forewarned, so you're now ready and able to take on the big bad brash state of Texas. Enjoy yourself and remember to send that cowboy my way!!!

All my love,

Jeff. xoxo

Compliments, not insults

2007-03-07T08:50:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I wrote about awareness. And this is another lesson in awareness from yours truly.

Someone told me something recently that has made me much more aware. He complimented me about something, but I did my typical brush it off thing. You know, the whole "aw shucks" thing that I usually do because I'm not always comfortable receiving compliments. Then he looked directly in my eyes and said very pointedly, "You're welcome...." And he reminded me that if I don't thank the person who gives me a compliment, it's insulting to them.

I don't think I'd ever thought of it that way, preferring instead to be all wrapped up in my own feelings of insecurity and "undeserving-ness." But this guy has taught me a lot lately, and I feel richer having benefitted from his friendship.

And, you can be sure that, ever since he pointed it out, I've made a very pointed effort to properly acknowledge every single compliment he gives me. And I make sure to throw a compliment his way once in a while, too : )

Gloating

2007-03-06T09:57:00.000-08:00

Awareness is an amazing thing, isn't it? Take climate change, for instance. It's probably been going on for quite a while now -- at least, I think scientists are saying it's been an issue for longer than we've been aware. But lately, we seem to have this consciousness about it that we've never had before.

Politics, the media, entertainment....they've all drawn our attention to this issue repeatedly over the past year. It's reached a frenzied, fevered pitch now, and we're putting more effort into ~~arguing~~ discussing what we can do about it, how it will affect our children, and ~~how each particular political party can parlay it into election success~~ why we've let it go on for so long.

And of course, I say all of this simply because it's a gorgeous day here in Vancouver, with a record-breaking temperature of 16.5C. The sun is shining brightly, a few meandering clouds dot sky, and the snow looks like it's clinging desperately to the tops of the North Shore Mountains after having engulfed them right to the bottom last week. Yup, we've got all of this while Ontario struggles with weather disaster. It's stunning how incredibly disparate the temperatures can be from here to there. But today, I'm simply going to do some quiet gloating : ) And as little polluting as possible.

Bring it on

2007-03-02T08:57:00.000-08:00

So Tower Girl called me with some amazing news yesterday. She's filling in on a European circus tour that hits Barcelona, then Paris (for 9 weeks!!), then Gijon (northern coast of Spain). Yup, just as she was struggling with how to get a job that carried her from now through to August, when she starts on the new circus tour, she gets this opportunity. And how stoked am I for her?!?!

Now, don't get me wrong: I have no interest in returning to the circus at all. In fact, there isn't a day that goes by that I'm not happy to be away from them. Still, when I signed up two years ago, I had thought that I'd like to stay on and do a European tour with the circus before my time was up. And while that didn't happen for me, I'm so stoked that it's in the cards for Tower Girl.

Have I mentioned that I'd reallllly like to visit her in Paris? She knows, and says Bring it on!

White rabbits

2007-03-01T07:39:00.000-08:00

Welcome to March!

Good thing I remembered, as I drifted out of sleep at about 3AM overnight, to repeat, "White rabbits, white rabbits, white rabbits" out loud.

Good luck will be mine the entire month long!

Back order

2007-02-28T17:25:00.000-08:00

I found out yesterday that the beautiful couch-that-flattens-into-a-bed which I purchased in January is on back order until March 15 at the earliest.

Arrgghh!!!!

So when I have houseguests, they'll have to continue sharing my bed. Well, some of them : ) My sister , for instance, was excepted from that rule during her recent visit, of course. Cuz my family just ain't like that!! We ain't from West Virginia, after all : )

Potential on the menu

2007-02-27T09:56:00.000-08:00

This is the kind of mood I'm in today:

Like the pictures of all these flowers I've taken over the past couple of weeks, I feel bright and colourful today. It's just that kind of a day. Beautiful sunshine, snowcapped mountains, seaplane landings happening every few minutes, tankers out in English Bay, green grass, happy people, families collecting seashells on the beach, and plenty of potential on the menu.

Dear reader, how is your day going?

Der Winterstieger

2007-02-26T11:02:00.000-08:00

Hey Luscious Lorna, I had the weirdest dream last night.

Remember that antique green Winterstieger ski tuning machine in Base II back in your day? For some reason, I had a dream that you were taking it out of mothballs for another Baby-faced Boys of Base II Challenge and were readying your young 'uns to take on the Daylodge Rentals crew.

And I know that the original challenge was to prepare 200+ pre-set bindings for a honkin' huge Schools on Skis day, but for some reason the old Winterstieger factored into the equation -- perhaps to tune some of those skis for the first time in ~~weeks~~ ~~months~~ ~~years~~ their history.

God forbid the poor kids who get skis tuned on that thing!

Puddle jumping

2007-02-20T18:58:00.000-08:00

Six little letters. Many different connotations. Millions of dollars in therapists' bills spent by people striving for it.

Growth.

Throughout the past three weeks of my program, I've been reminded that growth is hugely important to me. If nothing else, I tasked myself with expressing that to the rest of my classmates in my final presentation, and getting them to understand what drives me; what motivates me; what growth means to me in a practical sense. I did a great job of getting that point across, and it was a very useful exercise for me to collate everything I've been working on these past few ~~weeks~~ ~~months~~ years in figuring out who I am, what motivates me, what choices I've made, and the results they've yielded.

But just when I was ready to take a breather after three exhausting weeks of the program, I was presented with yet another opportunity for growth this past weekend. It was an opportunity that came out of the blue, but that I had honestly thought about for a while -- just keeping it somewhere in the back of my mind as a very remote possibility that might present itself at some point; at any point. I guess I'd convinced myself that it wouldn't materialize, so it was absolutely surprising to find myself in the moment, wondering whether to be prudent or reckless, realistic or foolish. And so, for the first time in a long time, I just didn't think about anything except being in that precise moment; just being engaged in the there and then.

OK, so that last bit is a big ol' lie : )

As much as I wish I could say I didn't think of anything except being in that precise moment, I found myself thinking of past decisions and results, and of the shape that things could potentially take in the near, and distant, future. Regardless, it was pretty amazing to be presented with a new opportunity for growth that I just didn't expect -- but had kinda secretly hoped might surface.

So if the past three weeks, plus this past weekend, have all been overwhelmingly about examining growth and its results, maybe it can be attributed to the old adage, when it rains, it pours. Well, then, let 'er rip. I've put on my rain gear and I'm ready to jump in some puddles!

Sorry for being so cryptic about this development, but all ~~will~~ may be revealed in time -- a great deal of time.

Get with the Program, will ya?!

2007-02-13T18:06:00.000-08:00

So I'm taking a course. Well, it's a program, really. And it's been very interesting.

This program is offered free to people who are unemployed and/or receiving Employment Insurance benefits and, yes, that certainly includes me! (Unemployed, but with a purpose!) My best friend Suzie took the program about four or five years ago, and had some pretty powerful breakthroughs with regard to previous experiences and how they subsequently affected her decision-making and, correspondingly, how those decisions yielded particular results.

So far, it's been pretty enlightening. I'm not so sure I've experienced the kinds of breakthroughs that Suzie had, but part of that is due to the fact that I've been doing a lot of personal development work on my own for the past 3+ years. Remember that I moved to Sydney and came to several realizations about my motivations and priorities which helped me make some subsequent decisions (namely, coming home to Canada). But first I did my time as a circus nomad -- where the good, the bad, and the ugly were regular visitors to my doorstep -- I feel like I took that opportunity to, again, better understand myself and my motivations much better than I did back in the pre-overseas days.

So back to the program, which I have been telling people is a life and career positioning course, mostly because it's helping people to determine their life and work values. That, in turn, positions them to make better choices that yield will the kind of results that they're looking for. At least, that's what I consider the best benefit for me, anyway: I think I'm better positioned to figure out my next steps.

And, to be honest, I'm not 100% sure what those steps will be, or what shape they'll take. I feel like I had a revelation shortly before taking this program -- one that I feel that the results of the program have so far reinforced and validated for me -- but actually getting to the starting line of that new career path is still a potential barrier for me. It ain't impossible, but there are a few different ways to get to the head of that trail.

Still, this program has helped me understand that there is a way to make it happen. I have to be honest and admit that I don't always take the hard way -- why do that when the easy way is so much, well, easier?! But perhaps now I'm better positioned to understand that I can, in fact, eschew the easy way in lieu of the way that will lead me to the results I seek. But instead of calling it the hard way, let's just refer to it as the smart way : )

So twelve days of the course are down, with three to go.

(And, coincidentally, the revelation I had shortly before taking this program was one that Lorna helped out with originally. So I'll have to call it a re-revelation. Lorna: remember being in The Vortex (ya, the time when I had to send back the burger) and we talked out several different options? This end result that you helped me get to has been in the back of my mind ever since, and the re-revelation was simply the realization that we hit the nail right on the head that day, and that I need to make it happen. And that just goes to show that great things happen when you have great people to talk them out with. Because seriously, it was just talking it out and identifying likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses that helped us get to that point on that day oh so long ago : ) Lorna rocks!)

A glimpse into the past

2007-02-11T14:13:00.000-08:00

Just got back from Whistler. Awwwesome skiing yesterday and a great time overall. I love catchin' up with the posse up there and seeing a glimpse into the past years that I spent up there.

Tired. Need sleep. Must do homework for the course I'm taking (two weeks down, with one week to go).

Toodles for now!

That's what 40 does for ya

2007-02-01T23:39:00.000-08:00

Apparently, e-marketing gurus the world over know I've hit the big 4-0. Clearly they can sense it; can just feel it in their ~~unscrupulous~~ little souls. You see, I seem to be getting an awful lot of invitations to purchase -- for her pleasure, naturally -- large orders of Viagra.

They're obviously making a statement about 40. One that would indicate it's all downhill (or maybe it's all uphill?) from here.

My first delivery should arrive in six to eight weeks...

My Trip Report: Whistler

2007-01-28T23:17:00.000-08:00

My first trip to Whistler since June/04. My first ski trip to Whistler since March/03. Yippee!!

The new and improved highway is absolutely wicked. (Thank goodness we won the Olympic bid to expedite this improvement!) As I drove the new section just before Lion's Bay, I heard myself giggling out loud at the improvement to two lanes in each direction. But the real kicker was through the Canyon north of Squamish, where BOB has a new bridge beside it, and the northbound lanes have doubled. It doesn't even look like a canyon anymore; that's how much blasting they've done to widen and straighten the road. Wicked!

Friday night I hung out with two of my best gal pals, ordering in sushi and watching the Canucks game (they lost in overtime). We caught up real good, having not visited in 2-1/2 years, and shared gossip as best we could. I love those gals!

Saturday, I volunteered at the Gala event of an annual fundraising event for a charitable foundation, which took place up top of Whistler at the Roundhouse. It was good fun, and we helped transform the cavernous facilities into a gorgeous, intimate lounge-type venue. Well, maybe not a lounge, but it was still pretty amazing how much of an improvement it was. I was, of course, working the Martini Bar. Being the bartender extraordinaire that I am, they knew where to highlight my talents!! Offering a choice of Orangetini or Crantini, we pleased many of the partygoers with our wit, wisdom, and worldliness.

But then the real fun began. I skied today. And the good news is that my tree-trunk legs are still good for something! It was great to give 'em a good workout by doing some punishing runs, but I still need to work on pivoting my skis instead of just sliding turns when I get lazy. Still, however, I had a great time and felt pretty rock-solid on top of my Salomons.

The day was picture-perfect, with plentiful snow coverage, a chance to ski the new Symphony Express, and nary a cloud in the sky. I cut some turns with friends in the AM, but was on my own for the last couple of hours, so could hit the Singles line and practically ski onto the lift every run. Fairly stellar : )

I offer proof of the kind of day it was with the following photographs, taken from the top of Whistler at approximately 12:30PM this afternoon. Ain't Black Tusk somethin' else?!

I hope you've enjoyed my trip report. Next visit to Whistler: two weeks!

Rusty

2007-01-23T23:58:00.000-08:00

I'm a bit rusty, but at least I'm back!

I played volleyball for the first time in 3-1/2 years tonight, and it felt great. Rusty for sure, but great nonetheless. And none too soon, either, becuase I really need to shed some of this, ahem, additional weight I've accumulated over the past couple of months.

I wouldn't say I've gained all this weight simply because of all the partying for my 40th birthday and a home-for-the-holidays Christmas. I guess I now realize just how physically active my former circus job was. I used to blog about the trials and tribs of Set Up and Tear Down and all the physical output accumulated with both of those arduous tasks in each city, but I suppose that was just part of the picture.

Every day in the process of doing my job, I must have walked miles. And, trust me, I didn't cover nearly as much real estate as Tower Girl or Lucky, who logged a mini-marathon every day. Still, my tent was always located at the front of site, so I routinely covered plenty of ground walking to the back of site to go to the kitchen ~~over and over again~~, to put in laundry, to move laundry, to get laundry, to go to ~~completely unproductive~~ meetings, to move inventory, to sign payroll, to do whatever. And then when it was showtime and my VIP suite was open, it was always go go go! I circled repeatedly to make sure that everything was going according to plan -- observing, puttering, adjusting, fixing, hosting, chatting up ~~the cute~~ guests. Seriously, it was rare to ever stop and smell the chocolate fountain fondue because I was always running around.

During my last eight months with the circus, I used to tell everyone that I was conducting a physiological experiment: I didn't do a freakin' bit of exercise, I ate everything in sight, I gorged on desserts, and still managed to avoid a weight gain of 50 pounds. But now I realize that it was all that walking and moving and lifting and everything -- in addition to the craziness of Set Up and Tear Down -- actually kept me within an acceptable weight range. Even if I wasn't doing any extracurricular exercise, my on-the-job output was enough to work wonders.

But, not surprisingly, it's all gone to pot now. Perhaps it's time to start workin' on that and lose this mess of a middle I've suddenly acquired.

Stay tuned.

Jealous

2007-01-23T11:38:00.000-08:00

I just spoke to Lucky this morning, and I'm really jealous.

He's heading to Toronto to visit Tower Girl for a few days. Why, if I didn't have commitments this weekend, I'd have half a mind to jump a plane and surprise 'em with my own visit. But, alas, it ain't gonna happen.

Have fun, guys! I expect a drunken text or call!

Back on the wagon

2007-01-19T11:26:00.000-08:00

Even though Mr. Ottawa is a Leafs fan, he still lives in Ottawa. So this one's for him, too.

Vancouver Canucks 2

Ottawa Senators 1

Oh ya, and there's the little matter of the previous game: Vancouver 4 - Montreal Canadiens 0.

I'm sure you've heard the sound? It's the crush of people jumping back on the Canucks' bandwagon.

Eat that

2007-01-13T18:33:00.000-08:00

Ahem. This one's for Tower Girl's boyfriend.

Vancouver Canucks 6

Toronto Maple Loafs 1

Eat that : )

2007-01-11T11:18:00.000-08:00

OK, so maybe I just can't stay away from the blog. But I just had to show you more pics after last night's amazing snowfall. Yes, it puked again last night, and here are the pics to prove it -- this time showcasing the beautiful sunshine that brightens up all that gorgeous snow and makes it a picture-perfect day.

From top to bottom, you see my view over English Bay; overlooking English Bay Beach with a peek-a-boo view of Stanley Park; northwest overlooking the West End towards Grouse Mountain; and north towards more of the North Shore Mountains.

Ain't it a pretty view from my skypad?

Let it snow, let is snow, let it snow

2007-01-10T14:23:00.000-08:00

OK, I had to briefly interrupt my hiatus to post a picture of another snowy day in Vancouver. It might normally snow once, maybe twice, a year in Vancouver. The snow stays for about 18 hours and then flees like snowbirds to Florida.

This Winter, however, we've seen a few snowfalls already. In fact, if you're Canadian and ~~don't live under a rock~~ follow the news, you'll know that the coverage of the West Coast's November storms was picked as the top news story of 2006 by a number of news outlets.

And here is the latest proof. After last month's windstorm that caused such widespread damage to Stanley Park, we had a big ol' follow-up that dealt a further blow to the old-growth forest in the park. So much damage to so many trees!

But on the bright side, things eventually calmed down and we were left with this beautiful blanket of snow overnight. Please enjoy a portion of the magnificent view from my skypad.

Hang tight

2007-01-08T18:08:00.000-08:00

Yup, I'm still here. Alive and kicking, chillin' and drinking. But I think I'm just gonna take a bit of time off from this medium. I'm still a happy blogger, but I'm just figuring out what the purpose of this thing is.

Hang tight, folks. I'll be back.

Say cheese

2006-12-17T18:57:00.000-08:00

It's the official end of my birthday celebrations -- an entire week of them! It was awesome, but it's over just in time. I head to Ottawa tomorrow for Christmas with the entire family, Aussies included.

The last time the entire family was together was in March 2001 for my oldest sister's 40th birthday (oh, do I see the parallels there!!), but that was before my nephew was born. And the last time the entire fam was together at Christmas was in 1991, which was looooong before any marriages and/or grandkids entered the picture.

Needless to say, this kind of gathering doesn't happen every ~~decade~~ day. You just know there will be family portraits taken at some point!

Rethinking the 18th floor

2006-12-15T12:30:00.000-08:00

So my fabulous new apartment is on the 18th floor, with a stellar view of English Bay (and so much more). It's fantastic, to be honest. And I thought I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

I'm rethinking it.

Since returning to Vancouver at the end of October, Vancouver has endured record-breaking rain and flooding (including a week-long boil-water advisory), record-breaking snowfall (which is completely abnormal for Vancouver), and record-breaking windstorms. And last night was probably the worst of it.

My apartment building is a huge, concrete behemoth sructure that, I wouldn't think, is vulnerable to the elements. Well, maybe an earthquake could do some serious damage, but some measley windstorm?! Come on! But I have to think again, because my building was shaking during last night's storm. Sure it was subtle, but there was definitely some shaking happening.

Then again, maybe the shaking was me lying in my bed, scared shit-less : ) Cuz I kinda was!

This was one helluva storm. Hurricaine-force winds battering our lovely city by the sea, taking with it anything that wasn't secured. I kept hearing items (garbage cans, lawn furniture, small vehicles) blowing down the back alley as the winds garnered more and more strength. And, yes, the shaking continued -- but it really was the building and not me! Still, I felt pretty vulnerable and started worrying about whether someone's balcony furniture would be blown down into my balcony window, shattering it and then sucking me out into the storm with it.

I survived, but not without a few anxious moments. And in reality, I'm not really rethinking my 18th floor locale. But I'm going to keep repeating my mantra of the past six weeks: surely the weather can't get any worse than this!

Can it?

The gal can party!

2006-12-14T12:40:00.000-08:00

Monday was a tough day, I'll tell ya. After enjoying a fabulous party on Sunday night, I had to get up early to drive my Aunt to the doctor's office, and then to get her prescription filled. Four hours later, I was operating on fumes. Oy, how I earned my nephew points that day!

But the previous evening's festivities were well worth it. A terrific venue, plenty of friends from in and out of town, walls plastered (kinda like me) with the most embarrassing pictures of my youth, and a great time had by all. And there was even a surprise appearance by a very special guest from New York!

Yup, Liza showed up to help usher me into my 40's! And unlike the last time I saw her, she was plastered and stumbling drunk. The gal can party!

Still, someone trusted Liza enough to hold their 7-month old. That baby is gonna be scarred for life!

And then it was Liza's turn to pay attention to me. And did she ever! It all ended up with Liza sitting on my lap, using my legs in an impromptu can-can to end all can-cans!

What a great evening -- one that continued until the wee hours of the morning for the hearty few of us who lasted until the end. A great way to usher in a new decade, but with none of the wisdom and maturity that I had promised would be a hallmark of this new era of middle age.

Oh well, you can't always be wise and mature when the cocktails are appearing unannounced in your hands throughout the course of the entire evening! Bottoms up, everyone!

40 and fab

2006-12-08T10:31:00.000-08:00

Let the weekend festivities begin. 40 and fabulous.

I hope.

F(urniture) Day

2006-12-07T23:53:00.000-08:00

My furniture is being delivered today. Yippee! Now I'll have somewhere to sit while I eat breakfast and watch TV and post blog entries.

This weekend is shaping up to be fun. I've got my ~~more or less~~ weekly sushi dinner with Suzie and Wilma, and I've been told by Suzie to keep Friday night and Saturday night open. Why? I'm not sure, but am somewhat apprehensive. And I believe something is happening Sunday evening, but details are a bit sketchy. Everyone has done a fine job of keeping everything under wraps, so I'm in the dark. But, truth be told, I'm lovin' it.

Here's to a fantastic weekend!

Update: the furniture is here, it's gorgeous, and I feel like an adult with real furnishings instead of IKEA merchandise for the first time ever. Not that there's anything at all wrong with IKEA, but I'm just excited to have stuff that I don't have to assemble myself : )

Past and future

2006-12-05T11:01:00.000-08:00

So I'm absolutely loving the new bed. Suffice to say that I've enjoyed a couple of nights of uninterrupted slep for the first time in a loooooong while. And I played with the placement of my bed within the bedroom so that I can actually watch my TV, perfectly positioned in the living room to allow me to enjoy The View from the comfort of my super plush pillows. Needless to say, I see a lot of lazy bed time in my immediate future.

I've been unpacking all my trunks and boxes as I continue to settle into the new digs. And it's absolutely awesome, as I continually discover keepsakes ~~and junk~~ from my past. From treasures like framed pictures that used to hang on my walls, to crap like my 1983 driver's license test -- why the hell did I keep that?! -- it's been an invigorating, and somewhat exhausting, stroll down memory lane. But how stoked am I to find all this stuff and relive the memories from nearly 40 years of living?!

Yup, I feel like I'm in a pretty cool place right now. I'm looking at my past at the same time my future beckons. It's coincidental that I'm starting over, starting from scratch, at 40. Or is it? I think that maybe it was meant to be this way.

After all, I truly believe that everything happens for a reason. Ev. Ree. Thing.

Like a log

2006-12-03T05:24:00.000-08:00

The move to my new apartment went very quickly yesterday. From go to woe, it took only 75 minutes. That's what happens when the sum total of your worldly goods ~~has been reduced to a meaningful few keepsakes and plenty of clothes that probably don't even fit anymore~~ is negligible.

I love my new place. It's actually a bit smaller than I remember, but cozy and cute and bright. The view is even better than I remembered and, as I started to unpack yesterday, I kept gazing at the completely snow-covered North Shore mountains. Never before have I seen them so perfectly white and fresh and untouched. Thank all the freakin' snow for that, but whatever the reason, it was the most appropriate picture-perfect postcard greeting for the first afternoon chez moi.

After spending a pretty penny on furniture in the last few days, I went out and picked up a new TV yesterday, raising my haul of new stuff to the "crazy expenditure" level. But really, like I can live without a TV? What kind of simpleton do you take me for?! The View beckons!

Good grief, I'm such a girl.

Today I get cable and internet hooked up, plus my brand new gorgeous bed will be delivered. And that has to be the most exciting news of all. After 19 months of sleeping in different beds in different cities, after a month of sleeping on Suzie's couch, after too long without a mattress to call my own, I will finally have a resting place for my old, aching bones. And I hope to sleep like a log tonight!

Sweet dreams, everyone!