Bwah?

hey, the internet's still here! Weird!

My computer's fubar'd apparently...it'll cost about a thousand bucks to fix, which is what we paid for it originally...so unless we can play with it a bit ourselves, I'm going to be getting a laptop or something.

Or maybe not. I've been mostly unplugged from computers for the last two months, and it's actually a pretty good feeling. I check email once in a while on Dave's computer or at my parents' place, but I'm not glued to a computer like I used to be.

I even did some writing (about 1800 words) last night, long hand. If it wasn't for the fact that I could use a computer to write on, I might not even bother. I guess I'll see when I go computer shopping in the next little while.

Hooked up and Ready to Go

WHEEE!!! We FINALLY have internet. I'm typing this on the floor of our "office" aka The Box Room on Dave's laptop. We also have wireless, so this means that the Wii will be hooked into the world!

About freaking time, is what I say.

We moved the Wii and a TV over last night. Now suddenly I've gone from nothing electronic except a cell phone and a battery powered radio to internet, landlines, cable and my Wii, including Dance Dance Revolution which Dave got me for my birthday. I'm slightly drunk with the possibilities.

I really should have gotten that cleaning finished before all the time eaters entered the apartment...

We're in!

Two nights down, and still love the new place.

We moved some of my clothes, a tonne of kitchen stuff and some bathroom stuff. We also bought an air bed that looks like it's real with all the sheets on it, and three chairs for our breakfast bar thingie. Two are now put together. Last night we had a Bring Your Own Chair party for our immediate families.

Other than that, nothing's moved. We have a box room (so named because of the vast quantities of empty and mostly empty cardboard boxes currently residing there), which will eventually be the office (but no internet yet, thus no computers or desks), two chairs and an air bed. Dressers, desks, bookshelves...etc...will probably be moved or purchased next week or the week after. Not really in a hurry for couches or other things...it's fun doing karate in a giant empty space!

Today's the Day!

We get our keys tonight! Yay!!

I've got several boxes packed with essentials (some clothes, bathroom stuff, kitchen stuff) since we're doing a staggered move-in. Big, giant advantage to moving out of the parents's house on good terms with them...not everything needs to move at once. We won't have internet until probably next Friday (GASP! THE HORRORS!) which means I might actually get my marking for tutoring finished this week.

Tonight we're on an air mattress which we're borrowing from some friends, we're looking at beds (Costco sells EVERYTHING btw) and we'll see what we need as we go. Since my parents moved me when I was eight months old and we haven't moved since, I've got a crap-tonne of stuff that I'm going to be getting rid of. I estimate that in the last few months I've taken out about 200 books or so. The scary thing is that unless you REALLY know where to look, there's no dent in the ginormity of books that I possess.

In other, related news, I highly recommend ChoreWars (link via Liz). It's a fabulously geeky game designed to help groups of people do the chores needed to keep a business/household/whatever running smoothly. It's set up like a role playing game and you can earn experience points, gold and items. It's really flexible and a lot of fun.

Haha, with all the other stuff I wanted to write about, I completely forgot to mention that I'm sick again. I'm finally admitting that the sniffling I've been doing for the last week has been a burgeoning cold, not allergies (although seriously, the dust allergies while I've been packing? omg. FTL.).

Argh!

My car got broken into last night. It wasn't until this evening that I realized that my karate gear was all stolen. Sparring gear, uniform, a pair of sai and a nunchaku. Grrrr...

They couldn't wait ONE LOUSY WEEK?? One week and I'd be moved and in a secure underground lot. Bloody hell.

Claritin FTL

So, after my minor bout with drug induced panic last night, I managed to hold it together through tutoring and calmed down a lot, although I was still jittery and my heart was still racing a bit. (or at least it felt that way) I even managed to get to sleep not too late (about midnight, I figure). However...I then woke up at 0400, dry mouth, nauseated, heart racing, head racing...lovely. I tried for an hour to get to sleep again. FAIL! So I got up and did some organizing for the move for an hour or two, then went to bed and read for a bit, finally falling asleep again around eight, waking up again at about 1030. AWESOME. I have a feeling that I'll be napping today.

In other news, I appear to be computer poison. My desktop is refusing to turn on, I couldn't do most of the stuff I needed to on my parents' Mac and so now I'm on their PC. With any luck this computer won't explode when I hit "Publish". *taps the mouse with a ten foot pole*

Awe and Panic and Drug Reactions

I keep looking at the pictures of what will very shortly be my home in awe.

Then I look around the reality of how much stuff I have to do before I move, and I am panicked.

Then I realize that I took the wrong anti-histamine because of my dust allergies and that the panic reaction I'm feeling is a purely physical reaction to the anti-histamine that's causing my heart to race and slight dizzy-ness and dry mouth...all valid panic reactions. I hate that my mind gets that I've got these physical reactions and then decides to give them the "fear" label. *snarl* Let's turn this into something positive, brain...hokay? Hokay.

Now I have to go tutor to go pay for my half of what will shortly be my home.

New Era

Well, holy crap. I posted. And for such a wicked cool occasion, too. :D

Dave and I have rented a place together. We're moving out for October 1st...two weeks from now.

Holy crap.

Pictures can be found at http://www.davidcowley.ca/condo

Sweet.

Your Brain is Purple

Of all the brain types, yours is the most idealistic. You tend to think wild, amazing thoughts. Your dreams and fantasies are intense. Your thoughts are creative, inventive, and without boundaries. You tend to spend a lot of time thinking of fictional people and places - or a very different life for yourself.

What Color Is Your Brain?

Speaking of purple, I received a wicked purple trophy this weekend, after placing second at the BC Provincial Disc Golf Championships! (scroll down for my division's results) There were originally two amateur women's divisions, but there weren't enough players to fill the two divisions, so we were melded together. I was registered for amateur intermediate, while the woman who won was in amateur advanced, sooooooooo I kind of got first place in amateur intermediate. ;) I'm pretty freaking impressed with myself regardless.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with how I played. I was on a brand new (gorgeous) course that I'd never played before, but my first round was amazing. I wound up with only 6 over par, and managed to par the front nine holes. At hole two, I was shooting for par, threw too high right into a sapling, which then dumped my disc into the basket. I could do no wrong in that round. If I'd decided to shoot the wrong way, I firmly believe that a large bird would have swooped down, grabbed my disc and dropped it in a place where I would be able to save par. (a raven, maybe. I heard a couple there. Maybe an eagle. Discs are kind of heavy.)

My second round...lacked. I was one behind the leader and completely choked. The first hole (hole 15), I par'd when she bogey'd, which put us tied. Then...wow. I got a six, an EIGHT, a six and two fives. This is for holes that should have been threes and fours. It was terrible. The other women in my group talked me back from my ledge and the rest of the round went decently. Argh, though. It wasn't a good situation.

Third round, I wound up shooting the same as the first round, but I didn't even realize it until the end. I didn't have the same "do no wrong" feeling. I think it was because my shots were more solid this time around and I didn't have to sink those spectacular putts, or make up for all the fours and fives with twos. It was a much more technique-driven round rather than relying on luck.

Overall, it was a really great weekend. Dave and my brother Rob were out too, so we hung out quite a bit. I learned that playing 36 holes of disc golf plus a slight sunburn plus a glass of beer will knock me out at seven o'clock in the evening.

Good times.

Logan Lake

Heading up to Logan Lake (near Kamloops) today to play in the Provincial Disc Golf tournament. I'm excited. :)

I still have to pack some stuff up...and as demonstrated on previous occasions, I really, really hate packing. (I didn't mention hating packing for Pender, but I'm sure I thought it.)

Alsoplus, happy birthday Chris! You get to be older than me until October. :)

"That is a rare photo of Sean Connery signed by Roger Moore."

I'm way too happy about this result.

Which Springfield Resident Are You?
	You are Comic Book Guy. Who said there's anything wrong with being a nerd? Certainly not you! You may be obsessed with things no one else cares about, but your passionate about what you do, so who cares what anyone else thinks?
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

I'm such a liar!

Ok, fine. A post. I KNEW posting the "WHIIIIINE!!! I'm not going to POOOOOOST anymore!!" entry would get me writing. Hehe.

Today my brother and I played 45 holes of disc golf in four hours. This is after I went around a different course 6 times yesterday. Today though? I par'd one of the rounds...27 shots for nine holes. WOO!!!

I started playing my guitar again yesterday. LOVE it. I'm trying to find chords for Death Cab songs and have one that I can...sort of...play. Ish. Very very ish.

Hmph.

I'm feeling very un-writerly. I'm still around, checking other people's sites, but I haven't wanted to do anything here. I've been looking back over some of my older stuff and it feels pretentious and boring. Also, the longer I go for, the more intimidating this page looks. In real life, I'm doing really well...but most of the stuff I've been doing isn't very exciting to read about.

So anyway, I might vanish again for a while. Or not. I haven't decided. :) Maybe this will be the breaking of the dam.

Oh, by the way...

I'm back from my trip. Heh...like...a week ago now. I'll do a big post later at some point. It was amazing.

Edmonton-Day Three

After arriving in Calgary Thursday night, I met up with my Oma, aunt, uncle, three cousins and eight second cousins (cousins once removed? My cousins' kids...whatever that definition is). It was really a neat coincidence because one of my cousins lives in the States and only comes up every so often with her kids. The last time I saw her in Calgary, I was watching her pack up her stuff to go to college in Kansas. That must have been twelve or more years ago.

After visiting for a bit, I went down to Vulcan, Alberta. I admit it, I was suckered in by some of the souveniers. Hee.

My Oma lives in Edmonton, and since she was coming up here at about the same time that I was, she came up with me. We stopped briefly in Red Deer to say hi to another aunt and uncle, then continued up to Edmonton. We arrived about 1130 and I crashed pretty hard.

Waking up this morning, I was still pretty tired, and I'm ready for a nap. Not really surprising, since I've done about 20 hours of driving in the last 48. Since the last time I was here was 2000 (!!!!) I'm going to stay another two nights and leave Monday morning. This has nothing to do with the fact that there's a giant mall a couple blocks away...nooooooo... ;) Plans today include visiting with my youngest cousins (6 and 10 years old), resting up and, of course, visiting the Giant Mall of Ultimate DOOM!

Hokay.

Excellent. I can post again.

Anyway, after 12 hours on the road, I'm in Calgary. And exhausted, yet wired. This is going to be fuuuuun!

I'm in ur street, stealing ur internetz

Time stamp: 10:30...off I go!

Crack of dawn, my butt. Crack of ten, more likely.

The Worst Part

I loathe packing. I think I've got pretty much everything packed up now except clothes, the laptop (what I'm typing on right now) and some snack type stuff in a cooler. The plan for tomorrow: get started really, really early and drive basically to Calgary. Yup, I'm nuts. Beyond that? Not really sure. I want to hit Edmonton for the mall, then the choice is north to try and get to the Territories, or east to Saskachewan to surprise Sarah. Hee. Hmmmm...that might only work if I ask her what her address is. Tonic water all around! Maybe both. How many days do I get to do this?

See you all on the flipside. I plan on blogging/posting pics/being in general contact with people.

*SPECIAL LOVE to everyone for being so supportive of this trip*

*grumble*

I'm really crabby and have been for the last little while, on and off. I dunno, man. I think it's the heat. I'm having trouble sleeping and staying on schedule. :P

So, I'm planning a crazy, solo road trip. I've got eight days or so, so I'm planning on hitting Calgary and Edmonton for sure, then maybe swinging north to see if I can hit the Territories. I doubt it, but who knows? Stranger things have happened. I'm looking for a laptop. It'd be really nice to have WiFi, be able to blog (since I do that SO often, heh) email and get articles published at Crafty Crafty. I've found a bunch of places that sell used laptops for really cheap and I'll be wandering over to a few of them tomorrow to see what's going on with them.

PTTTHHHHBTT!

After the news that I'm far more feminine than masculine, I had the need to change my template from pink to blue. (They didn't ask ANYTHING about action movies or hobbies or intolerance for drama! WTF?)

Actually, that's not completely true. I was looking at the old template and decided I needed something that looked cooler...not like "ZOMG!! SO COOL N AWESUM!!!" but temperature-wise.

Huh.

Your Score: Feminine

You scored 46 masculinity and 60 femininity!

You scored high on femininity and low on masculinity. You have a traditionally feminine personality.

Link: The Bem Sex Role Inventory Test written by weirdscience on OkCupid, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Ow.

o/~ I hurt myself...today.
To see if I still feel.
I focus on the pain
The only thing that's real. o/~
--"Hurt" Johnny Cash (9 Inch Nails cover)

I love the above song. For serious. Ok, so it's not totally accurate...whatev'. I'm actually hurting from Friday. My brother, his girlfriend and I did the Grouse Grind and I managed to get double cramps in my legs at about the 3/4 mark. This was less than awesome, since I couldn't point my toes without agonizing pain shooting through them. That also meant there was no way I could go down. We did it in 2:34, which is about an hour better than my previous time six or seven years ago.

Right now, I'm having trouble putting my feet flat on the ground. Argh!

I honestly thought I was in better shape than I am...but at least I did it! Pics are forthcoming. I wasn't the one carrying the camera...boy am I glad about that. Yeesh.

Hmmm

I am morose. I've been filling out a "Where have you been" map thingumajiggy on Facebook and I haven't really been very many places. I need to do some traveling.

I wonder how much flights to Asia cost...

Two things...

My suburb of Vancouver? It has a Kwik-E-Mart. WTF? Vancouver, I could see, but out here? Weiiiiird, yet totally awesome.

I have acquired a Wii. I believe my productivity is about to drop to roughly zero percent.

Late happy Canada Day!

Busy, so a list!

I've been crazy busy the last while...and just plain crazy too. Anyway, I've become obsessed with music since I bought my iPod. I think I'm plugged into it for too long...the earbuds are going to fuse with me if I'm not careful.

List of Artists I Love Listening To In The Order They Show Up On The Artist List On My iPod. (Links forthcoming for the more obscure ones, or google them when I don't have time)
-Amy Winehouse
-Artemis
-Beldam Bards
-Carrie Underwood (Before He Cheats)
-Dandy Warhols (We Used To Be Friends: Veronica Mars theme)
-Death Cab for Cutie (thanks Matt!)
-Decemberists
-Feist
-Gretchen Wilson
-Green Day (Boulevard of Broken Dreams)
-Johnny Cash
-Jonathon Coulton (He sings about emo giant squids. Or at least one of them. If there are more.)
-Kelly Clarkson (GAAAH!!! I know! Because Of You is such a good song though!)
-Kenny Wayne Shepherd
-Lily Allen
-Lisa DeBenedictis
-Maren Ord
-My Chemical Romance
-Nick Cave
-Panic! At the Disco
-Ramones
-Scissor Sisters
-S-x Gang Children (gah, on the google search for this one.)
-S-x with Strangers (thanks Lindsay!)
-Taylor Swift
-Tracy Chapman
-Victor Scott (my cousin)

PS: Watch Veronica Mars. Seasons one and two are on DVD now. SO GOOD.

Three Days a Week...

If I'm subbing and doing my two tutoring gigs, this is what my day looks like:

(if I didn't get a call the night before, I often get one at 530 am. This is most unamusing.)
730: wake up (again, if I'd gotten a call at 530) and hope like hell that I got enough sleep last night.
731: realize that I didn't.
732: unnnnghhhhhh...drag myself out of bed to make lunch and get ready for the day.
800: leave the house
900-300: teach in a class that doesn't know me, that I don't know with rules that I'm unaware of and problem students that try my patience on purpose. Grrr...
400-500: tutor a girl I've been tutoring for three or four years now. :) She's a sweetie.
515-550: get some food.
600-900: tutor for another three hours.
930: get on the computer and try to do some writing/other work. Last night I made puppets for Crafty Crafty!

I'm very tired right now. I have a couple of articles I've been writing for CC, but I'm exhausted and anything I write will make very little sense. Especially this post.

*blink*

Hey. What's up? I've been busy working (subbing pretty much every day, tutoring 12 hours a week, writing [for Crafty Crafty, and a little outlining for a story/novel/epic series]) mostly although I've managed to squeeze in a bout of stomach flu, what felt like it could be pneumonia again (but seems to be clearing up), karate, beginning a running program (does it count if I only do it once on Monday before the stomach flu felled me? I'm planning on continuing!), visiting Dave on occasion, finally reading the alleged Greatest Science Fiction Series of All Time (The Dune Chronicles. Yeah, despite being a geek of close to the highest order, I've never read all of Dune. Or Lord of the Rings. That's on the list. Anyway, I'm on the second book [of Dune] right now, and I'm really hating it. The first one was good though.), watching Veronica Mars with Dave, knitting, wondering how I managed to hurt my elbow by stretching and filling up my 4g iPod Nano (in silver...I was tempted by the wiles of the pink Nano, but decided that I could bling it up with more flexibility if I stuck with silver).

The above paragraph contains only three sentences. Huh. Time for bed again. Yes, it's only 8:30 am, but I'm still not totally well. I managed to sleep about 20 hours yesterday, but I'm kind of sleepy now. :P

It's up!

My first entry is up at Crafty Crafty! All you ever wanted to know about my crafting history in...not very many words. Or less!

Spinning Wheel
Originally uploaded by Random Synapses.

Uh oh...now I'm in trouble. I'm lusting over this $800 Ashford Elizabeth spinning wheel.

This picture has been tentatively chosen as my bio picture for a craft blog that I've been asked to write for! I'll pimp myself post more info here as I get it. In the meantime, go visit Crafty Crafty while you wait for my introduction/inaugeral post.

Stolen from Bimkins

Fun! I'd thought I'd be a plain old fighter, but this rocks my socks.

(watch this space for some exciting news)

Your Score: Spellsword

66% Combativeness, 26% Sneakiness, 67% Intellect, 27% Spirituality

Link: The RPG Class Test written by MFlowers on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Fingerless Gloves FO

(for my own reference)

Needle size-5mm/US 8 straight needles
Yarn-Paton's Decor in "Hunt Club"
Cast on-36
Pattern-K2P2 ribbing for 45 rows, cast off. Stitch up 30, skip 10, stitch last five

Final dimensions-7" long, very stretchy around

Oh, Internet...

I'm so sick. I'm sleeping 18 hours a day in four hour stretches. My throat and neck feel like they're going to explode. My ears are plugged with an ominous almost-ache that I'm nervously monitoring. I have virtually no voice. My chest and nose are clogged with stuff I don't really want to contemplate, but the lack of breathing forces me to. I've been sick since Wednesday or so, run down before then and I don't really feel any better than I did when I first dropped from this.

On the plus side, I do have fantastic wool socks that I finally finished knitting. They're so cozy. I love them beyond anything I've ever knit before.

But I'd almost trade them for being well. Almost.

I do believe I'll be calling in sick tomorrow, and possibly for a few other days.

Uh oh.

At 0604 this morning I was awakened by a feeling...a familiar feeling. Ohhhh crap. REALLY sore throat. Scratch in my nasal cavity/sinus area... NOOOOO!!!!

Rational Self: Ok, stay calm. You're probably not going to get a subbing call today since you worked most of this week already.

Irrational Self: *curled up under the blankets* *sniff* *cough* Hey, we've got Neo-Citrin upstairs! WHEE!!! *starts to get out of bed*

RS: WAIT! We might still get a call! We can't be drugged up if you get a call. What if it's our Favourite School in the District? It'll be SO easy. Not to mention that we've worked four days in a row, so we get paid on scale! We shouldn't give that up if we don't have to.

IS: I'm pretty positive we've got other cold drugs too! WHEE!!! I'll get to sleep ALLLLLL DAY!!! I'm going to call in and book the day off. *continues over to the phone*

RS: *hauls IS back into bed* NO! Think about this. Why don't we wait to see if we get a call from our FSitD, fall back asleep, then at 8:00 we can take some medicine and have the whole day guilt free if we don't get a call.

IS: But...but...instant gratification! *slyly* Alsoplus, we have a runny nose and the tissues are by the phone.

RS: So we do. Leave the phone alone though.

IS: Oh, Rational Self...feel how cold the air is? How warm our bed is? I bet that whatever classroom we go to will have broken air conditioning. YIKES! We're freezing. *bounds back to bed, carrying tissue box*

RS: Since we're back here anyway, let's debate...

*TELEPHONE RINGS WITH DISPATCH INFORMATION FOR HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH*

IS and RS: Crap.

*accepts dispatch*

RS: Excellent. Now we know which type of cold medication we should take today. Non-drowsy it is!

IS: I hate you and will kill you while we sleep.

RS: You realize that means that you'll die too since we inhabit the same...

IS: Shut up.

RS: But...

IS: LA LA LA LA!! I CAN'T HEAR YOU!!!! Also, I blame our dad for this...just YESTERDAY he mentioned that it's been a long time since we got sick. Grrrrr...

********************************************************************************

So anyway, the book binge list will be delayed due to work and illness.

When Socks Attack

I'm about twenty rows away from the end of knitting my first pair of socks. This is about the same place that I screwed up on the previous sock, causing much cursing and ripping back of knitting and reknitting and oh GOD, I wasted three hours fixing my tantrum that I took out on the cursed, evil gentle, misunderstood sock. Basically, I can't wait to be finished these so that I've got them off my WIP (work in progress) list. Oh, and to wear them, because they're pretty awesome.

To motivate me (I only did two rows during the hockey game last night. TWO. ROWS. I should've finished them) I've got this page open on my desktop. Because I've very sick of green. And plain knitting. And I have some beautiful purple sock yarn that can't wait to be cabled and laced. Ahhhhh... :)

The Canucks Prayer

(received from J, an ardent Canucks fan from my Education program)

Our Father, who art in GM Place
Hockey be thy name.
Thy will be done, the cup be won
On ice, as well as in the stands.
Give us this day, our hockey sticks,
And forgive us our penalties,
As we forgive those who cross-check against us,
Lead us not into elimination,
But deliver us to victory.
In the name of the fans, Lord Stanley, and the Canucks
Amen.

GO CANUCKS GO!

(psst...I just got a tutoring gig, most likely. Whee!!! I've also been subbing pretty much every day for the last few weeks. Double WHEE!!)

Game Seven

Canucks jersey on? Check.
Lime diet coke ready? Check.
Game on? Check.
White towel at the ready? *runs off quickly* Check.
Ready to watch the Canucks play? CHECK.
READY TO WATCH THE CANUCKS MOVE ON TO THE NEXT LEVEL??? CHECK!!!!

BELEEEEEEIVE!!!!!

To Do

1) organize and burn karate photos to DVD
2) organize and burn wedding celebration photos for cousin (ummm...from the December 30th party. Ouch.)
3) several loads of laundry
4) get completely ready for karate (see #3)
5) get ready for Kamloops this weekend (pack, and see #3.)
6) acquire and consume far too many Skittles (regular flavour) (again)
7) Tell people on the internet that Facebook has eaten my brain and to come see me. (I'm under my first name and last name. IM me if you don't know them.)
8) Decide on a metric crap-tonne of stuff that needs to leave my room.
9) Actually get it out of my room
10) Have a panic attack at the thought of having stuff leave and bring most of it back in
11) Finish off two unfinished objects of knitting.
12) Clean the bathroom.
13) And kitchen.
14) And my room.
15) And vacuum (vaacum? vaccum? sucker upper?)
16) Surf the internet.
17) And clean my desk.
18) And put away that laundry that should've been done in #3. Why isn't #3 finished??? Oh, right. #16.
19) Ride my exercise bike. (I've got a half finished episode of Buffy that I started MONTHS ago.)
20) Realize I've gotten to twenty items and that it's hopeless and that I should take everything I own and just set it on fire to save time.

EDIT: 12:42
21) Upload pics of the Poke's birthday onto my computer so I can have the memory cards clear for Kamloops.
22) Realize CRAP I'm going away for the weekend. I loathe packing.

EDIT: 12:56
23) Take pictures of finished objects and stash for the Yarn Diet community.

Ahhh...

It's the start of a new pay period tomorrow (today, technically. Monday.) and I've already been requested for a full day in my favourite classroom, and I should be getting requested Tuesday as well, in the same school. Maybe the same class, maybe not. Ahhhhh...this feels good. Considering that last pay period I got a grand total of 2 days over the two weeks...and the one before I got half a day? This is very much awesome.

Conversation: last night

(no, this isn't exactly right, but it's pretty close. I didn't have the tape recorder going.)

Me: "My room is freaking ridiculous. I've got enough stuff here for a two bedroom apartment."

Dave: "What would make the most difference?"

Me: (wailing) "I don't KNOOOOWWWW!!!"

Dave: "What about your exercise bike? Do you ever use it?"

Me: (in my head) HOLY CRAP! I've got an exercise bike in my room! I'd forgotten about that! (out loud) "Not lately. Eventually I will again, I'm sure."

(more talk about cleaning and organizing etc.)

Tonight? Twenty minutes on the bike. Good thing someone pointed it out to me.

psst...new photos up on flickr

Time eater!

Seal generator found at http://www.says-it.com/seal/index1.php

(the Latin is "Deeds not words")

(edit: since it wasn't obvious, I picked out the stuff and designed the seal myself. Go me!)

BOOK BINGE: The Salmon of Doubt: Douglas Adams (short story and essays...first twenty pages read before April started), A Bird in the House: Margaret Laurence (short stories), Legends (short stories), The Sleeping Dragon: Joel Rosenberg (book one: Guardians of the Flame)

Spring Holiday

Happy Easter/Ostara everyone! I hope you're enjoying the day according to your personal belief system. For me, that means visiting with family, eating chocolate, wearing white, admiring the flowers and the turn of the earth to be SPRING AGAIN!!! WOOOHOOOO!!!! and getting a spring haircut (with streaks).

Meme

Stolen from Lora

Okay so here's the deal: You get to ask me *THREE QUESTIONS* No matter how crazy, inappropriate, or random they are I will answer 100% truthfully.
That's the truth part. The dare is for you to put this in your journal to see what other people ask about you! (addendum by me... I have family who read this so I might email you the answers if they're too naughty. :) )

Early Day in the Life

This isn't an official "Day in the Life" post...but I just wanted to share what substitute teachers do when they don't get called.

1200: wake up. (I went to bed at 830 last night and slept for fifteen hours. I think the cold that has been trying to explode for the last few days has failed. This pleases me.)

1215: squeal over the gorgeously dyed unspun wool that arrived from Mielke's Farm in Wisconsin for me to spin. EEEEE!! Pics of what I bought HERE. It looks just like that, except that the colours are more beautiful and rich and gorgeous in person. I'm SO excited. :D :D :D :D But I can't spin any of it yet, because I'm on my way to ....

150: go to a matinee movie with my mom. For her birthday, I gave her a voucher to see Blades of Glory and get some movie food. So, we're probably going to go today. :) Review will be posted after.

After movie? Not sure. Maybe spin some of my red mottled Perendale fleece (soooo soft. Mmmm) or my white merio fleece (OMG, even softer...it will become laceweight and become a shawl.) or my brand new bag of candy (Corriedale, so not super crazy soft...but not bad. It will become...um...many things.) but probably not because I have to decide what projects I'm going to make with it first. Maybe I'll work on my cursed sock (don't even ask. This deserves a whole post of its own), or cursed fingerless gloves (some of the stitches fell off the needle yesterday. Grr. But then I worked on it at lunch and got a bunch done.) Maybe I'll do some sewing? Or reading? Ahhhhh...so much choice.

Despite all this, I'm really annoyed I didn't get called. Hopefully I'll have a decent paycheque this time. *sigh*

BOOK BINGE: The Salmon of Doubt: Douglas Adams (short story and essays), A Bird in the House: Margaret Laurence (short stories)

OH THE HUMANITY!

They changed the layout of Desktop Defense! And added a new tower! And a new enemy! GAHHH!!!

Feeling better again

I've been in sort of a weird headspace for the last few weeks. Hopefully most people haven't noticed, except for the ones I whine to, "I'm miserable!!" etc. So thanks to those people for putting up with me on MSN and IRL. Thanks also to Dave for talking with me tonight. It's amazing how if there's a problem...and you TALK about it...suddenly the problem seems so much smaller. I tend to build stuff up in my head and then it blows up and it's a big messy brain boom teary issue. I managed to talk about what I felt was a problem (with me) before it got to the BMBBTI stage and he helped me figure some stuff out.

Anyway.

Hopefully I'll get called in to teach tomorrow. This is going to be a lean paycheque. With spring break last week and only being called in for half a day, I'm going to wind up with a $100 payday. Woo.

In the spirit of the book binge, I thought I ought to do a literary meme.


Take the list below, paste it into your own blog, and mark them as follows:
READ for those you’ve read;
WANT TO next to those you are interested in;
AGAIN & AGAIN next to those you’ve read and loved, over and over;
REPEAT for those you’ve read more than once, without necessarily loving them;
MEH for stuff you read and weren’t impressed by;
STARTED for those that just never got finished;
and leave blank those you don’t care to read.

My own addition: ON THE LIST for those I plan to read in April.


1. The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown) MEH. I read it after watching the movie. It's better than the movie. But that's kind of like saying that a beating with baseball bats is better than a beating with lead pipes.

2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen) ON THE LIST

3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee) READ

4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell) READ (on a weekend camp in Victoria during Girl Guides.)

5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien) MEH
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien) STARTED-ON THE LIST
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien) ON THE LIST I really must finish these books, or else turn in my geek card.

8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery) AGAIN AND AGAIN

9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon) READ and loooooved.

10. A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)

11. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling) READ (twice? maybe?)

12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown) NONONONONONONONO!

13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling) READ

14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving) WANT TO (loved "World According to Garp")

15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden) WANT TO, ON THE LIST

16. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Rowling) READ

17. Fall on Your Knees(Ann-Marie MacDonald) READ

18. The Stand (Stephen King) READ (twice?)

19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling) READ

20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte) WANT TO (I've never read any of the Bronte books or Austen. And I'm an English major. Sheesh.)

21. The Hobbit (Tolkien) READ (twice, I think)

22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger) AGAIN AND AGAIN (I reread stuff I've got around. I had it around in high school)

23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott) READ

24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)

25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel) STARTED

26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams) AGAIN AND AGAIN

27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte) WANT TO

28. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis) AGAIN AND AGAIN

29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck) WANT TO

30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)

31. Dune (Frank Herbert) READ (must reread...didn't get it in grade six...wonder why.)

32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks) READ (I liked this book a lot)

33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand) STARTED, WANT TO, ON THE LIST

34. 1984 (Orwell) READ (online...I love project Gutenberg!)

35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley) AGAIN AND AGAIN

36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)

37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)

38. I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb)

39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)

40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)

41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel) AGAIN AND AGAIN in junior/senior high(there are some NAUGHTY bits!!) Couldn't get into the most recent one.

42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)

43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)

44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)

45. The Bible READ, (parts over and over)

46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy) STARTED

47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas) STARTED

48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt) STARTED, ON THE LIST

49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck) WANT TO

50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)

51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)

52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens) STARTED

53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card) AGAIN AND AGAIN (If you haven't read it...GO READ IT!!!!)

54. Great Expectations (Dickens)

55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald) Meh

56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence) WANT TO

57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling) READ IT

58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)

59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood) AGAIN AND AGAIN

60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrew Niffenegger)

61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)

62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)

63. War and Peace (Tolsoy)

64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice) AGAIN AND AGAIN

65. Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)

66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez) AGAIN AND AGAIN

67. The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (Ann Brashares)

68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)

69. Les Miserables (Hugo) STARTED

70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)

71. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding) MEH

72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez)

73. Shogun (James Clavell) READ

74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)

75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett) AGAIN AND AGAIN

76. Tigana (Guy Gavriel Kay) WANT TO

77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn READ I think

78. The World According To Garp (Irving) READ (loved!)

79. The Diviners (Margaret Laurence) READ (SO GOOD!!)

80. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White) AGAIN AND AGAIN

81. Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)

82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck) READ

83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier) AGAIN AND AGAIN

84. Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind) READ (great series!)

85. Emma (Jane Austen)

86. Watership Down (Richard Adams) READ

87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)

88. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields) WANT TO

89. Blindness (Jose Saramago)

90. Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer) READ

91. In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)

92. Lord of the Flies (Golding) AGAIN AND AGAIN (again with the reading of things on hand.)

93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck) WANT TO

94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd) WANT TO

95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum) READ

96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton) READ

97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)

98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)

99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)

100. Ulysses (James Joyce)

Since I read anyway...

I'm part of the April "Book Binge". Rules can be found at Mary P.'s site "It's Not All Mary Poppins". I'm excited. :D

Randomness

-I'm feeling better now...gotta cut back on the caffeine though. Yikes.

-I'm spinning yarn on my little drop spindle that I made all by myself. I'm currently working on a bunch of smaller than lace weight. Ummmmm...yeah. It's kind of taking forever. Another name for that is "cobweb". I think I may just keep what I've got and make a doll scarf or something. I'm getting impatient.

-New pics up on Flickr!

-Yesterday was only my second day in two months that I hadn't been called to teach. It was nice to have a relaxed day (aka...going out to MISSION to do a store...) and it was my mom's bday!

-Related to the Mission thing, I have the opportunity to go out to Mission/Abbotsford every so often. When I'm driving on the #1, I almost always get the urge to just keep on driving. Just follow the mountains and keep on going. I don't really want to live anywhere else but BC, but sometimes I just want the adventure and anonymity that starting over in a small prairie town would bring. I think I've been watching too much Corner Gas...

I don't feel good...

I'm all jittery and dizzy, like I'm having a panic attack, minus the panic. My heart is racing and my stomach is upset. I think I'm having a bad reaction to the Sixbucks Frappacino I had today. I asked for decaf, but there wasn't any. Gahhhhhhhhhhhhh...

*SNEEZE*

Whoa. *waves hands frantically in front of face* Lookit all the DUST here. GYEAHH!!! Spiderwebs! *scrubs at face and bats at the air* Yeechhh...

Hi. Here's been my last few weeks in a nutshell (hee hee...look at me, I'm in a nutshell! Help, help, won't someone let me out of this nutshell? /austinpowers)...

-subbing
-tutoring
-knitting
-semi-retail job
-Spring break, so reverse the order of the previous three
-playing THIS STUPID GAME THAT I CAN'T STOP PLAYING WITH (srsly, don't click the link if you have anything important to do. But if you do and you want to join our high score championship run, Dave created "wellipsis" no quotation marks if you play. Or if you know...you want to check out my high score in the normal difficulty. And Dave's [hard difficulty], but it's gonna be mine soon.)
-reading blogs and LJ
-knitting (more)
-karate (twice a week now, and I'm learning the last kata that I need to test for my next level!)
-weekly dizzy spells that last a few days (stupid Menieres)
-catching up on 24, Simpsons, Corner Gas and Robson Arms episodes that my computer kindly has been recording for me.

So, I've been here, I just haven't been posting here. I've been here since this is my portal to all my blogs that I read. So if you blog, I've been keeping up with you, even if I haven't been

I want to dedicate a full post to knitting and fibre arts and my new mascot (ZOMG!! SO CUTE!!!!!11!!ELEVEN!!) but my mom and I are on our way into Vancouver so that I can get some wool that has not yet been spun into yarn so that I can spin it into yarn myself. *SQUEE* (Anyone who thinks I was born in the wrong century, please raise your hands. Although, I really like the resources from the internet. So maybe not.)

Finally, my mom pointed me in the direction of this cartoon. I <3 it. I immediately printed it out and it's sitting on my stack of CD spindles waiting for me to find the tape. I think I'll probably be posting more of these as time goes on.

Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

PS: I got paid for teaching today again. I must say that I enjoy a job which pays me in two weeks what used to take me six to get. Yes. Yes I do.

I thought knitting was supposed to be RELAXING!

My sock...the one I am SO CLOSE to finishing? I fscked it up. Now I'm ripping it back a bunch and cursing the whole time. *SNARL*

...so...tired...

I've worked at least half a day every day I've been able to, except two. One day I didn't get called and one I called in sick. This is insane, but lovely. I'm also still doing a semi-retail job and tutoring. Oh, and doing karate twice a week. So...if I haven't seen you in a while, I haven't seen anyone in a while. My alleged best friend and I haven't seen each other since Christmas Eve! I wouldn't be surprised if she's since found another best friend...one who can like...be in the same room with her. :P

I don't have my notebook of what I've done for teaching, so some of this is approximate.

Subbing days/eligible days: aprox 20/28
Longest stretch of time in a classroom: 5 days
Different schools: 14ish (gotta look it up)
Different classes: 30ish
Most students: 29 (high school)
Fewest students: 1 (resource)
Grades: K, 1, 1/2, 2/3, 3, 3/4, 4, 4/5, PE 10, Science 10, CAPP 10, English 10, English 11,

The Teacher and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

Today was the worst day of teaching I've ever had. I'm not going to go into much detail, since there's a lot of it...but I'll leave you with the final part of the theoretical post I'll be writing about it.

The girls held their ice packs to the various parts that had been hurt.

Then, we had a fire drill.

Best part? I'm back in that classroom tomorrow.

"You didn't die. No one died. There wasn't even a small fire." --Mantra I'm repeating to self tonight.

Photo Comments

Good grief. I logged into flickr this evening to see if there were any new comments and I had seriously, two full pages...that's like 20 pictures commented on, mostly by the same person. Hee. You all should go over and read them. The comments are WAY funnier than my original captions. Douglas Adams was quoted, people. DOUGLAS. ADAMS.

Random Love and Happiness

I love finding random quotes in the various nooks and crannies of the internet. This makes me happy. Also that which makes me happy? Homemade pea soup. And getting to see Dave tonight. And being halfway finished my first sock. And having children call me "Mrs Awesome" after I tell them my name and say to them that if they don't remember, it's "A for Awesome". And the fact that it's sunny out, and not flurrying yet, like the radio direly warned. Hehe. I'm having a good evening. :)

"Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed."
--G.K.Chesterton

I love metaphors. :D

Feeling Groovy

I haven't been talking much about dizzy spells or Meneire's lately....for a good reason. It's been pretty much non-existent. Overall, I've been feeling pretty good. I've had the occasional dizziness, usually when I'm really over tired, but generally speaking I've been ok. :) This pleases me. It was really bad for a while right after I got diagnosed, probably because I was obsessing over it, but I just tried to forget about it and things seem to be a lot better.

A few things beyond relaxing have probably contributed. I'm eating a lot more regularly (not better...I was on a disgusting junk/fast food bender for a while, but I'm eating more normal stuff now), getting a lot of sleep (ish...my body has decided I should be awake at five am every morning...blah.) and just generally taking better care of myself. I've also had virtually no alcohol in the last few months, barring some wine before New Years. I've returned to my old diet caffinated ways, but that doesn't seem to affect me.

Am I an Artist?

Rambling and quotes and links ahead. (two posts in one day?? I don't even know who I am anymore...)

The Yarn Harlot, Stephanie Pearl-MacPhee certainly is. But what makes her an artist? And what makes me possibly less of one?

My Uncle Tupper has always said that you may use the professional term "writer" or "artist" when you have paid the rent that way

I kind of like that definition. But if I'm not selling stuff, is that ok too?

A comment from "Tracy in KC" in the comment section of the above post is awesome.

********************************************************************
"I come up against this dilemma almost daily. I don't identify myself as an artist publicly, because then people say, "do you sell your work?" and I am hopelessly inept at selling my work. But as others have pointed out, some of the greatest artists of the past were, too.

If you consider "artist" as a way of life and a state of mind, there is no doubt. I live through my eyes and revel in the visual wonder of the world. I make quilts. I paint and collage. I take photographs. I knit. I spin. I write a lot. And I'm about to make a film. (Yeah, that one surprises me, even.) When quilting and knitting, I make my own designs as I go, and my mind hungers for the next visual challenge or treat. I can't make enough to exhaust the urge to make - it's a constant flow that continues in my mind even when my hands are still.

Can we agree to stop looking for some sort of approval, and just DO it? Do we really need somebody out there to stick an official badge on us that says ARTIST in order to keep indulging in these pursuits that tend to lack financial incentive but are immensely fulfillng in themselves?"
********************************************************************

Yes. YES!!!! My brain is always looking for the next visual challenge!!

However, I also like the way that my brother's girlfriend put it. Essentially, she said to me that an artist is someone who has to create and feels off when it's not happening.

I think that the term "artist" is the same as the term "athlete". You may not be a professional, but you can still be a member of the club when you're learning, and when you're doing it for free. I called myself a teacher when I was tutoring, then when I was doing my practicum, and finally now that I'm subbing. Do I have a class? No. But do I teach? Yes. Do I sell my knitting/painting etc? No. Do I create artistic items? Yes. Absolutely. And even if I give them away as gifts or keep them for myself to wear or use, I am still an artist.

That feels really good.

I am an artist.

*grumpy*

Hmph. Hi. Blah.

I'm cleaning my room. This makes me grouchy. I'm bored, because...well, I'm cleaning. My room. Blargh.

I want to knit and spin* and sew...but I can't, because I've got to get this room under control. Working three jobs doesn't really allow for the energy to clean.

*heh. Yeah. I made myself a drop spindle and I've spun some of my own yarn. It's UGLY. But it's all mine, and I was already getting better at it.

I suck at posting...

I'm obsessive. I start things and work them until I'm sick of them, then I drop them in favour of something else. Currently? Knitting and sewing. Not currently? Blogging.

**WARNING: EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF KNIT SPEAK AHEAD**

I'm annoyed because I (finally) started making some gloves for someone and the yarn I had planned on using grates through my fingers like, whoa. I knew it was inexpensive acrylic, but I didn't realize it was so crappy cheap. :P Looks like that's one skein of yarn that's going into the "to school so that children can cut it up and use it for collages" box. *grumble*

I've started a sweater tank top. And since I'm insane, I'm designing the pattern myself, adapting bits from lots of other sweater/tank patterns. I've already had to do a major structural reset but it seems to be ok now. It's seriously, the most mind numbing thing I've ever worked on. It's knit in the round, so I'm basically making this tube of fabric that's just knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, push stitches around, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit etc. ad nauseum for hours and hours. It's great for watching TV with, and I'm learning how to knit without looking. On the plus side, it's gorgeous, soft, RED RED RED yarn. I likes it.

However, I needed something to give my eyes and brain a break from knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, RED RED RED RED REDREDRED ****REEEEED*****. When I was in Campbell River I was in a yarn store, and since under the agreement of the yarn diet, I am allowed to purchase sock yarn (not really the spirit, since I didn't knit socks before this, yes I know...) I bought a souvenier ball of variegated self striping sock yarn. This stuff is like crack, yo. I'd forgotten how much I love working varigated yarn. It's crazy fine, and I'm using these itty bitty needles...and I figured out how to turn the heel (when I get there) and EEEE!! Socks are totally addictive. :) They're like magic! And no seaming! (I loathe seaming. Which is kind of funny since I like sewing...but only machine sewing. Hand sewing? Kill me now.)

So yeah. I've been knitting and sewing and teaching. Still loving the teaching. :)

Oh, and I found this over at Kerflop. It's going on my wishlist. :)

For real this time...

Unless there's a tragic ferry scheduling mishap, Dave and I will be on Vancouver Island, in Campbell River for the weekend. Bye!

PS: WHEE!! YARN SHOP!!!

Things I Do When Dave Is Out Of Town

1) Drink faaaaaar too much diet Coke. (wait. I do that anyway.)
2) REALLY NEED TO TALK TO HIM...for no good reason. Just because I can't. :P
3) Move furniture around.

Let's focus on number three, shall we? As many of my loyal readers know, I rent the basement suite in my parents' house (aka I still live at home...but the other one sounds better. And it's true!) I'm VERY lucky, since I have enough stuff for a three bedroom townhouse, that I don't need to keep all of it in my room. I'm even luckier when my brother is out of town as well, because then I get to completely take over the rec room. *waves* Hi Rob! Things will be better before you're back from TO. Um...you're coming back in a few weeks still, right? Not like...tomorrow? Or Tuesday?

Anyway, I've now got a sewing/crafting area in the rec room. EEE!! It currently consists of a desk.

Oh, and craploads of fabric lying around covering a billion surface areas including, but not limited to:
-an ottoman
-a sofa
-a chair
-the floor
-the floor (twice because damn, this stuff spreads out quick)
-Rob's giant speakers that are taller than most five year olds
-a TV media holder which is holding neither TV or media
-the pool table

I also have a mini ironing board and my rotary cutter mats and cutters on the pool table. I have to dig out my iron because I'm getting sick of bringing my mom's up and down two flights of stairs every time I want to iron something. The sewing machine (and maybe even the serger...SQUEE!!) will be coming down in the next few minutes. I just need to rest up after shifting a bookcase to fit back on top of the desk. And drink some more diet Coke. After all, I've got a quota over here!

Yay!

I did it! And I didn't get eaten alive. Not afraid of teaching high school any more. In fact, I may have been somewhat converted! What an odd culture these teenagers have. I've seen it a little bit in elementary, but wow...is it ever obvious in high school. I'd either forgotten about it, or I just wasn't plugged in.

Amusing moment...getting there in the morning and realizing that my first class was going to be Sex Ed. Yep. I got to talk about herpes to a bunch of grade nines. Heh.

Subbing days/eligible days: 8.5/0
Longest stretch of time in a classroom: 5 days
Different schools: 4
Different classrooms: 4
Most students: 21
Fewest students: 10
Grades: 1(twice), 1/2 split, PE 10, Science 9, Personal Planning 9, resource room

The Many Hats of The (subsitute) Teacher

Yesterday I was dispatched to a primary classroom. Nooooooo problem. Then I checked the actual subject.

French Immersion.

Now, anyone who chats with me on MSN may have noticed my tag yesterday reading, "But...but...I don't SPEAK French!" This, while amusing, is also very true. I had up to Grade 11 French, and can speak enough to ask for the basics of life. (bathroom, water, hotel, someone who speaks English) This may prove to be a problem.

As it turns out, I got my choice of classes and swiftly picked a 1/2 English class...but it made me think. I never know who I'm going to be on a given day. I can refuse assignments, but at this stage in the game I'd rather not. I'd made a few jokes over the past few weeks about being dispatched to a high school to teach science and gym. *amused laughter from self and everyone around* Hahahah!!

Guess what I've been dispatched to sub in today? *less amused, and slighly hysterical laughter* HAHAHHAHAHAH!!! And since I'm a complete idiot up for a challenge, I accepted the job.

If I'm not back tonight, assume I've been eaten by wolves. Or grade nines. Whichever seems more plausible.

Subbing days/eligible days: 7.5/8
Longest stretch of time in a classroom: 5 days
Different schools: 3
Different classrooms: 3
Most students: 19
Fewest students: 10
Grades: 1(twice), 1/2 split

Testing...

Dave gave me some code, so I know it's right. But let's see if I implemented it correctly...

Subbing days/eligible days: 6/6
Longest stretch of time in a classroom: 4 days
Different schools: 2
Different classrooms: 2
Most students: 19
Fewest students: 10
Grades: 1 (twice)

Vanishing Act

So...hi! I've been busy...how about you? I'm now working three jobs, which leaves me only one day a week where I don't have to be anywhere (Sundays). I did two days in a row at my second job, and I haven't heard from them yet...so unless they cancel me in the morning, I'm gonna have three days in a row in the same class. Awesome. I love that, especially since I've done a really neat couple of lesson plans for tomorrow. Since I've got no free time, and a swack of fabric, today I bought a rotary cutter to help me turn out quilts etc faster. I love it. I just want to cut stuff out now. Which is why I have the cut out bits for three purses of various sizes, plus two change purses, plus a large "me" sized circle skirt, and a small child sized one (attention beverly_sutphin! It will most likely fit your munchkin! I'll let you know when it's finished.). The small one could probably fit me if I enlarged the hip/waist opening...but then it would be more of a belt. So, no.

And the colour of the first fabric I cut out with my loverly rotary cutter? Yeah...pink. But with black polka dots! And SO CUTE!!!!!11!!!ONE!!!ELEVEN!!! And it makes the most fantastic looking circle skirts. :D

I'm gonna need to open up an Etsy store if I'm not careful.

Whee!

I got another call! Rather than phone everyone I know about it (since I got it at...5:45 [in the morning...]) I figured you'd all appreciate it if I blogged instead.

You're welcome!

Teaching musings

The details: grade one class, spent two days there because the teacher was really ill, half of the class was out sick, so I only had ten kids. I don't get to go back there tomorrow (boo...I had fun!) so now I'm waiting for another call. I could get called up until 1030 tonight, then from 5:00 to 9:00 tomorrow morning.

Freaking exhausted. I did nearly four hours at my retail-ish job tonight as well.

I'm SO in the right profession. I love it. And I'm really gonna love that paycheque when I get it in a week. :D

Hi.

In case you weren't one of the eleventy billion people that I called on my way home from my retail-ish work...

...I got my first call. I'm in a classroom tomorrow morning.

*SQUEEEE!*

Had to post this...

USEFUL SITE!!

What to use to glue "this" to "that".

Help Internet-benkenobi! You're my only hope!

I have a dillema dilema dillemna dilemna problem (beyond the fact that I can't spell that word...). I would like to purchase an mp3 player, because my Rio Karma bit the dust a few months back...whoa...nearly a year now. I would like to buy an iPod of some flavour that isn't the Shuffle. Anyone have any suggestions? I want to use it to work out with and listen when I'm in the car or at my computer. The working out thing is the part I'm worried about. With my Rio, I managed to drop it a few times when I was working out on the punching bag, or on the exercise bike, so I'd need something I can attach very securely to my person, or that won't die if I'm my usual clumsy self.

Please leave personal experiences and/or warnings and/or links to complaints in the comments.

Thanks!

Meme!

Is this the first one of the new year? Hmmm... might be.

Irene tagged me...and it's the FIVE THINGS ABOUT ME MEME! Me meme? That's hard to type. I'm going to slot in stuff that's been going on, very sneakily, since I haven't been posting. Cop out? Maybe. :P My blog, my rules.

1) While I publicly aver that I despise pink, I secretly love it (especially paired with black...mmmm...). *looks around at the site* This may not be such a secret any more...

2) I had my orientation with my school district today. It went well. :) I could be teaching on Monday, assuming my criminal record check came back this afternoon. Now, assuming they don't find out about that weekend back in '01... ;)

3) I love creating things. I love learning how to make new things. This results in a plethora of projects. (And apparently alliteration, also.) I have trouble finishing things. This results in a precarious pile of UFOs (UnFinished Objects).

4) I'm a collector. I collect rocks, books, craft stuff (yarn etc. You've seen my stash...), clothes (I'm not sure how it happens! I don't remember buying THAT many clothes!!), stuffed animals (Ooh! That one's cute!)...basically anything large, bulky and/or heavy. It's going to be fun to move eventually.

5) As of Monday, or whenever I get called, I'm going to have three jobs again. Oy.
5a) As of Monday, people who want to see me will have to schedule several weeks in advance and fill out the proper forms in triplicate.

Ooh, Prizes!

Go to here if you blog to fill out a questionaire. Prizes are offered!

I'm in.

I could be subbing in someone's classroom this time next Monday.

Whoa...I'm in a bit of shock.

Also...look at the tags. NO STRESS TAG!! WOOO!!!

Soooo...

It's after closing time for government buildings, including school boards.

Looks like I'll be finding out on Monday.

In order to escape from the ARGH! I'll be in Victoria all tomorrow with Dave. :)

Some News?

It's possible that I have *VERY* good news.

It's equally possible that I have not got any good news.

I don't have the news yet. Watch this space...I'll post as soon as I know. And since Dave's a contributer on this site, and I'll be away from the computer all day...maybe I'll ask him to post when I find out. :)

Boy, this "work" tag (down at the bottom) is sure getting a lot of use these days...as is that pesky other one beside it. :P

Sound off!

Poll time: since everyone I talk to is SURE I'm going to get this position...am I the only one who actually has doubts??

Thanks. :)

I think...

...that it went ok. There was one point where one of the interviewers said, "Ok, but you haven't answered my question." and I couldn't remember the question...luckily she repeated it so I didn't have to ask. :P

Overall? I don't think I did as well as I could have, but I think I did fine. I'll find out on Friday or Monday if I'm being invited for orientation.

If things continue in this vein...

1245: finish working on my portfolio and going over interview questions. Read for about ten minutes, figure I'm not going to fall asleep, but decide to turn out the light anyway. Fret that even if I manage to fall asleep, there's no way in hell I'm going to STAY asleep for any length of time, especially without wild dreams that leave me more exhausted than when I started. (this is how I deal with stress. That and stomach aches)

aprox. 0120: drop off to sleep, despite my mild freaking out.

649: wake up 11 minutes before my alarm, completely refreshed and without the memory of waking up, or any stress dreams. Doze until my alarm goes off and I can relax that it's set.

700: it's set. Hit snooze and do some breathing exercises doze off again.

709: Actually do breathing exercises. Feel nervous, but confident.

720: Stop writing this post so I can take a shower, eat breakfast so I don't feel like I want to throw up due to hunger (what a weird reflex...).

I think I'm going to be sick...

13 10.5 8 hours and five minutes until my interview tomorrow morning. I think it's a toss up between my mom and I as to who is going to get the least amount of sleep. Argh.

I have my email folder open in another tab...I haven't checked yet to see if the interview is cancelled. Wahhhh...I'm scared to look. Ok, here goes.

...

Ok...nothing yet.

I'm going to work on my portfolio and make sure I know the difference between Piaget and Erikson. Please think happy thoughts at me at 9:00 am tomorrow morning!

Trying for the Third Time

I'm trying to get my photos to burn to DVD...third time's the charm? I managed to find some of the photos that I'd thought were lost...turns out that I'd saved them in the wrong hard drive. Grrr...I'm so confused trying to maneuver around my computer these days. I haven't been posting on flickr lately, but I'll be doing that probably in the next few hours, assuming this all works...

So! I've been reading the Yarn Harlot's blog. She is...inspiring. Wow. I'll see a picture of a...pair of socks...say. She'll cast them on one day, and then the next day will be a picture of the finished object. It's INSANE. I'm jealous. So I knit a bunch this weekend. Pics on flickr...assuming this all works.

Hmmm...

I think my DVD drive/burner is broken. Umm...this isn't good.

When all else fails...

...ask the people on the internet.

Since there's massive snowfall, it seems appropriate to knit. I have some very special wool that I bought on Pender Island when I was there during the summer, but I don't have a lot of it, so I was thinking I'd knit up a slender, lacy scarf. However, it's an odd wool, handspun, and it changes back and forth from really fine to rather thick and back again. A picture of the yarn itself is HERE.

Japanese Lantern Scarf. Not a very good picture, but maybe the best for the slubby-ness of the yarn.

Feather and Fan. Very simple. I approve of simple.

Branching Out. I love this one, but I'm worried that the pattern will get lost due to gauge change of the wool. Also, it should probably be leaf coloured...whether it be green, or autumn colours.

Hmmmmm...

I'm probably going to wind up making a little swatch of each one to see how it works...but I just thought I'd throw this out there. Comments are appreciated. Thanks!

*mouth agape*

This? Absolutely incredible... I want to do something like this now.

http://www.jeffdeboer.com/Galleries/CatsMice/tabid/63/Default.aspx

DAMMIT!!!!

My interview has been rescheduled to next week. WAHHHHH!!!!!

Ok...tooo many variations!

I finally remembered my password. Ye gods. I'm changing it to something a little less forgettable.

Soooo...this week is DELURKING WEEK! That's right! Comment to say hi if you read here. I know that I've got a dozen or so regular readers who comment on a frequent-ish basis (when comments work. :P) but I know there's a few of you who are lurking. So, say hi! :)

I want to talk about my resolutions...mostly they have to do with fun stuff, which I think is good. It keeps me from feeling too awful if it doesn't work out.

I) NO YARN FOR A YEAR
The rules are as follows:
1. The Knit-From-Your-Stash-a-Thon will start January 1, 2007 and run through September 30, 2007 -- a period of nine months.
2. We will not buy any yarn during that period, with the following exceptions:
2.a. Sock yarn does not count. What? You think we are made of stone?
2.b. If someone asks for a specific knitted gift that we really and truly do not have the yarn for, we may buy yarn to knit that gift.
2.c. If we are knitting something and run out of yarn, we may purchase enough to complete the project.
2.d. We each get one "Get Out of Jail Free" card -- we are each allowed to fall off the wagon one time.
3. We are allowed to receive gifts of yarn.
4. Spinning fiber of any sort is exempt.

So, what's coming up....for Valentines, Chinese New Year, St. Patrick's Day, my Mom's birthday and Easter, I'd like yarn please. ;)

II) FINISH UP UFO's (aka UnFinishedObjects)
I have waaaaaaaaaay too many projects started. So, these need to be finished.

III) DO MORE CREATIVE THINGS/MAKE TIME FOR MYSELF
Whether it's reading, knitting, sewing, painting, etc. I need to make more time for myself.

IV) SELL ARTWORK
I'm focusing mostly on photography, but I'm open to selling other items, especially fabric/yarn related stuff, since that stuff's REALLY bulky and I'd like to get it out of here.

V) CONTINUE HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
I fell off the wagon the last few weeks of 2006, due to extreme candy and cookie availability, but I've managed to stay fairly active. Now to finish off the holiday treats, and continue being active!

I've got a few other ones, but I'll save them for now. Currently, I've managed to work on all of these things except the unfinished projects one. I've been enamoured with fingerless gloves and made a pair of those. This of course, means I needed to make a matching hat! I don't have enough yarn for a matching scarf (wahhh!) so does this mean that it falls under the "if you don't have enough yarn for the project" clause? I'm thinking not yet. Maybe once I've busted my stash down a bit.

Incidentally, does anyone want to buy a pair of fingerless gloves? ;) They won't cost too much...probably 10 bucks or less. ;) Feel free to look through my stash pictures and pick a colour (I can also do kids size)

I Should Be Sleeping...

...but I'm not.

Happy Birthday, Dave. For a present, you get...the bestest girlfriend in the WORLD!

:D

And as soon as I find her for ya, she's yours. Until then, you're stuck with me.

Love you lots. :)

PS. I'm not really looking all that hard. :)

No Title

One of the problems with not posting very often is that I will freeze up when I actually sit down at a computer, since there are so many things I want to talk/write about. So, here's a list of things I want to talk about.

1) Christmas
2) my cousin's wedding celebration
3) New Years
4) knitting and my new resolution
5) photography and my new resolution
6) New Years resolutions
7) TV shows I want to/have been watching
8) the amazing amount of interest generated by one of my photos
9) how I'm freaking out slightly about my interview in eight days
10) missing people, but still enjoying doing stuff at home

But, I'm supposed to be working tomorrow at some point, and it's very late, and I've been informed that I'm going on a date with my fabulous boyfriend tomorrow, and I've still got to clear off the yarn on my bed...since I catalogued my entire stash tonight. Oh...my. I took pictures, but I'm not sure I want to post them...so here's a picture of a fingerless glove that I knit instead. The other one is still on the needles, but ought to be finished by tomorrow.



Sooo...since I don't want anyone else to have free time...here is a link to some free books online. http://www.baen.com/library/