Status: Technically completed, but not yet accepted.
This girl has something thinking to do....and some crunching of the numbers! But, in my most legal and serious and aristocratic voice, "YAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY!!!!!"
Friday, 11 July 2008
Monday, 24 March 2008
58. Go to a sea lion show at the mall.
Status: Somewhere between patronized and adoring.
I've been meaning to drop in on West Edmonton Mall's delightful sea lions ever since last summer, when Matt came round and we spent copious amounts of time wandering the mall. In between (yet again, copious) visits to the dragon, we'd stop and watch these silly creatures in the midst of their natural, everyday routine: splashing around and dancing to "Walking on Sunshine". Having another Australian in town (Ash) who enjoys time away from the TV (unlike Bodie), sent us once again back to the mall for bountiful periods of time, and provided me with the perfect opportunity to drag Matt and Ash to the Sea Life Caverns to see these lions of the sea at work.
Despite the show being tailored to embryos, and the infuriating know-it-all kid behind me eagerly (and correctly, the brat) answering every question the presenter posed (I wanted to ask him if he gets beat up at school), I thoroughly enjoyed it. Just watching these slippery animals dance like Matt's brother, and roll around on the floor, was enough to ensure me that my $4 spent was not in vain.
Their fat, blubbery, strange cuteness was almost enough for me to dismiss the show's crude sound effects. Almost.
I've been meaning to drop in on West Edmonton Mall's delightful sea lions ever since last summer, when Matt came round and we spent copious amounts of time wandering the mall. In between (yet again, copious) visits to the dragon, we'd stop and watch these silly creatures in the midst of their natural, everyday routine: splashing around and dancing to "Walking on Sunshine". Having another Australian in town (Ash) who enjoys time away from the TV (unlike Bodie), sent us once again back to the mall for bountiful periods of time, and provided me with the perfect opportunity to drag Matt and Ash to the Sea Life Caverns to see these lions of the sea at work.
Despite the show being tailored to embryos, and the infuriating know-it-all kid behind me eagerly (and correctly, the brat) answering every question the presenter posed (I wanted to ask him if he gets beat up at school), I thoroughly enjoyed it. Just watching these slippery animals dance like Matt's brother, and roll around on the floor, was enough to ensure me that my $4 spent was not in vain.
Their fat, blubbery, strange cuteness was almost enough for me to dismiss the show's crude sound effects. Almost.
Wednesday, 27 February 2008
91. Try a new fruit.
Status: Tried.
I'm fairly picky with food, I admit it. I do venture out occasionally, I throw around the "try everything once" philosophy, unfortunately it more often than not is only once, and then I return to things that are "vanilla" (i.e. - plain) enough for me. (I read an article in a newspaper a few days ago where the writer describe an idea as "vanilla", and have wanted to use it ever since.) And the same can be said for my chosen experimental fruit: papaya.
Visiting Mexico last week gave me the perfect opportunity to branch out fruit-wise. I'm accustomed to winter fruits up here in the great white north, but it was tropical fruits galore in the land of tequila. Our hotel offered an endless supply of pineapple, melons, and papaya....and with a tried and tested aversion to all things melon, I stuck to pineapple. After a few days, when I'd consumed copious amounts of pineapple (but not alcohol, strangely), resulting in a citric acid tongue burn, I remembered this item on my list and opted for the papaya. Well, I just said I had to try it, not like it. And as my previous record predicts, I hated it. Papaya tastes like vomit. But mmmmmm pineapple!
I'm fairly picky with food, I admit it. I do venture out occasionally, I throw around the "try everything once" philosophy, unfortunately it more often than not is only once, and then I return to things that are "vanilla" (i.e. - plain) enough for me. (I read an article in a newspaper a few days ago where the writer describe an idea as "vanilla", and have wanted to use it ever since.) And the same can be said for my chosen experimental fruit: papaya.
Visiting Mexico last week gave me the perfect opportunity to branch out fruit-wise. I'm accustomed to winter fruits up here in the great white north, but it was tropical fruits galore in the land of tequila. Our hotel offered an endless supply of pineapple, melons, and papaya....and with a tried and tested aversion to all things melon, I stuck to pineapple. After a few days, when I'd consumed copious amounts of pineapple (but not alcohol, strangely), resulting in a citric acid tongue burn, I remembered this item on my list and opted for the papaya. Well, I just said I had to try it, not like it. And as my previous record predicts, I hated it. Papaya tastes like vomit. But mmmmmm pineapple!
Tuesday, 5 February 2008
63. Go to a Bomber game.
Status: GO BOMBERS!
I am not one to be called a sports fan. The mere mention of organized games causes me to tremble from my carefully styled hair to my perfectly manicured toes. I do not play sports, I do not watch sports. I don't like to break a sweat, and I don't like the unbearable nervous tension involved in cheering for a particular team, complete with the excruciating countdown of how long your most likely arbitrarily picked team has to obliterate the evil competition. What a waste of time!
I am, however, known to sporadically take pleasure in nostalgic events coupled with a sense of hometown pride. Us small town kids didn't have much to do - no movie theatre, no amusement parks - the Bomber game was the place to be on a Friday night! Granted even then I was more interested in telling "dirty" jokes with my friends (the 11 year old equivalent of a dirty joke, which most often just had a reference to underwear) and buying chocolate bars at intermission than actually taking notice of the game. But since Matt was keen on seeing all the mundane aspects of my modest upbringing, and on going to a hockey game, we patronized the Flin Flin Whitney Forum on our last night in town. It wasn't quite as exciting as I remember it to be (though nothing really is once you grow up), but worth doing for the memories alone.
And in keeping with my childhood experiences, the Bombers lost by approximately 2.5 billion to nil.
I am not one to be called a sports fan. The mere mention of organized games causes me to tremble from my carefully styled hair to my perfectly manicured toes. I do not play sports, I do not watch sports. I don't like to break a sweat, and I don't like the unbearable nervous tension involved in cheering for a particular team, complete with the excruciating countdown of how long your most likely arbitrarily picked team has to obliterate the evil competition. What a waste of time!
I am, however, known to sporadically take pleasure in nostalgic events coupled with a sense of hometown pride. Us small town kids didn't have much to do - no movie theatre, no amusement parks - the Bomber game was the place to be on a Friday night! Granted even then I was more interested in telling "dirty" jokes with my friends (the 11 year old equivalent of a dirty joke, which most often just had a reference to underwear) and buying chocolate bars at intermission than actually taking notice of the game. But since Matt was keen on seeing all the mundane aspects of my modest upbringing, and on going to a hockey game, we patronized the Flin Flin Whitney Forum on our last night in town. It wasn't quite as exciting as I remember it to be (though nothing really is once you grow up), but worth doing for the memories alone.
And in keeping with my childhood experiences, the Bombers lost by approximately 2.5 billion to nil.
Saturday, 2 February 2008
38. Buy black heels.
Status: twisted ankle - beauty is pain!
Now, I've already made these out to be more immensely high-heeled than they are. They are literally half a kitten heel. And I am literally useless at walking in heels of any stature. I'm a flats sort of girl, despite the fact that I could desperately use to gain a few inches. However, I have come to terms with the unbearable truth that I will never be on Canada's Next Top Model, and am comfortable to stick to varieties of shoes that leave me close to the ground. Oh, I can handle shoes of height that distribute the height uniformly across the bottom surface of the shoe, but that's just not what the kids are wearing these days, is it? And at 22, I'm far too young to fall behind the times, put on some tapered acid-wash jeans, slip into some crocs and call it an early night.
So I struggle on in fashion. I must admit my new black "heels" (term used loosely) are quite classy, until I put them on and am a wobbly mess stumbling down the streets in a demonstrably un-classy way. They happen to be just a smidge too big, which does not aid the "walking normally" problem. But they were massively on sale from a reputable store and....just.....wouldn't you get them?? On the odd occasion (def: "odd" - every single time I wear them) they'll fly off my feet whilst I'm running across a busy intersection, but thus is the price of looking good!
I'd have posted a picture of the lovely shoes, but they're a bit messy at the moment from flying off into a snow bank....leaving me standing barefoot on ice.
Now, I've already made these out to be more immensely high-heeled than they are. They are literally half a kitten heel. And I am literally useless at walking in heels of any stature. I'm a flats sort of girl, despite the fact that I could desperately use to gain a few inches. However, I have come to terms with the unbearable truth that I will never be on Canada's Next Top Model, and am comfortable to stick to varieties of shoes that leave me close to the ground. Oh, I can handle shoes of height that distribute the height uniformly across the bottom surface of the shoe, but that's just not what the kids are wearing these days, is it? And at 22, I'm far too young to fall behind the times, put on some tapered acid-wash jeans, slip into some crocs and call it an early night.
So I struggle on in fashion. I must admit my new black "heels" (term used loosely) are quite classy, until I put them on and am a wobbly mess stumbling down the streets in a demonstrably un-classy way. They happen to be just a smidge too big, which does not aid the "walking normally" problem. But they were massively on sale from a reputable store and....just.....wouldn't you get them?? On the odd occasion (def: "odd" - every single time I wear them) they'll fly off my feet whilst I'm running across a busy intersection, but thus is the price of looking good!
I'd have posted a picture of the lovely shoes, but they're a bit messy at the moment from flying off into a snow bank....leaving me standing barefoot on ice.
Monday, 28 January 2008
43. Make perogies for Matt.
Status: Complete (for eternity)
Before adding this item to my list (because of my insistence on Matt that he needed to try homemade perogies - the real thing - the kind that only Ukrainian baba's (grandma's) can truly master), I forgot how difficult, time-consuming, tedious, and irrepressibly drab and awful making perogies from scratch is.
First of all.....who has the time to pound dough into submission? 18th century Ukrainians, that's who. When there were no mindless sitcoms to be watched or cars to be driven or Facebook to be frequented, Ukrainians in the vast Canadian prairies loved a good knead.
And the tiresome number of steps required! I had to boil the potatoes to mash them, and then, after completed the unforgiving act of filling each circle of dough and sealing each little perogy so incredibly meticulously that they could not be penetrated by neither air nor any force meeker than a nuclear holocaust, I had to boil the damn things again! Can't we save a step here? Cut out the middle man? It's 2008, for Christ's sake!
But in the end, I think Matt enjoyed them. (After I fried them up for him, yet another cooking step in these demanding, ungrateful bites of Ukrainian deliciousness.) I should advise him not to get too attached though, I won't be making these when I'm a trophy wife. I can't afford to ruin my pretty hands pulverizing dough.
Before adding this item to my list (because of my insistence on Matt that he needed to try homemade perogies - the real thing - the kind that only Ukrainian baba's (grandma's) can truly master), I forgot how difficult, time-consuming, tedious, and irrepressibly drab and awful making perogies from scratch is.
First of all.....who has the time to pound dough into submission? 18th century Ukrainians, that's who. When there were no mindless sitcoms to be watched or cars to be driven or Facebook to be frequented, Ukrainians in the vast Canadian prairies loved a good knead.
And the tiresome number of steps required! I had to boil the potatoes to mash them, and then, after completed the unforgiving act of filling each circle of dough and sealing each little perogy so incredibly meticulously that they could not be penetrated by neither air nor any force meeker than a nuclear holocaust, I had to boil the damn things again! Can't we save a step here? Cut out the middle man? It's 2008, for Christ's sake!
But in the end, I think Matt enjoyed them. (After I fried them up for him, yet another cooking step in these demanding, ungrateful bites of Ukrainian deliciousness.) I should advise him not to get too attached though, I won't be making these when I'm a trophy wife. I can't afford to ruin my pretty hands pulverizing dough.
Saturday, 19 January 2008
46. Take Matt to Flin Flon.
Status: Taken.
After seemingly continuous dramas over whether he would be able to grace my hometown with his presence or not (and undoubtedly raise the class level considerably), Matt finally touched down at the world-renowned Flin Flon International (haha) airport on Saturday, Dec.28. And despite the wintery landscape and temperature, he didn't run screaming back onto the plane! (I attribute this to me not hiding behind a pillar this time.) He stayed for a whole week! Which is more than I can say for the majority of tourists to my dreary, cold, barren, and teenage pregnancy'd hometown. (Though I do love it, because it is mine.)
We were fairly lazy the entire time (read: I was very lazy), but the few outings we did partake in included going out for dinner with my family New Years Eve, taking a walk on the lake and walking Miss Jasper around the trail, going for a tour around town to delight in my sketchy driving and exclusive commentary (ex - "I don't know what this is, I don't know what that's for, where are we?"), going to a Bomber game, and skating on my outdoor rink at night, under the stars.
Matt also may or may not have gone snowmobiling and ice-fishing, but such alleged activities will not be mentioned here due to licensing laws.
Matt survived the experience of my town, and of "meeting the parents" very well (apart from the one slip-up where he mentioned to my mother that pizza is great "hangover food"). I really hope that he enjoyed it, and wasn't too scared off!
I will be adding "Take Matt to Flin Flon IN SUMMER" to my next list. The difference? More mosquitoes.
After seemingly continuous dramas over whether he would be able to grace my hometown with his presence or not (and undoubtedly raise the class level considerably), Matt finally touched down at the world-renowned Flin Flon International (haha) airport on Saturday, Dec.28. And despite the wintery landscape and temperature, he didn't run screaming back onto the plane! (I attribute this to me not hiding behind a pillar this time.) He stayed for a whole week! Which is more than I can say for the majority of tourists to my dreary, cold, barren, and teenage pregnancy'd hometown. (Though I do love it, because it is mine.)
We were fairly lazy the entire time (read: I was very lazy), but the few outings we did partake in included going out for dinner with my family New Years Eve, taking a walk on the lake and walking Miss Jasper around the trail, going for a tour around town to delight in my sketchy driving and exclusive commentary (ex - "I don't know what this is, I don't know what that's for, where are we?"), going to a Bomber game, and skating on my outdoor rink at night, under the stars.
Matt also may or may not have gone snowmobiling and ice-fishing, but such alleged activities will not be mentioned here due to licensing laws.
Matt survived the experience of my town, and of "meeting the parents" very well (apart from the one slip-up where he mentioned to my mother that pizza is great "hangover food"). I really hope that he enjoyed it, and wasn't too scared off!
I will be adding "Take Matt to Flin Flon IN SUMMER" to my next list. The difference? More mosquitoes.
Thursday, 20 December 2007
52. Bake cookies for my dog.
Status: Creatively completed.
Here is a copy of my dog, Jasper's, allergy report:
Bluegrass/June grass, Orchard, Fescue, Ryegrass, Ragweed, Pigweed/Careless Weed, Sage, Willow, Oak, Elm, Sycamore, Alternaria, Penicillium, Rhizopus, Saccharomyces, Mixed Feathers, Housedust/mites, Beef, Pork, Soybean, Corn, Oatmeal, Barley, Carrots, Peas, Wool, Tobacco Smoke, Mosquito, Malassezia (that one means she's allergic to her own skin)
These are things she's borderline allergic to:
Redtop, Dock/Sheep Sorrel, Pecan/Hickory, Smut Mix, Mouse Epi, Wheat, Kapok, Flea
Miscellaneous Allergies:
Dragons, Santa's Sleigh, Pixie Dust, Trees filled with elves, goblins, Houses made of gingerbread, Communism, Henry David Thoreau, Easter Eggs, Clown shoes, Blue Wigs with a nice little fringe that blair said made me look young, Scotch Tape Dispensers. (she got her nose caught in one as a puppy)
How do you make cookies without any sort of wheat or oatmeal? You improvise! With potato, tuna, and green pepper. They were completely unorthodox and crumbly, but even my mom said they were tasty! And Jasper licked the bowl clean......
17. Go to the Nutcracker at Christmas time.
Status: Cultured.
I've been wanting to go to the full professional production of the Nutcracker (to complete my "Christmas spirit" list) for ages, but it's sooooooo expensive! Well this year, having worked part-time the entire semester, I decided that I could afford it (nevermind that I spent every last cent of my earnings last month in a Spice Girls fury.) We got all dolled up and headed out in the blizzard-like conditions to the fancy "Jube" to have our cultural experience. The whole thing was so over the top, I felt underdressed, and I was wearing a dress! There were people decked out in full length ball gowns and tiaras.
The ballet was excellent....and made me a little nostalgic. I was in my studio's production of the Nutcracker when I was 15, I played a kid in the party scene, and a snowflake in the winter scene....which are still arguably good parts.....but nothing compared to the Sugar Plum Fairy! Why oh why couldn't I have been the Sugar Plum Fairy?? It's just like my school's production of Alice in Wonderland when I was 9 (ish) and desperately wanted to be the cheshire cat.....and ended up being tweedle dee. :( Oh my hard life!
I've been wanting to go to the full professional production of the Nutcracker (to complete my "Christmas spirit" list) for ages, but it's sooooooo expensive! Well this year, having worked part-time the entire semester, I decided that I could afford it (nevermind that I spent every last cent of my earnings last month in a Spice Girls fury.) We got all dolled up and headed out in the blizzard-like conditions to the fancy "Jube" to have our cultural experience. The whole thing was so over the top, I felt underdressed, and I was wearing a dress! There were people decked out in full length ball gowns and tiaras.
The ballet was excellent....and made me a little nostalgic. I was in my studio's production of the Nutcracker when I was 15, I played a kid in the party scene, and a snowflake in the winter scene....which are still arguably good parts.....but nothing compared to the Sugar Plum Fairy! Why oh why couldn't I have been the Sugar Plum Fairy?? It's just like my school's production of Alice in Wonderland when I was 9 (ish) and desperately wanted to be the cheshire cat.....and ended up being tweedle dee. :( Oh my hard life!
Sunday, 16 December 2007
72. Take 10 pictures around campus.
Status: 20% (roughly the grade I'm expecting to receive on on my calculus final - see below)
While Edmonton isn't the most.....well.....aesthetically pleasing city (and has to make up for it by having an awesome mall), the campus really is nice. I don't know how many times I've walked home from the engineering centre late at night and noticed how beautiful the softly falling snow in front of the street light with the bunny munching grass under it looked, but didn't have my camera. So I am now taking it upon myself to take pictures like this:
Note that I didn't say I took these pictures....they may have been on postcards.....
I took these ones:
Yeah, I need to learn how to use my camera.......I'd add it to my list but I'm plum out of room!
While Edmonton isn't the most.....well.....aesthetically pleasing city (and has to make up for it by having an awesome mall), the campus really is nice. I don't know how many times I've walked home from the engineering centre late at night and noticed how beautiful the softly falling snow in front of the street light with the bunny munching grass under it looked, but didn't have my camera. So I am now taking it upon myself to take pictures like this:
Note that I didn't say I took these pictures....they may have been on postcards.....
I took these ones:
Yeah, I need to learn how to use my camera.......I'd add it to my list but I'm plum out of room!
Wednesday, 12 December 2007
11. Pass calculus with a B.
Status: AHAHAHA!
Short of a full-on Christmas miracle, this is not going to happen. Failing the midterm a little over a month ago put me in nerve-wrecking position for the final exam. You know you're in trouble when you've figured out that you need to score a 45% on the final just to pass the class, and you're worried that you can't even pull THAT off - a 45%!
With this reality on my mind, I tossed and turned all night, and then made the much dreaded walk to the Pavillion this morning. I was literally gagging on the way there, and my primary concern became not throwing up on the side of the road for everyone to see.
The exam went well.....considering. I would say the bad only slightly outnumbered the good, which is all I could have hoped for! The trig. limits completely baffled me, and my critical numbers in the concavity question were not easy to come by or work with (you try putting root of 2 into an already complicated function), but I breezed through the summations and integrals, and I'm fairly certain that I successfully determined the dimensions of a cylinder, if the length and circumference must add up to 168, that would hold the maximum volume, just in case the post office should misplace all of their tape measures and desperately need to know.
Whatever the outcome may be, it's a huge weight off my shoulders that it's over. And I'll tell you this much for certain. I am NOT taking calculus again if I fail. I'd rather drop out and turn to prostitution.
Short of a full-on Christmas miracle, this is not going to happen. Failing the midterm a little over a month ago put me in nerve-wrecking position for the final exam. You know you're in trouble when you've figured out that you need to score a 45% on the final just to pass the class, and you're worried that you can't even pull THAT off - a 45%!
With this reality on my mind, I tossed and turned all night, and then made the much dreaded walk to the Pavillion this morning. I was literally gagging on the way there, and my primary concern became not throwing up on the side of the road for everyone to see.
The exam went well.....considering. I would say the bad only slightly outnumbered the good, which is all I could have hoped for! The trig. limits completely baffled me, and my critical numbers in the concavity question were not easy to come by or work with (you try putting root of 2 into an already complicated function), but I breezed through the summations and integrals, and I'm fairly certain that I successfully determined the dimensions of a cylinder, if the length and circumference must add up to 168, that would hold the maximum volume, just in case the post office should misplace all of their tape measures and desperately need to know.
Whatever the outcome may be, it's a huge weight off my shoulders that it's over. And I'll tell you this much for certain. I am NOT taking calculus again if I fail. I'd rather drop out and turn to prostitution.
Friday, 7 December 2007
46. Take Matt to Flin Flon.
Status: To be completed on Dec.29!
*Singing* I don't want a lot for Christmas, there is just one thing I neeeed.
I don't care about the presents, underneath the Christmas tree.
I just want you for my own, more than you could ever know!
Make my wish come trueeeeee!
All I want for Christmas, is YOOUUUUU!
Shall I go on?
*Singing* I don't want a lot for Christmas, there is just one thing I neeeed.
I don't care about the presents, underneath the Christmas tree.
I just want you for my own, more than you could ever know!
Make my wish come trueeeeee!
All I want for Christmas, is YOOUUUUU!
Shall I go on?
Tuesday, 4 December 2007
73. Go to a Spice Girls concert!
Status: Spiced up for life.
I don't even know where to start with this one. I first put it on the list with wishful thinking, but not really believing that it could possibly happen. I mean, you had to enter a draw just to win the chance to buy tickets! The London concert sold out in 35 seconds! I am SO lucky! I was at the very first show of the Spice Girls reunion tour.
So with the constant dilemma of the crucial concert outfit on my mind, I boarded a plane to Vancouver Friday afternoon. I would be in Vancouver for 3 days, but my suitcase was bursting at the seams with anything I own that could be considered even remotely Spice-like (couldn't find the great big union jack platform shoes I was looking for, sadly.)
Met up with my mom and sister at our fancy Robson Street hotel - and the view from our balcony, 26 floors up, was so gorgeous - my camera could not do it justice.
The next day and a half consisted of frivolous shopping, fancy restaurants (complete with guilty indulges in amazing desserts! The gingerbread cake from Earls comes highly recommended from this girl), and TERRIBLE weather! Honestly, it hardly ever snows in Vancouver - so accordingly the only time it does is when I stop by for the weekend. Vancouver snow is infuriating, it's not cold enough there for proper snow - it's just clumps of slush falling on your face. The wetness of it all chills you to the bone! When I stepped out of the airport back in -20 degrees Edmonton, I exclaimed, "Yes! Familiar cold!"
Wait, what's this about again? Right, the concert! Back on task, I met up with the girls Sunday afternoon to Spice ourselves up! I drank entirely too much wine while "baby-ing (-ish)" myself up, and was inappropriately half-cut to see a band that I loved when I was 11! Finally, and drunkenly, decided on a red dress with fishnet stockings, Baby Spice hairstyle, uncomfortable false eyelashes (in case they asked me up on stage with them, of course), and my rocket dog boots because it was cold dammit!
Because of unreliable cabs we got to GM Place a bit late, no time for merchandise! Straight to our seats, and, after a David Beckham sighting (!!), there was a frenzy of activity, lights, and videos on stage.....and out come the Spice Girls looking amazing. They were a bit more sophisticated, sadly, but there was the odd platform shoe, union jack dress, and leopard print. They started with "Spice up your life" (I called it!) and went straight into "Stop" and my personal favourite "Say you'll be there" The screaming was deafening, particularly my own!
I don't even really know how to describe it - obviously the Spice Girls aren't the most exquisite musicians of our time - but it's about more than that. We had a blast reliving our childhoods, it was all so nostalgic and exciting......and yes everyone was crying during "Mama"! It all ended way too soon. I bought the World Tour program for an insane amount of money, and we were out the door into the pouring rain (I was "Drowned Rat Spice"). I still can't believe it's over. :(
And yes, they did ask me to go on tour with them. But after careful deliberation I had to respectfully decline their offer. My studies are more important.
I don't even know where to start with this one. I first put it on the list with wishful thinking, but not really believing that it could possibly happen. I mean, you had to enter a draw just to win the chance to buy tickets! The London concert sold out in 35 seconds! I am SO lucky! I was at the very first show of the Spice Girls reunion tour.
So with the constant dilemma of the crucial concert outfit on my mind, I boarded a plane to Vancouver Friday afternoon. I would be in Vancouver for 3 days, but my suitcase was bursting at the seams with anything I own that could be considered even remotely Spice-like (couldn't find the great big union jack platform shoes I was looking for, sadly.)
Met up with my mom and sister at our fancy Robson Street hotel - and the view from our balcony, 26 floors up, was so gorgeous - my camera could not do it justice.
The next day and a half consisted of frivolous shopping, fancy restaurants (complete with guilty indulges in amazing desserts! The gingerbread cake from Earls comes highly recommended from this girl), and TERRIBLE weather! Honestly, it hardly ever snows in Vancouver - so accordingly the only time it does is when I stop by for the weekend. Vancouver snow is infuriating, it's not cold enough there for proper snow - it's just clumps of slush falling on your face. The wetness of it all chills you to the bone! When I stepped out of the airport back in -20 degrees Edmonton, I exclaimed, "Yes! Familiar cold!"
Wait, what's this about again? Right, the concert! Back on task, I met up with the girls Sunday afternoon to Spice ourselves up! I drank entirely too much wine while "baby-ing (-ish)" myself up, and was inappropriately half-cut to see a band that I loved when I was 11! Finally, and drunkenly, decided on a red dress with fishnet stockings, Baby Spice hairstyle, uncomfortable false eyelashes (in case they asked me up on stage with them, of course), and my rocket dog boots because it was cold dammit!
Because of unreliable cabs we got to GM Place a bit late, no time for merchandise! Straight to our seats, and, after a David Beckham sighting (!!), there was a frenzy of activity, lights, and videos on stage.....and out come the Spice Girls looking amazing. They were a bit more sophisticated, sadly, but there was the odd platform shoe, union jack dress, and leopard print. They started with "Spice up your life" (I called it!) and went straight into "Stop" and my personal favourite "Say you'll be there" The screaming was deafening, particularly my own!
I don't even really know how to describe it - obviously the Spice Girls aren't the most exquisite musicians of our time - but it's about more than that. We had a blast reliving our childhoods, it was all so nostalgic and exciting......and yes everyone was crying during "Mama"! It all ended way too soon. I bought the World Tour program for an insane amount of money, and we were out the door into the pouring rain (I was "Drowned Rat Spice"). I still can't believe it's over. :(
And yes, they did ask me to go on tour with them. But after careful deliberation I had to respectfully decline their offer. My studies are more important.
Tuesday, 27 November 2007
44. Learn 5 ways to make tofu.
Status: 1/5
I am not the greatest vegetarian. In fact, I flat out refused to eat vegetables until I was 17. Not entirely sure how I'm alive, actually. It defies modern science that I did not come down with scurvy.
My parents would always say "you'll like them someday" and I'd scream, dramatically, "NEVER!" Well, grudgingly I now have to admit that they were right (though I still hate peas!) Vegetables are yum, and eating right is where it's at! Which is why I should eat more tofu (also because when I tried to donate blood I was told that no one wants that "protein-weak water" running through my veins) but it's just so......nothing. It tastes like nothing! Up until now I'd only eat tofu in the deep-fried grease-laden variety from Oodle Noodle Box. To health it up a bit I brought out my treasured copy of "Eat, Shrink, and be Merry" and made "Parma Chameleon". Tofu parmesan! It was so good that I forgot I was eating tofu!
When my roomate, who shall remain unnamed, walked into the kitchen, she exclaimed, "Jackie, what did you make?? It smells so good!", and when I told her what it was, she cringed! Poor tofu, such a bad rep.........
Now I imagine I'll have to get on the next 4 soon as I've got half a block of the stuff rotting in my fridge.
I am not the greatest vegetarian. In fact, I flat out refused to eat vegetables until I was 17. Not entirely sure how I'm alive, actually. It defies modern science that I did not come down with scurvy.
My parents would always say "you'll like them someday" and I'd scream, dramatically, "NEVER!" Well, grudgingly I now have to admit that they were right (though I still hate peas!) Vegetables are yum, and eating right is where it's at! Which is why I should eat more tofu (also because when I tried to donate blood I was told that no one wants that "protein-weak water" running through my veins) but it's just so......nothing. It tastes like nothing! Up until now I'd only eat tofu in the deep-fried grease-laden variety from Oodle Noodle Box. To health it up a bit I brought out my treasured copy of "Eat, Shrink, and be Merry" and made "Parma Chameleon". Tofu parmesan! It was so good that I forgot I was eating tofu!
When my roomate, who shall remain unnamed, walked into the kitchen, she exclaimed, "Jackie, what did you make?? It smells so good!", and when I told her what it was, she cringed! Poor tofu, such a bad rep.........
Now I imagine I'll have to get on the next 4 soon as I've got half a block of the stuff rotting in my fridge.
Sunday, 25 November 2007
25. Tie/ un-tie the laces of my runners every time I put them on/ take them off, until it gets too cold for me to wear them this winter.
Status: Too cold!
You'll just have to trust me on this one, but since they were expensive (though ironically from Payless), I followed this fairly religiously. The one exception being the day I went shopping for new jeans, and the untying/tying requirement complicated the trying-on process to the point of sheer exhaustion. And I firmly believe that diverse situations deserve flexible analysis in regards to levels of shoe carelessness.
But the only reason I was able to accomplish this was because I mainly went straight from ballet flats to boots. Despite them being half pink, as a rule I'm too much on the girly side to bother with runners to any great extent.
You'll just have to trust me on this one, but since they were expensive (though ironically from Payless), I followed this fairly religiously. The one exception being the day I went shopping for new jeans, and the untying/tying requirement complicated the trying-on process to the point of sheer exhaustion. And I firmly believe that diverse situations deserve flexible analysis in regards to levels of shoe carelessness.
But the only reason I was able to accomplish this was because I mainly went straight from ballet flats to boots. Despite them being half pink, as a rule I'm too much on the girly side to bother with runners to any great extent.
Tuesday, 20 November 2007
Shallow and Pedantic Blog Entry
Since this is not a diary blog, I'm going to make an obscure attempt to link one of my completed items to what I really want to write about: the snow. So here goes:
"It's a good thing I bought those winter boots when I did, because I woke up to this winter wonderland this morning."
There, a futile follow-up of my excellent purchase. Now that the connection has been made, isn't my street pretty with snow??
It's about time too, we usually have snow by the end of October - meaning the bunnies got an extra 3 weeks of unlimited food supply.....and they're getting embarrassingly chubby. Come to think, that'd be a nice deal - if all of the cakes and pies went away for the winter (grass, in the bunnies' case) and I was forced to eat less.
AND (just when you thought I couldn't add yet another seemingly unrelated occurrence) since there is now snow it was perfectly acceptable to set up our little Charlie Brown Christmas tree. And yes, we do have a present under there already! It's construction paper from me to my roomies so, through the manipulation with scissors and crayons, we can fill our little apartment with holiday spirit!
"It's a good thing I bought those winter boots when I did, because I woke up to this winter wonderland this morning."
There, a futile follow-up of my excellent purchase. Now that the connection has been made, isn't my street pretty with snow??
It's about time too, we usually have snow by the end of October - meaning the bunnies got an extra 3 weeks of unlimited food supply.....and they're getting embarrassingly chubby. Come to think, that'd be a nice deal - if all of the cakes and pies went away for the winter (grass, in the bunnies' case) and I was forced to eat less.
AND (just when you thought I couldn't add yet another seemingly unrelated occurrence) since there is now snow it was perfectly acceptable to set up our little Charlie Brown Christmas tree. And yes, we do have a present under there already! It's construction paper from me to my roomies so, through the manipulation with scissors and crayons, we can fill our little apartment with holiday spirit!
Monday, 19 November 2007
18. Make all the cheesecakes in my cheesecake book.
Status: 6 out of 30.
I would not consider myself to be the greatest of cooks. I burn absolutely everything that I place in a frying pan, and could not make cookies to save my life. I bought pre-made cookie dough once, and somehow set it on fire in the oven. But strangely, I have found my niche in the baking world with cheesecakes. I just looooove making cheesecakes, the batter (being the most delicious stage of any baked good) is more sugary and addictive than anything else you'd find in a bakery, and it's nearly impossible to screw up (says the girl who can't bake cookies!)
So for years now it's been my 'thing' to make cheesecakes. Last year for Christmas my mom gave me a little book of fancy cheesecakes (which was a conflict of interest, as she loves my cheesecakes), and I would like to take the opportunity to cross off the ones I've made since adding this challenge to my list (and a few that were made post-101 in 1001 list, but deserve to be counted dammit!) Good and done are: chocolate-cranberry cheesecake (made for Christmas dinner last year), mint chocolate chip cheesecake (it was like eating chocolate and brushing your teeth at the same time!), chocolate swirl cheesecake, cafe au lait cheesecake, peach cheesecake, and white chocolate cheeecake.
Next on the docket: White chocolate raspberry cheesecake (my roomate's choice), and eggnog cheesecake for Christmas!
How many do you think you can eat, Matt?
Sunday, 18 November 2007
68. Buy new winter boots.
Status: Bringing sexy back.
Well, it's finally happened. I've finally become trendy. I am a total fashion conformist, and it's time to admit it. I've fought it long, and I've fought it hard, for two winters now I've trudged around in inadequate footwear, but my feet were cold, dammit!
Nevermind that we, for some strange reason, don't even have snow yet (Can I get a hip hip hooray for global warming?), yesterday I went out and bought what I would call Ugg-like boots. They're not Uggs (As Uggs are roughly my entire months' budget), they're Rocket Dogs, and they're purrrrrrty. Plus now my tootsies can brave the -20 weather that is soon to be upon us, and I can skip happily through mountains of snow. And yes, I AM going to roll my pants up when I wear them to show them off, because they were expensive!
Friday, 16 November 2007
56. Give sushi another try.
Status: Yuck
I wish I liked sushi.....I really do, and I like to think I'm fairly open-minded when it comes to food (despite my meat-and-potato upbringing, which turned me completely off meat and, honestly, potatoes, by the time I was 12). I can't think of any cultural cuisine that I could completely write off, and even Japanese food has elements that I can.....tolerate. But sushi is just foul.
I've given it the old college try before, resulting in absolute disdain. But it just looks so cool to eat.....so trendy, so hip! I desperately want to be a part of this, not stuck in a stuffy spaghetti and meatballs routine like my parents! So I decided to give sushi another chance, and when I was invited out to a sushi restaurant a few days ago, I accepted......with only a bit of nervous hesitation.
I love the atmosphere, the dim lighting, taking off your shoes, sitting cross-legged in the booth......if only the food wasn't so vile. The problem isn't the rice....or the cucumber....it's the damn seaweed that's wrapped around it! Even before I was a vegetarian, I refused to eat absolutely anything that came out of water....so if it wasn't wrapped in weeds ripped from the sea....I think I could actually enjoy it. Why can't they wrap it in fruit roll-ups? Needless to say, I ended up peeling the seaweed off every roll and eating a mess of rice and cucumber.
So there you have it, I tried and failed. It'll be tempura for me from now on.
I wish I liked sushi.....I really do, and I like to think I'm fairly open-minded when it comes to food (despite my meat-and-potato upbringing, which turned me completely off meat and, honestly, potatoes, by the time I was 12). I can't think of any cultural cuisine that I could completely write off, and even Japanese food has elements that I can.....tolerate. But sushi is just foul.
I've given it the old college try before, resulting in absolute disdain. But it just looks so cool to eat.....so trendy, so hip! I desperately want to be a part of this, not stuck in a stuffy spaghetti and meatballs routine like my parents! So I decided to give sushi another chance, and when I was invited out to a sushi restaurant a few days ago, I accepted......with only a bit of nervous hesitation.
I love the atmosphere, the dim lighting, taking off your shoes, sitting cross-legged in the booth......if only the food wasn't so vile. The problem isn't the rice....or the cucumber....it's the damn seaweed that's wrapped around it! Even before I was a vegetarian, I refused to eat absolutely anything that came out of water....so if it wasn't wrapped in weeds ripped from the sea....I think I could actually enjoy it. Why can't they wrap it in fruit roll-ups? Needless to say, I ended up peeling the seaweed off every roll and eating a mess of rice and cucumber.
So there you have it, I tried and failed. It'll be tempura for me from now on.
Thursday, 8 November 2007
57. Make muffins for my roomates.
Out of sheer apathy towards my studies, I decided to not do research for that 10-pager I have due soon, and instead spend my precious Wednesday evening baking and watching trash TV! (Yes, ANTM, because I like to eat fatty food whilst watching skinny models on TV, tastes even better knowing they can't eat it.)
I even braved the wind and rain to make the trek to Safeway to get the necessary ingredients to make carrot muffins with cream cheese icing! Yum! (No picture as they're....umm...all gone....already)
And you may say that I didn't actually do this out of the goodness of my heart, and that I was just trying to avoid the nagging components of my student life, but I'll remind you that there was no stipulation regarding where my intentions must lie in the original list item!
The fact that I'm posting this from work should also give some idea of my professional ethic. But I am wearing pinstripe dress pants and I think giving off the impression of professionalism is enough for one day.
I even braved the wind and rain to make the trek to Safeway to get the necessary ingredients to make carrot muffins with cream cheese icing! Yum! (No picture as they're....umm...all gone....already)
And you may say that I didn't actually do this out of the goodness of my heart, and that I was just trying to avoid the nagging components of my student life, but I'll remind you that there was no stipulation regarding where my intentions must lie in the original list item!
The fact that I'm posting this from work should also give some idea of my professional ethic. But I am wearing pinstripe dress pants and I think giving off the impression of professionalism is enough for one day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
