Munchies, Munchkins, Play

Matt has a new car! After breakfast and a lot of catching up, he gives me a ride around the block in what seems like an embarassingly large SUV/truck style vehicle (yeah, I have no clue). He told me his brother had given it to him after fixing it up. He admitted that it felt silly driving it in the city, but they (a bunch of the Mathies) would be heading out for a cross country skiing trip later that day, and it'll be good for all the people and equipment.

I really was thinking about studying when I got home (albeit a little distracted), but then Theresa called: Did I want to go skating with Celina and Kevin and some friends? The answer of course, was yes.

To WEM we went. We waited for Lilian and her brother. I was thinking we don't even need to pay admission and go inside; They're having plenty of fun just in the waiting area. When we did hit the ice, we skated around and around and attempted tag. Fueled by juice boxes and Hallowe'en candy, three hours pass by like nothing. Then they headed out for dinner.


I went to Kathy and Neil's. Parked about a block away, I ran in the direction of their building (eyes partially closed from the wind) when I encountered another bundled form: Michael! Brr! Such a very chilly night.

Their condo was nice and warm. Kathy and Neil had prepared some really tasty and thermally pleasant foods. Rem, Steph, Kathy, Neil, Michael, Micah and I munched and nibbled and caught up on each other's holidays. I took the grand tour, and of course, hovered around their collectibles.

After the chocolate fondue (cream whipped using Neil's not yet patented mixer guard), we were ready for some games. Micah took to Apples to Apples (left) right away. We split the group (Erik had also joined us after his run[!]) to play Munchkins 3: Clerical Errors (right) and the Game of Life (despite being a new edition, "success" was still considered the same). Silliness ensued.

Tea and hot water was interspersed among the gaming. While discussing proper tea drinking form, Rem delcares, "In Soviet Russia the pinky finger lifts you!" We laughed. I tried to tie into how this was "Like bear!" with a good rumble and attempted accent. Silence. People! Read Christopher Moore's A Dirty Job - if not for its hilarity, then just so I can make a joke.

Left early-ish with Micah. It was even colder! I asked about Adam, who has been MIA, and she enlightened me a little on language roots.

In less than twelve hours it will be a new year. Time to tie up loose ends, pay bills, dance.

Love Actually

Daisy: [excited] We've been given our parts in the nativity play. And I'm the lobster.
Karen: The lobster?
Daisy: [beaming] Yeah, *first* lobster.
Karen: There was more than one lobster present at the birth of Jesus?
Daisy: Duh.


Erik caught me doing mean things to lemons when he got home. It was however for a good cause: Beth's birthday! And I had promised cake.

People arrived; we ate cake; the crew let me take a few pictures. Then we sat down to watch Love Actually.

I had vaguely remembered really enjoying the movie the first time I saw it years ago. The soundtrack (the Glasgow Love Theme in particular) would make me sway when I hear it. And I just recalled it was good, funny, set in England... there were some quirky and sweet characters that end up as happy couples after some charming trials... they were all somehow related; there was Hugh Grant and Colin Firth... But there was also a nagging feeling that this wasn't quite a happy Christmas movie.


When I remembered, I realised I was going to cry a lot. Yes, there were some really funny and sweet moments (the father and son interactions in particular, and there are even more of those if you watch the cut scenes), but there were parts that hit hard... These parts pull the movie out of vague remembrance, and make me really love the movie now. Emma Thompson and her character, Karen, are fabulous. Laura Linney as Sarah made more than one of us sad (though it could be said in Kathy's case Karl had much more to do with it :P).


If you haven't seen it, go to it because it's really good. You probably won't cry and ruin your makeup; I'm just extra sappy emotional in my old age.


Time then to go, but before leaving Rem demonstrates his balancing act. We pack up, and there were enough little cakes left for a late night snack. (Perhaps, we could have used a little more lemon.)

The story goes...

"Mom was the most beautiful woman in the village." Theresa says at dinner. Dad, Angela, Patrick, Carl and the kids were here too.

She continues, "Every one's mom is beautiful, but ours really was." As Mom shook her head smiling, Theresa started listing all the women in the village (of course I have no clue about these people) and started dissecting their looks. I was shocked: she was being literal! And kind of shallow...

Next she asks, "So how did Mom end up with Dad FIFTY YEARS ago?"
Mom, not waiting a beat, "He wasn't bad looking when he had all his teeth."


Fifty years. Happy Golden Anniversary, Mom and Dad! I'm a little embarrassed to say I was caught by surprise. Angela had called me at work about two weeks ago: "I think it's Mom and Dad's 50th this year". I said "No, we just had their 40th a little while back. I have pictures. I'll check them and let you know tomorrow."


Here is what I found:

Photos from 1998 and a colour copy of their wedding certificate I had made at Staples.


It really has been ten years since that celebration. At that time, Celina was barely two, and Kevin didn't even exist yet. I had just graduated from high school...


_______________
What does one get one's parents who have been married for 50 years?


The sites say gold. Our answer: A nice dinner at a restaurant of their choice. And a really, really big television.


The television is to arrive in two weeks. The dinner, we had tonight, at "Ah-Chin's Kitchen". I had my very first winter melon soup (cooked in a winter melon). The spectacle that the winter melon was, made me pull out my camera. Here it is - Patrick is on the right, and "hiding" behind is Angela. For some reason, I wasn't encouraged to (and didn't think to) take any photos of Mom and Dad. The feeling I got from them was as though they thought fifty years was no big deal at all.

Happy Christmas! (from Erik's place to where you are)

"You're right. Your idea is much stupider than mine."

~ Malcolm to Micah, re: places for a hideaway bed

I now understand/forgive Malcolm's brother, Matt, for falling silent mid-phone conversation. When I finally regained his attention, his apology: "Sorry, my kittens were being cute." Cute they are! Sure I had come to retreive my camera and visit Malcolm... but my attention was soon consumed by Ate and Aos, too.

Here one sleeps. Here he's being snuggled. Here's he being put on a Roomba.

Here the other emerges from inside the sofa bed.

Ah, it's good to be a kitten (at least in this household).

I chased after them with my camera, and almost didn't notice that Christmas was in full swing. There was turkey in the oven, friends and family gathered, wrapping paper all around... And in all this, Micah was reading a book. In fact, she was reading the "saddest book in the world".

Micah: Naomi told me not to finish it on Christmas because it was so sad.
Malcolm: So the right thing to do is...
Micah: To finish reading the book.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a good sad. Narrated at times by Death, it's a story about regular Germans in WWII. The protagonist, the Book Thief, is a young girl who is caught between what the government says is true, and what she knows is right. Yes, it's another book about books, and it made me cry.

Though Micah was intent on finishing the book, she tore herself away to share some of her stocking loot and presents. Among them were Obama (in magazine form) and a spurtle. The spurtle (below): not only for soup and sauces.

It was time for me to leave. Hugs all 'round. I was surprised that Bryce was there, and he had this message for me as I walked away from the closing door: "Merry Christmas, and I hope you find a new lover in the new year." A wry smile... wondering how he knew. Well, I hope so too.

Onward (enough of this camping out at Erik's) to home, to dinner with family. The kids will be there too.

Happy Christmas, where ever you are.

Another Musical Guess

This has been making the rounds on Facebook. It's so fun I decided to do up another.

I've (Step 1) put my music player on shuffle, and (Step 2) posted the first lines from the first 30 songs that played (even if they're embarassing). Now it's your turn: Post the song's name and artist (yes some of these are covers, make a guess) in the comments section.

Here they are!

1. Missus, Will ya, Make me tea? BBC - Ming Tea / Mystery C.
2. My story is much too sad to be told
3. Why can’t we free the love inside us
4. Christmas is children just can’t go to sleep
5. Stop that train, I’m leaving
6. Let’s assume you were right
7. No muscle man, no candy cane Jealous of Your Cigarette - Hawksley Workman / Steph
8. Why would she make calls out of the blue
9. Anyone can tell there’s no more road to ride
10. I take a breath and pull the air in ‘til there’s nothing left
11. I love you, but I gotta stay true Mercy - Duffy / Mystery C.
12. My funny valentine, sweet comic valentine My Funny Valentine - Frank Sinatra / Mystery C.
13. We are like pendulums, arms swinging at our sides Pendulums - Sarah Harmer / Steph
14. Rolling cable slick with beer to hang up on the broken stands
15. I’ve been all around the world, I’ve been a new sensation
16. You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life Dancing Queen - ABBA (cover done by the Real Group) / Steph
17. I’ve been ‘neath the moon before
18. Are you blind, blind to me trying to be kind
19. Be-bop-a-lula she’s my baby
20. If I were a man I’d grow a mustache
21. Sometimes I need your body next to mine
22. Fourteenth street and the garbage swirls like a cyclone
23. Not so fast, Malorie, no one makes a fool of me
24. Shoulders of perfection, let them drag you straight across
25. Bring it back to the middle and ‘round again
26. Won’t somebody tell me, answer if you can Soul of a Man - Blind Willie Johnson (cover done by Maria Muldaur) / Rem
27. You’re never far away from me
28. I didn’t hear you leave, I’m wondering how I’m still here
29. Measure me in measured lines, in one decisive stare Aside - The Weakerthans / Steph
30. I’m not alone, wish I was

Break time!

Overheard at the photocopier:
This isn’t a novel! A novel implies something interesting and fun. This is a book of research crap!

Hm... some people at work were definitely crabby. Thankfully a half day was declared and we're now officially on break!

I love the idea of so much free time in front of me. Oh, the possibilities! O.k. a big chunk of that should be devoted to studying (last class I saw an old classmate and she tipped me off that this was one of CGA's lowest pass rate courses, yikes!), but there's also the chance at sleep! Or you know... see friends and have fun.

That part's technically already started. I had lunch with Andrea today. We don't see each other often enough, but we always make time at Christmas to catch up. She's been doing some rigourous cleaning and purging at the house, and studying for her exams. Bob's applied for some positions (fingers crossed that he'll get one with more regular hours). Last year they had Christmas at their place, this year it's rotated to another house. She mentioned too that soon it'll be CaRMS interviews. Wasn't it just a year ago that she was flying across Canada for hers? Actually, it's been years... this time she's on the other side of the table.

Another time chunk was allocated to visiting kitties, Jack and Felix, but a wrench was thrown into the works: Due to bad weather Beth's flight was cancelled (twice). She decided this morning to stay in Edmonton.

Erik is away however, so yesterday met up with Catherine at his place. After watering the plant, we had some dinner and exchanged presents. I got her a Mallet Head ("Mallet Head can be used to persuade anything into place...") and she got me (right) Angry Little Girls!: A Little Book on Friendship and a one of the coolest pins ever! *Squee!* We then looked around to see if any thing of Erik's needed some persuading...

It's time for me to head home too.

Happy Christmas everyone!

Wrapped up and ready to make a break

Celebrate the return of the sun! Mom and Dad made a traditional meal for solstice and here are the photos.

Yesterday and Sunday I did shifts with the Bissell Centre gift wrap. I was at the Bay Edmonton Centre location, where there were two tables, one on main another on the 2nd floor.

I had taken one look at the organisers when I arrived and thought "They're babies!" I was assigned to a different table than Rhianne and Chris, and wasn't sure what to talk about with the young'n I was paired. I needn't worry because the silence was soon filled with one exceptionally chatty customer (maybe simply because it wasn't busy and she waited?). It felt as though I was hearing her life story with each present we wrapped: "This one's for Dad, but haven't seen him in so long that I'm not sure he'll like it... " After her, it was quiet. Tap, tap... small talk question... tap, tap, wait, wait... I excused myself to check up on Rhianne and Chris.

What a contrast! Their table was swamped. I joined in and the three of us wrapped what I thought was a record number of presents before closing time. The young'n, I'm sure didn't mind I was gone.

Anyway - another year - hopefully some good news in the numbers.

At work: Quiet. Most people seemed to have taken a few extra days to get the whole week off. For me, one more day... then break! I'm tingling at the thought.

Keep on Truckin'

A visit to Rem and Steph's brought more merry. (Right: Note the similarities between Rem and Santa. ) Thus energised, I was ready to meet up at Rhianne's for her move... to Brendan's!

When I stepped inside her place it was as though I was in Amelie's house! Turns out Rhianne's housemate is French. Maybe this is French interior decorating? While I was coveting the wall colours and the floor coverings, and sneezing, I move things from the basement upstairs to hand off to Rhianne. She then packed things into the van. I couldn't believe after so many boxes she still calmly accepted more. I eventually ventured past the snowy wet threshold to go outside and take a look. She had taken out the back seats and everything fit tight like a jigsaw puzzle. This was some good packing.

Brendan, who was upstairs cleaning, tried to convince me to not hand over the She-Ra garbage can to Rhianne... and maybe instead just "misplace" it into the large garbage bag. I don't think he realised the coolness of She-Ra. It was definitely going to the new place.

Chris arrives and we pack his car up too. Together we head over to Brendan's and unpack. Another trip or two and we're done. All in all I think it was a good move. It was cold, but sunny. Most of all it ended much earlier than I had anticipated. We went to Tropika for dinner.

Since it was still early, Chris invites me to go to Sherry and Robert's for boardgames. O.k. I haven't seen Sherry in a long time... they were in the line-up for a Fringe show last summer, but before that years since Circle K?

So I join them. Sherry and Robert's place is really neat. She was making super delicious cookies when we arrived. Robert gave me a little tour and showed me how they made their living space into a climbing area: handholds were mounted into the walls! While Robert shared his record collection, Siew Chui calls Chris! Wow, it was like a whole day of Circle K reunions and goodness!

I gush over Siew Chui since we haven't talked in a very long time. I asked about motherhood (she's getting the hang of it, it almost feels natural), about being in China (medical care is definitely not as good as Malyasia), and when she'll be back in Edmonton (soon?).

When we finally get to playing the boardgame, I had been lulled into a state of happy high from cookies (so much for working things off in the move), milk, and the warm atmosphere. It was a harsh then when we played Galaxy Truckers - I was timed to build a space ship from tiles containing parts. I'm never good at time pressure. It was fun though. Our spaceships after being built were put to test of various adventures where a dice roll would determine if asteroids would hit and their damage, or if we were encounter space pirates. During this, Robert also introduced some music to me, a soundtrack for the game (Kraftwerk, and Ladytron - I liked the latter).

It was really cold when I finally left. Thankfully, my bout of CARma seems to have passed and the car started without problems.

Today, the longest night of the year. Happy Winter Solstice!

Hello Kitties

"I'm not a germ-o-phobe." I said calmly as Beth started laughing. Just because I was wearing mittens to pet Jake does not mean I'm anything like my sister Angela... the real germ-o-phobe. Really.

I was at Beth's last night learning how to take care of Felix and Jake - her cats. She's going away (to visit family and friends) during Christmas break, and she's trusting me to take care of them! Elated! Another set of keys to my key ring! But will this work? How does one take care of a cat... more so, two?

Where is the food? How often should I visit and feed them? What plants need to be watered? Emergency numbers? Most importantly: What is not normal?

I felt pretty good. I had my antihistamines; I had my notes; The cats seemed to like me... then Beth warned they might try to escape. What?! Good thing there were methods to keep them inside, and she taught me. Now, I'm ready.


We chatted some more. I told her that Dad took the car to Chinatown and they fixed the rattling noise, for free. I was surprised. Beth wasn't. She still figures that if I had gone with a guy, those paint job estimates would have been lower. She made me laugh more and I was glad to see her less stressed. This break will be good.

I bid goodbye to Beth and the kitties. Will see all of them soon. Yay!

Movie, Presents, Merry!

"Ping-Pong is not the macarena." ~ Master Wong, Balls of Fury

"I love the sex slaves." Steph hit it on the nail. The sex slaves were probably the best part of Balls of Fury. O.k. there were other moments that got Erik, Michael, Kathy, Neil, and myself laughing. The movie is a spoof on the "has-been kid prodigy who is brought back years later to get revenge for his father's death, requiring him to get back into the game" formula, which also inclues an unorthodoxed coach (this one was blind and Chinese), evil villian (Christopher Walken), and love interest who starts off hating the protagonist's guts (Maggie Q!). All that mixed with ping pong and Chinatown rules. Was it done well? It was... ridiculous... which if that's what you're aiming for... Not a must see for me.

The night was good though in that I caught some people for presents. Erik, will be away holidays, so I gave him his early. Perplexed, "What flavour are these cookies?" Well... um... Michael opened his (with less ambiguity) and I think was surprised (but happy) to find it was a toaster. Yay for toast! (Thank you Chris for helping me get it.). Kirsten had not come despite me telling her she had to. She'd been whisked away to spend time with family. But I still keep her words in my head: Keep the merry!

Sooooo Many Cookies

It took a little while to get started. Kirsten and I were a little bit distracted when we went to Superstore to pick up ingredients, and before that there was an incident involving a whole lot of sparkles at the dollarstore. Michael put up with all this quite well (I think I only saw one eye twitch). And then we were at Michael's!

(Right: Kirsten clones Mexican anise turkeys)

I started right away on my two planned recipes. Nuts were chopped, and ingredients were measured, sniffed (vanilla extract), and tasted (molasses - yuck).

Before long, we were surrounded by cookies in all different states (raw, cooking, cooling, overcooked...) Michael made us dinner and we took a break. Then we baked some more!

We experimented, adding here, subtracting there. (Cookies, cookies, everywhere!) And there were some surprises: One of my recipes makes melting cookies (below).

It was really late when I finally decided we were done and should go home. Almost ever plastic container Michael had was employed for cookie transport. A special lot of Kirsten's (right) was put aside for Movie Night ("hottness" was purposely spelled wrong). That shimmer on top? Sugar, cinnamon, and maybe the occassional dollarstore sparkle. Yum!

Next day, I had class. Then I met up with Chris for... more cookies! Rhianne was having her annual cookie exchange. Despite having been invited, I was still crashing (I had originally declined thinking I wouldn't have time or place to bake). When we arrived at Brendan's it turned out things were o.k. There were more than enough cookies to go around.

(Right: Shelley with her gingerbread men. Ouch!)

I chatted with Circle Kers and Comp Sci Guys that I haven't seen in ages (Thomas was looking for a duplex... Steph L was CA bound... people were planning some really cool vacations...) We played a games that had us guessing (and bashing), ate some delicious food that Rhianne had prepared, and started on some of those cookies. I laughed as I looked at the amalgamated Christmas tree. Rhianne confirmed, the plastic finger puppets were Brendan's.

Gingerbread Feast

"Stop eating my engines!" Sure, Erik needed them for his creation, but we knew he didn't need all of those two-bite brownies. And the rest of us needed our energy. Energy for great things! To build our gingerbread creations!

(Right: Michael presents his CN Tower design)

Rem made the dough and icing required for us to build. Later, he cut and baked pieces for three standard houses.

Steph made and decorated one (left), and then Chris and Malcolm took the remaining pieces to fashion something completely different (below).

Meanwhile, with the help of Beth and a whole lot of carrots and cauliflower (and patience) Erik's Star Destroyer was complete (along with some really cute TIE fighters).

On more candies and gingerbread cookies we snacked. After an impromptu goggle fashion show, we headed out into the night.

Time to plan next year's design!

More photos here.

Snowball the Fourth

I walked down the stairway as if I was royalty... the feeling/effect lasted about 2 seconds before I was snapped back into reality. We need to unwrap the food, arrange the charity table, get the ice-breaker game ready, man the doors... all in 10 minutes!

Really though, these were little things. Having decided to not have a sit down dinner and instead go to the Timms Centre for a cocktail style party, there wasn't that much to do. Earlier in the week the OGRES (a.k.a. Party Planners) had scoped out the space and advised the onsite manager to coordinate what we wanted (all in the price). Now it was just a matter of keeping people mingling.

Some co-workers had brought their kids and they were well behaved. There were tears, but they came from Julainne when she went onstage to do a formal good-bye to Bill and to present our group gifts.

Highlight of the night was Bill's skit "Kingdom of the Empty Skull" (good thing we watched the Indiana Jones "Crystal Skull" at Movie Night). After rounding up volunteer actors and a quick rehearsal in the green room (the rest of us mingled), Bill debuted his work. Chase scenes, dream sequences, over zealous grad students, and rubber chickens all combine into a silly and fun romp. We were all laughing.

For all the great artistic works (skits) he's produced over the years, Neil presented Bill with the "Beaky" award (this would be the rubber chicken Tony equivalent).

At the end of the night there was only a little packing up and cleaning needed - a definite improvement on past events. Wendy and Will (so cute together) pose for some photos and I sneak into one too.

The leftovers and myself were then homeward bound. Elation - we pulled it off!

Of the Public Sector and Rubber Chickens

Exposed!

What a meeting! Had expected the usual dread that comes with feeling over one's head, when Julainne comes in with the video camera. Bill is retiring and she's making a good-bye video. In the middle of our thank-yous and good-byes, Lorraine bursts out: It was Pat and Denise all along! They had kidnapped the rubber chickens!

Le gasp! Confessions of that level definitely don't happen every day.

"Too many homes of cranky citizens have email." ~ Nancy

New class started yesterday. It was kind of dry. I looked at Nancy with the stuff I learned in the trainer course and thought "She's obviously knowledgable. But is she passionate about Publect Sector Financial Management?" She did a survey (the Audit), and I found I was mostly surrounded by people working in the sector already. Truth be told, I'm not even sure if where I work counted.

The class went by pretty quickly with some notes on the white board and some lecturing. The best part was when she offered interview tips:

"Good thing to say in interview: I want to be a part of the process to bring trust back to government"

And if asked "Are you a risk taker?"

The answer is always yes. You can qualify all you want after that. But the first thing out of your mouth must be yes.

That last one's going to take quite some practice.

"I recalled what Huizi said to me: “Fenfang, never look back to the past, never regret, even if there is emptiness ahead.” But I couldn’t help it. Sometimes I would rather look back if it meant that I could feel something in my heart, even something sad. Sadness was better than emptiness. "

~ Twenty Fragments of a Ravenous Youth, Xiaolu Guo

I was ready to tuck away my reading, and looked out the window at the new AGA. The back is covered in silver scales. Off the bus, and towards the LRT station I went. I saw girders being lifted into place, almost hiding the twisted fish bones.

Math Formal

"Spurtle" sounds like a cross between a spoon and a turtle (not sure what that would be useful for), but is actually a Scottish stir stick. I learn this as I ran some errands with Steph. It was another dreary looking kind of day with some drizzle, but my mood was much improved with the company.

Later, after having visited Vespucci (Steph sighed when I said "What is this "too many dresses" concept you speak of?") and Elephants Never Forget, I got ready at her place for the Math Formal. It did feel kind of strange to be going when she and Rem were not, but they didn't want to. Beth assured me as it was the Mathies I was sure I'd know people. And she was right.

Beth and I sat at a table with Beth's officemate Val (and her husband) and Jim (from Swing). Malcolm and Anna were at another table. Across the room were Matt, Andria, Ben, Angela, Diana, Sam... Near the end of dinner I saw Joseph and his wife, Kristy, too.

Some speeches, award presentations, and door prize draws... it was time for *drumroll*: Karaoke! O.k. people groaned and made faces when it was first introduced, but there were a good handful of people who went up to perform. Including Malcolm! Val wowed with her ballad, and we giggled nervously as someone else sang (an ironic version? of) "White Christmas". Two guys (Cody and...), who had stage names and all, did a disturbingly good rendition of "Love Shack".

Was very glad Beth did invite me. Along with some swing and ballroom, we also flew across the floor with some crazy dancing (Great Big Sea style). Oh, and the conga line. Jim did a good job with this photo - Beth and I are right in the middle.

Friday at last

Rem: I opened new vanilla.

Steph: Oh, Baby!!!

Malcolm: We could leave.

There was snow and rain, and it's all freezing into ice. A miserable day to be driving, but I had to take the car in for estimates. Along the way, it started making awful noises. Since someone's going to say it, I'll do it myself: I'm having bad carma.

End up at Feast with Beth. Rem's prepared delicious soups. Malcolm arrived announcing, "I have something round and tasty... They could be ginger snaps..." But the tease had only brought beer.

Chris and Erik go out to pick up some actual gingersnaps while the rest of us puzzle on this quiz:

What three foods/flavours in which this is true:

A+B = Tasty

B+C = Tasty

C+A = Tasty

but A+B+C = yuck?

And marvel a little at art imitating life in xkcd (right) and Questionable Content (left).

"If someone wrote an existential essay for their personals ad, that's the first one I'd call... hypothetically..." ~ Beth

Malcolm relays how for a German class they read (and wrote) personals adverts and it seemed like most men were looking for "uncomplicated women". I rolled my eyes, thinking that must mean "over 18, but with no emotional baggage."

I pass on Michael and Kirsten's trip to Walmart to their experiment. Last weekend before class. Here I go!

Almost Friday

Days 'til class: 6

Had trouble leaving the house. I wanted to stay and listen to CBC's coverage: Would the Governor General grant Harper's wish to prorouge Parliament? I didn't stay long enough to find out - I really had to leave for work, but the "why" has escaped me. I've been in a mental cloud for most of the day. Reasonable since there was both a late night, and large lunch involved.

Funky Buddah the night before had taken its toll. Chris, Rhianne, Erik, Anna and Claudia were there to join my "Last Free Wednesday" sala night. The instructor was animiated as last time (and just as late). I looked to Anna and Claudia when he started speaking Spanish, but they (fluent speakers) couldn't offer a translation. He ran us through some basic moves which flowed into a little striptease. Not that anyone was going to follow that part, but when I caught Erik's eye he gave look of exasperation and started taking off his shirt. Malcolm showed up later. Bumped into Shay and Olya, who had come with some work friends (they say On The Rocks is still the place to be, though this instructor does give some good tips on feeling the music).

Chris gave me a ride home and in the car we talked a bit more about the Coalition and what the PC gov't was doing. He'd been keeping an eye on the smear campaigns, lies, and propaganda (I could imagine Jeff on creating new FB buttons). (Now that GG had indeed granted the break, I sure hope things don't loose steam.)

Lunch at Mirama pretty much sealed the deal on my unproductivity. Hopped into Boss Michael's van to find he had one of those snazzy models with a DVD player and video screens. He kept his kids' DVD in and Morgan I learned about Yo Gabba Gabba! (the latest in children's entertainment?) as we made it the restaurant. What a contrast, from the manic children's show in the van into the parking lot which was grubby with snow and dirt... and a broken needle.

We went upstairs and joined the rest of "our" team (I'm still technically working for Janet's). I met my new team members, ate some greasy dim sum (which I tried to wash in tea first - Wendy and Michael said I was ruining the best part), and listened to some fun and exciting Christmas travel plans: Michael and family are off to San Francisco; Lorena and family are going to Hong Kong and Thailand; Liz is off to Las Vegas; and Morgan was going to be somewhere warm and exotic because she wasn't tired of being in the cold in Edmonton. I'm looking forward to getting some sleep.

Divisadero

There's more talk about coalition government. The Sun's cover gives this response: "No!" It looked to be 140 pt font. Between the nature of the Sun and my head reading it as a losing protest - I smiled.

And I was smiling again on the bus, engrossed with Michael Ondaatje's Divisadero. I'd put the book down and avoided it for weeks after reading the first few chapters because it made me too sad. A family (father, daughter Anna, adopted daughter Claire, farmhand/foster son Coop) rent by violence. A storm on the farm, blood on the snow, coloured flags representing the elements (for balance and peace), ripped and trampled.

The library due date had pushed me to pick it up again, and now I was caught.

It is years later: Anna is in France researching to write a biography on a French poet, Claire is a lawyer's aide, and Coop is a cardsharp (the gambling scenes reminded me of the outrageous plays in Hong Kong movies, but some how more believable). Years later, and still there is this feeling that they were all broken. I felt sad for all of them, but worse for Claire who when growing up seemed defined by being "not Anna", but was mistaken for her again and again. Later on, she could not fill the space Anna had left no matter how hard she tried.

However sad, in Ondaatje's layered, interconnected fashion, it was all beautiful too. Another reviewer said it well, "Ondaatje is a poet first, who happens to write novels". Here is a really well written review.

It has started to snow.

Pi

Real brains were used in the making of this film...

Michael tells us this they do that becasue it's cheaper. This bit of film trivia (via IMBD and Erik's iPhone), adds another scary dimension Pi, on top of the crawling ants, dim lighting, and dreams or migraine/migraine drug-induced hallucinations. The main character, Maximillian Cohen, is a genius mathematician looking for a pattern in the chaos. He's convinced he's close to finding it, seeing the patterns everywhere, but his former mentor Sol Robeson believes he's obsessed and his mind is just filtering out everything else. A Wall Street firm and a Hasidic sect however, think he might have the answers they are looking for and are willing to use force to get it. Grainy, black and white, interspersed with chases around New York and the dream/hallucinations, I definitely enjoyed it even though I wasn't quite sure what had happened.

"He should marry her, and listen to her." ~ Steph

The movie also seemed to advocate listening to your wife and taking baths (the Archimedes story) which is a definite plus.

Lana has been careless

I confessed to Mom as soon as I got home. Between delivering some Auxiliary Turkey Day leftovers to Adam and taking Beth home, I had side swiped a wooden telephone pole in Beth's parking lot. Right side. Sc-cr-ratch. This is the worse thing I've done to Dad's car.

Next morning: Dad yelled. Mom yelled at Dad. And then Mom said "This is why we worry about you." And then they started yelling about the wok I bought. It was a Christmas present I got for them and had make the mistake of leaving it on my bed. The wok is slang for a bad situation and putting it on my bed obviously put the feng shui out of whack for me. So again, my fault. They're still convinced though that if I hadn't been out late this wouldn't have happened.

Tried to think of what was the most responsible thing to do, and start reparations. I told them I was going to get quotes to get it fixed and in the meantime would get things cleaned up. Then I escaped to Canadian Tire. The guy there was extremely sympathetic (says his wife does this all the time). He recommended a body shop and some cleaner and paint for a short term patch up job.

I go back to Beth's park in a place with no poles nearby and begin working on the wound. Beth puts in some elbow grease too and before long, it really looked better. When it got too dark and cold to do any more, Beth invites me inside and teaches me how to make some jewelry. It was a nice distraction.

The week's already packed with things I wanted to do before hunkering down for class... but this is how it goes. I'm sorry car. Please don't rust in the meantime. I just wanted things to be better, but it was going to take a long, long while.

Auxiliary Turkey Day

"You throw up. You're fine." ~ Beth, on wheatgrass juice, not on my onion and celery side dish

Arrive at Erik's a little late, but I think was forgiven for I brought Beth. We had spent part of the afternoon searching for a juicer and catching up. When we got there the turkey was ready.

It's electric!

Erik has a new knife this year and puts it to work. No video this time, just the electric knife and bird. And then we eat!

Ken and Sophie arrive a little bit later and bring dessert: A strawberry rubarb crisp. Most of us were too full and ready to give it a wait. Rem and Erik however...

"Rem, you're a disappointment to the family." ~ Erik, making sure it felt like a true traditional American Thanksgiving, and then we got back to being happy and enjoying ourselves

A couple of games of Wii where those rabid rabbits get their due, and we're ready to sing. Time for karaoke!

Kirsten "dodged the karaoke bullet", but the rest of us had a bit of fun channeling our inner rock stars for a song. Michael was MJ with "Billy Jean". Kathy mesmerised us with her version of "Wind Beneath My Wings". Sophie helped us figure out just what "Hot Stuff" was about. It was agreed that aside from the lyrics (which got us laughing) there was also "something" about over-the-top synthesisers that can delight and make us dance. I think a fieldtrip to an 80s dance club is really really needed.

Ken, who didn't understand why one would subject ourselves and our friends to something like karaoke, declined to sing. But after we did our rounds, he did pick up the guitar and lead us in a sing-a-long. I love "Blackbird" a heck of lot, but I don't know words. Later, when Rem took up the guitar, the same realisation came to a few of us with "Hallelujah". Rem prompted, we mumbled... granted we each had a different version in our heads (Rufus Wainwright!). Erik's iPhone and access to the internet helped a little with other songs with many words. We probably could have kept going and going, but instead we shortened "American Pie" and called it a night.

Happy Auxiliary Turkey Day!

Come Together

Excitement! In a week's time we may have a coalition government between the Liberals, NDP, and Bloc. Can see on Facebook Jeff was a little conflicted, but then he jumped in wholeheartedly to make support buttons.

The politics talk didn't end there. In the overflow room (so many people at Feast!), we were drawn back to Hillary and Sarah Palin, and women in politics (Why does it have to be about sex? The media only gives you two possibilities: "Witch or Ditz".).

Before the night ended also got to hear a little about Sophie's adventures (she's back from Australia), and do some catching up with Cynthia (she's back from grad school). It felt like such a long time since I talked to either of them... and in no time it felt like there was no time lost all.

A very nice Feast.

Without You

I found myself getting more and more angry.


This had nothing to do with my company. I was glad that Michael decided to join me for the preview of Without You, but the play didn't shape up the way I thought it would.

The story in part: Gabriella (Gabe) and Scott are to be married. There are doubts and worries on both sides, but only months before the wedding she decides (on a fuzzy prediction of a psychic) that she needed to leave and find an old flame, believing he was "the one". Scott is left pretending everything is fine while his best friend tries to convince him to move on.

Somehow all this sounded funny and promising... well sort of, in the original write-up. I wrong, Kirsten was right: It wasn't something in line with "keep the merry".

There were charming parts: Gabe getting into her game to the soundtrack of Britney Spears, the "He said/She said" narration that showed just how differently people remember the same event (such as a proposal), and the bar scene where there was a bit of dance cheorgraphy and some realistic yelling (in attempts to have a conversation). I was also impressed by the two actors who played all the other characters (a stripper, Gabe's sister, the psychic, Scott's best friend), and the set - a column of windows and dark square boxes that became a living room, a faculty club, a bar, a bedroom - all had projected such range.

But despite these points and some other laughter producing moments, I'm sure I heard the people sitting in front of us, mid-Gabe-monologue, mutter, "Get over yourself already." Considering these were middle-aged folk, I started wondering if this meant I was getting old; I didn't feel sympathetic for her either.

Granted, it's probably better Gabe had left for her search before they got married. And I think the overall point was that people needed to make these choices and mistakes, and they were better because of it in the end. Oh, and that sometimes there are second chances. So... a hint of hope?

Then why my anger and distaste? Could it be because I think Gabriella's a brat? That she was totally flaky and selfish? Or that she kept doing bad things eventhough I kept shaking my head and mentally projecting "NO!"? ...Or is this because some of it reminds me of me? And the prediction Thomas had made of me so long ago? Ugh.

Movement and Light

The Mactaggart Art Collection and "18th Century China's Changing World View as Revealed in Art"


Who'd have thought Maxwell K. Hearn of the Metropolitan Museum of Art would be envious of the U of A? The reason: The Mactaggart Art Collection.


Stumbled on a poster advertising Hearn's lecture earlier in the week and decided to go. Was very glad I did. His hour long talk was a short history course mixed with art. He explained that C18 (Qing dynasty) was a time of change and Western influence (Jesuit Missionaries). With different art pieces from the period, he showed what was the traditional style and what was the new style, and later related to how China was seeing the world differently as a result.

Two portraits he started off with were of Emperor Qianlong (new) and one of his grandfather, Kangxi (traditional). They are not actually in the Mactaggart collection, but I found these two that are representative of traditional and new. It's pretty clear that they are different, but it was truly illuminating when Hearn pointed them out: The traditional style was flat - very little perspective was used and wrinkles on the face were drawn in as lines; The new style had perspective - (in the Bannerman) there's a table that is viewed from the corner, created with diagonal lines - and most of all, it is shaded, there is contouring where light hits different surfaces (look again to the face).

He continued by comparing Qianlong's documented Southern inspection journey to his grandfather's, Kangxi's. Qianlong's incorporated the new Western style and had the diagonal lines to show perspective, and the artist seemed to have stood in one spot observing the scene and documenting. Kangxi's he pointed out that the landscape twists so that the most interesting parts are depicted (no back of mountains here), that the people looked like cartoon characters lined up in rows, with large heads, and impossible postures... and he didn't mean it in bad way. If anything it seemed he wanted to tell us how great this was, how it added another dimension.

The Eastern (traditional) style was about experiencing space. It was dramatic and gave a sense of movement (more abstract). Art was a vehicle of expression. The Western (new) style was about measuring space and aimed to give a scientific, photo/snapshot of reality.

It was this "real" element that Hearn said was very attractive and useful for Qianlong. The Qing dynasty marked Manchu rule over Han. Manchu's were known as warriors and to convince the Han (even after decades and decades) that the Manchu could be all things to all people (cultivated, literate...), large murals were created with the Western style showing the Emperor taking part in key activities with key people (e.g. reading and writing, sitting in the garden with family) promoting values. And as most of this art was locked up it became a record of history. Wow. Propaganda, baby!

His formal talk ended too soon I thought, but then he opened the floor for questions. From my notes:

Q: What about maps? Where these expressive too?
A: Cartography is a Western idea. Register books would list distances from one landmark to another, a separate picture would be a visual concept without the measured space.

Q: How did these paintings leave China?
A: Chinese collectors in 1949 fled China taking their collections with them. Prior to that in the Boxer Rebellion and other wars there was looting and the art pieces were sold out of the country. (He didn't mention the Communists... but did wrap things up nicely by saying "Humanity owns all art, it should not be restricted to nations.")

We'd been sitting for close to two hours, but people still had questions. He shooed us out saying we should see the Mactaggart collection and he would be there to answer more questions.

In the gallery, we were treated to not only the "Brilliant Strokes" show, but also a small tour of where the "Dressed to Rule" exhibit was stored (specially designed for the collection). The guide showed us a small sample. I hovered to get a closer look. Gorgeous, gorgeous, and fantastic! There are pieces in the collection where peacock feathers were used to embroider designs!

When I returned to the main gallery, Hearn was pointing to various paintings and continuing his lecture. How the traditional style wasn't interested in horizons, one element flowed into another, about white space, how it was a yin-yang relationship, whereas in the Western style a blank spot would mean the painting wasn't finished yet.

O.k. I understand this was all very simplistic and I'm gushing, but I am/was definitely elated and delighted. Must visit again soon.

Erik: I'll pause it for you.
Rem: DON'T.


I walked from work and was internally starting to complain about the cold... but a check of the mental calendar reveals it's already the end of November and there's no snow on the ground! Therefore, no complaining allowed! (Well, of the weather variety... today...)


From that brisk walk, I arrived at Erik's for Movie Night a little late missing the beginning of Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. Apparently, I didn't really need to see it. As for the rest of movie... well, I'm not sure if I really needed to see that either. There was the lime green unitard/one-piece swimsuit (that inspired a many Hallowe'en costume), there was the naked wrestling, and other painful moments... but weaved into all that were some really funny moments too (Borat buying a car, Borat accepting Jesus, Borat learning American humour), and the storyline of trying to find his beloved CJ (Pamela Anderson in Baywatch) was sweet.


Kathy and Neil said Borat's home country looked familiar. Meanwhile, I thought the US and people protrayed were at times unbelievable and others frighteningly familiar.

Rem summed it up nicely: "It's a horrible movie with moments of brilliance." I don't think any of us will be clamouring to see it again.

Mission: Keep the Merry!

A month away from Christmas, and we were at WEM, but we're not crazy! We just wanted to have some fun, so directly into the jungle we went.

"Je t'aime plus qu'hier moins que demain" Cryptic French that was on a necklace at the uber-cool Urban Outfitters.

(Left) H&M where along with again all the lovely holiday treats and shiny distractions, Kelly finds a big no-no.

Right: The shoe that lured us into the store Alexis (while en route to Chapters)

Left: Hallowe'en costume and literary attempt in one (still at Alexis).

Right: Michael has impure thoughts, while Kirsten and my childhoods are perverted (Alexis again)

Left and Right: An assault of pink! At Beauty Junkie where I learn about "The Balm".

Dinner at T&T: Buzzed, Kelly suggested "We should light something on fire and call it a luau." We settle for some less exotic fare - but someone does have aloe juice and we share some mango tapioca for dessert.

It seemed like no one wanted the night to end, but there were no moles to whack (too late) and bowling was out of the question... and my feet really hurt. But we were indeed very merry. O.k. a night it was.