Skiergirl

Go Figure

2008-10-28T08:42:00.002-06:00

I just looked at my Skiergirl blog for the first time in a long time and realized that the last post was on the day I found out I was pregnant! I believe I actually went directly from posting that to the nearest pharmacy. I guess it wasn't the jet lag and the long day at the Louvre that were tiring me out afterall, it was the little one growing in my belly!
Isn't it funny how life takes unexpected detours? I found myself thinking yesterday as I was riding my bike to school, in California, while pregnant that I would never have expected any of these things for myself just a couple of years ago, but now here I am. It feels almost surreal at times, like I'm living someone else's life. But you know, it's really mine and I'm just one lucky lady.

Bonjour from Paris!

2008-06-23T04:21:00.004-06:00

I arrived in Paris early Friday morning, eventually found my hotel and then had a much needed nap. I managed to get ou and explore my neighbourhood a bit and go out for dinner before crashing for the night.

On Saturday I got up early and spent the entire day at the Louvre. This is the third time I've been to Paris but the first time at the Louvre for me. It was absolutely incredible. Some of the highlights for me included the "Victory of Samathrace," the "Venus de Milo," and all the large format paintings. The building itself is incredible, with most of the rooms maintaining their palatial style. By the end of the day I was incredibly tired and sore, and very glad I brough back-up shoes!

Sunday was a lazy day as the Louvre and jet lag had taken a lot out of me. I stayed in bed until about noon and then headed to Bercy Village. This is an old village which used to be wine warehouses from long ago. It now houses stores, cafes and restaurants. Next to the village is Parc Bercy, which is an absolutely beautiful park just teeming with people. I alternated between reading and sleeping (mostly the latter) between rows of hollyhocks beneath an overhead grape vine. I then went to see "Forgetting Sarah Marshall", which was in English with French subtitles... convenient for me! I had a lovely dinner and then crashed in my bed by 9:30.

All the museums and sights are closed on Mondays so today is another low-stress, hang-out day for me. I'm going to grab some lunch and then perhaps head up to Montmartre. I met a Canadian girl who is also staying in my hotel so we're going to have dinner together tonight. Tomorrow I'm going to head to Giverny and then on Wednesday I'll visit the Musee d'Orsay. My friends arrive on Thursday for the beginning of the Great French Wine Tour, yay!

I'll post photos when I get a chance.

Shopping Galore!

2008-03-09T14:40:00.004-06:00

Yesterday I went to San Francisco to do some sight-seeing and shopping with Wynne and James. We went to Haight-Ashbury, which was a first for me, and hit some vintage clothing stores. We also went to Amoeba records, which is the coolest place ever. You can find absolutely anything there. I bought 5 shirts, 1 wallet and 4 cds... which is some pretty decent retail therapy if you ask me!

What I've Been Up To Lately

2008-02-25T11:40:00.010-07:00

You can tell I am supposed to be studying by the fact that I'm doing the things I normally put off, like cleaning and updating my blog. Here are a few of the highlights from the last couple of months.

My Birthday:

Keegan and James bought and decorated a cake for me, I almost cried it was so nice.

It coincided with a beer-tasting party, which was tasty! I brought Maudite and Fin du Monde.

School:

Marc and I looking like a vine's worst nightmare.

The lab for my "Viticultural Practices" class is usually out in the campus vineyard pruning and training vines. It's my favorite class, I love being out there.

Keg Parties:

It wouldn't be college without the occasional keg-stand

Sightseeing:

I had a great day exploring San Fran. This is the Palace of Fine Arts

Coit Tower, just one of many sights I can show people when the come visit (that's a not-so-subliminal message)

Devo:

I've been busy with our student organization, helping make fundraising t-shirts and stuff. I volunteered to help plan our student trip to France this summer, which is very exciting. I'm having memories of the Hale trip to Spain!

Multi-tasking at the Craft Center on campus.

Immersion Trips:

Twice a year DEVO plans long-weekend trips to wine regions. We visit 2-3 wineries/vineyards each day and usually get to meet the winemakers. This picture is from Navarro, which is pretty much my favorite place ever.

Bonterra Vineyards

Best Ski Days EVER!

2008-01-11T13:29:00.000-07:00

I made it up to Kirkwood for my first days of skiing in the Sierras last weekend. Well, I tell you what, it was incredible. They had a major storm come through and dump up to 10 feet, that's right FEET, of snow in a few days. I got there just after they opened the road and got two days of fresh tracks through thigh-deep powder. I've never been so exhausted from skiing in all my days.
I had been a little nervous about the quality of the hill. I've never been so happy to be wrong before! The runs are short (in comparison to Louise, which isn't really fair) but there is great terrain off each lift. Yay!

Winter wonderland. Just outside Placerville where I had to buy chains for my car. The power was out so we did all the business by flashlight.

Rolly with his chains on

Coming down highway 50 towards South Lake Tahoe

Entering the resort area
So much snow!

The view from my room

View from my favorite run

They had just opened this area
All the fresh lines to be had on a bluebird day!

Rolling

2007-12-13T12:44:00.000-07:00

Can you believe UC Davis has a bowling alley on campus? We even have a varsity bowling team! And since it's finals week bowling is half-price so I managed to roll a couple frames today for the low low price of $3.50. I think I'll be hitting this up more often in the future.

I'm Still Alive

2007-12-12T00:20:00.000-07:00

I've been very slack with my updates of late as I haven't had internet at home. After being a cheapskate and holding out long enough I am now getting it for free!
Lots has happened since my last post, most of it involving drinking copious amounts of wine. So far I have learned so much about wine that you'll never want to drink it with me again (I have a hard time not getting geeky and talking about it a lot). I have established a decent social life, which also involves drinking copious amounts of wine, and talking about it. I am co-organizing the department's student trip to France this summer and I am half-way through exams.

AND... I'll be back in Calgary over the holidays!

Fun Weekend

2007-11-05T12:14:00.000-07:00

I actually got out of Davis this weekend! I've been pretty lazy and have been sticking around town on my weekends, which wasn't the plan when I moved here. I just haven't been that adventurous lately. But I now have a friend here who mountain bikes so I finally got out for a ride on Saturday in the Rockville Hills. I was completely out of shape, but the riding was fun and technical so I enjoyed it.

Yesterday I went to Berkley with Beth and James to do some thrift store shopping. We first went to this cool grocery store called the Berkley Bowl which has every kind of fruit and vegetable you could imagine, and some that you couldn't. Then we had with the homeless people in People's Park, which was interesting. From there we hit a couple of thrift stores where I got to splurge. I bought a pair of jeans, three shirts and a bitchin' pair of sneakers, all for $86! I have successfully satiated my shopping appetite for a little while. From there we went to A Donkey and Goat Winery where Beth used to work and got a mini-tour and got to taste some of their problem wines. Then we hung out with her old roommate for a bit and drove back to Davis.

It was really nice to get out of town, and has certainly inspired me to do so more often. I still don't have my camera so there are no pictures. Boo!

Larry

2007-10-22T12:22:00.000-06:00

My neighbour, Larry, who is probably about 55+, offered to take me out for a ride on his Harley yesterday. He's a nice guy, and older, so I figured, why not. It was such a beautiful day, and all the trees and field were beautiful. Then when we got back he suggested we bbq. This is also fine, we share a yard, so no big whoop. The problem came when I was going home to study, and Larry made a move. I had to dodge and give a hug instead. What the hell? Do I look like someone who wants to date someone as old as my dad??? Now I have to avoid him like the plague, which isn't easy since he lives next door. Bah!!!

Trudy

2007-10-12T17:14:00.000-06:00

I bought a new commuter bike yesterday. My back was getting really sore from riding my mountain bike to and from school with my books, and it is not the smoothest ride in the world. And I was tired of waiting for Pete to build me the bike he kept promising, so I made the plunge. She is an Electra Townie, which is part hybrid, part cruiser, part recumbent, and all lady! She is very pretty and very cozy to ride, and she has a basket and rack on the back and a big, comfy white seat! The picture quality isn't very good, but I don't have my camera.

Pictures From Campus

2007-09-29T16:00:00.000-06:00

I had my camera on me the other day so I took some pictures of things that are uniquely UC Davis as I roamed around lost on my bike.

Bikes as far as the eye can see. Davis is known as the city of bikes, with more bikes per capita than anywhere else in North America. It is the main mode of transportation in the city, and especially around campus. The campus is quite large, so having a bike to get from one class to the next is pretty much a necessity. It makes walking a bit difficult, as most bikers won't stop for you at a crosswalk, you either have to wait for a very long time or just make a run for it. I've also seen a couple bike-on-bike collisions already, both cases involving Freshman. I guess for a lot of kids this is the first time on a bike since they were little.

Cows. UC Davis started out as an agricultural school and to this day has a large Ag department. In fact, the department I'm in (Viticulture and Enology) is part of the College of Agriculture. The campus also has a highly renowned veterinary school. Apparently they even have cows with windows on their sides and you can actually see their inner workings.

The Arboretum. Putah Creek runs along the west side of campus. It features different collections of plants and trees from around the world, and a few different flower gardens. Bike paths run along both sides of it so it's a pleasant way to get around.

Water tower. It's just pretty. That's all I have to say about that.

First Day of School

2007-09-27T16:35:00.000-06:00

It's kinda like being in Grade 1 all over again. I had my first three classes today: Intro to Viticulture (Grape Growing), Intro to Enology (Wine Making) and Biochemistry (Hell). I loved my two VEN classes, but Biochem scares the crap out of me. I am worried that I won't be able to understand it, as it builds on things I learned 6 years ago (and have only vague memories now). But, I'm going to try things I didn't do last time, like going to class, talking to the professor and TA's, and doing the assignments. We'll see how it goes.

Not Much New

2007-09-24T14:42:00.000-06:00

Some of my welcome week events have started! I went to the V&E department this morning for a session to get my computer account started. I got a chance to meet some of the other new V&E students, one of which is a Canadian! I signed up for the department BBQ on Friday and also offered to help set up for it, hoping that it'll be a good way to meet people. I have a transfer student reception in about 15 minutes and a reentry student orientation tomorrow. Things are going on all week, and classes start Thursday so I finally have stuff to do! It's nice having a purpose in my days now.

Remainder of Cruise America Part Deux

2007-09-22T16:28:00.000-06:00

My intention was to post every day of the trip like Part Une, but slow or non-existent internet connections prevented that from happening. So, here it is in one shot, which I will keep brief as I know people don't like reading long posts.

On day 2 we crossed the border and I officially got my F-1 Student Visa. From there we drove through Washington during a rainy day with not much to see. The highlight of the day was the inadvertent detour into downtown Seattle, and subsequent tour of Pike Place Market. I took a wrong turn and ended up right there, so I figured we could have lunch there as Mom had never been. After the delay we made it as far as Cannon Beach, Oregon and decided to hotel it since the weather was yucky.

Goodbye Canada
Hello America

The famous Pike Place Fish Co.

Since our hotel was right on the beach, Mom and I took a stroll down to Haystack rock in the morning. It was cloudy and yucky but luckily the skies soon cleared up and we had a great day for sight-seeing on the Oregon Coast. We stopped at Tillamook, Cape Meares, Cape Lookout, the Oregon Dunes, and Yaquina Head. We called it a day and camped at Bullard's Beach State Park near Bandon, Oregon.

Mom at Haystack Rock, Oregon

Mom at Cape Meares Lighthouse

Oregon Coast

Seastacks at Cape Meares

Dunes

Yaquina Head Lighthouse

Yaquina Head Lighthouse

While Mom was showering the next morning I discovered that we had a flat tire. So, as I am an expert now, I changed the tire before mom even got back to the campsite. Since I only had a donut on I had to go inland to a tire shop to get it fixed. Rather than double back to the coast, we decided to check out the Umpqua National Forest and Crater Lake instead. Good choice! Crater Lake was stunning! I highly recommend it for anyone traveling this way. From there we crossed into California. As we were driving, we came over a rise and suddenly saw Mt. Shasta looming before us. Another incredible sight. It was mostly shrouded in clouds but what we could see was gorgeous. We camped at the base of the mountain for our last night on the road.Umpqua River

The Pumice Desert near Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Mom and I at Crater Lake

Wizard Island, in Crater Lake

My new home away from home

Mount Shasta

We arrived in Davis the next afternoon and have been getting stuff done since then. Yesterday we took a trip to the Napa Valley to do some wine tasting. We only stopped at a couple of places and then took the scenic route back.

Our picnic lunch in Yountville, Napa County

Tasting at Sequoia Grove Winery

Grapes in Rutherford (Soon I'll be able to tell you what kind of grapes)

Mom at Luna Winery

Mom left early this morning and now I am alone in a new city. I have a lot of school stuff next week, and classes start next Thursday, so if I can stay busy over the next couple of days it's bound to get better.

Calgary, AB to Hope, BC

2007-09-15T22:37:00.000-06:00

Going to California with an aching, in my heart (Zepplin)

Mom and I hit the road at about 8:15 this morning after a tearful goodbye and a last look at my first condo. With the morning light shining the city looked beautiful as I drove down Memorial Dr for the last time as a Calgarian.

Our first stop was at the Spiral Tunnels on the Kicking Horse Pass, something I had never actually seen before. As we came up to the pass I saw a train was on its way so we pulled in to the viewpoint/interpretive center and watched it descend through the tunnels. It was really something to see, a great Canadian engineering feat.

Next we took a drive up to Takkakaw Falls. I always get a kick out of the road that goes up there, with the switchbacks basically going up a cliff. I was hoping to see a bus pull it off but no such luck today. Once at Takkakaw Falls we did the short walk to the best viewpoint and took some pictures.

From there it was pretty much straight driving until we got to Hope, BC where we grabbed some groceries before finding a campsite for the night. We are now at Wild Rose Campground, wasting time before an early turn-in. I’ll keep you updated as to how Mom handled camping for the first time in over 20 years. My next post may be from a hotel.

(I'll add photos later, my connection is slow)

Not So Funny Balls

2007-08-28T15:31:00.000-06:00

I went to see a sneak preview of Balls of Fury with Joel last night, and it was not so good. Christopher Walken was as hilarious as usual, but he proved to be the movie's only saving grace. It was silly, which is fine, but not funny enough to compensate for lack of plot. My recommendation: rent it.

I Just Kept On Running (In a Forest Gump voice)

2007-08-27T21:51:00.000-06:00

There is something about the cool, crisp, fall feeling in the air that inspired me to get back out there and start running again. It seems I have lost any evidence of fitness that I once had, so I started at the full-on couch portion of the "Couch to 5K" training program. I know it's a slow start, but from past experience the program is great for easing you back into fitness. And to be honest, it was probably the prospect of going back to school with California girls who are 10 years younger than me, and not that something in the air, that motivated me.

My first 5K last May

The Countdown Begins

2007-08-21T08:13:00.000-06:00

I gave my notice at work yesterday, which was such a weight off my shoulders. I'm down to a little less than a month left until I go now, and I'm starting to get excited. I still have a few kinks to work out, but so far things are going smoothly. I think the fact that most of the really stressful stuff is done is finally allowing me to get excited about the move. The decision is made, the wheels are in motion, all that is left now is to enjoy the ride.

Diet Coke and Mentos

2007-07-17T13:42:00.000-06:00

Spruce Meadows

2007-07-06T19:07:00.000-06:00

My company sponsors one of the events at Spruce Meadows so we got free tickets. Katie, Will, Shannon and I and one of our friends from work headed out there on Wednesday night for a beautiful evening of show jumping. It was cool to do something different.

Shannon, Katie and Will

It's Like They Know Me... Freaky

2007-07-05T22:00:00.000-06:00

What Your Soul Really Looks Like

You are a wanderer. You constantly long for a new adventure, challenge, or eve a completely different life.

You are a grounded person, but you also leave room for imagination and dreams. You feet may be on the ground, but you're head is in the clouds.

You see yourself with pretty objective eyes. How you view yourself is almost exactly how other people view you.

Your near future is a lot like the present, and as far as you're concerned, that's a very good thing.

For you, love is all about caring and comfort. You couldn't fall in love with someone you didn't trust.

Inside the Room of Your Soul

Apple Blossom

2007-06-28T08:13:00.000-06:00

We held our 5th Annual Calgary Apple Blossom Festival last weekend. Check out the story and pictures on the Apple Blossom Website.

Weird and Wonderful Coincidence

2007-06-26T08:06:00.000-06:00

I made an appointment at the bank yesterday to see about getting a loan long enough to get a bank statement so I can start the process of getting my student Visa. Sounds silly, but it's got to be done. Anyway, I arrive at my appointment and who is my banker but the guy I totally have the hots for that takes my bus! He's even hotter when I don't have to pretend I'm not looking at him. And, as luck would have it, I need to go back there today to drop off some documents... needless to say I wore my nice dress and some makeup, and happen to have a hair appointment before I go.

Mud Fest 2007

2007-06-10T19:04:00.000-06:00

Tim and I headed out to Bragg Creek this afternoon for a "easy to moderate" 14 km mountain bike ride on the Telephone trail. As we were leaving the parking lot Tim read from the book "do only when dry". Seeing as we had some monstrous storms last week I thought we may be in for some trouble. Long story short, the trail was so muddy that we had to pedal even going downhill to get through it, and there were at least 100 downed trees across the trail. The highlight of the day came when I we came to one mud patch and Tim went around it to the left but I said "I'm going straight through" (in a cocky voice), then proceeded to sink my front tire up to the hub in mud and I endo'ed into said mud. I sunk in up to my shoulder! It was by-far the best wipe-out I've ever had! We questioned a number of times if we should turn back but I'm so glad we kept slogging through, it was such a fun ride/walk/wallow.

Crazy Storm

2007-06-05T20:58:00.000-06:00

I got stuck in an insane storm this evening. I haven't seen such fierce lightning and rain in a really long time. I ended up having to detour a few times due to completely flooded roads. Fun!

If you look closely you can see the flooded and abandoned car. There were 4 streets like this, all containing an abandoned car or 4.

What it's Going to Look Like

2007-06-04T16:30:00.000-06:00

I heard from my academic advisor from UCDavis today and she sent me the courses I'm supposed to register in for my first quarter! Yay! I'll be taking:

Structure and Function of Biomolecules
Applied Stats in Agricultural Science
Intro to Viticulture
Intro to Wine Making
Research Conference

So for all of you who think I'm in for fun and games, think again. "Structure and Function of Biomolecules" does not sound fun or gamey... I'm really excited though!

Bummer

2007-05-30T17:18:00.000-06:00

The woman who conditionally bought my place backed out of the deal, so it's back on the market. It's only been back on the market for 2 days but haven't had anyone come through yet so I'm starting to get really nervous. My stress level just went through the roof again. Here's the listing.

A Little Late

2007-05-24T09:42:00.000-06:00

My listing made it on MLS today although it's already conditionally sold. Check it out.

Going, Going, GONE!

2007-05-23T20:29:00.000-06:00

So, I sold my house! I never even got to see it on MLS, I listed last night and the first person to look at it made and offer I couldn't refuse. She takes possession on August 31, whereupon I will drive to California and start my brand new life. Holy crap!

The Times They Are A-Changin'

2007-05-22T21:27:00.001-06:00

I signed the papers today and my condo will officially be on the market as of tomorrow. I'll put up the MLS link when I get it. The "just listed" sign is out front now, and I cried a little bit when I saw it. I guess this is really happening! Scary and so exciting all at the same time.

Hot Pants

2007-05-09T23:30:00.000-06:00

Katie, Matthew, Tim, Will and I reluctantly went to Sunshine last weekend to get some spring skiing in. We were again pleasantly surprised by mid-season type conditions. Check out the pictures on BOS.

Bedroom Renovation

2007-05-09T23:05:00.000-06:00

So I've finally gotten around to taking some pictures of my bedroom after the redecorating Mom and I did. Here are the before, during and after pictures.

Yucky orange before, with black and white photos and brown duvet cover

Mom painting, I can't imagine doing it alone

Me replacing the sockets... I only got one minor shock

After

After, with better shot of the chandelier (which I installed myself!)

Closer picture of the wallpaper, my favorite part

Wider shot of the room

Wider shot from the door

Hot Diggity!!!

2007-05-09T16:07:00.000-06:00

I finally got confirmation from UC Davis that my botany course will be accepted!!! They also informed me over the phone that they have switched my status to "accepted." It's really happening! Wow. And now I think I'll go throw up...

Still Alive

2007-05-03T08:28:00.000-06:00

Sorry, I haven't been posting much lately. I guess all my creative computer time has recently been dedicated to facebook. I thought about getting rid of my blog since I don't pay enough attention to it lately, but then thought better of it. When I move away this will be the best way for people to stay up to date with what I'm doing (other than calling or visiting of course!) So until then I'll renew a conscious effort to post here.

For now I've got some fun pics from skiing last weekend. I only got a few videos last week so I'm going to save them for the end of the year video. Check the pictures out at the BOS site.

Uber-Ouch!

2007-04-25T13:30:00.000-06:00

I feel like I've just been bent over by the government. I just filed my income tax and I owe a whopping $12,500!!! To be fair, it's because I did very well on my stock options last year, but still!!!

Third-Worst Crash Ever!

2007-04-23T15:01:00.000-06:00

I had a great wipeout at Louise yesterday. After a quick poll of people who have seen two of my three bad crashes, this one ranks at third, but has the distinction of being the only one caught on film! Check it out on the BOS site. (And don't worry, I'm okay)

Easter in Raliegh

2007-04-19T23:16:00.000-06:00

I went to see my sister and her beautiful family in Raleigh, NC for the Easter long weekend. It's always nice to spend time with them, unfortunately it doesn't happen often enough. Here are some of the pictures.

Game 4

2007-04-19T23:03:00.000-06:00

Katie and I went to Game 4 of the Flames vs. Red Wings last night. What an awesome game! I got goosebumps when they were playing the opening thingy, done in the style of "300", the crowd (all wearing Flames shirts/jersey's) was going insane. It was so loud in there, I've never heard anything like it. I got a little weepy during the national anthem, for a number of reasons, and by the end of it, the crowd had completely drowned-out the singer. I hope they go on to the next round and I can get tickets again, it was one magical night!

Opening faceoff

Katie and Ed

Katie and I

Uhhhh...

2007-04-18T15:59:00.000-06:00

I'm officially drug-free now, I took my last anti-depressant on Friday. I'm starting to wonder, though, if all that happiness that I was feeling was mostly drug-induced. I've been incredibly emotional for the last two weeks and it seems to be getting worse. I had a scary time this morning when I was back to sitting in my office crying. I am not sure whether it is just the "rebound" that can occur when you go off the drugs, or if it's that I'll have to re-learn how to deal with my emotions again. Or, worst case scenario, if I'm still depressed and am not ready to be off the drugs.

I'm #1

2007-04-13T11:09:00.000-06:00

Woohoo! I'm leading my playoff hockey pool. It's only day 2, but it feels good to be on top, if only for a little while. I stand a chance for holding onto my lead for another day, but we'll see. I'm going to bask in the glow while I can.

Double Wow!

2007-04-11T08:31:00.000-06:00

Joel and I went to see "Grindhouse" last night, the Rodriguez/Tarantino double feature. All I can say is wow!

Rodriguez's "Planet Terror" was gore-filled and hilarious. He really took blood and guts and ooze to a whole new level, but done in such a ridiculous way as not to be totally disgusting. It made a point of taking every B-movie cliche over the top, way over the top! Snakes on a Plane tried to do this but, in comparison, was just a bad movie.

"Death Proof" was also incredible. It was a Tarantino movie through and through, complete with a great scene of dialogue in a diner. Tracie Thoms is the female Samuel L. Jackson! The scene with the girl on the hood of the car was the most intense scene I've ever sat through, I was so wound up I couldn't wait for it to be over so I could relax again.

Both movies were all about powerhouse women. They were gorgeous and kicked ass all the same. They certainly included the B-movie T&A, but the main characters were all about not taking any shit. My kind of girls!

Why I'm Happy

2007-04-03T09:29:00.000-06:00

Elaine sent me an email forward this morning that had some nice thoughts in it. One of the points really struck me.

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet,
enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow
to keep you human, enough hope to make you
happy.

Catching Up Again

2007-04-02T21:50:00.000-06:00

I finally downloaded the pictures off my camera from the last few weeks. Here's what I've been up to:

The Quilt

Katie and Gillian working on the quilt

A few of the girls pitched in to knit a quilt for Ruby, Dino and Becky's baby. We knit a few squares each and then got together at Helen's to sew them all together. We wanted it to be very hand made and patchwork looking and I think we achieved that very well. With so many different people working on it, the results were cool. We hope that Ruby will think of her Aunties every time she curls up in it... when she's old enough to know that there is a world beyond eating, sleeping and crying.

Katie, Gillian, Tamara, me, Helen's mom, Helen, Helen's sister

The Gala

Dessert, complete with edible Pengrowth logo

Pengrowth had their Long Service Awards Gala on March 16th. Katie and I brought Tamara and Anne as our dates and had a ladies night out. The evening was hosted by comedian Jebb Fink, and featured an Irish band and Irish dancers. The free drinks were pretty good too! Tamara made friends with the president of Pengrowth, and by the end of the night was calling him "Jimbo." For a company function it was a really fun night.

Katie, Tamara and Jimbo

The Shower

Becky opening the quilt

I finally got to meet Ruby Petrakos when I attended Becky's baby shower on St. Patty's Day. She is oh so cute! She's got beautiful olive toned skin and perfect little features. And now she's got a boat-load of stuff to pamper her for the next couple of years (including a beautiful quilt!)

The Visit
I finally got to hold Ruby when I went over for a visit on my own. I got some quality Ruby-Kate bonding time in (although she was asleep for pretty much the entire time). It was a lovely visit.

The Picture Night

Tamara had to take some pictures for her photography class so her and I and Katie headed down Highway 22 in search for everything Alberta. Here are the results.

And I Am Also So Not Stupid!

2007-04-02T12:38:00.001-06:00

What The Hell???

2007-04-02T09:57:00.000-06:00

Why is it that now that I'm happy being single and not wanting a boyfriend I am having to chase men away? Perhaps it is that the air of desperation is gone. Or maybe men can sense when a woman doesn't want commitment and she automatically becomes a thousand times more attractive. Either way, it's annoying!

I Am SO Not a Loser

2007-03-31T18:39:00.000-06:00

I knew it all along!

Weird!

2007-03-29T23:12:00.000-06:00

I was walking home tonight from a date that went very well, head down as usual. Suddenly I looked up at the person who was walking by within a foot of me. It was Jon!!! It took me a second to register, and then I burst out laughing! I thought it was hilarious. What are the friggin' odds? I'm pretty sure he saw me and was trying to avoid eye contact. Luckily he was already past me by the time I figured it out so I didn't have to worry about my reaction. Funny funny stuff.

We Did It, We Did It, We Did It, Hooray!

2007-03-27T09:51:00.000-06:00

Swift Kick to the Soccer Balls won the championship game last night! We went undefeated for the season! Some of my highlights of the season:

- Scoring 2 goals in the first game (it was an all-girl team, but who cares)
- The pink belly incident
- Falling off the stage and then getting hit in the head with the ball, all within a 15-second period of time
- Elaine hitting the female keeper in the face with the ball, and the ensuing reaction: "You're not a nice girl!"
- Scoring another goal
- Winning the championship!

Next stop is outdoor. We'll see how we make out on grass.

Pangs

2007-03-26T10:47:00.000-06:00

Of sadness. Every time I think of leaving Calgary I get really sad. I know that it will be a wonderful opportunity to go to California, but I am going to have a really hard time leaving. It makes me want to cry. I'm sure the last few weeks before I leave will be quite messy. I hope that people will come and visit me there.

The Horse

2007-03-20T20:53:00.000-06:00

Katie, Matthew and I went to Kicking Horse last weekend for the most amazing skiing any of us have ever had. Check it out on the BOS site.

Blogaversary

2007-03-20T10:38:00.000-06:00

Today is the one year anniversary of my blog. It has definitely seen some good times (my "Cruise America") and bad (all the depression). It pretty much documented the "year of shit", although during the worst of it I was usually unable to write.

In an amazing coincidence, I had a doctor's appointment this morning to discuss getting off my anti-depressants. Given the chance to do it all over again I would, I really like the person who came out the other side of this. Actually, I'm just realizing this as I write, I've never liked myself before, and now I finally do! What a difference a year makes!

Thanks for reading and sharing all this with me!

The Verdict

2007-03-16T10:12:00.000-06:00

After seeking some advice, weighing the pros and cons and listening to my heart... I'm going to go for it!!!! I've got nothing to lose and so much to gain, I can't pass up the opportunity. So here I go on an amazing journey!

Half Way

2007-03-16T08:14:00.000-06:00

I have completed 15 of the 30 yoga classes for the 30-day Challenge! My muscles feel good but some of my joints are feeling a bit of pain. I think the remedy to that will be a little more compassion for my body (a yoga principle) and working on my technique a little more. I'm finding that I'm able to sink deeper and deeper into some of the postures now, and there are a few that I'm able to do now that I didn't think were possible for me. I can now get up into full wheel and even do some of the arm balances!

I had been feeling like some of the fun and relaxation was diminishing through the scheduling struggle to get there every day. Yesterday's class with my favorite instructor brought it all back though, and I'm really excited about the remaining days!

Huge News!!!

2007-03-15T13:32:00.000-06:00

I have been opening my mailbox with baited breath everyday, waiting for a response from UC Davis on whether I'd been accepted into the Viticulture and Enology program. So, I was completely blind-sided this afternoon when I checked my home email and saw a message from them... I got accepted!!!!! I am completely shocked and blown away! I have no idea what I'm going to do yet, it's a huge decision. I was counting on not getting accepted and then not having to make the decision, but no such luck.

Good News

2007-03-08T13:30:00.000-07:00

I'm happy!!!! I've got my life in control and I'm happy! I'm not dating anyone, I am working as a geologist and I'm happy! And I don't want any of it to change. I'm not going to question where it's coming from (but I think it's purely internal), I'm just going to bask in it. Yay!

Snowshoeing

2007-03-03T20:48:00.000-07:00

Gillian, John, Poki, Chum and I went to Peter Lougheed to do some snowshoeing this afternoon. I had never done this before so it was a lot of fun to learn something new. I was surprised by how much I still sank into the snow even with the snowshoes on. Cutting trail was difficult. We had a great time though, it was a beautiful day. Near the end Poki bolted into the woods, chasing a moose. John went in and fetched her, Gillian gave her a good scolding and we continued on. When we got to the next clearing we saw the moose come back out of the woods. He ignored us for a while, then Poki saw him and started barking. It ran right past us (very close) and into the woods. It made for a very exciting day! It was really nice to get out into the mountains and be at peace with some good friends and very little stress.

The snowshoe crew

Chum fell... okay, I pushed him over

John and the Montagnes!

Poki is ever-so-cute

Chum peed himself! (said in a mocking, high-pitched, finger-pointing tone)

The moose was really close!

Mutual Stand-Up

2007-03-02T08:32:00.000-07:00

Zack and I stood each other up last night. We were supposed to go bowling. He suggested we go to a place he knew of in the NE, but he didn't know what it was called or what the address was. He described the general area that it was in. I met up with Joel and Elaine for dinner beforehand and Elaine told me where the bowling alley was that she knew of in that area. I went there and waited for a half hour, but he never showed up. He called me an hour later asking where I was. Turns out there are two bowling alleys in the area and we were waiting at different ones. Go figure.

Commitment

2007-03-02T08:29:00.000-07:00

I have signed up for the Thirty Day Commitment at Yoga Passage. In order to successfully complete the challenge I have to practice 30 times in the next 30 days. This is going to be extremely difficult but the rewards will be fantastic. The biggest challenge for me will be with skiing, as they don't have any evening classes on Saturdays or Sundays. Wish me luck!

My Work and My Girls

2007-02-28T13:03:00.000-07:00

My nieces, Claire and Alice, wearing the sweaters I knit them for Christmas!

Pink Belly

2007-02-26T23:35:00.000-07:00

The Swift Kickers took to the court tonight to battle the number 1 team in our league, the "Orange Crush." It promised to be an intense game and both teams were evenly matched. The intensity, grittyness level was bumped up a notch by their bitchy girl players who were all about the elbows. With no girly girls on the court nobody was taking it easy. Late in the second half the other team had a free kick in front of our goal. I could see exactly where he was going to kick it so I jumped out in front, taking one for the team. Right in the gut! It hit me so hard it sent me reeling backwards. I tried to stay on my feet but the momentum was too much and I fell on my ass and skidded across the floor. In typical Kate fashion, I just lay there laughing, knowing that it would have been one funny-ass sight to see. We went on to win the game 3-2 and take the lead in the standings! Yay!

My pink belly after the game. Note that you can see the design from the soccer ball. (Also note the pasty-whiteness of the belly where it isn't pink, I think it might be time to hit a tanning booth!)

Back in the Saddle

2007-02-23T08:17:00.000-07:00

Shortly after posting "Who Needs a Man" I am posting about dating. I'm a complicated woman who tends to make contradicting choices. I am still terribly sad about Pete, I miss him more and more every day. But I am also lonely. So when opportunity arises I have a hard time making the decision that would be best for my mental state. I had my first date since the breakup last night, and it was nice. I can't tell if the fact that I felt nothing was from a general lack of chemistry or from the fact that I'm going to compare everyone to Pete for a while. Either way, it's probably a sign that I should stay away from dating for a while. But I have a hard time saying no when I nice boy shows interest. I have determined I may possibly be the most insecure person in the world, and having someone think I'm special enough to want to date is like a drug for me. Do you think there's rehab for that kind of shit?

Day One

2007-02-20T18:03:00.000-07:00

I started working at Pengrowth today. I don't really have any work to do yet so it was a really boring and long day. I wasn't feeling motivated at all so I'm a little worried about how things are going to go, but it was only day one so we'll see. Fingers Crossed!

Who Needs a Man?

2007-02-19T12:50:00.000-07:00

The lack of posts of late are the result of the renos that I've been doing. My mom came out last Sunday and we've been working ever since. We settled into a routine of painting, shopping, painting, knitting. My bedroom is not quite done yet as one roll of the wallpaper is flawed and has to be returned, and my chandelier isn't in yet, but it's looking beautiful. Yesterday was a big day and I feel great about my accomplishments. I single-handedly replaced the door knob and switched the beige electrical outlets with white ones (which required rewiring). I only shocked myself once! When it's done I'll put up the before and after pictures.

A Lovely Evening

2007-02-09T13:25:00.000-07:00

I met Katie, Anne and Gillian at Bonterra last night for dinner. It smelled fantastic as soon as I walked in and my mouth started watering immediately. The meal was fantastic and they even brought us a delicious dessert wine on the house. It's always nice to get out for a good meal, especially when it's with a group of fantastic women!

Swift Kickers to the Soccer Balls

2007-02-06T12:30:00.000-07:00

I'm so sporty now! Not only am I playing soccer, I'm playing on two teams. Every other Sunday I play at the University with Chum, Dino, Chris, John and Dale among others on the Frost Pirates. On Mondays I play with Elaine and some of her friends on the Swift Kick to the Soccer Balls. It's fun to get out and let my competitive spirit flow every now and then.

Last night's game was awesome. The two teams were really evenly matched, the play was intense but friendly, and we ended up tying the game with less than a minute left to play.

Casino Night

2007-02-04T12:11:00.000-07:00

Last night was the Second Annual Casino Night in celebration of John's birthday. This year was even swankier than last year as John and Gillian have made huge renovations to the basement. The mood was set with lots of Vegas-themed music and movies. They had also set up poker, craps and blackjack tables. I eventually lost all my money but had a great time doing it.

Going over the rules of poker.

Paul, sipping wine.

Dino and I playing blackjack.

The Vegas staples, high-rolling oil tycoon, middle-America gambling addict.

Big-D (soon to be Big-Daddy!)

Chris, the "Don"

"Goul-et!" The birthday boy!

Brian, the winner of the Big Money.

Queen Annapolisa made another appearance and ended up being the third place winner.

Funniest Name EVER!

2007-02-03T14:22:00.000-07:00

I was picking something up at the photocopier yesterday and I glanced over at a resume that was sitting there. The name at the top was... get this...

Rocky J. Wang

I did the classic tv double-take and then read some of the resume to make sure it wasn't a joke.

Fan Fugo-Tastic!

2007-02-02T10:09:00.000-07:00

The Year of Kate has started with a vengeance!

I picked up my offer from Pengrowth yesterday! I am going to be a geologist again! I will be making more money than I was at Bonavista and the signing bonus will cover any loss of funds that I incurred during the no-work stint. The group I'll be working with at Pengrowth seems awesome and I think it's going to be a really good place to work. They've already got in mind some courses they want to send me on, and I'm going to have time to work up my area before I have to bring forth any locations! How nice it will be to get a chance to do things the right way from the beginning!

I've made the right decision and I've changed my California plane ticket. I re-booked it to take care of two of my flights for this summer's weddings. It wasn't a huge difference in price, and I was going to have to purchase the tickets anyway so I'm actually ahead of the game.

I've decided to finish up at O'Connor's early and I'm either going to go on a skiing road trip through BC or get my mom to come out and help me renovate my house a little. Either option would be great.

I'm back in business baby!

Shenanigans

2007-01-30T18:29:00.000-07:00

Our dear friends Anne and Katie both turned 25 the other day so Katie's mom threw a party. The wine was going down very easily so I got pretty tipsy really quick. We went to Molly Malone's after (which doesn't wreak of cigarettes anymore) and good times were had by all.

Classic D'Entremont

All the girls

Me, Chum, Paul and Katie at Molly's

Birthday shots

Initially the waitress was pissed of that we did this, but then she dropped and shattered them both, so we all had a good laugh!

No Woman, No Cry

2007-01-26T11:02:00.000-07:00

I had my first day without crying yesterday. My eyes did leak a little bit while at dinner with Elaine, but otherwise it was a tear-free day. Even better news is that I feel really good. I am completely over Jon now, and I'm well on my way to being over Pete. In a lot of ways I feel better than I did before meeting Pete. I really miss him a lot, I still love him a lot, it still makes me sad, but I know life goes on. I've been hitting Yoga every day and it's making me feel fantastic. My stressful roommate is leaving within the week. I am about 90% sure I'm getting the job at Pengrowth. All is well with the world. Let the Year of Kate begin!

The Good With the Bad

2007-01-24T16:25:00.000-07:00

So I'm pretty sure you've all figured out the "Bad"... and it's really bad.

But there's also good: I have two interviews coming up!

On Friday morning I have a second interview with Pengrowth. The first one obviously went really well, and for the second one I will be meeting some of the other team members from the group I would be working for if I was to get the job. Yay! I don't want to get my hopes up (as my hopes have been dashed pretty good lately), but I think it's a pretty good sign!

On Tuesday morning I have an interview with O'Connor's for a position as a junior Geologist. They already like me, I think they just want to figure out how I would fit as a geologist. I think I've got a decent shot at this one as well!

So perhaps it's just a delayed beginning to the Year of Kate.

Perspective

2007-01-24T08:37:00.000-07:00

So go, and be kind
You have Love on your side
Born to a family with food in their belly
And a car for them to drive
People sleeping on the concrete
Still smile behind their signs
So go now be happy
And be free
You have so much time
-Xavier Rudd

No Fitting Title

2007-01-23T16:11:00.000-07:00

I thought it was meant to be.

The story book beginning, the "how we met" story that makes people say wow and that you can't wait to tell your grandchildren.

The difficult romance that spanned a border.

"Wow, that must be hard!" people would say, and I'd say, "Yeah, it really is, but I love him so it's worth it!"

"He's really great," people would say, and I'd say "yeah, and I'm so lucky to have him!"

"I love you to pieces," he'd say, and I'd say "I love you more than you could imagine!"

But then he said, "I don't think this is the right thing for me." And it all came crashing down.

I wanted to be with him for the rest of my life, and I don't know where to go from here.

I Am So Bored... B - O - R-D

2007-01-18T14:05:00.000-07:00

There isn't enough work for me to do at my job, so I sit here waiting for someone to bring me stuff to do. One can only amuse oneself for so long on the internet. I can't goof off too much because I'm in a cubical and everyone can hear me and see my computer screen. This post will have kept me busy for about 5 minutes or so, but then I'm back to boredom! Argh!

Strange and Sad

2007-01-15T13:17:00.000-07:00

Katie was telling me the other day that she heard a couple of months ago about a Calgary cyclist who had been killed. She thought I might have met him through Jon but couldn't remember his name. I remembered the conversation last night so I did some research and discovered it indeed was someone I knew. He had been a really good friend of Jon's and I'd hung out with him a few times. He had been shot and his house was burned down. They've charged a business acquaintance of his with murder.

It was really weird to see all of this at once last night. I hadn't heard anything about it on the news. For some reason there hadn't been a whole lot of coverage. I got most of the details from a blog that one of his friends set up to share information with family and friends. Along with the shock of all that, I had to see pictures of Jon and his wife that were on the site. It was a little difficult but I think it may have given me some of the much-needed closure I've been looking for.

Birthday Shindig

2007-01-15T13:10:00.000-07:00

I had my closest and dearest friends over on Friday night to celebrate the beginning of the Year of Kate. I think old age is getting to me because I had relatively little to drink and yet I believe I was quite intoxicated. We tried to go dancing at the Hi-Fi but the line wasn't moving so we decided to try the Bamboo instead. The line was even longer there so thought we'd try our luck at the Hop n' Brew. On the way we saw Soda and gave that a try. It was only okay there so on we went to get pizza. This at least was a success! I think I actually had the most fun of the night talking to strangers at the pizza place. This may have had something to do with the fact that I'd had a few more drinks in me at that point.

I was too distracted to take any quality pictures so, sorry, there aren't any for this post.

I Can Relate

2007-01-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

I saw this article on MSN this morning and it rang a bell. Half a million Canadians suffer from depression and 8 out of 10 of those say that the depression interfered with their ability to work. Go figure!

Dinner With the Girls

2007-01-12T00:09:00.000-07:00

I went to Tamara's for dinner tonight. We had chicken-wrapped asparagus, salad and rice, followed by a bitchin' birthday cake that Anne made. It was a chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting and fresh raspberries! Possibly the most perfect cake that could ever be made for me. I also drank too much wine and got loud and giggly, just the right way to start off the Year of Kate!

Hello 28!

2007-01-11T08:37:00.000-07:00

Now that I've got 27 fully behind me, I can really look forward to 28. From the "Year of Shit" I am heading into the "Year of Kate."

Things that are going to make 28 great:

I'm happy now. The depression is under control and I'm feeling good about it. That which didn't kill me has made me a hell of a lot stronger!
I'm financially stable again. My monthly income has surpassed my monthly expenses, so all is well with the world.
Pete! I found someone who makes me feel wonderful and happy and I love him to pieces!
The possibility of a new future. I find out in March if I've been accepted into the Viticulture and Enology program at UC Davis, who knows where that will take me.

Buh-Bye 27!

2007-01-10T16:50:00.000-07:00

No matter how much I don't like getting older, I say good-fuckin'-riddance to 27! I met Jon on the day after my birthday last year and I think it's safe to say that that marked the beginning of what I'd like to call the "Year of Shit."

Some of the terrible things that made 27 my worst year ever:

Jon dumping me out of the blue;
Jon dumping me out of the blue again;
going on anti-depressants;
finding out Jon was engaged to be married one month after dumping me, sliding ever deeper into depression;
breaking up with Dave;
going back to work after my leave of absence/Cruise America trip to realise I was more depressed than I thought;
quitting my job;
realising my anti-depressants weren't working;
being unemployed;
starting to go into debt;
working as a Temp; and,
not being able to afford to ski very much.

When I think about it, there were a lot positive things that happened while I was 27 (like meeting Pete, going on my trip, getting parts of my life figured out, realising I had the support of my friends, working at the winery), but the sum of the bad things far outweighs them for now. So, hasta la vista, 27!

Skiing!

2007-01-07T12:10:00.000-07:00

I finally got out for my second day of skiing this year. Katie and I hit the slopes at Lake Louise for one of my top 10 days ever. Lots of powder, fresh tracks, not so huge crowds and great company made for a wonderful day on the slopes. Check out the BOS (Bitches on Skis) site for the full write-up, pictures and video!

Fursther exciting news related to skiing is that I have booked my next trip to California! I'm heading there for the Family Day long weekend in February. We're going to do a couple of days at Kirkwood in Lake Tahoe skiing/snowboarding and then back to Davis for a couple of days. Yay!

'Twas a Holly Jolly Christmas

2007-01-02T11:12:00.000-07:00

I had a great time meeting Pete's family and friends in Boston, and it was lovely to see mine in Saint John. I got to have 3 Christmas', 1 New Year's Eve, 1 Baptism and 2 birthday parties. Not bad at all!

I went with Pete's family to see "A Christmas Story" at a community theater near their house. It was almost as good as the movie.

Pete on the beach at Plum Island. This is just outside the town of Newburyport, which is the most charming little seaside town I have ever seen. There were cute little shops and restaurants, beautiful old homes and big churches, all decorated for Christmas.

Pete enjoying a roast beef sandwich. It's just a funny picture.

We went to see Pete's friend Ross, who was alone for Christmas. We had just finished a huge traditional Italian dinner at Pete's aunt's house but Ross wanted Chinese food. Not only can you order french fries at this place, they come in a Chinese take-out box!

Ross's sister's cat. Diagnosed with "Failure to Thrive," this tiny thing is 5 months old! I hope it lives. It was such a cute little kitty.

Christmas day with my family, which happened on Dec. 27th. These are my niece, Alice's new cowboy boots, she's in a Toy Story phase right now and wants to be just like Woody and Jessie.

My other niece, Claire in Alice's new cowboy boots and hat.

My sister, Jennifer, with Claire, looking adorable in her new hat.

Claire eating a Toblerone bar that's bigger than she is.

Pete and I at the nature park in Saint John

At first the sweaters I knit wouldn't fit over the girls' heads, but I took out the bound-off row around the neck and re-did it a lot looser. They fit wonderfully!

Alicia (my friend since grade 7), Mark (an old high-school buddy), Pete and I at O'Leary's.

Dad and Claire.

Pete at the caves in St. Martin's. It was freezing!

Seen on the side of the road just east of Saint John, NB.

Claire and I having fun during the Baptism.

The cakes my sister made for Claire's first birthday. Each kid got their own little butterfly cake. She dyed coconut yellow and put it around the cake as a background. She's the perfect mom. I'll have a lot to live up to when I have kids.

Alice, with cheesie residue on her face, and Nana-Pat (my mom) at Claire's birthday party.

Claire blowing out her first candle.

Pete fit into my family just fine! Here he is being goofy/intimate with my brother-in-law Mark, with the headbands Alice wanted them to wear.

I've Arrived

2006-12-22T16:43:00.000-07:00

I landed in Boston at 10:30 am on Thursday. Pete picked me up and we went back to his mom's house and hung around for the afternoon. Before dinner I had a huge nap and began to feel human again. That night we went out with some of Pete's friends from high school. I got to hear all kinds of stories about Pete, such as "Extreme Scooting" and the time he crashed a borrowed BMW convertable. We were hanging out at a Chinese restuarant called Shangri La, fun times. I then introduced everyone to season 1 of the Trailer Park Boys, which they all loved!

I've never gone for drinks at a Chinese restaurant before. Very interesting.

Pete's friend Chris, drink still in hand, trying to talk to some very young girls.

A New Look

2006-12-19T17:25:00.000-07:00

I've been invited to upgrade to the new Blogger so there are a few changes on here. I'll probably be fiddling around with the new features for a while so bear with me. Also, let me know if I've changed something you really like. I'm going to experiment with colours and shit.

The archive will still be available, but it's a drop-down menu now, much more attractive and efficient if you ask me. Also, they let me add labels to my posts now which you can click on to find other posts with the same label. For instance, if you want to see all my posts with pictures, click on the pictures label below a post and it will bring up all those posts I've labeled with pictures. It's going to take a while for me to finish labeling everything, but it'll be pretty handy when I get it done.

So Very Sick

2006-12-19T09:38:00.000-07:00

Again! I keep getting sick! I think this cold might have something to do with the amount of alcohol I consumed before exposing myself to the elements.

Probable sickness-inducing factors:

Bare legs and strappy sandals on Friday night while drunkenly roaming the streets looking for a cab/bar still serving with Katie and her co-workers.
Sitting in a hot tub drinking wine when it's -10 celsius.
Not sleeping very well due to stressful new tenant in my spare room.

Dinner Chez Joey's Friends'

2006-12-18T18:43:00.000-07:00

Joey is currently house-sitting for friends out in swanky Bearspaw. He had me, Elaine and Joel over for a scrumptious dinner and lovely soak in the hot tub.

Dinner was Steak Oscar, asparagus, stuffed baked potatos and Caesar salad. Dessert, provided by Elaine, was crepes with nutella, fresh strawberry sauce and an entire can of whipped cream. The hot tub was the perfect temperature and the winter evening kept our white wine deliciously chilled. Yummy! Thanks Joe!

Phone sex

Me, Elaine, Joey and Joel. Post-soak, pre-dessert and "The Office"

Mmmmm... dessert

Cute puppy!

I Found My Camera Charger!

2006-12-18T18:33:00.000-07:00

So I was finally able to download my pics onto my computer. Here are some of the things that have happened during the abscence of the charger.

Get-together at Ian and Jodi's house. Somehow in the process of wearing all of his hats at once Jodi's mitten was lost forever.

Xavier Rudd concert. Left to right in first row: Elaine, Guillaume, Dave. Second row: Katie, Jodi, Jose, Derrick's arm (I accidentally cut the rest of him out.)

Joey's birthday tiara

One of Joey's many birthday shots (which eventually led to birthday vomit)

I Know I Know!!!

2006-12-12T22:42:00.000-07:00

I suck! I don't know why I haven't been posting lately. It's not like I haven't had anything going on. I had a little dinner party last Wednesday that went really well. I wimped out and stayed home knitting on the couch rather than going to Brian's wine n' cheese party on Friday. Saturday was the annual Christmas party of my big and wonderful group of friends. I got extremely intoxicated, ate a lot, laughed a lot, cried a bit, passed out on the couch. Last night Dave came over and we watched "Blood Simple," the Coen brothers' first film. I took it easy tonight but have a big weekend ahead of me. Friday I will be Katie's date for her office Christmas party. Saturday is a pot luck/house warming at my friend Natalie's. Sunday is BBQ and hot tubbin' at Joey's house! Woohoo! In the meantime I still have plenty of Christmas shopping to do and some knitting to finish.

On the job front I have still been temping as a receptionist, but have a new job starting Friday that seems pretty promising. It is as a "professional assistant" at O'Connor Associates. It is still through the temp agency but it doesn't have an end date and it has the possibility of full-time. I've had full time offers already from other companies, but only as a receptionist At this place I'll most likely have the opportunity to move up... and who knows, possibly get work there as a geologist! Wouldn't that be nice!?!

Cut Me Some Slack

2006-12-06T07:40:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in a long time because I'm a slacker. I have pictures and even videos, but I haven't downloaded them from my camera yet. I have lots of stories to tell, movies and concerts to review, but I haven't had the energy to do it yet. I'm back at work and have lots of things to say about how I'm enjoying it, but I haven't felt like writing.

So, be patient, I'm sure I'll stop being a slacker soon. I think this may be the first sign of recovery.

I Have Applied Myself

2006-11-27T14:53:00.000-07:00

I finally got my application in this morning for UC Davis. If all goes well then I will be joining my Pedro at Davis in the Fall and taking the Viticulture (vines) and Enology (wines) program. It will be a second bachelor's degree and should only take two more years of schooling as they will give me credit for the courses I've already taken at UNB. With this degree I'll be able to work in the wine industry either at a vineyard or a winery.

The program is really hard to get into though, and my GPA is 0.06 lower than their minimum requirement. Hopefully they will consider it sufficient and will be wowed by my essays. I will also be applying to the program at CSU in Fresno, which is much easier to get into, but it's in Fresno... home of K-Fed (aka Fed-Ex.)

I won't find out until March if I'm accepted, so keep your fingers crossed!

Since Everyone Else is Doing It

2006-11-27T09:41:00.000-07:00

You are 60% Capricorn

How Capricorn Are You?

Although part of being a Capricorn is not believing in all this stuff... go figure!

Timmy Ho's!

2006-11-22T23:03:00.000-07:00

I start my first temp job tomorrow as a receptionist at the TDL Group. I went on MapQuest tonight to find the directions to get there since it's down in the Foothills Industrial Park. At the same time I decided to check out what it is exactly that the TDL Group does. Turns out that TDL is none other than our Canadian favorite, Tim Horton's! So in the end, joke's on me, I do end up working at Tim Hortons!

Flames 4 Blackhawks 1

2006-11-22T22:49:00.000-07:00

I went to the Flames game tonight with Katie. Her brother and one of his friends were also there. It was a good game, even though I was out getting nachos when they scored the first goal!

Procrastination

2006-11-22T13:55:00.000-07:00

I am quite possibly the worst procrastinator in the world! I just cleaned my house because I'm putting off writing the "Personal Statement" for my UC Davis application. I'm such a slacker! Just got to put my mind to it... easier said than done!

New Art

2006-11-20T16:03:00.000-07:00

I unexpectedly received some artwork in the mail today. It was an Alice Rose Melvin original and I am so lucky to have it! It now graces the wall of my "office" and looks spectacular.

The Artwork

The Artiste! She already has that bohemian look.

Skiing

2006-11-19T17:42:00.000-07:00

I finally got out skiing for the first time this year. The hills opened last weekend but thanks to a lot of snow this past week, conditions were still wonderful. There were few rocks to be hit and lots of powder to be had. Dave and I went to Sunshine, which is my typical early-season hill, but I've heard Lake Louise is just as good right now. Perhaps I'll get there next time.

Much to my chagrin, Sunshine has followed Lake Louise's lead and is charging a $10 activation fee for the Direct-to-Lift access this year. It is the biggest rip-off in the world and there seems to be nothing you can do about it. The resorts know that it really pisses people off but they know they can get away with it because people don't want to wait in line. I don't know what burns my ass more, the fact that I am saving them money by having the option yet they still charge more for it, or that it's some of their most loyal customers that use the option and that's who they are screwing over. Either way, it's ridiculous.

Louise seems to always be one step ahead though. This year they are still charging the fee, but calling it a Louise Card "Plus" this time. The "plus" option gives you Direct-to-Lift but it also gives you the right to "first tracks" on the last Sunday of every month and 20% off in-resort food orders. Apparently this is their answer to last year's letters of complaint. I'll give it to them that they have done something, but it's not much.

I wrote a letter of complaint last year to Louise and will be doing the same for Sunshine this year. I recomend everyone else do the same. Here are the details for the Sunshine Card and their comment page if you feel like following suit.

How Cool Is This???

2006-11-14T23:40:00.000-07:00

I "StumbledUpon" this tonight. You can find it here.

YaaaHoooo!!!

2006-11-13T20:18:00.003-07:00

My niece Claire (aka Claire Bear), future Calgary Stampede Barrel Racing Champion!

Big Day

2006-11-13T16:28:00.000-07:00

My grandfather got married last Friday. I now have a new step-grandmother and step-uncles and -aunts and step-cousins.... kinda weird, but, hey, good for them!

The ceremony

Peggy, Grampy, my mom and my dad

My new extended family... it's always good to add a couple of lobster fishermen to the family!

Chaos

2006-11-12T19:30:00.000-07:00

I went to Banff on Saturday night to see K-Os with Cory and some of his friends. The concert was at Wild Bills, which seemed odd. We had dinner and drinks at Cory's place in Canmore before squishing into a cab and heading to Banff. We continued drinking when we got to the bar, with the end result of everyone being extremely hammered.

Although the venue wasn't the best, the concert was great. K-Os put on a good show, although he didn't play Crabbucket, which is a kick-ass song in my opinion.

I woke up this morning feeling really good, and wishing I had brought my ski gear with me. The story from everyone who had gone was that the hills are in really good shape. Oh well, I'll head out next weekend, or perhaps sometime this week. At least I can feel good about the fact that I practiced some restraint.