RANDOMS

Shorty-short haircut...

2012-02-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

Yep - I took the plunge! A super short haircut for the upcoming spring/summer season. It's hard to take a picture of myself with my phone camera, but here it is...

I've had this haircut before and remember how easy and fast it is to do in the morning. I feel 5lbs lighter and just a touch sassier, so there!

6 Month Review

2012-02-16T18:04:00.000-07:00

Well, I've just passed the 6 month mark at work and was asked to complete a 4 page review of myself. Good Lord - it'll just end up in a file drawer somewhere, rotting away anyway. I took a few days to think about how I wanted to answer the questions and rate my performance, and I must say - I'm amazing!

Answering as honestly as I could, I gave myself mostly 4s out of 5, and even a couple of 5s. Categories like time management, decision making, problem solving, etc. were addressed. Really, Neil and Associates are luck to have me! (I hate false modesty). Luckily, I'm old enough not to let stuff like this rattle me, and I even had some fun with it. Next week, we have a meeting to review my review. Stay tuned!

Politics isn't for nice guys!

2012-02-15T06:38:00.001-07:00

One of my co-workers decided (was asked/talked into) running for one of the local PC seats over the holidays. He had a couple of months to run for the nomination and the election was the end of January. Now, this is one of the nicest guys I know - he didn't win. This is fine - he's back to work, but changed in subtle ways.

He's just starting to talk about the whole experience - kind of like therapy. Over the course of two months, he didn't sleep, lost weight, lived on Red Bull and generally wore himself out. The saddest thing to hear him say is that he is surprised that so many people didn't follow through on promises they made to him or carry out tasks they were supposed to do. He's kind of lost a little faith in people temporarily.

This is a guy who is ever the optimist, the team leader, the go-getter. I think he was too naive, nice and sensitive to ever run for politics. He and his wife recently took a 12 hour trip to relax and recoup and they decided that they would never go through that again. You hate to see someone's illusions shattered, but knowing him, he'll bounce back soon and be high-fiving us all again!

R.I.P. Whitney

2012-02-11T20:00:00.000-07:00

So sad to hear Whitney Houston died today. I loved her voice and had a couple of her CD's. Loved "The Bodyguard" - just watched it recently on tv. Such a waste of talent. She leaves behind a teenage daughter and an asshole of an ex-husband. I felt sadness like this when Natalie Wood, Michael Jackson, John Ritter and Heath Ledger died. Too young! I feel like I knew these people. Here's hoping Whitney finally finds some peace.

Grocery shopping

2012-02-11T07:44:00.000-07:00

It's Saturday - I'll be out grocery shopping most of the morning. I detest grocery shopping. If I had my way, I'd pay someone to deliver food to my house, put it away and cook it! Driving from one store to the other in search of bargains, lugging heavy bags up two flights of stairs and then unpacking and sorting, ugh - one of my least favourite domestic chores!

This is an activity best shared with someone else. A friend/family member to gab with in the grocery store and someone to help carry bags upstairs at the end. I have a list and will stick to it faithfully. I think one of my pet peeves is the busy-ness (sp?) of the stores and parking lots on Saturday. Standing in line and packing your own groceries at Superstore (I suck at this). Yes, I'm whining, when I should be grateful that there is an abundance of food on the shelves and we can shop mostly at our convenience nowadays.

Elsewhere in the world, there are people struggling to scrape together a few bucks to buy low quality, low-cost staples to feed their families. Whining aside, I am thankful to be able to buy fresh produce year-round and splurge on a treat now and then. So, I'll suck it up, put a smile on my face and maybe say a nice word or two to the cashier who's been standing on his/her feet all morning and gets a 15 minute break in the middle of the day. The words for today: gratefulness and patience!

Spinach Soup

2012-02-08T19:04:00.000-07:00

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 medium white potato, peeled and cubed
2 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups fat-free milk
1 six ounce bag baby spinach

A lovely spinach soup to try on a cold day...

Freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:

Heat oil in large saucepan or Dutch oven. Sauté garlic, onion, celery and potato for 5 minutes.
Add chicken broth and fat-free milk. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in half the spinach, cover and simmer for 10 more minutes.

Cool slightly, then transfer soup to a blender, working in two batches if necessary.

Add remaining spinach and blend (if working in two batches, use half the remaining spinach with each batch). Blend until smooth.

Serves 4

Per Serving: Calories 113, Calories from Fat 23, Total Fat 2.5g (sat 0.4g), Cholesterol 2mg, Sodium 143mg, Carbohydrate 15.6, Protein 6.8g

Superbowl Sunday

2012-02-05T17:42:00.000-07:00

Actually, I don't watch the game, although some people at work are very excited about it. I had a quiet Sunday listening to music and watching the overly-long "Alexander" with Colin Farrell. Going to see "The Woman in Black" tomorrow after work - I've been waiting since the fall for this one!

Things are very quiet at work these days - I'm doing mostly service work - answering calls and emails and problem-solving. That's fine with me. I'll take the highs with the lows. At the advanced age of 56, I'm experimenting with cream blush. Even You-tube'd some videos on how to apply it without looking like a circus clown. The office manager has asked me to email her a headshot for the website. Ugh. Guess I'd better get someone to take one. I detest pictures.

I told her I had a good one of me from when I was 18, but she wouldn't go for it! Nothing I hate more than looking at a picture of myself. Oh, well - when I find one, I won't be looking at it on the website. Had a good week weather-wise last week. Very nice after that horrible cold snap. Things are seasonably reasonable right now, but I must admit I'm getting tired of wearing my winter coat and boots.

Well, nothing exciting happening these days - just one day flowing into the next, as they should. If anybody gets bored of Facebook, feel free to call me sometime. My number is 780-978-5603. Would be nice to talk to people face-to-face for a change. Oh, well, keep your stick on the ice!

Checking in...

2012-01-25T18:13:00.000-07:00

I've really been enjoying my workouts lately, but I'm finding that everyday is too much for me. I think I'll try every other day and see how that goes. Early morning is a good time, it seems. This is something new. I used to always exercise in the evening - but I just don't have the urge to anymore.

Different topic - things are going well at work - the little changes I'm making are being well received and implemented. Really, all I'm doing is making the job work better for me. It's true of any job - no two people will do it exactly the same way, as long as the results are the same.

I'm not liking my last haircut. I'm fighting with it everyday and I think I'll be going back to the lady who's been cutting it for the last year. Sometimes a change isn't as good as you'd hoped.

Now that the cold snap is over, I'm enjoying walking to work and home again for lunch. Staying over the lunch hour really makes for a long day and I miss that little bit of fresh air. Besides, I just cant sit for 8.5 hours straight!

Not much else new happening - just percolating along one day at a time. Enjoy!

Workout #7 - Bryan Kest "Power Yoga"

2012-01-22T21:49:00.000-07:00

I like Bryan Kest a lot! He is energetic, funny, personable and un-yoga-y. His power yoga DVD is very well done and almost universally praised for being a strong, focused practice. You really feel it after it's over - it's about an hour long and really makes you break a sweat. Anyone interested in this type of yoga, check out www.poweryoga.com.

Workout #6 - Rodney Yee - Yoga Burn

2012-01-21T05:04:00.001-07:00

This is my most challenging Yoga dvd. Not in terms of physical difficulty, but in the fact that it is slow and you repeat every sequence 3 times. This means that you have to concentrate and have extreme patience. My tendency is to want to hurry it along (comes from being an aerobics girl!). If you have the patience to do this through to the end, you will have given yourself the chance to go deeper into the poses and reap higher benefits. Like I said, it's very challenging...

A Few thoughts on Gilad

2012-01-20T06:05:00.000-07:00

Gilad used to be an exercise instructor in the Israeli army. Gee, can you tell? I love the brutal workouts - but he is always cheerful and quite often funny. It's amazing what you can do in 45 minutes with no equipment in 2 sq. feet of space - quite literally shredded! (I love it) Tomorrow - my old friend Rodney Yee and "Yoga Burn"!

French vanilla coffee awaits...ttfn

Workout #5 - Gilad 45/45 Split Workout!

2012-01-20T04:57:00.000-07:00

Going to let Gilad kick my butt around for an hour or so today - time to stop watching sad music videos on You-Tube!

Workout #4.."Yin Yoga with Paul Grilley"

2012-01-19T05:08:00.001-07:00

This morning I will stretch with Paul Grilley for an hour. Sometimes I tend to overlook the importance of being able to bend in the middle. Anyone who's ever done yin yoga can relate!

What a good day!

2012-01-18T18:13:00.000-07:00

My days are busy right now - not overly busy, but steady. That's the way I like it (uh huh, uh huh). I've been busy helping deliver group plans to new clients, doing renewals, cleaning up the filing cabinets and answering service calls/emails. I've made a few new friends/contacts and strengthened my relationships with my contacts at the Insurance companies.

I started working out again, am eating better and smarter and, in general, am feeling pretty darn good right now. Just thought I'd share!

A Quick Observation

2012-01-18T06:47:00.000-07:00

Alrighty - I just finished watching "American Psycho" for the first time - wow! Good thing I decided to watch it at home. I was going to watch it on my computer at work over the lunch hour. Um.. maybe not the best choice for that. Christian Bale was amazing as Patrick Bateman - what great range he has as an actor. I might have to watch "Mary Poppins" or something at lunch today in case someone walks behind me and catches a glimpse.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to return some video tapes.

Recovery Day

2012-01-18T05:20:00.000-07:00

After working out hard for 3 days - it's recovery day! I know my old body well enough to know when it needs to rest and I always respect that. Having said that - I'm going to continue my journey through "American Psycho" on Netflix before work this morning!

Workout #3 - Sweatin to the Oldies!

2012-01-17T06:31:00.000-07:00

Well, I watched the kettlebell dvd last night to see if I really wanted to do it this morning, and - no - I didn't. I wish you could preview workout dvds before you buy them. The whole look of the workout was joyless, stark and difficult. I decided long ago that if I was going get off the couch and move my butt around, it had to be fun. So - back to Richard! So much fun, and upped the strengthening effect by wearing my weighted gloves. The dvd is only 40 minutes long, but I was really sweating with the oldies and now I really am one of the oldies. LOL!

On another note - it's -37 out there this morning and the high is going to be -36 today. Yay. I'll bundle up and walk as fast as I can. It's pretty brutal this week.

Workout #2

2012-01-16T07:21:00.000-07:00

I'm going to be posting my workouts here until they become a habit and not something I decide to do. Today's workout was yoga with Barbara Benagh -

45 minute extended a.m. session. Barbara has an extremely calming and restful way of presenting yoga. I enjoy listening to her very much. Not a flow practice, a series of poses to wake up the muscles and get rid of the morning creakiness. Especially good today after the 4 Mile Challenge I did yesterday. I found that 5:15 a.m. is going to be the perfect time for morning workouts - enough time for a long workout if I feel like it and enough time to have a light breakfast and coffee afterwards. I've never been a morning exerciser, but I'm just not doing it after work and now - it's over - on with the rest of my day. Tomorrow - kettlebell workout (scared)!

Listen...

2012-01-16T06:19:00.000-07:00

One of my pet peeves is people who don't listen or pay attention when you speak. They may hear you, but don't look at you when you are talking. Being a good communicator is important in all relationships, both personal and professional. Wouldn't it be nice if you didn't have to shout to get someone's attention or constantly repeat yourself because the person you're talking is only half hearing you?

Please allow whomever is speaking the courtesy of your full attention and, at the very least, the luxury of finishing a sentence before interrupting with something else.That is all.

From a Different Angle...

2012-01-15T14:52:00.000-07:00

Just finished the "4 Mile Challenge" with Leslie Sansone. Feels good to get the blood circulating again. This is a great workout for people who don't have a lot of room to move in - just push the coffee table out of the way and go for it!

Years and years ago when I used to run around the base and subscribed to "Runner's World", I read a couple of articles about people who had a streak going. Some for years! All year round, tired or not, sick or not. I'm not so inclined to do that, but the idea of a real commitment was, and is, very appealing to me. I've always resisted doing it because I thought it meant doing a full-blown hour-long workout every day. My pea brain's been circling around the idea that maybe it's not the workout that's important - it's the commitment to changing clothes and doing something athletic that day.

All of my exercise dvds have the option to chapter, choose and create your own workout. This is suddenly making a lot more sense to me. The benefits of exercise are cumulative and it makes more sense to do something everyday than one or two great workouts a week.

For me, exercise is like going to work - I hate getting ready for it, but once I'm there - it's all good!

Here it Comes!

2012-01-15T07:09:00.000-07:00

This is what our temperatures will look like for the upcoming week:

FREEZING!!

Highs of -25 (with a windchill of -34) and overnight lows of -35. I`m pretty sure I`ll be eating lunch at work all week. Have to be more organized in the morning and actually put something healthy together to take with me. It`s only a two block walk, but I don`t need to be making it three times a day! Anybody who goes to work without plugins - make sure to go out on your break and run the car for a few minutes and dress warmly. Looks like we should be out of it by next Monday!

Kindness or Foolhardiness?

2012-01-13T09:19:00.000-07:00

We had a straggler walk into the office this morning with a backpack, asking where he was. Hm... he asked where downtown was and spoke very slowly. He was either hungover or spent the night outside - I don't know. Anyway, we let him sit in the waiting room to warm up for a few minutes before he toddled off downtown. There were only 2 of us here and I had a moment of uneasiness before I saw that he wasn't physically up to any shenanigans. My co-worker wasn't phased at all by him and offered him some coffee, which he refused. My first instinct was to ignore him and hope he went away quietly (which he did). Need to work on my compassion some more.

No Surprises and Yay for Organization!

2012-01-11T17:10:00.000-07:00

I have 65 groups at work that I work with day-to-day. They renew annually throughout the year. The lady whose job I took over was not really organized. I guess whatever works for you. As a life-long receptionist, I always prefer to be ahead of the game. When people want something - they want it in a hurry! Really, my organization is to prevent fear and anxiety at the deepest level.

I've been going through the templates on my hard drive and cleaning them up, as well as making them make more sense. Today I set up a spreadsheet in Excel which groups all the companies according to their renewal dates. This is a no-brainer to me. I like to see what's coming up month-to-month at a glance and not have any surprises. Actually, one of the groups got forgotten by Blue Cross in the fall. That wouldn't have happened if you could've seen who was renewing each month.

I showed my boss what I was working on and he was really pleased - asked me to give everyone a copy at the next staff meeting and said what a good idea it was! Man - I'm loving the positive feedback at work - another good day!

Trying a new hairdresser...

2012-01-10T19:19:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I hate having my hair cut. I go far too long between salon visits and will wait until the very last time I can stomach a bad hair day. The lady who has been cutting my hair for a year is good, but I need a change. She hasn't really listened to what I wanted the last two times and I'm going to try another salon. There's one downtown that has a good reputation and doesn't cost an arm and a leg. I want something sharper this time, more professional.

If I like the place and have a good experience there, I might even consider getting foils done (gasp!) What really prompted this change was when I passed by a mirror at work and realized that I was starting to look like Betty White!

Grande Prairie -The Good and the Bad

2012-01-10T05:42:00.000-07:00

Grande Prairie is experiencing a noticeable increase in crime lately. There have been six armed robberies and one alleged stabbing in the last month alone. This "town" has grown so much in the last few years that I guess this shouldn't surprise us, but it is disturbing and disappointing. Grande Prairie is a place that people come to live and work - there's money to be made here. It's a redneck town populated by oil riggers, farmers, cowboys and tradespeople. There's an undeniable hum of prosperity and "hurry-up ness" (?)here.

Traffic has increased so much that there isn't a time when there's really a lull in town and there are traffic lights on every block now. I don't find Grande Prairie to be a visually attractive town, other than Muskoseepi Park - it's mostly businesses and car dealerships. People aren't overly-friendly and drivers are horrendous! The weather's nothing to write home about - short summers, long winters and the never-ending wind.

ON THE FLIP SIDE:

Right now, this day, this hour, this minute - Grande Prairie is my home. You have to live where you are. Grande Prairie has many opportunities if you take advantage of them. If you're not working - you're not looking! There are little gems around town if you take the time to look for them: the Four Corners Tea Shop downtown, the Chopped Leaf that just opened offering healthy munchies at a reasonable price, the Farmer's Market which is open from spring 'til fall, the new Multiplex which offers something for everyone, an arts community which refuses to roll over and die, great camping not too far from town, mostly sunny winters, not bad gas prices, hustle and bustle (if you like that )and surprisingly, a lot of churches around town. Now, if only there was a Buddhist centre with some like-minded souls - it would be perfect! (I miss you Dorje Denma Ling and Gampo Abbey)

Report on Keyboard and Stylus Pen

2012-01-07T12:51:00.000-07:00

Okay - there was a tiny learning curve for me with my Bluetooth keyboard and stylus, but I think I've got the hang of them now. I thought I might need a separate mouse for scrolling, but the keyboard has function keys that take care of that. Also, the stylus is best used at a 90 degree angle - apply gentle pressure and voila - perfect! The pen is not as effective as the keyboard for scrolling, so I won't use it for that, but on the tablet it really helps to choose a tab or word when your big ole fingers get in the way. All in all, I'm very satisfied with both of them.

Funny how things have changed!

2012-01-07T12:43:00.001-07:00

I was reading in my "den" this morning and thought how things have changed in the past couple of years, now that a lot of stuff has gone digital. If this were even 5 years ago (for me), I would have been surrounded by my CD collection and lots of books. Today, I have my iPod and my Kindle. Sure cuts down on the clutter - although I will always love the look of a library/bookshelves. I'm going to share a site that my friend Lizzie put on Facebook:

www.bookshelfporn.com

Things I did in 2011

2011-12-31T18:10:00.000-07:00

Walking backwards through my mind - what did I do in 2011? Let's see - In January, I went job hunting and left Peace Agencies for a better paying position at First Student Canada. I learned to be a radio dispatcher and made some good friends there. I left that job in August because of major personality conflicts between myself and the head honcho. Also, it was so hectic there, that sometimes I would get heart palpitations.

I joined a gym in the Spring because it was directly on my way home from work and went religiously for three months before changing jobs. Now the gym is in the opposite direction from where I live/work and I haven't been back since June. Did lots of speed walking around Muskoseepi Park while listening to my iPod and loved every minute of it! I lost one roommate and picked up another.

In August, Neil and Associates called me and said they had an opening in their group benefits area and would I like the job? YES! Took on this job knowing that there would be a big leaning curve and learned lots of new things, which boosted my confidence immensely. I attended Barb's wedding in September and met my new son-in-law for the first time. Got all my Christmas shopping done by the end of September and enjoyed a low-key celebration this year.

Here it is New Years Eve and I will try to stay up 'til midnight to see the fireworks from the apartment balcony. Tomorrow is my 36th Anniversary. We'll be having a nice roast beef dinner and enjoying a quiet day. Closing out the year, I can honestly say that it wasn't too bad and I have high hopes for 2012. Here's to the next twelve months - may they bring happiness and prosperity to everyone!

Random Thoughts - Part 19

2011-12-30T18:04:00.000-07:00

-officially disgusted with The Young and the Restless (but still watching) - Victor just proposed to his ex-daughter in law from prison!
-gave out three business cards today - hooray!
-bought a nice floor lamp from Walmart for the living room - now the light is balanced in here
-reconnected with a couple of old friends on Facebook lately - that's what it was meant for
-self-denigration is not the same as being humble. One is bad and the other is good
-wish my brothers were on Facebook more (at all)
-how come a short work week never seems that way?
-downloaded a weight tracker app for the tablet - more fun than a spreadsheet
-went over to the Great West Life office this afternoon. They have 5 people working in a huge office with a bunch of empty rooms - you could roller skate in there. Also got to go to Sexsmith today to visit the plan administrator of one of our new groups
-I've given up trying to lay in bed in the mornings when I'm completely awake at 4:00 a.m. I just can't wait to get up everyday!
-Here's hoping the exercise bike doesn't turn into a laundry holder
-this picture tickled my fancy - that is all!

Goal setting for 2012

2011-12-29T18:06:00.000-07:00

My boss has inspired to me write out some goals for next year and actually formulate a plan to achieve them. What is it they say - "a goal without a plan is just a dream"? It's quiet at work this week and I've been formulating some plans and mini-goals to check in with along the way. I won't say what my goals are because I'm superstitious, but they touch all areas of my life - financial, physical and spiritual.

I don't wait until January 1st - too cliche - the plan has already started. I'm actually excited for the next 12 months because I've promised myself a reward at the end of it. Wish me luck! (never become apathetic about your life!)

Spread the Word!

2011-12-28T15:53:00.002-07:00

Finally, a healthy place to eat in Grande Prairie! Check it out -
www.choppedleaf.ca

10902 - 105th Ave - Grande Prairie - show your support for healthy eateries. Like them on Facebook!

Making a Den!

2011-12-27T07:34:00.000-07:00

I finally got tired of the spare bedroom being used to throw laundry in, so I spent the last couple of days turning it into an office/den. I moved the fireplace in there, set up a little desk, put the new printer in there, brought my long lawnchair in and covered it with a comfy blanket, put some of my favourite pictures on the wall, added my "stereo" and a few books, a fluffy rug and - voila - instant coziness! If I moved the coffee pot and a porta potty in there - I might never come out!

What a deal!

2011-12-26T17:17:00.000-07:00

Today is Boxing Day and I have never shopped with the throngs on December 26th! Today, we were bored after lunch and decided to hit up Best Buy in search of an all-in-one printer. I just recently learned that printers are mostly wireless now (hallelujah!). We headed out about 1:00 and the parking lot was a nightmare! Managed to find a spot and went inside to discover that it was elbow-to-elbow with Boxing Week shoppers looking for deals. I have to admit that Best Buy did a fabulous job of directing shoppers around the store and especially through the checkout area and we were actually out of there in about 15 minutes. It took longer to get out of the parking lot than it did to do our shopping - so, the printer is set up and ready to go. So excited - I love stuff like this! (geek alert)

The Woman in Black

2011-12-25T08:29:00.000-07:00

Watch The Woman in Black online - on 1Channel | LetMeWatchThis

I don't usually blog about books I am reading, but I have to mention my current favourite - "The Woman in Black" by Susan Hill. It was written in 1983, but you'd never know it. It has a real Victorian feel to it. I've watched the original movie and am anxiously waiting for the new version to come out in February. If you like real ghost stories - give this one a read/watch. It's so atmospheric and frightening that it'll scare the pants off you!

Random Thoughts on Christmas morning...

2011-12-25T05:53:00.000-07:00

-First (only) one up - as usual!
-proud of myself for not sneaking a peak at any presents this year
-had a lovely Christmas Eve visiting and watching "Blade II"
-I am anxious to start the new year - I am actually goal-setting for a change
-drunk Santa was in the parking lot this morning at 3:30 shouting "Ho, ho, ho!"
-the best way for me to enjoy Christmas is to keep it small and stress-free (eliminate the word "should")
-going to wear a fancy top today to be festive, even though I'm not totally comfortable in it
-foregoing the Baileys/coffee thing this morning and sticking with my beloved French Vanilla/milk
-my last purchase for myself of 2011 is a bluetooth-enabled keyboard that goes along with the Sony Tablet

-well, time for another coffee and off to watch the fireplace channel - Merry Christmas!

So happy right now...

2011-12-23T18:33:00.000-07:00

Everything seems to be aligning up right - right now. So happy with my job - happy at home, going to make 2012 the "year of yoga" and optimistic about the future - keep it going - welcome New Year!

Great day at work!

2011-12-23T12:32:00.000-07:00

Last work day before Christmas - only 4 hours, but it was a really good day! I got those four group renewals for February done and ready for review, received a gift certificate to Earls and two double movie passes for a little Christmas gift, and had two cups of coffee with Baileys - fantastic.

I got an email from my boss and responded with this:

From: Rob Neil [mailto:rob@neilandassociates.ca]
Sent: Friday, December 23, 2011 9:24 AM
To: patricia@neilandassociates.ca
Subject: 2012 planning

Pat
Next week I will be doing some planning for the coming year, please tell me how your work flow has been this past year. I realize some weeks are busier than others.

Tell me about a typical day and/ or week. What do you do ? Do you have any ideas you would like to see done in your area.
Thanks
Rob

From: Pat Simons [mailto:patricia@neilandassociates.ca]
Sent: Friday, December 23, 2011 10:00 AM
To: 'Rob Neil'
Subject: RE: 2012 planning

I’ve been busy lately with renewals and new groups, but on a daily basis, there is a lot of service work which I conduct mostly by email. I have asked my contacts how they prefer me to contact them and they responded overwhelmingly “by email”. No one apparently likes to deal with cold calls. So, if it doesn’t sound like I’m busy, I actually am. If a question becomes too complicated for email – I will call, of course. Daily updating of group statuses, making sure forms and templates are updated and correct in the computer has kept me busy the past few months. Of course, I’m still learning – so everyday there seems to be something new to deal with. I will be “cleaning” the files in the new year and getting everything up to scratch. Because of my nature, I am not overly comfortable doing presentations or having too much “face” time with clients outside of work. I’m hoping this will not be a problem with my position. I am, and always have been a “behind the scenes” type of person and strive to learn and do the best I can in whatever job I do. Hope that answers some of your questions, Rob.

He came out of his office and said "Pat - great, that's just what I was looking for - thanks!" Sometimes it helps to be a good writer.

Lovely ambience tv channels

2011-12-22T18:48:00.000-07:00

I was fiddling around in the settings menu on the big tv last night and came across some wonderful ambience channels on Video on Demand (Telus TV). They have 6 to choose from -

1. Christmas tree - a beautiful living room with a fireplace, decorated tree, train going around the base of the tree, etc. - lovely soft jazz and classical music
2. Fire log - just what it says - same as the one on the regular guide - no music
3. Aquarium - a beautiful, colourful aquarium full of tropical fish swimming back and forth - also has music (Tangerine Dream kind of stuff)
4. Flowing River - views of a flowing river - great if you like water sounds - no music
5. Lanterns - my favourite - a beautiful nighttime scene with chinese lanterns in a garden - lots of reflective light, swaying breezes, candles, etc. classical music and some soft jazz
6. Prairie scenes - soft country-style instrumentals and swaying fields of grain

I've been turning the regular channels off and tuning in to relax with these lovely channels. I don't know if they'd be as effective on a smaller screen.

Things I learned today!

2011-12-22T11:16:00.000-07:00

GWL POLICY ON EMPLOYEES WAIVING THE WAITING PERIOD TO BE ON THE PLAN

If an employee wants to waive the waiting period and go on the plan early, his/her effective date of coverage must be his/her date of hire. They will be charged premiums from their hire date.

If the employee has incurred or is anticipating incurring a lot of claims before the waiting period is over, it would be worthwhile for him/her to be on the plan early. This is up to the employer, in any case. If the employee doesn’t have any claims or is not anticipating having many claims before the waiting period is up, it would be better to wait until he/she is actually eligible to join.

In any event – the employee’s date of coverage and beginning of premiums will either be the date of hire (for waiving), or after the waiting period (usually 3 months).

Can you stand the excitement?

Yahoo...holiday hours!

2011-12-22T06:31:00.000-07:00

We got our holiday hours for the next two weeks...off at noon on Friday, back to work next week from Wednesday - Friday from 9-3! Sure looking forward to some down time...

Kind of sweet...

2011-12-21T17:04:00.000-07:00

Today at work, one of our oldest clients had some questions about their Health Spending Account. Rather than phone or email me, they called Great West Life directly and carried on an extensive email conversation about it. They did cc me on everything and I just observed what was going on like I was watching a tv show. Eventually, the issue was resolved, but my boss got wind of this and he blew a gasket!. We are supposed to be the first contact for the client and Rob mistakenly thought that my feelings were hurt because they went around me (they weren't).

He's going over to the client's office tomorrow to "set things straight!". Like I said, kind of sweet.

Standing on my own two feet!

2011-12-19T17:35:00.000-07:00

Not! I've fallen on the ice twice since December started and landed on my left wrist both times. Taking baby steps, being hyper-aware of where my feet land - doesn't make any difference. First you're up, then you're down! Good thing I'm right-handed, it seems to take forever for the ache to go away. My biggest fear is that I'm getting hairline fractures that aren't obvious and won't heal properly. This is what happened two years ago - I fell and landed on my left wrist and broke my thumb in two places. The ultimate irony is that I was so excited to get this job because it's a two block walk from home and I wouldn't have to drive in the winter!

Oh, Saturday morning!

2011-12-17T07:34:00.001-07:00

What a good sleep I had last night - I didn't wake up until 6:30 today! That's pretty good for me - usually I'm up around 4:00 everyday. My tree is on, my battery-operated candles are on, my Sony is cycling through all my blog photos and I have a big candle lit that simulates the smell of pine trees. When I write that down, I realize that everything I just mentioned is fake. Oh, well, doesn't mean I can't still enjoy it and that it doesn't bring beauty and pleasure into my little Saturday morning.

Today, I am going to make tortiere, the traditional spiced pork pie. I love the aroma in the kitchen as it bakes. Maybe a nice salad to go with it.

Ran into my old boss at the Co-op last night. Actually, it was good to see him - we shared a hug and spent a few minutes catching up on old times. Even though he was an ass at times, he still gives off waives of vulnerability. Outside of being my employer, he wasn't all bad. Ya gotta love a guy who gives it all for his dream (Ovations Dinner Theatre), even though it's a losing proposition every year. Is there a fine line between stubbornness and passion? I think the trouble starts when the passion becomes all-consuming to the detriment of everything else in your life. Oh, well - I wished him Merry Christmas and he invited me to stop by the new theatre location whenever I was in the area.

(he's the little guy in the blue shirt in the middle of the picture who looks like a gnome!)

Mmm...I smell french vanilla coffee waiting for me - off to start the day!

Random Thoughts - Part 18

2011-12-16T05:16:00.000-07:00

- Nine days 'til Christmas and I still haven't wrapped my presents yet (I don't feel so bad. My co-worker said yesterday "Guess I should start my shopping soon!")
- was tenacious and completely learned everything about my new Sony tablet in under a week
- haircut appt. next week - it's getting out of control again!
- I couldn't stay away - still watching "The Young and the Restless" after work
- going a week at work without my computer was tough
- spent a lovely evening last night listening to Christmas carols on my new stereo
- I'm a bit disappointed that there aren't more Christmas lights around here. They must all be on the south side of town where there are more houses than apartment buildings
- wrist is still tender where I fell on the ice last week - is it possible to bruise a bone?
- time for New Year resolutions again - always the same for me - more exercise, reading, quiet time. I got derailed last year because of personal changes in my life.
- going to improve my work wardrobe in the new year - tired of feeling like the poor cousin
- got a big wave from one of my old schoolbus driver buddies yesterday - always fun!
- finding it's easier to blog on the bigger laptop because of how it saves pictures

Good Purchase

2011-12-14T18:18:00.000-07:00

I bought a dock/charger for my Sony Tablet. You plug it into the wall and just set the tablet in it to charge. The wonderful part is that it gives you the choice of having it display what has to be the most elegant desk clock...

or have it cycle through your gallery of pictures on your hard drive.

Right now, it's cycling through over 1,000 pictures from the blog - amazing! Sure bringing back a lot of memories from the last two years. It's hard to look away - excellent purchase!

Minor (major) faux pas

2011-12-13T20:41:00.000-07:00

I was telling one of the fellows at work about my new tablet and was quite enthusiastic about it. He listened patiently and then said "I think it's admirable that you're not afraid of technology, for someone your age". He's lucky I didn't knock his block off!

Blogging as therapy

2011-12-13T18:01:00.000-07:00

I don't usually use my blog as therapy, but I'm asking for input from anyone who has any ideas. I'll be blunt - John won't stop smoking in the apartment. He smokes in the bathroom with the fan on and thinks that you can't tell that anyone's had a cigarette. That fan is old and not very strong. I've tried air fresheners, candles, sprays, febreeze - doesn't help. He also smokes when he's cooking and blows the smoke up the fan - also doesn't help. There are ashes all over the place. He smokes when I'm not there, thinking that it won't bother me if I'm not there. A couple of days when I've come home for lunch, the apartment has smelled like an ashtray. I've asked, begged, demanded and yelled and just get ignored. Any ideas at all as to what to do now?

I'll show you mine if you'll show me yours...

2011-12-11T16:46:00.000-07:00

After setting up my new Sony tablet, I was curious as to what other people have on their homescreens as to apps/favourites. Here are mine:

- GMail
- Facebook
- Kindle
- IMDB
- Daily Horoscope
- Crackle
- You Tube
- Weather Eye
- Netflix
- TD Bank
- Billie Doux Blog
- Simple Living Discussion Forums99
- Randoms (blog)
- Huffington Post Canada
- Let Me Watch This (movies and tv)
- Top Documentaries
- The Shopping Channel
- Amazon
- Q99 - Local radio and news
- The Buddhist Channel
- Google Images
- Buddhist meditation timer
- Solitaire
- Mahjongg

That's a tiny peek into my computer (mind). Anyone else brave enough to share?

New Toy!

2011-12-11T06:05:00.000-07:00

I put my plans for an iPhone4S on hold for awhile and bought a tablet instead! I was going to get an iPad2 until I discovered that it doesn't support flash, so I bought a Sony Tablet S...

This is a beautiful little machine. I've spent lots of time setting up the homescreen, adding my favourite sites and games. It has an 8.5 hour battery life and is very responsive and intuitive. I'm quite pleased with it, and I saved myself about $100 in the bargain.

High Walls

2011-12-07T12:31:00.000-07:00

Well, my computer's in the shop for a few days, so I'm working in one of the spare offices. I have walls that go all the way up to the ceiling! Now I want my own office. It's not going to happen, but I'll enjoy it while I can. Wrist is sore but not unbearable today. Home for a quick lunch and back to the grind...

Ups and Downs

2011-12-07T04:39:00.000-07:00

Yesterday started off ok - the wind had died down and it wasn't too cold outside. Actually, the whole day was pretty good until I walked home and fell in the skating rink that is our parking lot. I landed on my left wrist again. Two years ago the same thing happened and I broke my left thumb in two places. I don't think anything's broken this time, just very, very sore. Oh yes, before I left work - my computer picked up a Trojan virus and they were frantically working to reload my hard drive when I left. The antivirus expired and the office manager left it just that much too late to renew it.

I ended up going to bed at 6:00 and slept a full 9 hours. Hopefully today will be an incident-free day!

Must be doing something right!

2011-12-05T18:49:00.000-07:00

I have been receiving compliments about my work, unbeknownst to me. Today, my boss told me that some of his oldest clients and contacts are starting to ask who the new "group girl" is because they like my personality. Also, I'm meticulous and conscientious, I hear. This is very gratifying. He didn't have to tell me that - some bosses don't. Just lets me know I'm on the right track and getting on top of my game!

Good deals at the mall

2011-12-04T14:05:00.000-07:00

Since I shopped early for Christmas this year, going to the mall is much less stressful. Wandering around enjoying the Christmas bustle knowing that I don't have to find the perfect gift while I'm there!

Today was the Santa Clause parade downtown and I'm glad I walked. Cars everywhere! At the Bath Shop I spun the "savings wheel" and it came up buy one, get one free! I am now the proud owner of two bottles of Cranberry shimmer lotion for the price of one! At Zellers, I was looking for something Christmas-y for the mantel of my little electric fireplace. I found a set of three flameless candles, with remote control no less for under $20. I also found a nice necklace that I can wear over my beatnik turtleneck to fancy it up for the open house we are having at work next week. If you're a good shopper, you don't have to spend a fortune to have great things. A successful outing and lots of beautiful fresh air! (p.s. How can Santa be in the parade and at the mall at the same time? hmmm...)

Interesting finds on the internet

2011-12-04T08:13:00.000-07:00

Not "things", but phrases and ideas. I read a blog where a lady was speaking of her "family of origin" as opposed to her friends and people she considers her family. Interesting turn of phrase.

On a discussion forum, people were talking about how they considered themselves "phone haters" and how that presents problems when they have administrative things to do. Interestingly, at work, 99.9% of my work is done via email. When I first started this job, I would phone people for something and always get their voicemail, even though I knew they were at work. I would leave a message and they would respond right away with an email. I recently asked my main contacts if they preferred email or phone and every one of them said email. People at work must think I'm not busy because they don't hear me on the phone a lot, but if they came and looked at my received, sent and deleted emails on Outlook, they'd see that I'm quite busy. The lady before me was very flamboyant and talked all day long, so I bring quite a different energy to the office.

I particularly like the term "lessmeatarian" that I ran across the other day - where you are mostly vegetarian, but still a little meat (hot dogs, hamburgers). Also, it's apparently now much more fun for men to visit the loo in England:

Thank you Internet for amusing and educating me endlessly!

Draggy Basket

2011-12-03T11:08:00.000-07:00

I bought a little draggy basket for trips to the closest grocery store (Giant Tiger). Tried it out for the first time today and it worked very well over some pretty bumpy, icy sidewalks. It isn't the old stainless steel jobbies our mothers used to drag around - it looks more like carry-on luggage than anything else. While I was over at GT, I picked up a simple black turtleneck sweater. I feel like a beatnik - which way to the Zodiac Club?

Randoms - Part 18

2011-12-02T20:12:00.000-07:00

- "Supernatural" may have jumped the shark for me
- I got a huge poinsettia from work today. Let's see how long it takes me to kill it
- think I'll put up the tree this weekend
- The people I work for are millionaires. It's nice to know that there are people with money who aren't jerks
- Glad I skipped the office Christmas party last week - apparently there was belly dancing involved
- pants are feeling a little tight - time to pare it back
- did a baking soda shampoo this morning to clarify - lots of volume!
- a well-organized work station is a thing of beauty!
- someone overcooked something and I could smell something smoky under the door. It made me nervous and I put my purse along with my phone and computer beside the door in case I had to leave in a hurry. Guess it was a false alarm
- I have too much on my mind again!

Speaking of What Not to Wear...

2011-12-01T11:39:00.001-07:00

I watched an episode yesterday that kind of pissed me off. Stacy and Clinton were trying to "normal up" a 25 year old woman who was graduating law school and marrying an older man with an 8 year old daughter. Her "offense" was that she presented as a blonde bimbo ready to hit the next club at a moment's notice. And she was very hot!

She was offended and surprised at the ambush, but went along with it reluctantly. Her fiance said to the camera crew that he didn't want his daughter to look up to this woman as a role model. WTF? (sorry) This is the woman he pursued, fell in love with and proposed to and now she has to conform to his standards?

This young lady had a hard time following the "rules of shopping", but did get a few nice outfits for court. She adamantly refused to cut and colour her hair (yay!) and she did update her makeup. Sometimes Stacy and Clinton do people a great service by showing them options they might not have thought of, and sometimes they should just leave well enough alone!

Topping up the stash

2011-12-01T05:54:00.000-07:00

Jewellery stash, that is! I don't have much jewellery anymore - I go through phases where everything I have bores me or I've worn it to death and I end up taking it Value village. Now, none of this is "real" jewellery - just costume, so I don't feel bad sharing it. The new place I work is a little classier than I'm used to, so I've spent some time on Amazon looking for classic (and inexpensive) pieces that I can mix and match with my limited wardrobe. I think I'm finally done - the best part is I'm paying for it as I go and not wracking up the credit card bill. A few choice pair of huggie earrings, classic bracelets and a ring or two and that's it for me. Quite a change from the old days when I had lots of jewellery and nowhere to wear it!

Snackies!

2011-11-29T06:13:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm not a big snacker. Snacking, to me, involves sitting in front of the TV stuffing junk into my cakehole. I have to be more careful now that my metabolism has slowed to that of a large snake! If I could eat anything I wanted without consequence, these "foods" would be on my list of daily indulgences: (I'm not talking about moderation here, either - pig out!)

- Cheezies
- Ritz crackers
- pretzels
- Kit Kat bars
- chocolate milk
- Cheese Whiz
- lemon-filled doughnuts
- those little caramels wrapped in plastic
- Oreo cookies (the originals)
- chocolate ice cream
- candy corn and pumpkins (those Hallowe'en things)
- Aero bars
- popcorn
- Crispy Crunch
- Chex party mix
- Caramilk bars
- shortbread cookies
- Smarties

This is a shortlist - there are many more yummies that I never buy and never eat. I know myself very well - I cannot be moderate with any of these, so I simply don't eat them at all. I remember what they taste like and that's good enough for me. These days I'm trying to get the most nutrition for my buck. There are lots of healthy snacks, but since I'm not prone to snacking in the first place, I just try to eat healthy meals and be satisfied with that.

Random Thoughts - Part 17

2011-11-28T18:04:00.000-07:00

- wow - the fall finale of "The Walking Dead" was fantastic!
- Baileys and ice is very nice
- the office staff ecards I made were a big hit at the Christmas party - they're going to send them around to "select clients"
- I knew buying a scale was a good idea - I have to be accountable to "someone"
- can't wait for the Dr. Who Christmas special!
- once you take a stand - you re-take your personal power
- pop tarts and ding dongs aren't as good as they used to be
- my little couch from Bama furniture is very comfortable to sleep on
- must dig up my ice cleats for walking - it's treacherous out there!
- if you live in the now, sometimes the future will take care of itself
- "Once Upon a Time" hasn't let me down so far
- I am the most important person in my life right now
- being respected at work makes up for a lot of crap going on in my life right now

Giving Permission

2011-11-27T05:10:00.000-07:00

Black Friday is behind us, although some places are extending it to "Black Friday Week" like Boxing Week. Deals galore, both in stores and online! We were out grocery shopping yesterday and stopped by Best Buy - they still had loads of big-screen tvs in boxes all over the place from yesterday, but the store was no busier than usual.

I've come to love (s)trolling around Best Buy and Future Shop looking at the new electronics that they're selling. When I talk about giving permission, I mean giving permission to myself to LOVE all things electronic! Quite a change from 10 years ago when I said "What would I need a computer at home for? I work on one all day at work!" In the last couple of years I have accumulated: a smartphone, two iPods, a Kindle, a good digital camera, an iPod player and a good laptop. Each one of these brings a lot of pleasure to my life and I wouldn't be without them. I'm trying not to duplicate technologies - like buying an iPad or rushing to buy the next generation of something I already have (although I notice that even after one year, some of my devices are becoming outdated already). I notice on Amazon that there's a new Kindle that I'm trying not to want too badly (lighter, touchscreen technology).

My simple living strategy is to eliminate all unnecessary clutter from my life so that there'll be room for the things I really love and make my life simpler and happier. If that includes having toys to play with - so be it!

A Complicated Lady

2011-11-26T06:36:00.001-07:00

Yet another health crisis in Nova Scotia! My mother-in-law is in the hospital after suffering a heart attack a couple of nights ago. She just celebrated her 80th birthday on the weekend. I know she hasn't been in the greatest of health, but it's still upsetting when a family member is ill. I don't know much of Kay's family history, but I do know that she didn't have it easy growing up and as a young woman, had 6 children that she wasn't well-equipped to deal with (financially or psychologically). A turbulent personal life led to her kids being scattered all over the province to be raised by other family members. I do know that she is a hard worker and always provided for her kids the best that she could.Kay is one of the most stubborn, feisty, and crazy people I know. She's so far out of my realm of experience with people that we've never had much in common, except for her son. For the most part, we've been cordial for the past 35 years, but that's because of the geographical distance between us. She's one of those people that you think is going to outlive everyone out of sheer determination. Hopefully, the operation she had in the hospital will help and she will go on for years driving everybody crazy.

Guess I'm Golden!

2011-11-25T13:36:00.001-07:00

I was watching "The Golden Girls" at lunchtime while scarfing down the rest of my rice/lentil mixture and Rose was job hunting. She was upset because she had been looking for quite awhile and no one would hire her because of her age. Everyone tried to comfort her and help her beef up her resume. When Blanche asked her just how old she was - she said "55". Boing!! I just turned 56 and am extremely grateful to be gainfully employed when women much younger than me are struggling. At least at this point in my life, I have no ambitions to climb any corporate ladder - just make enough to pay the rent, utilities and go to a movie once in awhile. Sometimes you don't realize just how old you are.

Re-visiting old posts

2011-11-22T04:25:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I like to look back into my old posts and see what was going on at that time in my life. I like a lot of them, some of them I don't recognize me in the writing and some of them make me cringe. Nevertheless - I don't regret any post I've ever published. They're a snapshot in time for me. This is why I never got into journalling - the minute I wrote something down on paper, I hated it and was afraid someone might find it. Maybe I was writing down things that were way too personal. Electronically, and because I am putting things into cyberspace, I dial back the really personal stuff a bit. That's not to say I haven't been honest. I just refuse to bring extremely private issues here (they're private!) and like to keep it as light and entertaining as I can. Like I said on Facebook the other day - this is blogging, not therapy.

Monday Morning Blues

2011-11-21T09:44:00.000-07:00

Monday morning - ugh! Actually, I'm not crazy about Sunday afternoon and evening because they're too close to Monday. This started in school - put off doing homework and cramming everything into a few hours after supper on Sunday night. Doesn't matter what the weather is like, Monday mornings are not my favourite time of the week.

I'm normally pretty optimistic and easy-going, and I thank my lucky stars that I've always had jobs that ran from Monday - Friday, so dragging my ass off to work Monday mornings is just something I suck up and deal with!

Introvert Fun

2011-11-19T10:41:00.000-07:00

This morning at 4:00 a.m. as I sat on my bed doing up those silly JibJab sendable e-cards, I thought to myself "this is great no-money fun!". It got me thinking about all the things I have done or would like to do to have fun or experience pleasure. These are two different things, I think - or are they?

Depending on your personality - fun and pleasure can come in very different ways. If you're outgoing, you enjoy the company of others and being out "doing" fun things (dancing, drinking, bowling, karaoke, etc). If you're a quieter sort (like me), you enjoy solitary or unstructured pursuits (walking, reading, writing, listening to music, etc.) It's always possible to "cross over" and do things with others like camping, hiking, or going to movies, but I find that the things I do for fun are usually done alone. Big gatherings give me the heebie-jeebies - the noise and energy exhausts me! Parties? No, thanks. Fun-filled vacations? Not for me.

I remember once, my mom and I were talking about our ideal vacations. She wanted to go somewhere tropical where there were lots of people and activities. I said my ideal holiday would be to go on an extended solitary retreat with no talking or distractions for two weeks. She honestly said to me "what's the matter with you?". That kinda hurt. To each his own, I figure.

We introverts continue to keep to ourselves to preserve our sanity. It helps if your partner is understanding of your needs - if not, at least give each other space. So, if I don't accept a lot of invitations for social outings - I'm not being standoffish - I'm just being me.

Random Thoughts on Blogging

2011-11-18T12:29:00.000-07:00

My advice - whether you want it or not (ha ha) - on how to do a proper blog!

1. Have fun setting it up in the first place. There are many different options for themes, fonts, styles, etc. You can really personalize it and change it any time you want.

2. Don't be afraid of it. Sometimes putting thoughts on "paper" is scary and seems formidable, but just speak like you would to a friend.

3. Your blog doesn't have to be about anything in particular. I use mine to keep family and friends in the loop as to what's going on with me and they get to know my thought processes a little better. Blogging is great for shy people who have a lot to say, but not face-to-face.

4. Unless you really don't care if you hurt someone, keep it as neutral as you can - once you put something out in cyberspace - you have no control over it anymore.

5. You'll be surprised at how easy it is to write. I've been blogging for a little over two years now and I still haven't run out of things to say.

6. Enjoy finding pictures or videos that go with your posts. This really brings home the point for me. Also, writing is a chance for me to practice my grammar and spelling (a dying art). There's a preview button for a reason!

7. Check with family/friends to see if they want to be put on your email list. This is good for people that you know will actually read your blog, but forget to bookmark your site.

8. Lastly, have fun with it and never feel obligated to write if you have nothing to say - remember - it's your blog whether you ever post anything or not!

The book-reading world

2011-11-18T04:27:00.000-07:00

I read an article the other day about how the world of books and publishing has changed just in the last 10 years. Some authors embrace this, others are terrified by it. I have copied and pasted a few facts to show how times have changed. (Personally, I like the changes.)

- Amazon has become the world’s top bookseller, without a physical location. That has changed everything.

- Writers can now publish their work online, on blogs and websites, in forums and social networks.

- Writers have no editors. They are in direct contact with their readers. Their readers talk back, so that it’s a two-way conversation now.

- The lines between books, films, magazines, newspapers and websites have disappeared.

- Ebooks are on the rise — read on computers in PDF formats, on Kindles, on iPads, on smartphones, everywhere.

- Writers have no rules, no limits, no need to stick to written words, no pricing limitations, can share their ideas live as readers ask questions, and much more.

Christmas party at work

2011-11-16T05:45:00.001-07:00

The boss' wife/office manager has been kicking around ideas for our Christmas party lately. At first, she suggested bowling, followed by a rousing game of pictionary at their home later (not). Then someone suggested dinner theatre, but they want a guarantee that the play will be good, clean family fun (ugh). Next, it was suggested that we go to the newest cafe bistro in town and stand around with cocktails being sophisticated (yuck). Finally, the newest suggestion is to just go to the Acropolis for dinner (they have belly dancing there). This, I could do. I'm not the biggest party animal around, but a good dinner in a nice restaurant is completely do-able. Good thing, because when she suggested that we rent out a pool and have a pool party, I told her I would have to start looking for another job!

(She's a wonderful lady, trying to find something to please everyone!)

Christmas gifts

2011-11-14T04:56:00.000-07:00

Yes, 'tis the season, once again! I was reading on the Simple Living discussion forum about a lady who was struggling to get everything her relatives have asked for this Christmas. This really bugs me! I would never dream of telling someone what I wanted for Christmas, because, honestly - the presents are the smallest part of Christmas for me. I understand when someone says "what do you want for Christmas? (I've done it myself), but I usually get them something different anyways.

I think pare down the list and only buy for those you really care about, that way it shows that you've been paying attention to things they may have mentioned throughout the year and you can find a little something to delight them! If someone presented me with a Christmas gift list, my instinct would be to get nothing on that list and really surprise them. If I knew what I was getting beforehand, I'd rather just go buy it myself and have it now.

Why get in a panic over gift buying? It's not like Christmas sneaks up on us and now we're out of options. Pick up a little something during the year and squirrel it away where you won't forget it and you'll be able to have a relaxing holiday season drinking eggnog and listening to Christmas carols. Remember - keep it simple!

Air Purifier really helping

2011-11-13T06:52:00.000-07:00

We are the proud owners of an Energy Star 150CADR True HEPA Air Purifier.

Plugged it in last night and was actually able to breathe through my nose all night. Still doing it today. This is an old building and now that the windows are shut for winter - it's pretty stuffy in here. The air purifier is supposed to be energy-efficient and not cost a lot to run. Regardless, I'd gladly pay a few cents extra to breathe easy!

Spending some time

2011-11-12T15:25:00.000-07:00

listening to music this afternoon and re-watching favourite music videos on You Tube. Perfect weekend activity! I'm on a hunt for a good digital scale and will use it as an indicator as to how my healthy weight is doing. They say the older you get, the faster you age, and I'm feeling it this year. Things are a bit creakier and it's a challenge to stay active and healthy. I see people all around me (mostly younger) with all kinds of health problems and am grateful for my own good health - but there's always room for improvement. You won't see me throwing in the towel and quit trying to do everything I can to maintain optimal health at any age. They'll have to pry the sneakers off my cold, dead feet at the funeral home!

Personal Favourites - 19

2011-11-10T19:33:00.003-07:00

"Get Back" - I remember hearing this song a lot when I was in high school. There's just something about that driving beat. It's one of my favourite walking songs.

Random Thoughts - Part 16

2011-11-09T05:14:00.000-07:00

- French Vanilla coffee makes being up too early more bearable

- ticking alarm clocks remind me of bombs in the movies
- after 3 days of stew - you want to order out for pizza
- need to look for a nice blazer or high-end sweater for the upcoming open house at work
- my iPod makes using the exercise bike more fun!
- where to find a Christmas tree topper with a wide base?
- the show "The Walking Dead" is so character-driven that the zombies seem incidental sometimes (great show)
- looking for a good digital scale, so there's no cheating by tipping back and forth
- random school bus drivers keep popping up on Facebook asking me to go back to work at First Student (no)
- so glad my Christmas shopping is done - the mall was a zoo last Sunday
- I'm entering the Shopping Channel Christmas giveaway contest everyday hoping to win $20,000 in prizes
- love being able to walk to work, especially now - no more early-morning scraping of the windows!
- possibly the only good thing about being up too early is more time to relax before work

Personal Favourites - 17

2011-11-08T22:00:00.001-07:00

Michael Stipe - R.E.M. - "Everybody Hurts" - the best break up song ever! How many kids sat in their bedrooms in the dark and listened to this over and over?

My God, this sounds good...

2011-11-08T04:55:00.000-07:00

Apple and Cheddar Quickbread

1 3/4 c all-purpose flour
2 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
3/4 c milk + 2 T
1/3 c canola oil
1 egg
2 T brown sugar
1 c finely diced apples
1 c strong cheddar cheese, grated

3 T cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 400F. Prep your 8×4 loaf pan* by lightly greasing it with butter and then use a mixture of cornmeal and flour to dust the insides with – about a spoonful of each should do. Shake out any excess and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk everything together. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix together the milk, oil, egg and brown sugar until well blended. Pour in the diced apples and stir in the flour mixture. Add in the cheese in 3 handfuls – stirring between each addition. Dump the batter into your prepared loaf pan and bake for 45-50 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over top of the bread and cook for 10 minutes longer until the cheese melts and the bread is cooked all the way through – use a wooden skewer in the middle of the loaf to test doneness.

*if your loaf pan is larger, reduce the baking time by 10-15 minutes.

Personal Favourites - 16

2011-11-07T22:00:00.003-07:00

Love Aerosmith - no one is more fun to sing along with - you get to open your mouth really wide when singing with Steven Tyler (and pretend you're singing in front of thousands!)

Crock pot beef stew

2011-11-07T06:26:00.000-07:00

Sharing my recipe for the stew I'm making today:

Ingredients-

2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups beef broth
3 potatoes, diced
4 carrots, sliced
1 stalk celery, chopped
Directions

Place meat in slow cooker. In a small bowl mix together the flour, salt, and pepper; pour over meat, and stir to coat meat with flour mixture. Stir in the garlic, bay leaf, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, onion, beef broth, potatoes, carrots, and celery.
Cover, and cook on Low setting for 10 to 12 hours, or on High setting for 4 to 6 hours.

Personal Favourites - 15

2011-11-06T22:00:00.004-07:00

I usually prefer the version from Supernatural, but godammit - WE NEED MORE COWBELL!! (Happy Birthday to me!)

So Delightful!

2011-11-06T06:31:00.000-07:00

I've recently come to love Folgers French Vanilla drip coffee. It's actually replaced regular coffee for me. In the morning I make a full pot and take half of it to work in a thermos. Somebody mentioned that it smelled like a lovely candle. I don't like most flavoured coffees, but I do love all things vanilla and I add skim milk for added calcium. (Those flavoured creamers are just too thick for me). They only come in small tins right now, so I bought two and I know it's way cheaper than stopping by Timmies or Starbucks for the same thing. Give it a try!

Birthday Post

2011-11-06T04:43:00.000-07:00

It's that time again - time to be the birthday girl! I'm glad it's fallen on Sunday this year because when it's on a workday, it seems to fly by without anytime to pause and reflect. I was never one to have a big party or whoop it up, but I do like to review my year and see where there's room for improvement in the months to come.

Let's see - this year... (good)
- I left one job, tried another and finally found one that I liked
- improved relations with my family (hopefully)
- discovered that I'm not too old to learn new things
- managed to maintain a healthy weight
- did more reading (thanks Kindle!)

Needs improvement...
- need to do more reading
- more walking/physical activity needed
- try to improve sleep habits
- more housekeeping required!
- need to have more contact with family near and far

You know, Dad passed away on my birthday 10 years ago and it's always been bittersweet since then. We weren't overly close, but I did admire his love of life and curious mind. I like to think that a little bit of that rubbed off on me. So - another year to look forward to, and like anything, you can only take it one day at a time. (p.s. I got a dozen roses this year!)

Personal Favourites - 14

2011-11-05T22:00:00.003-06:00

"Crimson and Clover" - good Lord - I was in Grade 8 in Ottawa. We had basement parties at our friends' houses. We played this over and over to slow dance, snuggle, grope, etc. Ah, good times!

Hm...I don't know...

2011-11-05T05:16:00.000-06:00

I don't know if or why these will be remade, but in the rumor mill - these are supposed to be coming soon:
- Cleopatra
- Dune
- The Evil Dead
- Frankenstein
- Godzilla
- The Great Gatsby
- Highlander
- Judge Dredd
- The Lone Ranger
- Point Break
- Robocop
- Scarface
- Short Circuit
- A Star is Born
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
- The Thin Man
- Total Recall
- The Twilight Zone
- The Birds
- Gremlins
- The Neverending Story
- Pet Semetary
- Westworld

I might watch some of these - there are many more that I don't know about. But, seriously, Robocop and Total Recall?? Someone's treading on sacred ground there!

Original is Best

2011-11-05T05:02:00.000-06:00

As promised, here are some of the movies that I have enjoyed better than their remakes:

- Love Affair
- Alfie
- The Amityville Horror
- Arthur
- Bedazzled
- Black Christmas
- Carnival of Souls
- The Day the Earth Stood Still
- Rear Window
- The Fog
- The Hitcher
- The Manchurian Candidate
- A Nightmare on Elm Street
- The Nutty Professor (hands down!)
- The Out-of-Towners
- The Parent Trap
- The Poseidon Adventure
- Reefer Madness
- The Stepford Wives
- The Time Machine
- Village of the Damned
- The Wickerman

Hm, I'm getting the urge to go re-watch some of these this weekend!

Next post - upcoming re-makes I'm not sure how I feel about.

Remaking Classics

2011-11-05T04:45:00.000-06:00

I was reading on IMDB this morning about two remakes coming out in 2012. One is "Great Expectations" and yet another version of "Les Miserables". I like both these stories and read the books years ago. Some people say there are no new stories left to tell, hence all the remakes and sequals - but there are always stories I haven't heard about or read that someone else may have. Even movies like "Footloose" has been remade for today's audience. Young people may not want to watch a movie from the 80's and if the story's good enough, will stand be remade.

A couple of my favourite remakes are:
- 12 Angry Men
- 3:10 to Yuma
- The Blob
- Clash of the Titans
- The Fly
- House on Haunted Hill
- I am Legend
- King Kong
- The Omen
- Planet of the Apes
- The Stepfather
- The Thing
- Thirteen Ghosts

These are some of the remakes I have enjoyed. The next post will be original movies that I liked better than their remakes.

Personal Favourites - 13

2011-11-04T22:00:00.002-06:00

Roxette - "Church of Your Heart" - one of Roxette's lesser known songs, but one of my favourites. Per is ever the optimist and is still married to his long-time love Asa. Lovely little tune.

Personal Favourites - 12

2011-11-03T22:00:00.006-06:00

Sammy Johns - "Chevy Van" - ah - peace, love, dope. Too groovy (must go look for my old blacklight posters)

Finally!

2011-11-03T18:15:00.000-06:00

After many weeks of hard work and intense concentration, I'm finally starting to feel like I'm getting on top of spreadsheets. This is new territory for me and it really worried me at first. On my computer at work, there are 8 templates for spreadsheets that can be used for coverage comparisons. I've had some time to really look at them and have cleaned them up, eliminated 3 of them, made sure that all the formulas are right and the cell formatting is correct and I can now say (tentatively) that they will be much easier to work with and the fear factor is gone! I've taught myself how to design the page, center and merge cells, insert and delete columns and rows, change cell size and pretty the page up so it's easy to read.

I think the eye strain has been worth it!

Personal Favourites - 11

2011-11-02T22:00:00.004-06:00

Savage Garden - "I Want You" - pure, unadulterated pop! Love the monotone vocals and great beat. This song was on the radio when I worked at Flint Energy and I heard it multiple times during the day. Just TRY to sing along!

Emotional Vampires

2011-11-02T16:09:00.000-06:00

I can think of several people I've known or worked with in my life who are emotional vampires. They suck you dry and leave you with nothing. Here's a good test (for yourself, as well) to see if you are draining the people around you.

•Do people avoid you or glaze over during a conversation?
•Are you self-obsessed?
•Are you often negative?
•Do you gossip or bad-mouth people?
•Are you critical, and/or controlling?
•Are you a drama queen or king?
•Do you corner people and tell them your whole life story?
•Are you in an emotional black hole, but won't get help?

Here'e where self-awareness comes in. If I find myself slipping into vampire territory, I try to stop it immediately!

Personal Favourites - 10

2011-11-01T22:00:00.004-06:00

Kansas - "Carry on my Wayward Son". Cannot hear this now without thinking of Sam and Dean. Almost their anthem. Carry on Winchesters!

Personal Favourites - 9

2011-10-31T22:00:00.004-06:00

Oh, George Michael - have mercy! Who cares if he's gay? That hair, that sex(I mean sax)ophone, those eyes! I've heard a lot of people make out to this song - ooh la la!

Paranormal Activity Movies

2011-10-31T21:23:00.000-06:00

Okay, I've seen all three now - there'll probably be a fourth and I'll see that one too! These are really creepy - the quiet camera recording everything while people are sleeping. Subtle scary happenings and goosebump raising occurences - the bedsheets that move by themselves and the two hour time lapse when people are standing by the bed staring at their sleeping loved ones.

The best horror movies are the ones where you think you see something out of the corner of your eye in the dark or when you're alone. Not the slasher movies or teen scream queens. I've been a horror fan all my life and it takes a lot to scare me, but this franchise is succeeding in doing so!

Personal Favourites - 8

2011-10-30T22:00:00.002-06:00

Love this song - never know which part to sing along with though. One day, I pulled up at a stoplight and the guy beside me must have been listening to the same radio station that I was because I happened to look over at his car just as we both sang out "All the Leaves are Brown!" Too much fun..

Vices vs. Virtues

2011-10-30T12:11:00.000-06:00

I haven't been sleeping well lately and may be a little punch drunk. In the interest of full disclosure (after which I will go for a long walk in the park), I wanted to list what I perceive to be my vices vs. my virtues. No self-delusion allowed!

Vices:
- overly self-critical
- judgmental, where looking at the big picture would be more helpful
- crappy housekeeper (house looks good, but needs serious cleaning)
- don't spend enough time with immediate family
- lazy and don't really like people
- prone to depression
- holding people at bay that love me for fear of being too vulnerable to being hurt

Virtues:
- believe what people tell me until I find out differently
- have a good work ethic
- have a curious mind and love to learn new things
- love the simple and pure things in life
- try to see things objectively (big picture)
- love one-on-one conversations about important things in life
- believe in second chances

No one is perfect and we are all made up of good and bad, positive and negative. Perhaps that's why I got my yin/yang tattoo - to remind me to always find the middle way and somehow stay passionate about the things you love. Enough introspection for today - it's a beautiful day and the park is calling me!

Kids

2011-10-30T11:03:00.000-06:00

I never had sons - never wanted any after having three brothers (ha ha!), but I have two daughters and am grateful for them. I never thought I would have kids - not a very maternal sort - but I did the best I could and I hope they realize that. When kids are little, they're kind of like puppies - easy to mold and train, but as they grow older and develop separate personalities - that's when the fun begins!

When they reach teenager-y hood - look out! Hormones come into play and all bets are off. It's hard to be there for all the mood swings 24 hours a day. My own mom, bless her heart, was a hard worker in the home, but not overly touchy-feely loving. I always think of her as separate from her kids, even though she loved us very much. This probably comes from her own childhood where her mom and dad were there, but not overtly loving.

I guess my wish is that the next generation is more open, less reserved and whole-heartedly loving than mine was. Don't judge me.

Personal Favourites - 7

2011-10-29T22:00:00.003-06:00

Possibly the greatest rock song ever written and recorded! Loved it in "Wayne's World" and, most recently, by Bill Shatner!

More favourite movies - Christian Bale

2011-10-29T04:19:00.000-06:00

Almost too many to mention -

- The Dark Knight
- 3:10 to Yuma
- The Prestige
- Batman Begins
- Equilibrium
- Reign of Fire
- American Psycho
- Empire of the Sun

Very intense actor - plus, he totally looks like James Brolin!

Re-watching old Favourites

2011-10-29T03:53:00.000-06:00

I was watching a trailer for the new "Mission Impossible" movie and it looks very exciting. It made me think of other Tom Cruise movies that I'd completely forgotten about, but really enjoyed, so I snooped around on the movie sites and bookmarked a few. Some of them are:

- Vanilla Sky
- Minority Report
- War of the Worlds
- Mission Impossible
- Interview with the Vampire
- The Firm
- Top Gun
- Legend
- Risky Business

Hm... that list is way bigger than I thought it would be!

Personal Favourites - 6

2011-10-28T22:00:00.002-06:00

Barbara Allen - a beautiful old folk song from the British Isles - covered by many artists. This is my favourite version by Art Garfunkel. I first came across this song in "Scrooged", although it was also done quite well by Porky Pig as Friar Tuck at one point.