Conspiracies!

I spent an unfortunate chunk of today being angry at someone who had no idea. Can I mention how much I dislike my most recent ex-boyfriend as of late? I just want to scream at him so badly, but I can't, and I won't. I broke up with him about 800-million years ago which I have labelled as the most unsuccessful break-up ever. What a waste of time the last x months have been. I have no issues with the original relationship whatsoever. I have issues with me being indecisive and putting up with so much crap in the past few months in some sort of faux relationship. Except I didn't know I was putting up with *that* much crap... the pieces of the blurry, foggy puzzle just keep falling into place.

It's a puzzle I don't even want to see. Can I not just burn it?

Anyway, I'm not mentioning him by name, thus this cannot be considered slander :) Two male friends told me he was trouble long ago... and I ignored their foresight.

Anyway, c'est la vie. Most days are 800% fantastic with rainbows, but something had come to my attention recently. But hey, tomorrow is another day, and tomorrow will be a good day. I have already decided. I decided to let this "development" bother me this morning. I decide not to let it bother me tomorrow. I was thinking of the dollar value of my time - what my thoughts are worth per hour. Dwelling on things not worth dwelling on are not a good use of my time.

I love summer on so many levels.

Last night Hannah and I watched the first part of Pearl Harbor. I should have just rented a documentary, that's kind of what I was looking for. The writing in that movie is poor, the courtship of the initial relationship causes one to roll his/her eyes. However, the actual attack on Pearl Harbor is incredibly engrossing and I can't look away from it. I also find it very stressful to watch.

It baffles me. The shear, well, skill behind the entire thing. Attention to detail. The patience required to work on an attack months prior, waiting for the day. Hoping not to get caught. I couldn't believe how smart the Japanese Empire was to have every fine detail ironed out. The US gov't had no idea, other than hunches of a few men.

Or so I thought.

I googled Pearl Harbor today and search results taught me that people speculate that the US gov't knew of the planned attack and FDR let it happen so he could finally convince congress to vote on entry into WWII. It was a rather intersting read, apparently the gov't with held information from forces in Hawai'i, and the 'best' ships, carriers, etc., were, coincidently, not in Pearl Harbor. To quote the article, the Japanese basically bombed leftover WWI scrap. The 'good' assets had been re-directed to other ports, stations, etc. FDR needed an attack on homesoil, an knew the Germans would not do it. The US had built itself up to be indestructible - Hitler did not need to deal with the US at that time.

This new-found knowledge kind of bothers me. Would the President sacrifice so many men and women, simply so the US would finally have a catalyst to enter the War? People were not only sacrificed, but I suspect the economy of Hawai'i (not even a US state at the time - still only a territory) would had been hit hard. Tourism would have dropped and patrolling the Pacific would have made importing and exporting goods incredibly difficult.

Of couse, it is a conspiracy theory. The internet is full of 'facts' supporting both sides of the argument. I find it all curious.

This just learned: apparently Hawai'i's economy did not suffer during the war. Things were difficult on sugar and pineapple plantations, and many were temporarily shut down due to decreasing cargo ships (? I think? may have misinterpreted article). However, the population basically doubled with all the service men and women showing up. Doubled simply in O'ahu or in all of Hawai'i, I'm not sure, but I think there is one teeny Hawai'ian island that the gov't used to use as military testing grounds, if my memory of Erin's lonely planet guide serves correct.

12:17. Am supposed to be asleep now. Whoops!

Faahahhhhahhther's Day

It's a day late, but official online cheers to my Papa on Father's Day (+1 day).

My Papa is quite lovely, yes, and is pretty much one of my most favourite people in the entire planet. His most requested present when asked what he would like for b'day/Xmas/random holiday is, "I just want for you to be happy."

I also owe my dad a boat. I told him I would get him one when I was rich. What defines rich? I got him a toy boat for his b'day a couple of years back. Kind of like an 'I owe you'.

My Papa also has very good intuition and can generally tell when something is bothering me, which is particularly impressive when done over the phone.

Papa is called Papa after I saw "The Making of Beauty and the Beast on Broadway" on the telie and Belle kept calling her dad "Papa".
"Papa, do you think I'm odd?"
"My daughter, odd? Where'd you get an idea like that?"

When I was young I used to join me Papa on wee roadtrips around PEI when he was delivering things for work, or over to Halifax for eye appointments. Lovely!

Papa and I planned our first holiday to Florida together and he quite put up with an encouraged my geekiness. It was pre-internet, so we had two guide books and I'm pretty sure I had them memorised by the time we actually went on vacation.

It's odd to write about my dad, because it just seems so obvious that he is a wonderful person. It doesn't really need an explanation. He is delightful, intelligent, insightful, intuitive, and very loving to his family. It always makes me happy when people point out similarities between myself, my Papa, and the Clan MacPhail in general.

Conclusion: my Papa is ridiculously amazing and has made my life much easier, much more full of love, and above and beyond fantastic than anyone could expect.

I'm also a ridiculously hairy person because of him and his genes, but I'll that slide. Particularly with his new-found skill of shirt folding. (It honestly is very impressive.)

Internet is buggy... post!

Supper

Ahh, the life of a bachelorette.

Tonight, a mere, two minutes ago, I had a pleasant variety of cereal for breakfast.

Is that sad? (As in pathetic, not tear enducing.)

It was delicious... but seems terribly irresponsible for a 26 y.o. On the plus side, as mentioned, cereal is delicious. A thrilling mix of raison bran, granola, and some sort of fake-healthy kiddie Winnie the Pooh cereal. It's not that good, so I mix it with the others to make it delightful. It's been in the ol' cupboard since last November.

What would a single bloke eat on his lazy bachelor nights? I kind of assume sausages and cheese. I have no basis for this hypothesis, other than men like meat. However, what about vegetarian men? Perhaps they dine on cereal as well? Cereal shaped like carrots, apples, tofu, and seasame seeds?

How terribly boring.

Tomorrow I will eat a real supper. It will involve the preparation of multiple food items. The kitchen shall be filled with delightful aromas of delightfully aromatic foods.

So far my 200-km bike goal for the week looks extremely reachable, with approximately 167 km so far. I have three days to go just over 30 km, which is simple simple simple, save threats of earthquakes, tornados, hurricaines, and other various natural disastors. This is also impressive as I did not bike yesterday other than my mighty 2-entire-kilometre commute, and to drop off a movie at That's Entertainment. La vie d'une lass sans auto.

It was actually due back on Monday, but post bike-ride on Monday I turned dilirious and couldn't move. Seriously. I plunked down on the couch, started giggling and rambling to roommates in a completely incomprehensible conversation, then crawled up my stairs and fell asleep for 1.5 hrs. Woke up at 10:30, took a shower, cooked supper, proceeded to eat a whole field of rice grain, and then eventually fell asleep again close to 2:00am in some weird giddy state of mind. Napping that late at night is not recommended. I know... for that was the second night in a row I did such foolishness. Oh, Miss Mc Mac Maki Maki Mo.

For the past THREE DAYS I have had the same song in my head. It's getting to be a bit much, and I am considering drastic measures. I don't want to go into detail, but it *could* involve excessive Magic 93 listening, perhaps a wee download or two of catchy bubble gum pop music, a single hair from an oxen's tail, and, obviously, four bandaids, one jug of peach juice, and a paper plate. It's an old remedy passed down from multiple generations, completed with the dull light of a distant moon. Preferably Earth's moon, and not, say, one of Mars' two moons. Though having two moons would be a curious experience. I must look more into Mars' moon - are they on opposite sides of the planet, or are they close together much like the dual suns of Tatooine in Star Wars?

I think... I will go to bed now. I have been destroyed in the mornings as of late to the point of needing a nap after breakfast and before getting dressed. I'm not sure if you have participated in the breakfast consumption lately, but I assure you that it's not so strenuous that one generally requires a nap post-event.

Unrelated, but I'm currently embracing the extreme obnoxious power of positive thinking and starring at my phone. Ring, wee grey phone, ring riiiiing...

Weekend level of greatness = intense

I have end-of-weekend happy glow. The weather turned out fantastic, I did lots of stuff, enjoyed life, and found cures for a number of diseases. No, not so much, but that would just be icing on the cake.

This evening, after a lazy afternoon of intensive tanning/napping in the sun, I went for a nice bike ride. Wind was pretty much non-existent and it felt like I flew around the Isle for 60 fab kms. I passed Donagh school, so now i know where it is. Lovely! I also learned that google maps does not know the different between dirt roads and paved roads, which rather changed my plan. Which was fine. Apparently eating three cookies pre biking gives me the energy to fly to the moon and back (twice).

I also have started drinking Gatorade ocassionally when biking or post bike ride. I have done this twice... and when drinking it tonight on some random road noticed that it has 42 grams of sugar. Umm, isn't that a little bloody insane?! So now I'm concerned about Gatorade being bad for me. Isn't it basically kool-aid? Alas. It just so quenches my thirst when I'm 25-km away from home in an unknown location.

My goal is to bike about 200 km per week. Between tonight and tomorrow night (road ride!) I should be able to get in about 110. Excellent! so then I have five nights/days to get in 90 km. That seems a bit overly ambitious since last week I squeezed in 135.

In a related note, I put my bike computer on my bike and am a little geeky about it now, obviously :P At one point today, going down Georgetown Rd in Tea Hill, I was going about 50 km/hr. Insane!

I should go to bed now. But I crashed for an hr post bike ride and am not so tired. So tricky.

Chart this day

10:22 - I am feeling awake! This is very exciting as I haven't been able to fall asleep earlier than 2:00am lately. Dragging myself out of bed has been very, very difficult, but I have still managed to get to work at 8:45 the past two days. Impressive!

10:47 - I just got an emailing saying "You're the best, thanks Jennifer!"
Question: who is the best?
Answer: Apparently, Jen Mac is the best! (?!)

11:42 - I am bored and want to eat. I'm writing a report on first-time versus repeat travel parties to PEI. The excitement is surely mounting.

11:48 - I want to go out for lunch. I didn't really bring a lunch. Perhaps a journey to the SuperStore is required to purchase sushi.

12:20 - I'm getting tired and my eyeballs are starting to hurt.

Hee hee:
from Is a degree in homeopathy a sick joke?

Mumbo-jumbo and barmpots: A glossary of Magic Medicine

Homeopathy: giving patients medicines that contain no medicine whatsoever.
Herbal medicine: giving patients an unknown dose of an ill-defined drug, of unknown effectiveness and unknown safety.
Acupuncture: a rather theatrical placebo, with no real therapeutic benefit in most, if not all, cases.
Chiropractic: an invention of a 19th-century salesman, based on nonsensical principles: shown to be no more effective than other manipulative therapies, but less safe.
Reflexology: plain old foot massage, overlaid with utter nonsense about non-existent connections between your feet and your thyroid gland.
Nutritional therapy: self-styled “nutritionists” making untrue claims about diet in order to sell you unnecessary supplements.
Spiritual healing: tea and sympathy, accompanied by arm-waving.
Reiki: ditto.
Angelic reiki: the same but with added “angels, ascended masters and galactic healers”. Excellent for advanced fantasists.
Colonic irrigation: a rectal obsession that fails to rid you of toxins which you didn’t have in the first place.
Anthroposophical medicine: invention of the mystic barmpot, Rudolf Steiner, for whom nothing whatsoever seems to strain credulity.
Alternative diagnosis: kinesiology, iridology, vega test, etc: various forms of fraud, designed to sell you cures that don’t work, for problems you haven’t got.
Any alternative “therapist” who claims to cure Aids or malaria: agent of culpable homicide.

1:32 - I just learned a new word! Pedantic. I like it :)

2:03 - there is a conference being held in our building and I swear the people pretty much eat constantly. I don't think breakfast is served, but there is a break at about 10:30 with 'morning pastries', coffee, juice, etc. Then they have lunch (today: crepes, salad, cookies and other such desserts), and the catering folk are currently downstairs setting up for the next break. You know, it's not like sitting and listening burns a lot of calories. Trust me. I know. I work in a office and spend far too much time sitting. Working in offices is one very good catalyst for getting fat.

Likewise, working in an office where there is always leftover conference food is a sure catalyst for putting on some poundage ;)

3:42 - dooohdooooooooododododododododododo. In the bathroom I was thinking about a new electronic disposal tax that is going to be introduced on PEI (can't remember if this is in the works, has been approved, or is merely being discussed). I realise that people are more likely to use the service if they are paying for it upfront, but I wonder how many people will use it. Drive to a special depot to dispose of their telie. And what about people who purchase something here but move from the Island (or perhaps they were tourists)? Will they be allowed to forfeit the fee somehow or will they be able to dispose of the electronic off-Island for free?

I'm glad it's possibly being introduced though, it seems shameful to have piles of electronic crap on the sides of the roads. I have an old digital camera I don't know what to do with. It died a tragic, drawn-out death after it had been used for, well, THOUSANDS of pictures, the three most intensively photographed years of my life. It's just gathering dust in the 223 livingroom, wonderful if it will ever be useful again (no - it's done for).

Le sleepy.

Are taxes charged on diapers? I was thinking about taxation of necessary goods. I was trying to compare diapers to "feminine products", which are taxed. Females don't really have any other alternative other than to buy such products, or sit on the toilet for a series of days and get a perma red-bum-ring around their bottom from excessive toilet seat contact. Diapers have cloth alternatives. No one can honestly tell me that there are cloth alternatives available for females. I refuse to believe it, and would likely refuse to use it for so, so, *so* many reasons.

One more hour of work!

I want to sit outside on a park bench, watch fountains, and enjoy lovely instrumental music in the background.

This morning I wanted a snuggle partner in bed because I was tired, groggy, and only slightly awake. Instead a small collection of crap has formed on my bed: PEI map, bike computer, cell phone (for alarm purposes), a pen (or two), but nothing with skin. Sometimes I don't miss sharing my bed with someone at all, this morning was not one of those times. However, I woke up in a bad, tired mood, so chances are if there *had* been someone in my bed (!) I would had wanted to be alone. Grass is greener on the other side. But hey, I'm just happy I can see grass post-winter snow. Hurrah!

Follow my brain!

The subject is generally in regards to nothing, except upon signing into Blogger I noticed that the blog three friends and I kept during uni has a "follower". Why anyone would want to "follow" it is beyond me... particularly as it has not been updated since, umm, oh, I'm guessing 2002. It semi belongs in an Internet graveyard somewhere.

I have returned from afar! I was in the US and Ottawa. I spent money. I rode a bicycle, in-line skated (since apparently rollerblading is not correct as Rollerblades are a brand, not a product as per third-year marketing textbook), played in the Gatineau Hills, camped in an extremely tiny tent, and overall had a fantastic wonderful time with fantastic wonderful people. Mission Eastern Timezone = success!

Trip in a nutshell (mmm, nuts)

New Brunswick
Highlights: TreeGo in Moncton, seeing Melissa.
Lowlights: my baked potato at Wendy's in Saint John. Thoroughly disappointing and a firm reminder in why I generally stay far, far away from fastfood.

Yee Ol' USA
Highlights: Shopping/outlet stores, US prices, camping in a tent meant for a small child, laying on a rock on the beach at 9am feeling the sun beat down on my face and sipping a beer.
Lowlights: I didn't buy enough alcohol... I couldn't remember how much beer you could bring back into Canada. I took 14. Limit was 24. Lesson learned.

Ottawa
Highlights: Friends!!! How is it that my social life there is substantially better than my social life in PEI? Being able to use my old bus tickets, biking, rollerblading, playing in Gatineau Park.
Lowlights: MEC did not have the shirt I wanted in my size. Tragic.

So hurrah! It was a good trip.

Unrelated, but I have a mystery bump on my ankle. Curious. I also have some scratches and bruises on my leg, but that's from being clumsy when trying to manouver a friend's bike over one of the canal's locks.

I also have weird cuts similar to paper cuts on my finger which simply will not heal.

I felt out of shape on my bike this evening. I am also considering purchasing new tires... skinnier ones. But then I realised I don't understand/am not familiar with the vast complexities of tires. How small can I go before having to purchase entirely new wheels? I was going to type, "This is where most recent ex-boyfriend would be useful," but I highly expect others would have this knowledge as well.

Such as the staff at the bike shops. Bless their wee hearts and knowledge-filled brains.

The coming days are supposed to be lovely, I am excited for some responsible sun bathing time (e.g., I will wear sun screen), mounting le Bicyclette, general twirling, and perhaps harvesting sugar cane.

I am also going to be the Dune's Next Top Model this weekend. Seriously. Okay, maybe not so serious on the *top* model, but at least *a* model. I am expecting hilarity to present itself, and beyond that, I have no idea what to expect other than I get to wear pretty clothes and have a free glass o' wine. And, obviously, that I will rock the body that rocks the party.

According to the National Post, yesterday I invested $303 in GM. Delightful. Groan. Apparently much of the financing given to GM in Canada will be to help finance pensions that GM promised but can no longer afford. Great, so now I am saving for my retirement, helping others in their current retirement (CPP), and paying for someone else's pension? Although really, via taxes, I was paying for the pensions of GOC employees anyway.

The GM thing rather irritates me. I completely feel for those who may had lost their job, and the subsequent spiral that would have ripelled through the economy, but really, GM should have seen this coming. It's not like a specific event suddently occured and GM was an unfair bystander. The National Post also had an interesting point in regards to the challenges facing the marketing department of GM: brand image and perception. The public's view on GM right now is likely rather negative. How is this going to play into consumers' minds when deciding what kind of car to purchase?

I have to go to bed. Post 1:00am and I have to go to work tomorrow. I also want to get there early so I can go outside and frolick in the sun post work. Rock on, vitamin D!!! It's been far too long, my love.

We Go On

We Go On

I was singing this as walking to work today. Not loudly, just slightly louder than a hum.

"With the stillness of the night
there comes a time to understand
to reach out and touch tomorrow
take the future in our hand

We can see a new horizon
built on all that we have done
and our dreams begin another
thousand circles 'round the sun

We go on
to the joy and through the tears
We go on
to discover new frontiers
Moving on
with the current of the years

We go on
moving forward, now as one
Moving on
with a spirit born to run
Ever on
with each rising sun

To a new day
We go on

We go on "

It gives me happy happy memories of pop corn, cheese soup, maple almond fudge, beer, and ice wine.
It's sunny today and supposed to be 24C. Summer?! oooh, giddy.

Extra time

Today while watching the telie, post attempted room cleaning, I got to thinking about spare time. I had much of it this weekend. I kind of feel like I wasted the long weekend, I didn't accomplish very much other than Jen's Longest Bike Adventure of the year, and obtaining some ridiculously delightful tan lines.

Society has so much free time now. I'm sure some would argue otherwise, but the things that keep us busy are often by choice. When putting my dishes into the dish washer I thought about how processes have changed with innovation and invention. My dishes are sitting in the dishwasher waiting for one of the 223-mates to press 'start' on the machine after it is full, my laundry was washing itself in the washing machine, and I was watching the telie. Had this been 100 years ago, my evening would have been quite different. The dishes would have been washed by me (or my well trained children), I would have been handwashing my clothes, and obviously not watching television. Granted, I could stil do these things now, but tonight I chose not to. Some clothing I do wash by hand (I won't even bother telling you how un-often these items get washed), and I do wash dishes by hand sometimes. I never put pots or pans in the dishwasher - take up too much room.

I don't like feeling unproductive. I feel like when there is a long weekend I should accomplish great things, or leave the Isle. PEI has been dragging me down a wee bit lately. I love the novelty of living on a small island, but sometimes I crave a little more in variety and feel very landlocked. That being said, I love the water and love knowing it's so close.

On the other other other hand (have I told you how many hands I have?), sometimes the water seem restricting. While PEI as a whole is somewhat shaped like a banana on it's side with the left end tipped a bit higher, Ch'town itself is a wee bit of a peninsula... or something. Water to the south (Ch'town Harbour), water to the east (Hillsborough River), water to the west (North [York] River). Go, look it up on Google Maps. I will wait for your return.

Granted the waterways to the east and west aren't that large but bleh.

On Saturday I joined a very small group and we biked from Charlottetown up to the north shore (all through Stanhope, through the National Park, then back to Ch'town) - about a 60-km adventure. Makes you realise how small PEI is though. That being said, that's a north-south ride... you can go much further going east or west.

Blah blah blah. Point of the entire thing is: I'm bored. It's been gloomy the past two days. A wise man told Ewan McGregor, who then told me, (via his book, sadly, not directly,) that rain is okay, as long as you don't let it rain in your head. I wish I had remembered that earlier, very good advise.

I have a rather stiff/sore neck from... something.

I must return to work tomorrow. I'm craving something bigger than that. My contract finishes in two weeks.

O_o

Oh, Monday night blahs. Last May long weekend I biked across the entire province.

I'm heading to America-land and Upper Canada soon. That'll be good :)

Sometimes I wonder if my expectations for life are too high. I want a job I love, I want to be on vacation for eleven months of the year, I want a bloke that thinks I'm wonderful (and vice versa), I want to explore, I want to learn, I want to help people, I want what I do to make others smile... perhaps the secret to getting what you want is to give.

Sometimes I get frustrated that there is so much that I do not know. There is also so much I once knew but do not know any longer. I don't remember how to use a graphing calculator, I don't remember the two ways one can amortize fixed assets (straight-line versus... something that has to do with a percent rather than fixed number), I don't remember how to speak Spanish very well. I understand you lose knowledge when you don't use it, but what am I putting into the newly emptied compartments? Something else? Which is better - the old or the new?

Somewhat related, I'm convinced spellcheck is making me stupid, particularly in programs such a Microsoft Word that autocorrect common spelling mistakes.

I was thinking about typewriters a few days ago. Now obscelete, but image at one point in your life being presented with a typewriter. The mass production of hand writing. You somewhat become a bit more like everyone else, for everyone has the same face for their writing.

I need inspiration. Or more so, I need to inspire myself.

¡ Que dia! π

It just popped into my head:

What defines cheating in a relationship that was not formally established to be a relationship, was not declared as real/official, but was *exactly* like a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship with utterances of love and almost constant companionship? What is safely to be assumed an unwritten rule?

Anyway. That's pretty much all that needs to be said. Dwelling on the past is the negative version of 'reflecting on the past'. I feel sorry for the third party involved on the far other side of this great nation. I'm going to assume she has no idea (I really don't know?), at least I had a 99.9% hunch which turned out to be correct, and the benefit of it being more difficult to lie directly to one's face rather than via script or a faceless phone call.

It helps that my intuition is that of a super hero :) it's interesting knowing something is happening that you are not supposed to know about, and whether it is something good or bad. If good, exciting! If bad... how is one to address it? Wait til it blows up in your face? Proactive vs. reactive. I guess it's a matter of preference, put it off and deal with the consequences later, or put on a fake front for awhile and embrace the present.

When it comes to addressing conflict, I am an EXPERT at avoiding it. Eww, conflict! Emotions! Shudder!

ANYWAY.

It's lunch time. I have no lunch. I meant to wander to the grocery store this am but just plan ol' forgot.

Things I did today that were smart/good:

• Corrected someone in his use of weighted averages vs. non-weighted averages.
  
• Eyeliner: Lined my top lid, THEN the bottom lid. I always forget and end up smudging the bottom when doing the top.
  
• Got to work at 8:30!
  
• Used a straw to make drinking water "more fun". (I never drink enough water.)
  
• Found an error in a graph.
  
• Didn't forget to bring anything to work! (I think... so far.)
  
• No visits to the vending machine or the $.25-candy machines (so far).
  
• Refrained from cursing out loud. I have a pottymouth co-worker. It's contagious.

Things I am Thinking About:

• My rumbly tummy and why eating seems to have slowed incredibly in the past few days?
  
• Working faster to finish my report so I can leeeeeaaaaaave.
  
• My poor bike locked up outside, yearning to be ridden in the glorious sunshine.
  
• How I could be working on my report instead of writing this... Hmm.
  
• How my work ethic is comparable to that of magnifying-glass-fried ant.
  
• The difficulties that come with explaining the gloriousness of KFC chicken skin to a vegetarian.(No offense, Jannie :) )
  
• My Dr. said my dark hair and skin makes me look me European. (We were talking about in-grown hairs due to an obvious tweezer wound that came from attempting to dig a hair out close to my belly button. Lesson learned: don't do that.)
  
• BK: it often smells so disgustingly good when I bike by in the am.
  
• Beer: I need a detox. via wine? Wine on warm patio is just not the same though.
  
• Long weekend!!!
  
• I'm going on an adventure soon in America-land and Upper Canada.
  
• My wit is been sorely lacking lately. Perhaps it is napping?
  
• Ummm, back to work.
  
• I should write children's novels!

"A morning shower is like baptizing your day." - Paul Lewis

Oh, Y Chromozone

Arrrrgh!

Usually I try to sound relatively intelligent and mature on this, especially as I tend to forget other people may, you know, read this.

But I don't care right now.

Male population: I don't understand you. Not all of you, but a few of you that keep pushing back into my life. People say women are complicated, and we are, but at least you know that going into it. I'm convinced women collect thoughts in a logical manner, and then blow them out of propotion. They link them together to make conclusions. Men collect many single bits of information, but do not connect them together.

And I don't care if I sound like a jerk.

This blog has been interupted by an email from a problematic bloke.

Anyway, I'm looking for an arranged marriage. Apply in comments section. I'm easy to please. I enjoy cake, being outside, excessive spooning in pretzel-like positions, and holidays. Pissing me off can be solved by lookingly shamefully and sadly into my eyes and saying, "I'm sorry that/for ________." Bonus points for the ability to conjure up a single, dramatic tear. Also win me over with clipless bike pedals and appropriate sexy bike cleats. Investment I am unsure if I will take this summer. Bonus points if shoes are RED. (For reference, ths is the colour of the maple leaf in the Canada Flag.) Ideally you will be a male, but if you are an especially lovely woman I may consider you.

Seriously, wtf, mate.

I now present to you.... a new ability to deal with stress!

So I was thinking about currency. Again. And how world currency exchange rates used to be pegged to the US dollar. If a global currency were to take over (which will clearly not happen within the next 8,395,683.8 years), which currency would we take and what problems would be presented?

A model to base this off would be the development of the Euro. (I am special, my North American keyboard has a euro sign € !) I'm easily convinced that even 25 years ago people would not have predicted a successful amalgamation of x number of currencies (don't know actual number). The debates must had been extensive: whose currency to take? create a new one? conversion rates? where to be printed? what rate of exchange with foreign currencies? (Though I'm sure this wasn't just decided by those creating the currencies, clearly that would be a massive mess in itself.)

I lost my train of thought. In conclusion, a global currency would be very messy. The economies of the world are unequal. The governments uncooperative with different styles. Banks with different shareholders, customers, needs.

Anyway, were we to get a global currency, I would wish the different notes to reflect the culture of different continents. Rather impossible though, given the vast differences present in each continent.

Mostly I want a bill with a penguin on it. The Canadian currency is bedazzled with birds, but no penguins, due to the obvious reasons ("What do you mean this isn't Antarctica?")

My stomach is rumbly. Eating was not an activity I partook in today. The day instead was spent with zee familia, fuming, being baffled, eventually remember that drinking at least *one* glass of water would be good, booking a plane ticket, and flipping the ol' bird at the "problems" in my life.

My problems aren't big. I should specify that. But sometimes, at 1:00am, you suddenly feel like sticking your tongue out at silly things.

Really, I don't even have problems. I have food and shelter from the bitter cold, and strangers do not offer me cursed fruits of plants. Try being in a "fairytale", those kids generally have it much rougher than I. Particularly those with stepmums, who come across as pretty darn fierce.

I have to go to work soon. Where, oh where, did the evening go? Soon the sun will once again BURST through the ground and temporarily blind my eyes, while leaving my vitamin D deprived skin in heaving fits of happiness.

Rock on, Jen M[a]c, rock on.

(I'm not even going to bother proofreading this because it makes no sense, likely. But boys, I still love you and your gender. Can't we all just get along?)

oooh, lazy Mother's Day Sunday

Happy Mother's Day to my wonderful mum :)

I suddenly feel guilty but I'm not much of a card person, so I do not have a card for my mum. But here is what you must know about her: she is wonderful! She does many wonderful things for me, and always has, so much that I could never repay her. She [et papa] let me go to their house when I am down, when I am too lazy too cook, feel the need to brown my skin in the sun, or just whenever I feel like dropping in. She tried to teach me to be clean and organized, but we all know that was a lost cause to begin with. She spent countless hours with me, playing, reading, teaching, letting me "do" her hair (800 ponytails is a clear classic), and playing with her make-up. Apologies to my friends who ended up looking like clowns. Apparently less is more with blue eyeshadow, but I didn't know.

My mum also gives me permission to be an idiot by times. I very much recall in fourth-year uni, dwelling about an ex-boyfriend who apparently reallllly wanted to get back together with me. I was stressed. Turning to my mum with baffled eyes, she said, "It's a bad idea, but I can't say I wouldn't do it if I were you and your age." She was right - it was a bad idea (but doesn't really affect me in the long run), but instead of just telling me I was stupid (which she probably wanted to) she let me learn a lesson from it.

She worries about me, but never enough to tell me not to do something. When I was lonely and thinking backpacking Europe by oneself was a stupid stupid STUUUUUPID thing to do, she came and joined me, completely last minute, and I loved our mini-trip segment together. I was refueled and happily finished my trip after her departure.

I admire my mum because she is quirky, requests the oddest things for gifts ("I need lumber to rebuild the patio." "Umm..."), creative, talented, a hard worker (though me thinks she needs to slow down), is brave, and is a person with a very positive outlook. She complains much less than the average person because her glass is half full.

I like making my mum proud, because I want her to realise she did an excellent job raising me (papa too, but father's day is not for another month :) ). She always shared my accomplishments with me and was equally excited for me when good things happened.

Someday I will give my mum a granddaughter who will love her equally as much. Well, maybe I will give her one. Who knows. But she would like that because she likes the smell of babies' heads. And taking pictures of babies, which thrills me.

In conclusion, why buy a card that tells only a mere fraction of the story? The card I need has never been made.

Happy Mother's Day mum, I love yee!

I was supposed to be at your house three minutes ago... but am still in my housecoat. But I think that's okay because you were sleeping when I called... heh.

Unrelated note: I bought a fender for my bike! Advantage: helps keep me clean/dry. Disadvantage: it clips on and off. I took it off yesterday. Bike is here with me at 223. Fender is at parents'. My pavement is wet. Oh la la, skunk stripe number 48 of the year.

PS ~ I sold my car. It's been good, Wee Red, it's been good.

Sagittarius

If you do not have a friend who is a sagittarius, I invite you to hang out with me.

Me, as a Sagittarius

Quotes to how this article is correct or where it made me giggle.

"The people born under this zodiac sign just don't know how to give compliments."

"Sagittarius people are very sharp and are an interesting fusion of humor, intellect and sizzling drive."

"A Sagittarian will usually come across as a very cheerful and pleasant person. However, he has a violent temper also, which is aroused when people try to push him around or try to get too close."

"Sagittarians are rebels at heart and adhering to social norms is not their cup of tea. They love to perform before an audience and usually seek a career in the show business. Travel excites them and religion interests them. Just like a child, a Sagittarius is naive, fearless and optimistic and dislikes responsibilities."

"Some of the most unpleasant personality traits of a Sagittarius include sarcasm, weirdness and the inability to keep a secret."

"Sagittarians have excellent memories and can remember even the smallest incidents of their lives, with the minutest of details. At the same time, they can easily forget things like where they left their car keys or wallet or handkerchief."

And this is why I am awesome and you should cleeeeeearly want to hang out with me, befriend me, adopt me, give me your citizenship, etc.

Rock on Jen M[a]c.

If today were a weekend

This morning when I was supposed to be sitting in my office chair but was actually sitting on the 223 couch reading a magazine, I was thinking about the things I would rather do today than work.

• Go to the library and read MANY magazines
• Read a book
• Ride my bike
• Get my rear derailleur re-aligned (was going to do this before work but was discouraged by the rain)
• Buy a rear fender
• Put rear fender on bike
• Learn to make sushi
• Eat poorly made sushi (reference above bullet)
• Start planning a new vacation
• Devise a plan on how to start dating Wolverine
• Watch online episodes of "Deadliest Warrior"
• Purchase groceries that aren't candy or cereal
  
• Rent and watch the three X-Men movies (research for Wolverine goal)
• Destroy the funny blisters on my finger (I did this at work anyway)
• Fill a deep bathtub with water
• Sit in deep bathtub that had been filled with water
• Feel guilty about wasting water
• Devise a strategy to change the rainy forecast for the next few days
• Get a tan, through sheer will powering and mental determination
• Develop some sort of skill that will allow me to be cast in Cirque du Soleil

There is a huge possibility that I would not be able to complete this list all in one day.

On Monday night I went for my first "big" bike ride of the year (big being more than 20ish km). I went with people much fast than me. I was absolutely exhausted afterwards. Including my short commute to work and home, I biked about 50 km that day. Nothing excessive, but whoa, I didn't quite expect it to hit me that hard. The 'official' ride of my day started from Stratford and went to Cherry Valley. I borrowed a lovely road bike from Cycling PEI and went to their "beginners" road ride. I guess beginner is a very broad term as I'm pretty sure I was the only beginner/newbie. That being said, everyone was super friendly, nice, and encouraging and I look forward to the next ride!

The ride to Cherry Valley actually went over quite well. The ride back... mostly well! There was one point going up what seemed to be the Biggeset Hill on Planet PEI that I may had gotten off the bike and walked up the hill had no one been around. Big hill + head wind = Weakened Jennifer. I felt so jittery when I got off the bike after the ride. I'm not used to the odd vibrations of road bikes - the senseation of someone rattling all your bones. Riding my regular bike home afterwards (I'm such a hard-core comuter) seemed so cushiony. I got home at about 8:00 and was passed out on the couch at 9:15 and woke up at one point wondering if someone had beat me with a hockey stick while I was sleeping. Then I was thirsty and hungry, but was supposed to fast for bloodwork the following morning. No refueling for me! (Again, because I'm hardcore.)

So in weird business practice, I took my bike in to a bike shop last week for some pedals and I needed new front break pads. I didn't notice when I picked up my bike, but they took my break pads off the back, and replaced them with new ones?! This was not mentioned to me, and I do believe I was charged for them reflecting on the un-itemized receipt. Issue: I didn't ask them to do that, they didn't tell me they were doing that, and the break pads on the back were brand new, and the kind with removeable pads, so you can just replace that rather than the entire component. Boggles the mind and it will be brought up when I go into the shop again very very very soon (as mentioned, rear derailleur has been malfunctioning since I picked my bike back up).

I suppose I should work now.

Holy headlines!

Yesterday was a restless day. It ended up being a bit of a stupid day which went by v-e-e-e-e-r-r-r-r-y-y-y-y-y sloooowly. And a hungry day, as I made an effort to stop wandering to the vending machine during work and to cut back on the incredible amount of candy and chocolate I consume. This went well until I *forgot* about this goal and bought delicious delicious DELICIOUS caramel cakes for an impending hopefully camping adventure that did not take place. But that's beside the point.

Brown won't apologize for blowing up beaver dam - I laaaaughed when I read the original article yesterday. Apparently PEI's current Environment Minister used to have a job in his 20s blowing up beaver dams. This makes the opposition angry.

Why? From what I read in today's article, it seems that this was common practice. I realise this is an opportunity for the opposition to make more people dislike MLA Richard Brown, but they are making an issue out of a non-issue, really. Some people who commented on the article and the previous day's point out that the beaver is a symbol of Canada. Yes, yes it is. But he didn't actually blow up the beavers.. and besides, what if he blew up a ferret? Would that be okay as the ferret is not a symbol of Canada?

Naked guy running around in Charlottetown - (not actual headline, but close enough) This made me smile. Streaking just isn't as prevalent as it used to be. Nice to see someone celebrating the warmer weather :) One comment said, "It was very emBARE-ASSING for the gentleman as he ran along the street trying to get the winter stink off himself.." Who doesn't enjoy a good pun, eh?

Cruise ship passengers spend $3 million in PEI in 2008 - our report made headlines! Weee! And we got a radio spot and TV spot. I didn't write the bulk of this report, but I did editting and some additional work on it, and wrote the press release. Jen Mac makes stuff happen.

(not true, but she sometimes certainly tries!)

That being said, cruise ships make me have moral dilemas regarding gluttony and waste... but so fun...

There were also many articles on Chrysler, and its bankruptcy. Quote from linked article: "The Canadian and Ontario governments will end up with a two per cent stake in a restructured Chrysler, while the U.S. government will hold eight per cent. Canada will get to appoint one independent director to a new nine-person Chrysler board. The U.S. will appoint four independent directors."

I don't want to own Chrysler :(

Also, who will be the independent director? Can *I* apply for the position?! Will the Gov't of Canada receive dividends? Will I get a portion of these dividends in the form of a tax rebate?

If I got bankrupt will the entirety of Canada band together to own a two percent stake in *ME*?! I suppose I'm just not convinced we are doing the right thing; I see this a putting a band-aid on a bear attack wound.

Taxes!
Tax season is OVER. I ended up owing just over $8K in taxes, CPP, and Gst. Not too bad. But sometimes I think about how much we give the government on a daily basis, directly and indirectly.

Indirectly I give them many hugs and love.

hee... ^_^

For simplicity sake, let's say I made $20/hr, doing something lovely like hugging small cuddly animals. Suddenly the fed gov't took $3.00, and PEI took $1.96 in taxes (minimum tax bracket). I pay some CPP and EI (not sure how much? let's pretend $1.50). I now have $13.54 left. I can now buy, using algebra (which I miss, ooh, high school math) (1.05x)(1.10)=13.54, items with a listed, pre-tax total price $11.73.

Umm, that seems a little ridiculous, so I'm thinking I must have did something wrong? Granted, I didn't take any deductions off total income to decrease my net income, thus decreasing my taxes. So really, maybe I actually had about $15 left to play with.

It's such a cycle too. Whatever I bought with my leftover $15, part went to taxes (as pointed out above), and THEN, the organization from which I bought the product/service has to pay tax on its profit. Pretend I gave them $12 pre-tax. Cost of goods sold is $6, and with cost of electricy, rent, blah blah blah, they make a profit of $2.50 per item once boiled down to net income levels. Some of that profit goes to shareholders in the form of dividends, which are taxed (though I can't remember at what level, perhaps only half of income earned this way is taxable?), and some goes to the gov't in the form of corporate taxes.

Tax tax tax. What a taxing thing to write about!

So nice to know my taxes are buying a car company. Hope I get a discount if I ever decide to buy a Chrysler.

Unrelated, but the rear derailleur on my bike has taken on a mind of its own and magically shifts gears when I don't want it to, and often doesn know when I initiate the process of switching gears. I try to switch gears, nothing happens, aim for a crack or blip in the road (so easily done as the roads are full of them) in effort to 'bounce' the derailleur into place. This practice is generally effective, albeit annoying.

Time machine

Today something was said to me at work that made me flashback to last summer and realise how much life repeats itself.

Last night I saw reading some stuff I wrote during a sad phase of last year (not too long after I blew my top/lost yee olde temper and broke up w/ le Boyfriend) and realised how much 2009 is shaping up to look like another 2008. And how much of an absolute wreck I was at this time last year. Whoops.

HELP.

I don't want to do 2008 again, it was kind of icky.

Although it's not 2008 again, otherwise I would not have went to Hawai'i/San Diego/BC... I would had went to AB and FL.

My leg hurts. I cut it with my new bike pedals. I don't understand how I do such things, but I do. I also bumped my arm against my handlebars today and bumped my handlebars against my thigh shortly after.

Why do I keep hurting myself? I half expected the arm to bruise.

A close friend has been gone on a kayaking adventure for five days and I feel like a mom for starting to become concerned about his lack of communication and potential drowning at sea. I just looked at the Guardian's online website and no one has reported a kayak mysteriously floating about without an owner. Plus one point Thomas survival. Who moves away on Monday. Oh, Dear.

It's now 12:34. That's one of my favourite times.

I don't want to work this summer. Today was 23C. I'm ready to retire, folks! Hurrah! It's been a good two years in the industry. I'm ready to collect my CPP.

Good night.

PS~I've been getting to work early as of late. Woohoo!

Patios

Yesterday was such a nice day, weather wise. I feel like the reward of suffering through the winter is starting to show. PEI has recorded below seasonal temperatures for what feels like forever. Yesterday was well above seasonal and I feel like PEI finally got a break.

In exciting news I get new bike pedals tomorrow. Hurrah! They are curiously cracked in a variety of places. Do I have heavy feet?

I had a pimple under my eyebrow a couple of days ago. An ideal place as no one can see it; and I can't see it thus don't constantly scratch at it.

When biking around yesterday I noticed Hunter's patios were packed. It's a sign of summer. Also, a tanning session was held on the parents' patio. My co-tanner received the Season's First Burn; I seem to have faired okay.

Bye. Zzzz.

love for 'being a girl'

I haven't written on me blog in ages, and now my brain is simply overflowing with thoughts SO relevant to your life! In the past month I have reached Goddess level and am filled with information to get you thinking about life, your potential for greatness, and cute bunny rabbits.

Not really.

And rabbit is a weird word. Actually, many words are bizarre, and I now have great desire to learn the origins of the word 'rabbit'. A quick search of the Vast Vorld of the Veb has given me no clues.

Last night when I was unsuccessfully falling asleep I was thinking about girls being girls, and boys being boys. Mostly after hearing two close [girl] friends say to me in the same night in separate conversations, "I'm being such a girl," in a negative way. I also found myself saying that this weekend, "Sorry for being such a girl."

Why do we have to apologize for being girls?

Being "such a girl" usually is a result of poor communication or lack of respect from another, or just reacting to something that merits a reaction. My being-a-girl apology was given after a few tears randomly started flowing down my cheeks one evening after I had been thinking about some thing over a few days that was making me sad. When asked what was wrong, I didn't really utter a single word. So I was thinking deeply about something for awhile, reacted to it, then didn't bother explaining why I sniffling and whimpering. I was being a girl, I guess. But why say, "Sorry I was being such a girl," (and I meant that in regards to the runny nose and single dramatic tears,) and not, "Sorry, I should have told you why."

Such a girl ;) I think "being such a girl" usually means showing an extreme emotion as a reaction to something.

I have never had a male say to me, "Sorry for being such a boy."

So, devoted readers (Hi, Mom!), what would "being such a boy" involve?

I was also talking to a guy about how my emotions run a wee bit wild, say, two days a month and being frustrated by it. He rightfully pointed out that sometimes guys let their emotions get a little wild. However, my point was that females get it on a cyclical basis and it's not really based on anything except estrogen production. I assume guys letting their emotions ride a rollercoaster is a result of an actual event and not a result of, well, the monthly hurrah of not being pregnant. Heh.

God, or whoever created people, perhaps has a warped sense of humour. "The men and women must breed to ensure the Earth remains populated, but I will make them different so that they are constantly confused and baffled by one another. I will make the females deep, emotional thinkers for whom communication is important. I will make the males strong so they can lift heavy things to impress the females. The females will be impressed and will, in turn, purchase new shoes to attract the male. The male will be attracted to her, but not because of her shoes. In fact, he will not notice her shoes; he will notice her 'feeding instruments', not designed for him, but for eventual off-spring."

Whatever, at least male humans aren't like male bears - I have never seen a mother human take her child away from the father because he was going to eat the cub/baby. Us humans are very dignified like that: we don't eat our children!! HURRAH!

Completely unrelated, but I don't know what to dooooooo. My contract at work is almost up... I haven't said I would renew (mostly I just smile awkwardly when the subject arrises), but have not said I wouldn't renew (see previous line about smiling awkwardly). I'm enjoying PEI a bit more lately (55% credit goes to the verrrrrry slowly improving weather) but I don't expect that to last forever. I have another good friend leaving soon and, well, bleh.

My big issue is that I don't know what to do next. If I leave my job, I will be moving to a different province, no questions asked. I not entirely sure if I'm up for Vancouver or Victoria. My stops there on vacay were purposely to test their living potential. The temperature was much higher than in PEI... but the sky was grey very frequently, as I was told it would be. I would actually rather temperatures a bit lower but a bright blue sky. Even if it isn't warm, it still at looks nice when looking out the window.

Why must the two ends be so extreme? Minus 400 degrees in the rest of Canada with sunny days, or, damp dark days above freezing in [parts of] BC?

Where is the happy medium? ( Hawai'i :) )

I like the outdoor fun of BC, but was left rather unimpressed by the beaches. They were pointed out to me in the grey Vancouver sky and... well... weird. I suppose I'm not used to having lots of trees by beaches? Or minimal sand? But I could spend much time exploring and riding zee bike.

On the other other other OTHER hand, I realise living in Van would likely require me to give up something I love: a yard. Yards are oh so wonderful! A small balcony would never, EVER compare to being able to walk outside in your bathing suit and throwing a blanket on the grass and reading a book. And having the neighbourhood cat come by to visit.

I do not know what to do. The option to go to Ottawa is there... but I don't know if I want to live there again.

I also don't want to go through the job hunt process again, I just want someone to *give* me a wonderful, meant-for-me job. Please? Whimper. Apparently it's also not the best time in the economic cycle to be looking for a job, because the recession is scary, supposedly.

I just really want to play all day and have fun. Be on vacation.

I took my first crack at my taxes last night and am almost done. A huge disadvantage of not paying taxes all year is realising you owe the government thousands of dollars by the end of April. I am not exagerating at all when I say THOUSANDS. I'm hoping it'll be less than $10K by the time my GST is included. Yikes.

I suppose working now would be a good idea. Crap I want a nap. I always stay up really late when sleeping at my parents' home (they are on holiday) because I have to fall asleep the instant my head hits the pillow or I will lay in bed trying to convince myself that every crick is *not* someone breaking into my house.

I want a house. I feel like I had so much room to play at my parents' house. They had more than one shelf they could put food on. The stuff in ALL of their cupboards was THEIR stuff. They have a patio to sit on, more than one room to put all their stuff, it was clean (and I managed to keep it relatively neat while they were gone), I didn't trip over messes left by other people, etc. Sigh. The only thing that really excites me about going back to 223 is a warm bedroom in the morning and my skylight. Other than that.... :P

Pre-spring fever

I am getting excited for spriiiiing!!! There hasn't been a cloud in the sky all week and I love it. Temperatures are about seasonal (just hovering below freezing during the warmest part of the day), I can bike for more than a half hour without freezing, the roads are clear of snow, and I'm convinced Soft Stranger will show up any day now.

I re-newed my gym membership last Friday for a month. I have went once. Saturday I went outside with Hannah instead, and Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday I went for a bike ride. I have started wearing what I refer to as my "stomping" boots for biking. My toes no longer freeze, but the soles are a bit thick and my feet keep slipping so the pedal is under the arch of my foot making for difficult biking. I also have one rather cracked and one slightly cracked pedal. Not sure if this is related to the awkward boot biking or not. I'm looking very forward to biking in sneakers again soon. I'm half contemplating going the clipless pedal route and buying delightfully geeky bike shoes, but it seems kind of silly this time of year because my feet would likely still be cold and I think the mud and water would get all over the pedals, freeze, and create havic with my "skillz". Yes, I have because so efficient at pushing down on pedals I have classified myself as having "skillz". (No, not really.)

My ride on Sunday left Bicyclette in a muddy, icey mess. A friend and I initially went downtown, and all was mostly good on the roads. Then we hopped on the Confed Trail and proceeded to cover our bikes in mud. Mud is half fine, but the issue was the water in the mud was freezing to the bike. Kind of screws up your brakes (good argument for disk brakes, I don't think they would be quite so bad), and I couldn't use most of my gears by the end of it. Bicyclette and I had a dumping-hot-water-on-bike party once I got home. Of course, then I go and do the same thing the following day. Heh. Brakes are fine, but I still can't shift onto the smallest ring for my, umm, front gears (I'm sure there is a better term for this - "smallest ring on my front cassette"???). I'm pumped for Bicyclette's spring tune-up, but I don't really want to get it yet because I'm sure it will snow again (Sunday - sigh) and everything will get gucked up again multiple times. Maybe early April. Also, my chain got a bit rusty over winter (oops) but excessive amounts of lube seem to do the trick. La la la.

In EXCELLENT news, today I wore SNEAKERS on my walk to work! It truly was very exciting. I also wore only one pair of pants and two shirts under my coat. And I was still a sweaty mess by the time I arrived at UPEI! I also haven't wore 'full' pants to work yet this week. Well, I wear them on the way (am doing the biking/walking thing, Wee Red is unhappy and going through a mid-life crisis), but once here I have been sporting capris and skirts. People ask why I am dressed for summer. I tell them I dress for winter for only three or four months of the year and the time is up. Exercising to work definitely helps warm you up anyway, so I like to ride the warm train for the day.

Except right now, I'm starting to get goosebumps. Shh, don't tell. Luckily have other layer to add on top

I love the time change.

I've been contemplating a move to Vancouver-land, but am slightly apprehensive now due to the lack of sunlight. As mentioned above, I haven't seen a cloud in a few days and I love love love it! In Vancouver I think I saw the blue sky for a few minutes my second day there. Hmm, very concerning. Will have to research weather stats to find the location most suited to me (HAWAI'I).

I'm excited for when I can just wear one bottom layer for biking. Putting on so much clothing is getting annoying.

I am going to work now. After I take a few minutes to channel the Spirit of Aloha and let it run through my veins.

I really want to watch Lilo and Stitch. And multiple 'animated features'. Does the bright blue of the sky trigger an association in my brain with the bright colours of cartoons? Curious.

San Diego - la fin

It turned out I love San Diego :) had a great time, got to enjoy some nightlife, sat on a vey sexy roadbike for, oh, 13 hrs spread ove two days. It was red. It made me realise I wish my own bike was red! alas, t'is black.
\
THat's all, internn is expensive and this keyboard is crappy. Am on way to Vancouver now... sigh. I hope I can tan o te beach there? :S

San Diego

piss off.

Not only am I not in Hawai'i, but my hostel apparently does not allow ALCOHOL AND deleted my blog post.

HI San Diego - we may be in a fight.

Surfing USA!

I went surfing today!

It was more amazing than I ever could have expected. I loved it - and shockingly, did WELL at it. Very rare for Miss J-maki-maki (my new Hawai'ian name I gave myself) to do well in sports, particularly on the first try! (I stood up on my first wave!) I figure surfing is about two things: balance, and not being scared to fall. Apparently my balance is decent, I only feel off really when stupid *@$* children got in my way and I didn't want to behead them. I figure good balance comes from a secret thrill of climbing/jumping on rocks and biking? I have no idea. And I'm not scared of falling because, well, I'm not.

YAY!

Honestly, surfing was one of the best experiences of my life. My ribs are a bit sore from laying front down and paddling, but no sore muscles yet. I could have just stood with my board instead of laying on it, but I like bobbing and heading face first into the waves when I was waiting for my turn. It was so much fun, I can't believe I didn't take surfing up as a child (duh, lives on PEI).

I contemplated renting a board for the rest of the afternoon, but was kind of hungry and needed to fetch a couple of things. *and lay in the sun*

I think I will rent a board on Sunday back in Waikiki :) :) :)

Also have a bad sunburn. I coated myself in sunscreen, but apparently missed the back of my legs at the very top. So from the bathing suit bum line down to halfway down my thighs is blinding red. Sexy. And a bit painful to sit on when driving. Lesson learned!

Time is up.

La fin.

Hawai'i!

Things of note:

• It's amazing - obviously
• The weather fascinates me: it rains about every 20-30 minutes, just wee sun showers, and sometimes it's quite puzzling as you can feel rain, but looking up, see no clouds. You could tell those who ran for cover at the beach were unexperienced with such weather. Other than that, the sun shines! -- even when it rains
• WIND - it is sooo windy here, but apparently it's not the norm, according to a strange man I talked to at the bus stop (he was very normal at first though). So basically the weather almost reminds me of Edinburgh - except the sky-high temps and sun.
• I flew first class from Chicago to LA! Very good experience (how could it not be?) but probably wouldn't spend an extra $1,000 just to get the experience.
• We got a free upgrade at our hotel - we have a corner room. At first they upgraded us to a room that, uh, already had people in it. Awkward. I walked in the room and saw stuff on the bed and floor and we booted it out of there. Our view is good on the east side, but amazing on the south side. East is the Nike store across the street, south is Fort DeRussy Park and the beach, and a kazillion palm trees.
• Jet lag is a big difficult, I have woke up at 5:30am both days so far. It's nice though, in a way, it's 8:10am now and Erin and I both ready to tackle the day. On the down side, we were planning on heading out on the town (so I live my grade 12 dream of marrying a surfer) but she was snoozing at about 9:00 and I didn't last past 10:00.
• Free brekkie at the hotel! They have "tona" toast - and it's goooood. It's a blueish-purple colour and taste like amazing would taste like, if packaged in bread format.
• So many tacky gift shops and I want it ALL. So far I have bought a bracelet and a journal. And band-aids, but that is unrelated. And beer. Also unrelated.
• I have blisters already! I decided the Chicago airport would be an excellent place to break in my new flip flops, and my feet were roasting in my boots. So I decided I would walk the entire Chicago airport in my new flip-flops with a crapload of weight on my back. Hey - you know what is massive? The Chicago Airport. I seriously walked for kilometres and kilometres. I got blisters between my toes a wee bit and they just won't heal. Luckily I have other sandals, but I also have not worn them in months and walked a lot in them yesterday so now have a wee blistert on the top of each foot. How did I become such an amateur?
• Am paranoid that we are trying to do too much and won't receive amazing tan that I desire so badly. Need to schedule in more beach time.

Must hop off now as we are going to Pearl Habor (specially the MS Arizona Memorial) for the morning. Hopefully only the morning, it is known for having very long wait times. Then we explore Honolulu and China Town and, fingers crossed, if sunlight time remains I change into my bathing suit and nap on the beach.

I need to figure out how to live here.

Recession & Snobby Kitty

Today I *drove* to work so had the opportunity to listen to the radio on the way. It was the Global Financial/Recession Update, so I listened to the sad stories of Canadian job loss (except in Saskatchewan, if I heard correctly). Then, as per usual, my brain started to wander a little bit. Would the recession be so big, mean, and evil if there were more communication barriers? What if we didn't know that the economy collapsed in Iceland? We would not had become quite so nervous, stashing our pennies in a box under our bed. What if we, as Canadians, did not know about the Dow Jones or NYSE? How would our own economy be chugging along? It's hard to imagine though, as we do not live in a special Canada bubble, and watch our currency shake up, exports decrease, imports become more expensive/cheaper, or whatever happens. Canada is massive, could we function without importing/exporting? I quite think we could, but crap I would miss bananas.

If we gradually stop importing and exporting, what would be the consequences? Clearly many products would not be available, and, likely, many products would become more expensive. Looking around my office, I search for something that was 100% made in Canada. I see very few things:

1. Coins on my desk (while minted in Canada, not sure where the actual metal comes from)
2. Paper?
3. My ancient Northern Telecom phone (though this is questionable)
4. ME! (only thing I'm 100 percent sure)

I think recession fears greatly accelerate the start of recessions. Scary! Bad things *may* happen! So people and organizations start acting like it *will* happen, sooner rather than later. Yes, it's nice to be proactive, but maybe being too proactive has its downsides. I'm trying to think of an example but not pop quickly to mind... Imagine a rumour got started that we heading towards a global shortage of eggs. People panic, and start stocking up on eggs. All of a sudden, the eggs are gone, and it turns out the prediction of the egg shortage was correct. Never mind that the sudden increase in demand (actual shift of the demand curve instead of shift along the demand curve) is actually what changed.

But really, what do I know?

I don't really follow exchange rates very much unless I'm leaving the country. Even then, there are only a few currencies I randomly look at: USD, GBP, Euro, etc. The ones I have used in the past extensively. The others I used I don't follow so much (DKK, SFF [or whatever the abbreviation for Swiss Franc is]).

Right now the Euro-CAD exchange rate is pretty close to the same (I think) as when I galloped around the EU in 2004-05. The USD is stronger than my super happy fun US playground days (2005-06), which isn't surprising. I don't think anyone thought the CAD would sustain its power over the USD for too long. I recall talking about it in fourth year (fall 2003) how no one though the dollar could sustain itself over $.83. We easily surpassed that for a nice 5ish year run, and are close to that level again now.

Then there is the GBP - the pound. Which I have no symbol for on my keyboard.

What happened and why did I not notice?! I recall when first moving to the UK in May 2004 the exchange was a hairball inducing $2.60 - 1GBP cost $2.60CAD (or, .38 GBP bought $1CAD). Now the rate is $1.83CAD to get 1GBP (.55GBP gets $1CAD).

Apparently I live under a rock, albeit a pretty rock most likely. That's a rather substantial drop, although a good chunk took place while I still on the other side of the sea. When I left in August 2005 the exchange rate was about $2.10. Still, to drop another $.30 on top of a $.50 is rather substantial.

Currency exchange is a very curious game.

The plus side of this is that my US money is worth much more now than it was than when I came home in Nov 2006! I literally made an extra 7% or so by doing nothing. Mind you this is eliminating the possibility that I could have invested it in Canadian funds at a higher return rate... but that seemed like so much work :P

Regarding my Snobby Kitty, last night I slept at my parents' house for unimportant reasons (I had their car and returned it late). This morning Mr. Cat was sitting on the floor. I sat down next to him and patted him on the head. He looked at me, sat up, and walked about three feet away, sitting down where I could no longer reach him. Hmph, I thought. So I shuffled over to his new location and enjoyed his company for about five seconds before he left the need to, again, rise to his feet and promptly sit down about four feet away.

Kitty and I aren't friends anymore.

Friday! Long weekend! Happy "Islander" Day!

pedal pedal pedal

Hmm, I'm watching the snow fall out my window from work and think it will disrupt my plans this evening. I was going to go to a documentary being shown on campus (because it's in Spanish with English subtitles and Spanish is sex-ay) but classes are cancelled this evening thus I suspect the showing will be cancelled as well. If it's not cancelled, I'm not sure I want to stay on campus until 9:00 and then walk home in potentially very, very crappy conditions.

Someone biked by me this morning as I was walking to work this morning and I was jealous. There is no reason I can't be biking to work! Except my bike is in my parents' basement. Actually, I went biking on the weekend and it was lovely! I still haven't figured out how to keep my toes from going numb, however. Perhaps I will master that this coming weekend.

By purchasing new toes!!

No?

I was thinking earlier about the difference between running and biking, and how it seems people have a passion/interest for one but not the other.

Why I prefer biking:

• I stop moving my legs, but the bike keeps moving! aka, downhill
• It's faster than running - woooooooooosh
  
• I can do it longer, hours, really
  
• NO SHINSPLINTS!
• Hot ass ("biking bum")
• Bells *ding ding!*
• Biking through large puddles
• Get to play in traffic
• I'm convinced I have a funny run, but do not have a funny, uh, "biking posture"
• Spandex
• Carrying a biking helmit when walking up the stairs to work makes me feel cool
• The actual bike - biking gives you something to use, running, well, you don't use anything. This is similar to me liking lacrosse, "I get to carry a stick!"
• Hobby: you can take apart your bike, improve it, clean it, etc. Running? Well, you can't really dismantle your legs or sneakers.
• Accessories: you can buy neat things for your bike. Like lights, reflective crap, clipless pedals, different handlebars, forks, etc. Mind you I know nothing about any of these things, excepts lights.
• Different kinds of biking on differen terrain
• Coming home completely muddy after rain and biking on trails
  

I felt a bit wobbly biking this weekend, nothing to be concerned, but since I had been sitting (peddling) on the spin class bikes at the gym, I never have to be concerned about balance, tipping over, or skidding on ice. Also felt the difference in the requirement to move my own weight and the actual bike as well. At the gym I just move my legs. "There they goooo! Look at those legs, and nothing else, moving!"

I would like to leave, but don't feel like changing back into my winter clothes to walk home. I'm wearing a "winter skirt", which is such an oxymoron. No skirt is actually designed for winter wear unless a pair of snowpants is constructed under the skirt.

I'm also going on strike from wearing pantyhose because they are stupid. Exception is fish-net stockings and similar, because you aren't kidding anyone about trying to keep warm. And because apparently that is all I own now for under-skirt covering.

I want to bike to Quebec City this spring. With someone. It's far too long of a journey to do alone. I suspect if one could pedal 60 km per day, it would take 13 days. While in perfect conditions 60 km/day is perfectly feasible (only about, hmm, 3 - 3.5 hrs, ceteris paribus), it would be foolish to expect perfect conditions in the Maritimes in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, or even Dec. Wind, hills, and gear would also slow one down, as would sore knees. It would be road through NB (and I would make someone drop me off at the Bridge to save myself some time/energy) and trail for most of the part through Quebec, along the Flueve St.-Laurent. Bien!

Takers? :)

Look at the wall! It has writing on it!

The writing says, "Get back to work, Jennifer."

Except, oh, tricky, the message is written in PIG LATIN so it takes me so long to decipher it, that the work day is over!

"Et-gay ack-bay o-tay ork-way, Ennifer-jay."

Looking at what I wrote in the past month it seems so, "Look at me, I'm so deep, deep like the sea."

I will use this not-spare time to write a poem.

I will challenge myself and pick a subject that does not rhyme with many things.

I will write a poem about... POEMS. I feel this will somehow open a door to another reality, much like what would happen if one lightening bolt sailing to Earth got intercepted by ANOTHER LIGHTENING BOLT. I suspect a loud bang would be heard and the Mighty Mighty Titans of Greek "mythology" fame will came thrashing out of the Earth's core.

After doing some quick reading, I'm afraid that Disney slightly mislead me in the lyrics to the opening song in the move "Hercules". While I am much aware that the movie has many Greek mythology inaccuracies (but not so enough I would not watch it), I am not convinced that the Titans were as bad as the lyrics imply. Well, they were bad, but probably no worse than the Olympi ans that followed them.

"Back when the world was new
The planet Earth was down on its luck
And everywhere gigantic brutes
called Titans ran amok

It was a nasty place
There was a mess
whereever you stepped
Where chaos reigned and
earthquakes and volcanoes never slept

And then along came Zeus
He hurled his thunderbolt
He zapped
Locked those suckers in a vault
They're trapped
And on his own stopped
chaos in its tracks"

However, it's not like Zeus didn't have jerk-like qualities. Zeus, technically, was a titan, for he was born to a titan mother and father. However, he was the only one of his brothers and sisters not to be eaten by the father. He was hidden far away by his mummy, and eventually fooled his papa, via potion with the aid of his grandmama, into vomitting up the other siblings. Then the older titan Gods fought the young Titan Gods. The latter were victorious.

So Zeus gives off a good first impression. HOWEVER! The jerk continuously cheated on his wife (and SISTER), Hera, with both other Goddesses, demi-Goddesses, and mortals. Alas, it slightly appeared to be the norm at the time.

Ah well.

Now I shall eat lunch instead of writing my poem. I'm really not much for poetry anyway, except haikus. They are short, don't have to make sense, and really just involve counting syllables.

I will eat lunch now
Perhaps a bagel with spread
I hope it tastes good.

And that my friends, it poetry.

Gosh she is SKILLED.

Write, much?

I'm writing a lot lately, usually that implies unrest in my life. It's true, I am getting restless in my current position. Things have been static for so long. I feel like the last *true* goal I had was 'get a job'. So I got a job. It actually took a lot of work and patience, but it eventually materialize with the setback at one point of working many hours at a job I despised. Next time I must be more specific in my desires.

I feel like I am in a snowglobe. The type of snowglobe that has random, unattached objects in it. I am the mini sailboat that got wedged behind the plastic palm tree and won't move anymore.

My new fear is not living up to my potential. I could be very useful in this world. I just have to figure out how I can be useful and avoid the fluff (though I do occasionally enjoy it).

Impress-ion me! happy?

Imagine what would happen if everyone was completely honest.

Would we be better people? Would hurt and anger be more short-lived?

What about first versus long-term impressions? There are really four permutations, in a complete black and white world.

1. Good first impression, good long-term impression
2. Good first impression, bad long-term impression
3. Bad first impression, good long-term impression
4. Bad first impression, bad long-term impression

Category one is always good, and I believe/sincerely hope most people do fall into this category. Two is tricky and deceiving, and more likely to be the cause of anger, betrayal, hurt, confusion, and frustration. Three is in an unfortunate, challenging position, he/she must work to change the initial impression. It's like wanting to learn how to ride a bicycle, but only owning a unicycle. Sometimes I fear I am number three because I occasionally come off as an idiot, rude, quiet, or shy when I meet people, primarily if it's somewhere noisy and I can't hear very well and have to play the deaf card.

The fourth is pretty much not desirable at all. I suppose it is more straight to the point than number two though, which may cause less misery in the long run.

And this is why first impressions should not be used to judge someone entirely. You never know what's happening behind the scenes in their head, lives, anything really. I suppose one silver lining could be that different people react differently and interpret differently. The first impression one person has on different people may be entirely different, even if they all met at the same time.

I was reading a "Happy" special the CBC did awhile back. Quote: "I didn't know that if you gave people nasal viruses that will produce colds in 50% of the people the people who had a lot of positive emotion don't get the colds. The people who don't have positive emotion do get the colds." (http://www.cbc.ca/doczone/howtobehappy/psychology.html)

"Close relationships are an essential factor in happiness, because they bring meaning to our lives. "The most clearly potent source of happiness is satisfying, meaningful connections with other people. You just cannot get away from the importance of social relationships. And it's not the number," says Todd Kashdan. "It's not the density. It's not having a cell phone filled with a hundred people that you can call. It's having people that you can confide in and people that you could effortlessly be yourself."" http://www.cbc.ca/doczone/howtobehappy/makes.html

I feel there is nothing ground breaking in this that I haven't read before other than the virus thing. I think being unhappy takes a lot of energy, because you are so focused on the unhappy (and it's exhausting), that your immune system doesn't have the proper energy to function as it should. One who is unhappy is probably not eating well, thus depriving the body of essential nutrients/minerals/vitamins required to allow the immune system to properly function.

The relationship quote clearly separates quality versus quantity. I'm lucky; I have many fantastic friends and am very close to my family. That being said, especially in the past four/five months, it has turned out that most of my fantastic friends are far away... which, frankly, sucks.

I also am a huge believer that place plays an incredible role in happiness, as per "Who's your city?" by Richard Florida. If someone said I could live anywhere in the world, I would be completely overwhelmed. Distance home is a factor, but let's say that distance was equal to all places, and 'home' was easily accessible. Visas and passports would not be an issue, nor would language (unless one wanted it to be an issue, such as go to China because of a desire to learn mandarin).

I have no idea where I would go. Clearly a place where one does not experience 14 months of winter per year. I can survive winter... but it's just so long. It's the end of January and there are still two months to go, and even then, summer in PEI is still ages away (early July) and will last for, oh, four weeks, take a three week break, then maybe last for another three weeks in a weaker form.

Global warming forgot about PEI, you see. That's why 'climate change' is the issue, ha. It has been consistently below seasonal here for AGES, with the odd above seasonal day. Very few days are actually "normal" (as per Environment Canada).

I have/want to leave now.

Green eyed monster

Lately I've been thinking about jealousy a lot as I've been hit with a hard batch a couple of times this week. It's a pretty simple yet relatively complex emotion. Simple in that it is almost like an equation: jealousy is what you feel upon becoming agitated when seeing someone having something(one!) you want.

As of late pangs of jealousy stem from hanging around an ex-boyfriend. It's a curious feeling, and I think the jealousy one feels when accepting an ex-boyfriend is free to develop relationships with another is an effect of a few questions that one faces, and may not ever really be able to answer. More bothersome for me is that I was the one who ended our relationship, so sometimes I feel I have to forfeit the rights to jealousy.

I think when one feels jealousy it's important to identify which factor is making you jealous. In regards to the ex-boyfriend, what is the issue? Is it the, "But I want to date you!", the "You are in a relationship with someone who isn't me!", or "You have found someone, potentially the person you will spend the rest of your life with."

Definitely the third one. Very occasionally the first one (because we are 95 percent compatible, but the remaining 5 percent highlights my 'deal breakers'), sometimes the second one, but were the event to materialise, it would be the third. My poor brain does not comprehend how two people finally know when they have found the person they will spend the 'rest' of their lives with (ideally both members of the couple will have determined this person to be the other person).

Another example of jealousy is when I hear about someone going to work at Disney World under the same program I went on. I get jealous in more of a sad than bitter way. That is a bit easier to pinpoint though, I never think, "Sure wish I could do the bread spiel again 20 times a day!" (Though it does lead to good money.) "Sure wish I could go to a party for 20 mins only to have security break it up." It's easily, "I wish I could be with my friends down there again, having fun, and wearing summer clothes, going to the parks, having fantastic days off and nights for clubbing." le sigh!

Anyway, I had great aspirations to write, and had mentally set out what I was prepared to share, but then about halfway through the phone rang and gabbered on it for 75 mins and somewhat lost my focus on this. But I think jealousy does give you the opportunity to focus: what is it I want? What about that situation do I desire? It is not always evident on the surface and may require some digging.

Sometimes I get jealous of peers with Federal Government jobs. Never because of the actual job position (at least not yet), but the mobility and pay scale that comes with it. Also, the absurd quantity of PAID vacation time! The option for two un-paid months off per year! Blah blah blah.

However, I am jealous of NO ONE'S winter vacation plans, for mine are amazing and YOU should be jealous of me, hee!! brag brag brag

I wonder what life will be like this time next year. If you told me January 25,2008, what I would be doing on January 25, 2009, I probably would have looked at you with a rather bizarre look on my face. "Well, why am I living on PEI? Why did I break up with my boyfriend but still hang out with him randomly? How did I finally lose my Scotland and Florida weight?! How come your car looks like it may fall apart at any second? Do I still not own a cute Shetland pony that I keep in my office? etc."

I need to go to bed. Stupid Monday mornings coming before I'm ready for them. Two more days of weekend, please?

24C

My office thermostat says it's 24C in my office. Curious, as I am cold, and am wearing two shirts, another large sweater draped over me as a blanket, pants, and wool socks.

Hunch says the thermostat may be wrong.

I am leaving for vacation in less than one month. Exciting! It's so wonderful to have something to look forward to. First up is one ENTIRE NIGHT in Los Angeles.

Meh.

Then TEN DAYS in marvelous HAWAI'I!!!! Followed by San Diego, Vancouver, and Victoria. Oh, and Charlottetown. Apparently that is where I will eventually end up.

Crap I'm sleepy.

Zzzz.

Friday afternoon lull...

Oh, Friday afternoon at work.

The sky is actually rather blue, which helps prevent me from being blue.

Things I have been thinking about lately:

• Baby Elephants - I was thinking about a documentary I saw ages ago on the Discovery Channel about a baby wooly mammoth. Some researchers at a uni where analyzing bones or something of a long-dead (obviously) baby wooly mammoth to learn about them and how the creature died. It was all interesting, but the part that got me was the scene where they show a cgi baby wooly mammoth wandering around on campus. I was thinking it would be nice to have the modern day equivalent - a baby elephant - wandering around on my campus.

• Hawai'i - I'm going there! From what I have been learning about Hawai'i, and from what I know about myself, clearly I am going to love it. I'll be there from February 13 - 23... possibly longer if it turns out I am the reincarnate of a Hawaiian goddess. I have been feeling quite majestic lately and believe this is quite possible. Perhaps I was the goddess of fire, but had my goddess abilities and powers SABOTAGED by an evil doer, and then died in a fire. This, of course, explains my inexplicable and intense fear of flames. A big moment for me in 2008 was when I lit the candles on Sheena's birthday cake. While the day was big for her (anniversary of her birth), it may have, in fact, been even bigger for me. Conclusion: Hawai'i [with one Erin Brown of co-castmember fame] will rock.

• PEI School Closures - A report recommends closing eleven schools in the Eastern School District of PEI. I have not seen the report, but the recommendations were based on current and expected future trends. I have no issues with the school closures. Clearly they do not directly effect me (I have long since graduated from the public school program), and I do recognize the importance the school has on a local community and I do not want children to have long commutes to school, but I cannot help but feel that children who attend a very small school run into disadvantages not experienced by children attending larger schools. I am thinking specifically about the "extras" - a gymnasium, music class, band opportunities, photography, art, computer labs, etc. I have also read about the anger expressed by the mayor of Georgetown over its school closing in favour of keeping one open in Cardigan. It makes sense, really. Although Georgetown may be larger in population, it would be more difficult to transport children there. Georgetown is on the extreme east of PEI, so is not central. Cardigan is not far from Georgetown, but would be able to accept children from more areas surrounding the school.
  Apparently no teachers will lose their jobs, which is good, but I don't really understand. I recognize that new teachers will need to be sent to certain school that remain open in order to compensate for the higher enrollment, but all of them will remain employed?? How? Also, I feel for the schools' support staff, hopefully things work out for them as well.
  
  Winners: kids (hopefully more opportunity), unemployed bus drivers (more bus transportation will be required)
  Losers: kids (hopefully not, but no one wants to have an hour-long commute to school every morning), communities of closing schools (I suspect families will be more reluctant to move to those communities due to a potential long ride to school?)

• Snow - one cannot help but think of snow, for it is EVERYWHERE. Okay, slight lie, upon looking out my window I see a patch of grass next to the Robinson Library right up against the wall. There are a few grassy patches scattered around. Often these grassy patches are next to a three-foot snow drift... So it's not like there is no snow, it just moved. So much snow... Though I haven't shovelled since Sunday and my shovelling muscles are happy to have a break. It is hard on the back, but the next morning I always found myself thinking, "Why does my left forearm hurt? Oooh, right."
  

• OC Transpo Bus Strike/Unions - It's still going on!! Seriously. For those confused, OC Transpo is the public bus system in Ottawa. The drivers have been on strike for about a month over, from what I gather, scheduling issues and wages. The city wants to control the schedule so it can save a few million per year, as apparently now the company controls the schedule and senior bus drivers can pick their shifts. Apparently this can lead abuse of the system where drivers will collect overtime pay for hours not actually spent driving. I respect the right of workers to strike... But I just have trouble finding that much sympathy for the drivers. From what I read, they are apparently quite well paid (as they should be) and this scheduling issue doesn't actually effect that many of them. Yet, the strikes roars on. I feel the city and the union are probably even grumpier now then they were before and are probably not coming to an agreement out of spite and the dangerous action of "trying to prove a point". (Such a female thing to do. "I'M PROVING A POINT!!! DON'T YOU GET IT??" "No." "ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGHHHH!")
  
  Another issue with this that was easily solved when the Toronto public transit people striked is that public transit is not considered an essential service in Ottawa. In Toronto the workers were on strike for one day until the Province giggled, and sent them all back to work the following morning. In Ottawa, the OC Transpo is actually an inter-provincial transit system: the buses go into Gatineau, Quebec. Apparently this means that the Federal Gov't (I think -- I saw this posted on the comments section on CBC News online but haven't actually verified the facts) would have to deem it an essential service. Okay... oh right, the Feds, who sit in Ottawa, aren't working right now because Parliament is on an extended winter holiday. Also, only THREE bus lines go into Gatineau. The 8, 27, and 40. The 27 and 40 (provided it's the same as when I lived there 642 years ago) only run during peak hours on weekdays. They also had only, I think one or two stops that were literally spitting distance from Ontario. Bus crosses bridge into QC, bus stops, bus goes back to ON. The 8 spins around a bit more, but never more than, say, seven blocks or so from Ottawa.
  
  Winners: No one.
  Losers: Everyone. Once the strike ends, I think the public will, sadly, be bitter towards bus drivers, and people will hate unions. I'm not really a fan of unions. I see the point they served when people were truly working in unfair working conditions (asbestos in mines), but it seem they are now more so protection so lazy people or poor workers cannot be fired.

• Children - I think some people have children because they are bored. I was sitting on top of a snowbank last weekend (Jen = awesome) and wanted to, umm, play in the snow with someone. I kind of wished I had a toddler/pre-school ages kid so I had someone to frolick in the snow with. Of course, then the afternoon would end, I would have to feed the kid, blah blah blah. Someone else said something very similar to me as well, "I had no one to hang out with so thought it would be nice to have a kid to hang out with."
  
  But I do not have children, so instead I am going to Hawai'i. I have four years to have wee babies (when I was younger -- 21 -- I decided I wanted to have kids by the time I was 30 -- progress has been quite slow on this) so in the meantime I will develop, nuture, and spend money on myself. I will raise myself to be AWESOME.

Done. I suppose I should do some more work now. This whole full work-week thing baffles me after having almost TWO WEEKS (!) off over Christmas. That was super fun! I haven't been on a PEI vacation for that long since... umm, well, unemployment after returning to PEI post US and European adventures, I suppose, but that doesn't count because I spent most of the time being miserable and panicking.

I miss adventure.

Extra extra!

So much news...

CBC PEI headline:

Canned beverage sales in P.E.I. well above expectations
Umm, great. No, not really, as I am quite confident that the bulk of this is soda. I have doubts any health professional encourages one to increase consumption of pop in order to maintain (or eventually achieve) a healthy lifestyle. I highly doubt that people are purchasing in bulk to stockpile in event of emergency. ("Earthquake!!! Quick, get the soda stockpile!")

CBC Canada headline:
GG agrees to suspend Parliament until January
Extra long Christmas holiday for MPs!! Sigh, why didn't I run? I haven't decided yet what I think of this, but I think it's wrong for the Conservatives to point fingers because I have this sneaking suspicion they would try to pull something similar if the election had resulted in a minority Liberal government. That being said, I don't know who the Conservatives would align with - NDP/Conservative love affair seems awkward. The Bloc?

I don't think suspending Parliament is the right reaction. A majority of MPs, the folk whom we chose to elect, are discontent with the PM. The majority is actually supposed to chose the PM, in theory, it's not automatically the party leader of the party with the most seats. Watching our democratic system "work" is interesting. Things are happening! It's half cooperation (the left) and half war fare (the right). The Bloc must be thrilled. They have the chance, in theory, to become a party that represents the country, not just one province.

I do find the possibility of Stephan Dion becoming prime minister... awkward. I know his party has the second highest number of seats, but it just seems wrong to give the 'second place winner' the first place prize. That being said, that is what would happen in an athletic competition if the athlete who won first place was suddenly disqualified.

Things that made me giggle from the above referenced article: "Harper was greeted by about 40 chanting supporters, including many Tory staffers, when he arrived at Rideau Hall, the Governor General's residence, at 9:30 a.m. ET. A single anti-Harper demonstrator stood waving a sign reading 'Harper Must Go.'"

At first I slightly laughed over the single anti-Harper demonstrator, but then I snickered and snorted at the 40 chanting supporters. His staff. I'm pretty sure they have a vested interest (job security) not directly to the overall well-being of our country. Nothing wrong with them being there, I would also go hang around outside chanting if my boss told me it would augment my job security.

Anyway, this is fueling my interest in politics again, which is nice.

It also means more Jack Layton and his mustache. I am happy.

The PEI Legislature is closed after 13 days. Thirteen days?!?! How can you even accomplish anything in 13 days? Right, you hide controversial items until the legislature closes, and hope they are tidied up before it opens again.

Government confuses and amazes me, both in positive and negative ways.