Mel's Maxim

Childhood TV Shows

2008-02-23T20:08:00.003-05:00

I was trying to have a discussion with Mike about a few tv shows I used to watch as a kid. Unfortunately, Mike had never heard of the following tv shows, "V" with Donovan the human who chased down Diana the rat-eating alien; "Whiz Kids" with Ritchie, Farley, and Ralph the computer; and "Misfits of Science" with the tall black guy who could shrink, the girl who could move things, and the another guy who was able to shoot electricity through his hands. Do any of these shows sound familiar to you? They must be out on DVD by now. I think I'll go on a hunt for shows of years past and then have a viewing night at my place.

Gigi and Lola!

2008-01-10T21:02:00.000-05:00

My girls are growing and they've learned quite a bit since I last posted on this blog. They can sit, come here, lie down, roll over, fetch, and we're working on the stay command. Lola and Gigi are at the stage where they are losing their baby teeth. Although they have swallowed quite a few, it's always interesting finding their teeth on the floor, in their toys, and sometimes in their hair. We have a Ziplock bag of the teeth that we have found.

My Girls!

2007-09-09T21:23:00.000-05:00

As promised, here are some pics of my girls!

Lola and Gigi!

2007-09-04T20:25:00.000-05:00

We've named them! Lola and Gigi are settling nicely into our home. They are so cute! Mike and I are having a great time with them. The puppies came in and started sniffing around the house. Soon they made their way through the entire first floor and were running up and down the hallway. I think we tired them out because they're fast asleep on their beds right now. I'll post some pictures soon.

Reflections of Summer

2007-08-31T20:56:00.000-05:00

Let's see, where do I start. It's been so long since my last post. I really should update this more often. Okay, here's a quick summary of my summer.

Got Engaged
Yes, Mike asked me to marry him! We haven't set a date or location but we're leaning towards my hometown. Just gotta figure out how to save for this wedding... maybe we'll get married later than sooner. I'll give plenty of notice to everyone to save the day. I'm hoping my friends will be willing and able to make it down to my hometown. It'll be awesome to have all my family and friends in one location celebrating our wedding day. I just want to have an awesome party and for everyone to have a fabulous time.

Got a New Job
I received two job offers on the same day. Made my decision and took a lateral position. Wish it was a promotion but it was time for me to move on. So I did. It's still pretty early to determine since I've only been in my new position for two weeks but, I think I made a good career move. I'm in a very positive work environment and I'm getting some international exposure. It's a whole new experience and so far, I really like it.

Got Puppies
I've been wanting another pet for a long time. Sam the Bearded Dragon is an awesome pet because very little work is involved but I can't cuddle with Sam. So, I started looking into kittens. I went to the humane society and held a couple kittens. After I walked outside to make a decision with Mike, he noticed the rashes on my arms, neck and face. I knew I was allergic to kittens but I haven't broken out in a rash since I was kid. No kittens for us. Recently, I started looking into puppies. Then I saw an add for puppies for sale. We went just to look and ended up getting not one but TWO puppies! We pick them up on Tuesday. I can't wait! In the meantime, I've been puppy proofing the house and been thinking about setting up two rooms, one for each puppy. I don't want them to get too dependent on each other.

Got a Sprained Ankle
I sprained my ankle playing soccer but it was worth it since we won the championship finals! Slo-pitch and a lot of other activities have been put on hold since I sprained my ankle. I'm in the process of physiotherapy and hopefully, I'll be ready to play hockey later this month... although, I can't say much for my cardio.

Other Events
My friend, Sabrina, from England came to visit me. I enjoyed her company and wish she lived closer. Jason and Larisa got married. Had a great time at their wedding. All the speeches were awesome! Had two weeks of family visiting me. My house was packed! My sister and cousin came to visit and that was full of giggles. I wish they stayed longer. I held my annual BBQ and Pool party. I had so much fun! It was a good turnout but the weather was cold so no one went swimming... except for Matt... bravery! Hopefully, next year's party will be just as good as this year's with better weather for swimming.

Well, that's the short and long of it. I'll try not to let too much time go by before my next post.

World's Laziest Ninja!

2007-06-26T19:39:00.000-05:00

My brother celebrated his birthday over the weekend. I called to wish him well and find out what he was up to and what he got for presents. I think one present he got in particular was awesome - I kind of wish I thought of it myself! His girlfriend gave him an extremely thoughtful present. I'm really impressed with her creativity in coming up with such a smart gift! My brother is now the owner of this domain "World's Laziest Ninja". Check it out if you get a chance. It's superb! It goes well with the t-shirt I got him a couple Christmas' ago. Words to my brother: she's a keeper!

3OO

2007-05-10T19:40:00.000-05:00

The other night, Mike and I watched the movie 3OO. I wasn't sure what to expect since I prefer to watch movies without knowing anything about them - that way, I don't have any preconceived expectations. Let me just say, the movie 3OO is disgusting!!! It was way too graphic with all the blood and gore! Despite the head choppings, my two favourite parts of the movie were when the main lead was talking with the really tall guy and when the woman got her revenge. Overall, the movie was good despite the gruesome scenes.

B.B. K1ng!

2007-04-27T17:23:00.000-05:00

Over the past few years, I've avoided concerts because they're too loud and hurt my ears. I've been to a handful of concerts starting with Raffi when I was a kid. Then it progressed to the W@tchmen, Our L@dy Pe@ce, Sm@shing Pumpk1ns, J3w3l (thank you Auntie M), and N3lly F3rt@do. Well, I saw on Palmer's blog the other day that he had an extra ticket for B.B. K1ng! NO WAY! That's awesome! I just found out today that the ticket is mine if I want it! OF COURSE I WANT IT! We're talking about B.B. K1ng! I am ecstatic about this! One of the last legends in Blues (he's 82), how could I pass it up?! All I can say is that I'm very lucky to have come upon this opportunity! Thank you, Ryan!

OMG!

2007-04-18T00:01:00.000-05:00

Wow! This is awesome. Check it out: 8-year-old!

Good Food and Great Company!

2007-04-10T11:30:00.000-05:00

The long weekend brought my parents and my grandpa to O-town for a fantastic visit. We had Easter dinner on Saturday and I definitely ate way too much food! Sunday, probably the highlight of the weekend, took Mike, Mike's Mom, my Grandpa, and I for a visit to the War Museum. My parents didn't want to go so they stayed home to watch movies.

Upon arriving at the Museum, we found out that Veterans get free admission (makes sense, as due respect) but even more so, is that the Veteran's family also gets in free (as long as they're with the Vet). Cool! I wasn't expecting that! The Museum exhibits were very interesting. However, we should have started earlier as we ran out of time and didn't get to see a whole chunk of the museum. We also missed/forgot about the sampling of food rations from WWI. Overall, it was a very informative and remarkable time! My Grandpa certainly has a wealth of information. He told quite a few audience-capturing stories from his experience with WWII. We stayed until closing and then headed to dinner in the Market where we met my parents.

Yesterday, Mike and I hosted an Easter Potluck Dinner with our friends. Wow! Did we ever have some good food! Conversation flowed and there were quite a few laughs (most of them at Holly's expense but it was all in good fun). Duncan tried to get people to go downstairs and play DDR with him but had no takers. He went down to play by himself. Then he got tagged with the name Duncan Doing-it Right-handed (DDR). OMG! I think Duncan is still in my basement!

Easter Dinner!

2007-03-27T12:56:00.000-05:00

Last night after floor hockey, Holly mentioned something that got me thinking... how many people are in town for Easter? How many would be interested in doing an Easter potluck (kind of like the Thanksgiving potluck I had two years ago)? If you'll recall, I was living in my old apartment and had full access to the house. I made two turkeys and a lot of ham. Everyone brought something over and pitched in a few dollars to help cover the cost of the turkeys. Anyway, I guess I'm just trying to get consensus if anyone would be interested in doing that again or if everyone has other plans for Easter?

Abs0lute C0medy!

2007-03-19T23:41:00.000-05:00

Last week, I won 10 tickets to Abs0lute C0medy. The tickets were for last night's show and what a great time that turned out to be! There were three acts plus the MC. It made for a good two-hour laugh. The food was a good price and quality was also good -- however, I wouldn't recommend the chicken fettuccini alfredo as it was a little bland but, the buffalo chicken strips were very tasty. After the show, a few of us hung around for some free pool and shuffle board. Overall, it was a relatively inexpensive yet, entertaining, evening!

On another note, it looks like we may have found someone to install our hardwood flooring! However, we're waiting to get an estimate before agreeing to the work contract. Hopefully, it'll get installed without any trouble. I'm looking forward to finally get the flooring completed because it's been quite the sore eye in the living/dining room. After the flooring is done... it'll be on to the next project which will probably take another year to complete. Not sure what the next project will be but that'll be decided later.

BBQs and Pool Parties!

2007-03-13T22:09:00.000-05:00

Spring and summer are almost here. That means, it's almost time for BBQs and Pool Parties! I can't wait. I surely hope to get more use of the pool this year and I hope to have a few more BBQs. However, I have to replace the tank on my BBQ because it's expired and I don't want it to blow-up on me.

I would like to make more use of the park by my house. Baseball, soccer, tennis, ultimate... the options are plenty and there's a lot of field around to make it happen! This is my summer to get plenty of exercise just for the fun of it. Anyone interested in having a regular practice of something just for the fun of it? Let me know! Also, Mike and I were thinking of having themed potlucks. Got any suggestions for themes? Send them our way!

Practically No Life

2007-02-27T13:39:00.000-05:00

School has been taking up a lot of my time as the year-end approaches. I have readings, papers and presentations taking up the bulk of my time. Plus, on top of my school work, I have my other work that pays the bills and it's no walk through the park especially, when I have two policy position papers to write over the next month among other major projects. So, let me apologize to everyone who is currently being neglected and let me apologize for taking so long to update my blog but as explained, I have a valid reason.

I'm really looking forward to the weather getting warmer. I hope we have a hot, hot, hot summer because I really want to make good use of the pool this year (now, that I know how to keep it clear blue). It's a lot of work to keep it clean but it's so refreshing to jump into the cool water on those extremely heated days! I love those days!

I have a few fun books that I want to read over the summer. Nothing beats laying out in the sun by the pool reading a good book with a glass of pink lemonade or ice tea by my side! I think this summer is going to be a good one.

Peanut Butter Cookies!

2007-02-13T13:10:00.000-05:00

Today, I went to the grocery store at lunch and came back with a bag of peanut butter cookies! I've been craving PB cookies all week and finally, I got them. I love peanut butter cookies but even more so, I love my Auntie D's ALMOND cookies the best! YUM! My dad recently had his birthday and he got a bunch of almond cookies from my aunt. He's so lucky!

My top three types of cookies in order:
1. Almond Cookies
2. PB Cookies
3. Ginger Cookies

What are your top three cookies?

What a Great B-day Weekend!

2007-02-05T15:33:00.000-05:00

Thank you to everyone who made it out to celebrate my birthday! Dinner was delicious and I was very happy to have so many people back at the house for Black Forest cake and fun games! Nothing beats a party with good friends and great times! I was having such an awesome time I forgot to give away the rest of the prizes. Ah well, I'll have to remember for the next party.

Highlights of the evening:
1. DDR Dance-Off
2. Wii (Thank you Matt)!
3. "Them vs. Us" (Thank you Ryan)!
4. Ferda screaming out "The Wheelbarrel".
5. Tail of the Ostrich?!

Congratulations to:
a) Dave for winning the Q&A.
b) Shannon for winning BINGO.
c) Joe for winning the second round of BINGO.

Extreme Pita!

2007-02-01T11:46:00.000-05:00

Wow! I just found out that at Pita Extreme you can order a pizza pita! You choose all the toppings that you want, they pile it on high, and it's relatively reasonably priced (about $6)! Overall, I think this place has the best pitas in town! My favourite is the gyro with tzatziki sauce!

On another note. I normally don't drink anything with caffeine in it because caffeine makes me feel funny. I get this anxious feeling in my stomach and then I usually get a headache. Well, the other day, I decided to treat myself to two cups of Jasmine green tea. I've always thought that green tea was caffeine-free until it hit me and I got that feeling in my stomach and the looming headache. Ooops! I later found out (thanks to Mike G's clarification) that it's HERBAL tea that is caffeine-free.

Speaking of tea, when I was living in England, I met Prince Charles. He came to my university. I got to shake his hand and I had conversation with him. His hand is very soft and it felt padded. It was a very nice hand. He's a very nice man. I had a crush on him for the rest of the time that I was in England... I'm probably still crushing.

1. What's your favourite pita?
2. Do you drink a lot of caffeine?
3. Have you ever met anyone royal or famous?

Yikes!

2007-01-21T22:32:00.000-05:00

Before the Christmas holiday, I found a contractor who said he would install my hardwood floors. This guy has experience installing floors. He was recommended by a friend and his price was great. The contractor said that he wouldn't be able to get around to it until the New Year. Well, it's the New Year and I can't get a hold of this guy! Yikes! I really want to get these floors installed sooner than later... so the search is on (again) for someone to come in and install our floors. Hopefully, I'll be able to find someone. Any recommendations?

As Promised... More Pictures!

2007-01-14T12:19:00.000-05:00

View of the place we stayed.

Couple of the left = Parents. Couple on the right = Aunt and Uncle.

On a bridge that connected to an Island.

My brother on a balcony. He's got the best smile!

My brother and his girlfriend on the beach.

My sister posing by the pool.

My sister's self-portrait. Remind me to never let her have my camera again and don't ask me to post the pictures that she took.

My sister and my youngest brother.

I couldn't get a normal picture of this kid. He kept fooling around infront of the camera.

This is by far my most favorite picture. These two are such clowns.

Some Pics... More to Come!

2007-01-11T15:34:00.000-05:00

We're Baaaaack!

2007-01-09T12:30:00.000-05:00

Mike and I arrived in O-town late last night. To our relief, our house is still standing and Sam the Bearded Dragon is still alive! Thank you, Martina, for looking after our place while we were on vacation.

The trip started with a week in my hometown visiting my family and celebrating Christmas. Mike drove the first half of the trip while I snoozed. Anyway, Mike was driving on the 401 in the T-dot area where traffic had picked up. All of a sudden, the gas light goes on. During my snooze, Mike didn't fill up between O-town and T-dot like I suggested to him. We practically ran out of gas! I almost had to get out of the car and start pushing to the nearest gas station which wasn't at all near. Anyway, much to my relief, after driving around for what seemed like eternity, we found a gas station and filled up. I drove the rest of the trip being careful that we weren't running on fumes.

After spending a week in Wsor, my family, Mike and I packed up along with my aunt, uncle, and the neighbours down the street (there were 13 of us in total) and headed out in three vehicles for a 20 hour ride down to Florida. The drive was divided over two days with the majority of the driving being done on the first day. We spent our first night in Georgia.

La Grange, Georgia: After arriving in La Grange, we checked into our hotel, headed for dinner, and then headed to WallyWorld. The WallyWorld was packed with locals who looked a little sketchy to say the least. I have to say, it was quite scary... seriously, there were cop cars outside the joint and I feared for my life thinking that someone might pull a gun and I would be caught in the crossfire. However, as we walked around the store, I realized that I had nothing to be afraid of... the locals, despite their rough appearances, were VERY FRIENDLY! Unbelievably friendly! People would walk by, smile, and say hello. They were courteous, polite, and by far the friendliest strangers I have ever come across! While at WallyWorld, Mike found another dance pad for the DDR! I can't wait to have a dance off! Anyway, as we were leaving WallyWorld with a new outlook on the people and the place, to our astonishment, we saw some folks right from the Hills! That's right, we saw a family of real, true, Hillbillies! I couldn't believe how much they fit the stereotype.

The next day (New Years' Eve), we left Georgia and made our way to Florida. We finally arrived at our destination and it was well worth the drive. We stayed at a golf and beach resort on 2400 acres of land along the Gulf Coast of Florida. After settling into our condo-suites, Mike and I took off to explore. We made it back in time for a steak and potato dinner and then everyone headed over to the resort's village to join the New Years' festivities. After visitng the village we all came back to the condo to celebrate New Years Eastern Standard Time (Florida is one hour behind). After our EST celebrations, Mike and I went swimming and ended up watching the fireworks from the pool -- so essentially, we celebrated New Years twice (EST and Florida time).

We spent the rest of the week, exploring the resort, hanging out at the white-sand beach, swimming in the pools, resting in the hot tubs, shopping at the factory outlets (got some really great deals on shoes and clothes) and playing arcade games for FREE! I currently hold the top position in the Aerosmith game!

Some highlights include: Mike finding a fishing rod in a tree and fishing until the rod broke. Mike finding a toad. Mike finding a couple of tree frogs. Mike finding sand crabs. Mike finding a tadpole. Overall, I found the trip to be a lot of fun and very relaxing! I laughed a lot with my family and especially with my sister, two brothers, and of course, Mike G. I have some really great pictures to share but for some reason, I can't upload the pics to my blog. I'll keeping trying if you'll keep checking back!

My Dad Doesn't Know It....

2006-12-25T23:08:00.000-05:00

... But, I changed his computer's home page to my blogsite! Now he can read my blog and see my picture whenever he wants!

Anyway, Merry Christmas to everyone! So far, we've had great company, humourous laughs, and lots of delicious food! Hope you're all having a brilliant time! Drink lots of egg nog and sing lots of carols! Warmest wishes for the New Year!

Lookin' like Pat!

2006-12-04T00:30:00.000-05:00

I started writing my last essay for the semester on Friday and finished Saturday afternoon. It felt good to be finished because the rest of the weekend offered so much fun!

Saturday - After finishing my essay, Mike and I took off to do some Christmas shopping! After shopping we grabbed a bite to eat and then headed over to James and Ferda's place for birthday celebrations. Wow, what a great time! Ferda certainly picked out a delicious ice cream cake! While at the party, we played some Nintendo DS and Wii. Matt set-up a tennis tournament on the Wii... it took a few tries to get used to the controllers but it's a really neat system! For the Wii tennis tournament, Ferda made my character look like Pat from Saturday Night Live dressed in puke green! She could have a least made my character look Asian like Mike's character who's eyes were squinty with bushy eyebrows. Thanks for that, Ferda! But for real, thanks for having us over!

Sunday - Mike and I did more Christmas shopping and went to our first Christmas party for the season. His work place had a nice celebration on Preston Street in Little Italy. Drink, appetizers, dinner and dessert were all very tastey. There was also a DJ playing some good tunes! It was nice to meet Mike's co-workers and it was nice to sample the company's product. I'm not sure if I can mention it in my blog because I'm not sure how public they are about it... although, a press release went out last night. Anyway, if you want to know more, give us a call.

So, last night before going to bed, I was recapping the weekend in my mind. As my thoughts started drifting, I suddenly came back to my childhood years when I played levitation with friends. Have you ever levitated someone with two fingers? Seriously, it works. I'll write about my experiences in my next blog. For now, I've gotta get to class!

Adventure Games!

2006-11-30T12:30:00.000-05:00

Big Trouble and Mr. Palmer made comments in my last blog entry about Leisure Suit Larry and adventure games. I love adventure games and Palmer spoke it clearly, I, too, would take an adventure game over any other piddly video game out there!

I remember when I was a kid. I played this game on the computer called "Swiss Family Robinson". Essentially, they were shipwrecked and it was up to you to build a house, satisfy basic survival needs, and build another boat to get them off the island. You could explore the shipwreck and the island and use items from both to help you out. Commands like, "Go Below" and "Go Topside" were used. If your brother got a snake bite, you would have to figure out which plants to use to cure it. Obviously, games have advanced from the Swiss Family Robinson days but wow, I could spend hours playing!

I love adventure games like that! I love getting clues and trying to figure out next steps. I'm not a big fan of guns, fights and other video games (except for Burnout Revenge - I love that game, actually, I love all the Burnouts). Nonetheless, I love adventure games where you have to try different things and really look around to figure out where you're going and the sorts.

I love solving mysteries! Do you have any suggested adventure games for the Xbox (not 360 but the version before that) or for the home computer?

Brain Age!

2006-11-29T12:30:00.000-05:00

Last night, Matt let me play with his Nintendo DS and I couldn't stop playing it! Not only did he introduce me to the DS but he also introduced me to a game called Brain Age. Now, I must say, I'm pretty old but Matt assures me that with practice my brain age will get younger. The ideal brain age is around 20 years old.

I also played a racing game. I was that little green dragon from Mario Brothers. Aw, he's so cute. Anyway, after my second try, I beat the Princess and the Spikey Creature and came in first place! Wow, that was exciting!

I'm hoping that I don't get too distracted over the next few days because I really want to get my paper done. I guess I should at least start on it first but there are so many more exciting things to do out there! For example, last night, Mike and I watched a couple Heroes and Prison Break episodes that I missed due to having late classes. In my opinion, far more interesting and entertaining than writing a boring essay!

What's your favourite video game?

Three Months!

2006-11-29T01:18:00.000-05:00

Whoa! Finally, after three months, MikeG has updated his blogsite! Amazing!

Okay, I have to write a paper which I'm hoping to start soon and possibly finish before the weekend. There's so much going on and I just want to take part in the action!

Should I pull and all nighter and get this paper done before the weekend or should I just write the paper over the course of the rest of the week and finish on Sunday?

Television

2006-11-26T12:30:00.000-05:00

Mike got me addicted to a new t.v. series. Normally, I make sure to watch Prison Break (Fox) and Lost (ABC) but now, thanks to Mike, I'm additcted to Heroes (NBC)! These are officially my top three t.v. shows. This poses a problem for me because I'm supposed to be either:
a) reading for my classes;
b) writing class papers;
c) doing French homework; or
d) renovating the living/dining room.

None of these things are getting done. I blame it on Mike. It's all his fault. Other shows that I watch include: C.S.I., Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, Amazing Race, and ER. BUT, I don't watch these as avidly as my official top three!

What are your top three t.v. shows?

Français

2006-11-21T12:30:00.000-05:00

Ca c'est comment j'apprend français. Maintenant, tu sais le secret de mon succès! Clic sur le lien: http://www.tetesaclaques.tv/video.php?vid=30

Ring the Bell and Blow the Whistle

2006-11-07T12:21:00.000-05:00

Hell Canada sucks! I boycotted them years ago by getting a cell phone with a different service provider. The service at Hell deteriorated so badly that I promised never to go back to them. Well, I broke that promise when Mike and I needed a phone line for the house. So, much to our hesitation, we signed up for phone and internet. BIG MISTAKE! We've had nothing but problems from the day we signed up.

When we first got the phone hooked up, we were getting phone calls from a family asking for their mother. Then the family started harassing us by calling all the time even when we repeatedly told them that they had the wrong number. Finally getting to to the bottom of things, apparently, Hell disconnected a poor old lady who had the phone number for 20 years and whose family checks up on her everyday. Anyway, after losing phone service for a week, getting a new number, and waiting to get reconnected, our phone line was hooked up.

Then just when we think things are running smoothly, troubles with the internet came about. I won't go into details about that but let's just say, not only did we get crappy internet service but we've also been overcharged on a few items. Not impressed.

Overall, the total time spent on the phone amounts to quite a few hours... most of it being hours on hold! What does it take to get decent service? Needless to say, we're switching companies and Fraudgers is out of the question since they deliver the same crappy service as Hell. Within the next week we should have a new phone and internet service provider, Primus.

Freakin' Kids at Halloween!

2006-11-01T12:30:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I received three bonhommes (stuffed animals) from a colleague. These guys were so cute -- two of the stuffed creatures were dressed up in Halloween costumes and the third was laying in a coffin. I brought them home and put them at the front entrance to welcome the Trick-or-Treaters. Mike also set up this evil gargoyle plaque that would start laughing when the motion detector was set off.

The evening brought no more than 30 Trick-or-Treaters to our house - all of them teenagers - no wee ones :( Anyway, 30 kids are not very many considering the amount of candy that we bought. So, we started dumping candy into their bags because we didn't want to be stuck with the extra calories.

Despite our generosity, these freakin' kids stole two of the bonhommes, threw the third in a corner, and kicked the gargoyle plaque into our bushes! It's a good thing I saw who did it because that gave Mike and I the opportunity to chase them down the street and into the park. Mike decided that that was enough of a scare but I wasn't so convinced. I wanted to keep chasing them until I got the bonhommes back! But, reason kicked in and we went home.

Jeesh! The nerve of those kids! It was just a couple of them but talk about ruining the Halloween spirit! What a bunch of brats! Humph! Last night, Mike and I cleared our schedules to stay at home and dole out mounds of candies to kiddies. Well, that was the first and last time we do that! Bah Halloweenbug!

Sens vs. Leaves

2006-10-26T13:57:00.000-05:00

As part of Mike's b-day present, I got him tickets for tonight's Sens game against the Fleas, er... I mean, Leafs. I'm very excited as this will be the first hockey game that we attend together AND it'll be my first Sens vs. Leafs game that I see in person (and shouldn't it be Leaves?). Anyway, both Mike and I hope the Sens kick butt and score at least 6 goals so that we can get free Pizza Pizza with our ticket stubs!

Anyone watching the game tonight should look for us in the crowd. I'll be wearing my RED WINGS jersey! Go WINGS Go!!!

Anyway, the picture to the right is a Leaf blower! Get it, get it? LOL! I received that a while ago in a forwarded email. Thought it was brilliant!

So, to the blue and white team: Make like a Leaf and fall!

Got anymore Leaf bashing comments that I can use?

Washroom Worries

2006-10-12T13:25:00.000-05:00

I got chatting with a couple colleagues at work and the topic of conversation was about people in the office who don't wash their hands after they use the toilet. This is a rather disturbing topic because we named at least three people who don't wash their hands and that's just among the women... we can't forget about the men, who have to pull "it" out. Come on! I was taught from a very young age to wash my hands everytime I go to the washroom.

Here's another disturbing thought. While my friend was studying to become a doctor, she had to do a lab that entailed her swabbing public door handles. What she found on those swabs really makes me want to hurl. Do you want to know? Staphylococci, sperm, and feces to name a few. This is why it's important to always wash your hands before you eat! Maybe I'm just mysophobic... but can you really blame me?

Questions:
1. Do you wash your hands after you use the washroom?
2. Do you wash your hands before you eat?

Water Coolers

2006-10-12T11:30:00.000-05:00

At my old place of work, it was suggested that we don't drink the tap water. So, acting upon that suggestion, we brought in a water cooler. It was great at first until I noticed lipstick marks on the spout where the water comes out. A number of questions crossed my mind, namely: Is someone drinking water directly from the spout? Well, that wasn't the case but It turns out, a few people in the office would take their used bottles and hold them up against the spout. Obviously, their lipstick transferred from the bottle to the spout. Ew, germs! I stopped drinking that water and started to bring my own from home.

At my current place of work, there's a water cooler in the kitchen. Rules were set out even before I arrived. Everyone was told not to touch any part of their bottles to the spout of the water cooler. I thought this was great so I started drinking the water. Everyday, I would fill up my mug and carry on my way.

One day, when I was eating my lunch in the kitchen, a colleague walked in to fill up his water bottle. Before filling up, he took a final swig of his bottle to finish the rest of his water. He then put the neck of his USED bottle right up touching the spout where the water gets dispensed. GROSS! I wonder how many other people contaminate the spout with their germs! And everyone in the office wonders why everyone else catches each others cold, flu, and other nasties! Well, enough of the communal coolers... I've gone back to supplying my own water.

Question for you: Do you drink from the communal cooler or do you supply your own water?

Timmy's!

2006-10-11T11:30:00.000-05:00

Last week, I donated some money to the Government Workplace Charitable Campaign and received a couple raffle tickets. Well, guess what? My name was pulled in the raffle and I won $20 in gift certificates to Tim Horton's! What a deal!

I have a late class tonight (actually, all Wednesdays) and I usually don't get to eat dinner until around 10pm. Well, not today! I'm going to take my gift certificates and get myself some dinner from Timmy's!! Not sure what I'll get just yet but I'm sure it'll be in the form of a sandwich (and doughnut).

So, I would like to ask you three questions (just out of curiosity):
1. What's your favourite doughnut from Timmy's?
2. What's your favourite Timmy's drink?
3. What do you like most about Timmy's?

Lumpless Gravy! Success!

2006-10-09T23:30:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving weekend was a huge success! I made a turkey that came out juicy and tender and my gravy came out lumpless! I also made a ham, some stuffing, sweet potatoes, baked potatoes, corn, and rice complete with cranberry sauce. Now, it's leftovers for the rest of the week! YUM!

I wasn't going to make a turkey this year but Mike practically begged me so I had no choice. His puppy dog eyes had me and of course, I gave in. He loves his turkey and even more, he certainly enjoys making toasted turkey sandwiches from the leftovers.

Aside from the turkey dinner, this weekend was very relaxing. Usually, we have family around but this year, Mike's family is in California and my family decided to stay down south. So, it was a quiet weekend which should lead to a steady week. However, next week is a different story. Things should pick up as Mike's mom gets back from California and my parents come to visit for a couple of days. I also have a couple of essays to write and a presentation to give. Then it's Mike's birthday. And then we head into Halloween! Looking forward to giving out candy for the first time in my new neighbourhood!

Your Name in Russian!

2006-10-02T11:30:00.000-05:00

Wow! My sister sent this link to me and I thought I'd share it with everyone.... Just type your name in the box, hit the button below and it'll show your name in Russian! Very neat! http://www.callme.nm.ru/ Check it out!

Great Weekend!

2006-10-01T18:44:00.000-05:00

Wow, what a busy weekend! Saturday, I woke up early to do some grocery shopping, get my hair cut, visit my friend Julie who had a baby about 3 months ago, and then booked it back home to set-up for girls' night. What an awesome girls' night! Ferda makes the best pumpkin squares in the world!! We had quite a nice spread of food... I'm sure we all overstuffed ourselves and we didn't even get to Martina'a cheesecake. Without going too much into detail about the girls' night, let's just say that there were some fun pictures taken, some interesting video footage and something to do with the internet which kept us all entertained!

So, girls' night was a fabulous success and most of us went to bed pretty late considering we had to wake up very early in the morning for the breast cancer run. All of us on team, "We Love Our Breasts" ran the 5km. It took me about 1/2 an hour to run the course... not bad considering I haven't trained in ages. I actually surprised myself that I could last that long! However, I'm sure I'll be paying for it over the next few days... I'm already starting to feel the burn. Overall, I couldn't believe how many people showed up in the rain and cold! The market was packed and it was awesome seeing so much support for the cause! Could you imagine how many other people would be out if it wasn't raining? Next year, I plan on running faster and raising more money. This year, I managed to exceed my goal of $300 by $5. I can do better next year.

For now, I'm going to get back to reading for my courses. If I get done in a decent time, then I'll treat myself to a movie from the video collection or maybe I'll just go to sleep earlier than usual.

Being Schooled

2006-09-28T11:30:00.000-05:00

Part-time schooling is great especially when the subject matter is interesting! I'm taking Human Rights and Political Science. It sure beats my first degree in law. The material is much more lively and the thought process is different. Don't get me wrong... I value my understanding of law (it's partially what got me my current job) but at the same time, I hold a greater appreciation for my current studies.

Aside from school, work, and the lack of social life, I'm still managing to get in some fun time. For example, I'm really looking forward to this weekend. I'm hosting a proper girls' night as in, absolutely NO BOYS! Today, Mike left for California. He's on a business trip for the next week. I can't wait for him to get back; I already miss him. In the meantime, I might as well hang out with my girls and do all the things that girls can do together that guys have no interest in.

I'm also participating in the breast cancer walk on Sunday. I've almost reached my fundraising goal of $300. I'm still working on it but hopefully, I'll have exceeded my goal by race day! Carleigh put together our team, "We Love Our Breasts" and I'm looking forward to running/walking the 5km with her and the rest of my teammates.

Back to School!

2006-09-26T11:30:00.000-05:00

I'm back in school part-time and loving it! Regardless of the fact that my social life is decreasing, I'm enjoying the readings and the lectures. My one professor is so caring and concerned about the success of his students. I find it very rare to come across a professor so caring and willing to help, especially in university! The best part is that he doesn't have the ego that most professor's carry. This prof is so down to earth but don't let that fool you of the knowledge he holds! He's willing share and help you develop your ideas. I'm really impressed with him and I'm motivated to do really well and keep up with the readings in his class! I guess it also helps that the subject matter is ultra interesting! Well, here's to a good school term!

Puck Bunny Pimps - SCORE!

2006-09-18T11:30:00.000-05:00

Our first floor hockey game of the season was a close one. Tied at 3-3, a last minute goal by Luc A. with an assist from Mike G. put us on top. The last 30 seconds of the game was pure defence. Riveting, provocative, exhilerating, and nerve-rackingly intense; we won the game 4-3. Not bad considering we had to pull a forward to play goalie. Matt Mur. did a great job as keeper! He had countless saves but we need him on the floor.

We are in the process of looking to recruit a goalie. Got game? Wanna join the Puck Bunny Pimps as goalie? Let me know!

Heroic Highlights:
Play of the game - Matt Ma.'s unassisted goal in a display of pure athleticism.
High scorer - Pumpkin with 2
Tough defensive play - Holly, Joelle, and Jenn
Newest pimps - Jenn and Matt Ma.

Great game, great time, great goals! Looking forward to more pimping action!

Bird Poop

2006-09-10T11:30:00.000-05:00

So we're in the Home Depot parking lot putting our goods in the trunk. We then get into the car and Mike makes this whining noise... I look over at him and he points to the fresh bird poop on the windshield of his clean car. Then Mike makes a "Grrr" noise and accusingly points to a nearby seagull. I look over at the seagull and said, "So, run over it". Mike grunts, starts the car and then proceeds to point the car in the direction of the bird. Next thing I know, he's gunning it toward the bird! The bird starts to run and then flutter its wings, moving from side to side kind of in a half run, half flight movement. Mike follows the bird through the parking lot, redirecting the car at each flap of the bird's wing. I was laughing histerically because I didn't think Mike would take me literally! Finally, the bird gets smart and flies away but I'm sure if Mike's car had flying ability, Mike would still be chasing the seagull.

M&M's Movie Mania

2006-09-09T23:30:00.000-05:00

This weekend I hosted a girls' movie night while Mike hosted a boys' movie night. The guys were in the basement since I claimed the main floor for the ladies. There was a great turnout and we had a lavish spread of munchies. Everyone seemed to have a good time so I think this is an event worth repeating! My favourite part was dressing up in lingerie and having a pillow fight with the girls... that was fun! But it wasn't so fun when the guys invaded our space, took all of our food, and stole our lingerie! I'm sure there are some pictures floating around out there... I just hope none of them make the tabloids.

Helium Hedonism

2006-09-07T11:30:00.000-05:00

Today was the kick-off for the charitable campaign at work. I participated with four of my colleagues. The event started with a short parade and ended with a BBQ lunch. We didn’t make it to the BBQ lunch. After the parade, we found out that we had to listen to speeches before chomping down on a burger... we were too hungry to listen to speeches so, we left. On the way out, we took some balloons… okay, we took a lot of balloons… about 5 bunches of 25 each. We brought them back to our office building… but there were too many balloons to take in the elevator… so we took the stairs and made our way up to our floor.

When we got to our floor, we placed the balloons in various offices. The leftovers were put in my office. I decided to chop the top off of one of them and inhale the helium while making a prank call to my colleague… so much for that, I was laughing too hard that she could hardly tell that my voice was high-pitched. She knew what I was up to and came into my office. Soon we were talking to each other in high-pitched voices. This was a hoot! We were laughing so hard. A few other people came by to see what was going on and they ended up joining us in the helium hedonism.

My lunch hour was great! Laughing was so much fun!

Dancing Cougar

2006-08-28T11:30:00.000-05:00

This weekend, Mike and I hung out with a couple of my girlfriends at a bar in the west end. I'm not going to go into details of the night but rather, I'd like to focus on two interesting and entertaining incidents that happened to Mike.

The first incident occurred while we were standing around chatting and minding our business. We were all standing by the bar enjoying the conversation, when a waitress walked behind Mike with a tray full of empty beer bottles. I thought nothing of it, she was just doing her job and I paid little attention to her actions until, all of a sudden, she dropped a beer bottle. The bottle smashed to the ground catching my attention. The next thing I knew, the waitress says something to my girlfriend and Mike and then walks off. Both of them broke out into looks of shock, then smiles and laughs. I didn't catch what the waitress said because the music was loud and I was standing opposite of all the commotion. When I asked what happened, Mike replied that the waitress said, "I was too busy trying to grab your ass that I dropped a bottle." What? She grabbed Mike's ass?? LOL! Mike said that he felt something touch his bum BUT he ASSumed that the waitress was trying to squeeze on by... alas, now we know she was just trying to cop a squeeze!

The second incident happened when Mike went to sit in one of the booths at the edge of the dance floor. After dancing a little bit longer, I shortly followed Mike to the booth. I was standing between Mike's legs chatting with him, whispering into his ear and kissing his cheek, when from out of nowhere, a hand reaches around my arm inviting Mike to the dance floor! WTF?! Needless to say, I didn't see any of this since my gaze was so intently on Mike. All I saw was Mike shaking his head in a "no" gesture. I was wondering why he was saying "no" to me and I just turned my head to the side and caught a glimpse of the owner of the hand which belonged to this cougar. The cougar then proceeded to say to Mike, "Are you turning me down?" Mike then replies, "Uh, ya, this is my girlfriend." The lady cougar then puts her arm around the both of us, kisses me on the cheek, kisses Mike on the cheek and says, "Invite me to the wedding." Mike replied, "Ya, the invitation is in the mail."

Jeesh! I better keep my eye out a little more closely to catch these women trying to put the moves on my man! LOL! Luckily for me, I don't have to worry about Mike putting the moves on anyone except for me! Overall, the night turned out to be a lot of fun and a lot of laughable moments came out of it!

Home Renovations

2006-08-22T11:30:00.000-05:00

Our next project is the living/dining room. We're in the process of clearing out all of the furniture so that we can get down to work by getting rid of the ceramic tile, priming and painting the walls, and laying down the hardwood floor. Quite the task but I think it's going to be a lot of fun and a huge relief once it's all done! If anyone reading this post has some extra time to lend a hand, please give us a call.

On another note, about three weeks ago, we received a letter regarding a government gas meter exchange. I booked the appointment for a service agent to come out to the house and change our meter. The meter exchange took place yesterday. This morning, when I walked out the front door on my way to work, I could smell something different, yet distinct, in the air... I soon realized that it was the odour of natural gas. Quickly putting two and two together, I knew that there was a gas leak. As you know, gas leaks can be very dangerous. Mike put a call into the gas company and they said they would send someone out immediately. They were quick about it. The leak was plugged within the hour. Turned out to be a faulty regulator. The agent replaced the regulator and everything is back to normal... I hope.

Asian Backstreet Boys

2006-08-18T11:30:00.000-05:00

LOL! Heh, heh! Check out my brothers as they perform to Jessica Simpson's, Public Affair: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5124569733152296908&q=jessica+simpson+public+affair

By the way, they're not really my brothers (Holly).

Heavy Games!

2006-08-17T11:30:00.000-05:00

On Monday, my aunt, uncle and cousin came to O-town for the first time. Their visit consisted mainly of tourist attractions. It was great having them visit! My cousin, Colin, aged 10, was playing a few games on the computer and I thought they were great way to pass some time! Check out the site if you get the chance: http://heavygames.com/. There are strategy, multi-player, fighting, sports, and puzzle games to name a few. One game that I thought was neat is called Virtual Surgery (under Most Played games). Colin showed me how to do a knee surgury. Jeesh, and he's only 10 years old!! What a genius!!

WHOA! I just tried the McDonald's Game (under Strategy Games) -- that's great! Working for MacDonald's is a lot harder than I thought! My crops didn't grow, my cows got sick and had to be shot, my employees quit on me and I bankrupt the place! I better get better soon!!!

PHO

2006-08-10T11:30:00.000-05:00

Friend: We should go out for lunch next week.

Me: Where do you want to go?

Friend: Derek mentioned going for pho.

Me: That sounds great! I know of a couple places on Somerset.

Friend: What's pho?

Me: Pho is Vietnamese beef noodle soup.

Friend: Oh, that makes sense... I thought it was fake Italian food! You know faux.

Me: Well then, wouldn't it be French food?

New York, New York

2006-08-08T11:30:00.000-05:00

WOW! What a great long weekend! This year, Christa and I took our annual vacation to New York City. New York is definitely a city of variety. From the scenery to the cultures to the available goods, there's something there for everyone!

I didn't realize the size of Central Park until I saw it on the map and actually walked through part of it. The place is massive and there's always something going on... Double Dutch Divas, Rollerblading Rollsters, and Drummers and Dancers.

Some other places that we visited were the Metropolitain Museum, Chinatown, Soho, Ground Zero, Harlem, Times Square, and of course shopping on 5th Avenue. While on 5th, we stopped into Saks where we were treated to a sample of "plumping" lip gloss. The sales lady said that there would be some tingling and there was some tingling... she said that all the lines in our lips would disappear as the "better than botox" syrum filled the lines... the lines disappeared. Christa looked really good with the colour that was chosen for her lip plumping experience. I had a clear colour that brought our my natural colour. The process took about 5 minutes to complete. Mine however, took much longer... as I had a reaction to the secret syrum! Not only did I have glossy, plump lips but I also had blotchy red marks above my lip just under my nose. Eventually, the redness faded. It was funny and we laughed it off. Well, Christa laughed at me.

We did a lot of walking... around 12 hours a day. My feet were sore each night but we covered a lot of ground while in NYC for four days and three nights. The highlight of the trip was the Broadway show we went to see... The Drowsey Chaperone. The show was sold out so we bought our tickets from a scalper. We had good seats and the musical was excellent... no wonder it won so many Tony awards. If I lived in NYC, I would see a broadway show at least once a week! We need more good shows here in O-town. Nevermind the government-run NAC, some private company has to come in and take over. We need some good shows!

Overall, it was a great time. Got my Prada, Chanel, and Lacoste from certain street vendors. Our hotel was good and the food was fine! We managed to stay out of trouble and watched the movie, Silent Hill our final night... Can someone please explain that movie to me?

T.O. Termanancy

2006-07-31T11:30:00.000-05:00

Two months ago, Mike gave notice to terminate tenancy of his apartment in T.O. This weekend, we travelled to T.O. to do a little last minute cleaning, get rid of the extra furniture, and give back the keys. Prior to our trip, we asked around to various friends and called around to local charities to find out if anyone wanted the furniture otherwise, we would just throw it away (something we really didn't want to do). Well, as it turned out, no one wanted the furniture... until... we met these two brothers (around 25-27 years old) in the elevator. They had recently moved in (about a week ago) and their apartment was empty. Long story short, they did us a huge favour and pretty much took everything except the dressers and CD tower. We took the dressers and CD tower and put them near the dumpster. We returned the next day and someone had taken them! It made us feel really good because at least someone is making use of the items!

Now, here's the real reason for my post. Aside from the apartment business that we had to take care of, we managed to get some shopping done. What did we shop for? DVDs! Now, we have a collection of the latest movies out there! We're planning on having a few movie nights! We'll send out an email or Evite with the movie being shown and if you want to watch it, then come on over. We have enough movies to take us into the new year!!

BBQ Weekend!

2006-07-21T10:27:00.000-05:00

I'm really excited about this weekend! Mike and I are hosting a Housewarming Pool Party BBQ and we're expecting about 40 friends to share some good times! The weather is going to be awesome! It'll be perfect for BBQing and swimming! It'll be even better to spend the time with friends!

I'm contemplating having a few fun contests because Mike and I went out and got a few prizes to give away. I was thinking, doggy paddle contest, hairest body, smallest swimsuit.... I sat down with a work colleague and we came up with a few games which I may or may not decide to play. What do you think about having contests? Also, do you have any contest suggestions?

Working From Home

2006-07-14T11:30:00.000-05:00

It's Friday. It's noon. It's too nice of a day to be indoors. I'm going home to work from the pool. Looking for company. Call me if you're interested. BBQ is fixed if you want to bring food and drink. Don't forget your swimsuit and towel.

Enjoy the rest of your day! I know I will!

Go Team Tuna!!

2006-07-07T11:30:00.000-05:00

After countless jokes, our money being taken away from us, and our money being returned with 4000% interest only to be taken away from us again, the battle was finally won. Mike and I have taken first place in Game Cube's, Mario Party. We are Team Tuna!!

Last night, after running our errands, Mike and I headed over to Matt's house where we met our opponents. Matt and Jen on Team Dolphin; Ferda and James on Team Seagull. For some reason, Mike and I ended up with the name, Team Tuna, and the fish jokes were almost drowning.

Ferda: "Smells like Team Tuna"
James: "Smelly Melly and Mike G. The Smelly Couple"
Matt: "Smells fishy"

Those three listed above should have taken Jen's example of true sportspersonship. She didn't make fun of us and remains in our good books ;) Nonetheless, all of the jokes and all of the puns didn't pay off since Mike and I are SUPERSTARS that have won FIRST PLACE! Matt and Jen came in Second. James and Ferda in Fourth. Why fourth? Because the computer, Team Mollusk won Third.

Alas, a few words of advice: Team Dolphin and Team Seagull... keep on trying to better yourselves, Young Crickets!

Matt, THANK YOU for your hospitality. The pizza and chocolate was awesome!

Oh Mr. Sun! Please Shine Down on Me!

2006-06-30T11:30:00.000-05:00

Clear, blue, and fresh! The pool is ready for us to mesh!
But the weather is horrendous and not cooperating.
This is the pits and so irating.
Clouds, rain, thunder and lightning!!
Remember the sun that shines so brightening?
Canada Day will be in full swing.
With all this rain, you'd think it was spring.
I was hoping to have a few people over for a swim.
Chances of that seem so grim.
I'm waiting for the sun to glisten on the surface of the water.
Where are my summer days that are supposed to be hotter?

Scandal in the Office

2006-06-27T11:30:00.000-05:00

Two employees have tied the knot in my office. It was supposed to be kept hush but these sort of things always manage to find their way out into the open. Let's face it, the level of your security clearance doesn't matter when it comes to office scandals; we work in cubicles and secrets always get uncovered. Now, it's pretty much common knowledge that the Senior Director is married to the Junior Officer who is half his age and four months pregnant. She called off her engagement (to another man) about three months ago. You do the math. She's also going from an entry-level junior position to a senior position (3 levels higher) which means, huge pay raise. Again, you do the math.

Out of the Office

2006-06-26T11:30:00.000-05:00

For the past week and a half I have been out of the office spending time with my main squeeze. We managed to get a lot of work done around the house but there's still more to do. Nonetheless, Mike has officially moved home and today is his first day on the new job.

This past weekend was a VERY good time! It started out on Friday with a few of Mike's friends and a taco dinner. Saturday was probably the best bachelorette party I've attended. Maureen really came out of her shell and made me proud! Sunday was a great BBQ celebrating Alex's and Holly's birthday. There was plenty of food and best of all good laughs and great company!

Now, I'm back to work. BOO!

Late Breaking News!!

2006-06-01T11:30:00.000-05:00

Mike is moving back to O-town! After one and half years of living in T.O., he's finally coming home to me!!! He got the paperwork today and starts his new job on June 26th. I'm so ecstatic!! Ahh, this feels so good!

Stinky Sticks

2006-05-31T11:30:00.000-05:00

Stinky Sticks - a term used by Mike G. to describe those long slender cancer causing agents a.k.a. cigarettes, smokes or as the British say, fags. Well, 80% of the non-smoking Canadian population should be happy to know that as of today, the provinces of Ontario and Quebec are SMOKE-FREE! Other provinces are following the trend and soon, we will have a SMOKE-FREE CANADA!!!

I'll never understand those people who cram together at the front of the office building puffing away like a car burning oil for gas. It's that blue cloud of smoke that I have to walk through to get into the building that is disgusting. I usually walk by holding my breath. The thing that irks me are the ones who throw their butts on the ground and litter the place! I realize that you can't necessarily throw a cigarette butt in the garbage for fear of starting a fire but at least use the cigarette recepticles provided! One time, I found a cigarette butt caught in the grooves of the souls of my shoes. It was horrendous pulling it out since you could see the saliva marks on the filter and not to mention the smell. EW!

The short and long-term effects of smoking are harsh and brutal. When I lived in my old apartment and the second-hand smoke found its way into my space, I experienced respiratory problems, allergies, and my immune system was down. Now that I've moved out, these problems are gone. I can't even imagine what it must be like to be a first-hand smoker. So much damage to the body.

For my friends out there who smoke, this is a plead for you to quit smoking. I've seen the harmful effects it has on the body and the way it shortens life. I'd like to have you around as my friend for a long time. So please quit.

Termination in Bad Faith

2006-05-26T11:30:00.000-05:00

This morning I received a phone call from Malaka (my old neighbour). Apparently, the police were at my old apartment last night. The tenants were being really noisy and threatened some guy passing by on the street. So, that guy passing by on the street called the police. Well, the tenants must have thought that the neighbours called the police because this morning when Malaka and Dave were leaving for work, they found that their house was vandalized. They heard a loud bang last night but didn't really suspect that their house was being attacked. Anyway, their front porch is damaged -- something about the banister being smashed.

So, this morning, Malaka went over to my old apartment and got the tenants all out of bed early to discuss the situation from last night. She asked to speak to the landlord and guess what? They said that he doesn't live there and that he lives two blocks away!!! As you'll recall, I got evicted on the basis that the landlord was going to move in but, as I suspected, they never did move into the apartment and someone else is living there!!! Now that I have proof, I'm going after them for moving expenses, mail forwarding, reconnection fees, etc.... Anyway, Malaka told them that she's calling the police and adding vandalism to the report.

I'm glad I'm out of that apartment because who knows what could have happened to me or my property if I stayed there but at the same time, the landlords acted in bad faith and I believe I should be compensated for it. Also, I think I should be compensated for the interference of my enjoyment of the apartment when I was living there. I kept record of all the noise and illegal activity, plus, there's also a police report to go along with the statement. I'm thinking I can get at least two months rent back.

So, let's add that up... two months rent, moving and other expenses, mail forwarding = $2000.

Mother's Day at the Casino!

2006-05-15T09:37:00.000-05:00

Seeing as my mom lives in a different city, I spent time with her on the phone while she was at breakfast with the rest of the family for Mother's Day. We had a quick conversation and she was in good spirits. I'm glad that she's happy and I wish I could have been there because it sounded like everyone was having a lot of fun.

Later that day, Mike spoke with his mom and she wanted to go to the Casino. I should probably explain that I have the worst luck at casino's... even on the computer where you get as many spins as you want, I suck! Anyway, we're at the casino and Mike and his mom start at the slot machines. Mike put $20 in a $1 slot machine, each time tripling up to the maximum bet. It went pretty fast and he was on his 5th spin and I was getting nervous and said to him, "I'm probably bad luck so I'm going to walk away." Just as I was walking away, about 3 feet, I hear the bells and whistles going off. I turned around and looked at Mike and he had this look of disbelief on his face. I asked with concern and a bit of excitement, "What?" He replied, "I just won $900." Oh ya baby! I told you I was bad luck!

Swimming Pool

2006-05-09T12:53:00.000-05:00

From swampy green mess to cloudy blue clear, the pool is almost ready for swimming. Well, the temperature is still frigid but I predict a very globally-warmed-hotter-than-average-sunny summer! That's right! You heard it here first on Mel's Maxim! Okay, so maybe I'm just hoping that it's going to be a sweltering sizzle of a summer but can you really blame me?

Geese Fly North for the Summer

2006-05-01T11:30:00.000-05:00

I usually mark the true beginning of spring and fall when the geese arrive and leave. Last night, while Mike and I were working in the backyard, we saw a huge flock of geese flying north in their V-shaped format. The geese have arrived -- that means summer is fast approaching.

This weekend was a huge weekend for getting work done. On Saturday, Mike and I cleaned up the garage so that we can get the door replaced. We also did some painting. On Sunday, we woke up early in the morning and did a charity walk for MS. I got my picture taken with Sparty Cat. After the walk, we visited with Mike's Mom and then we helped Mike's sister and her family move some furniture for their new home. As the evening approached, Mike and I decided to work on cleaning the pool.

I received some advice for getting the pool water clear and we've decided not to empty the pool but rather spend the money on chemicals to clean the water. Reason: emptying the pool will probably cause the liner to collapse and cement to heave thus causing more work and money to be spent. So, taking that advice, we went to Rona to buy all the chemicals needed to get the water crystal clear... not sure when the water will clear up but we should see some progress by the end of the week. After the water is cleared up, we'll clean up the leaves at the bottom of the pool and then, add more chemicals to balance the Chlorine and Ph to safe levels. Once that's done, the pool will be open for swimming which means, POOL PARTY! Here's to a very hot summer!

Home Fixins'

2006-04-24T11:30:00.000-05:00

Our roof has been re-shingled. That's one item that we can check off our list of major things to do. Next, is the garage door! Mike and I are calling around for prices and hope to get the door replaced soon. Our house is slowly coming along. It's all very exciting!

We're planning a garage sale in June in the hopes that we get rid of some of the stuff that came with the house. Anything we don't sell will be donated to a local charity. I have a few friends coming over to help out with the sale as well as sell their own items. I did a joint garage sale last year and it turned out well. Which reminds me, it was at that time that I also fell down a flight of stairs in my apartment of six years. Right from the top of the stairs all the way to the bottom on my back, head first. I'm lucky it was a slide and not a tumble. My right shoulder took the brunt of it and before I hit the bottom, I lifted my head so that I didn't bang it too hard on the ground. I'm not sure how I survived without a bruise or severely disabling myself but someone was looking out for me because I got up and carried on the day as though nothing happened. Mind you, I was a little shocked after it happened but more happy that I was able to walk away. Let's hope I'm better with stairs this year!

Backyard Swamp

2006-04-20T11:30:00.000-05:00

Our pool is so disgusting right now and I'm not looking forward to cleaning it. Over the winter, the pool didn't get covered so all the leaves, dirt, muck and a newspaper got blown into the algae infested water. Now that it's spring, it's clean up time but it seems like a lot of work and running a pool does not come cheap!

The plan is to empty the pool of the current swamp water and shovel out all the stuff that shouldn't be there. Then, we'll scrub the liner until it's clean and back to its original colour. Whether we fill the pool up with water will depend on the cost. A work colleague filled her pool which is slightly smaller than the one in my backyard -- it cost her $600 to fill it (plus, all the chemicals you have to buy to keep the water clear). Hmm, this is getting expensive and really choresome. I should know better, I grew up with a pool at my parents' place. All the daily maintenance is quite a task.

To fill the pool, we can hire a water truck or run a hose from the house to the pool and let it flow for three days. Someone also suggested running a hose from the neighbours house... LOL! For some reason, I don't think that will make for friendly relations. Although, a thought just came to me, is anyone friends with a firefighter? I was thinking we could borrow the truck and hook up the hose to the fire hydrant across the street and fill my pool on the city's tab. Heck, I pay enough in property taxes!

Anyway, not sure whether to run the pool this year... any thoughts?

PC Redemption

2006-04-19T11:30:00.000-05:00

Well, well, well. PC Insurance has restored my confidence in them. After spending a couple of weeks on the phone with them, my new insurance premium is LESS than what I was originally quoted and this includes taxes. Instead of paying $1235 plus taxes, I'll be paying $978 taxes INCLUDED! Not sure why the difference but I'll be getting the new policy in the mail and I'll do a comparison with the old to make sure we're getting the same coverage. It should be the same as I asked if there were any changes and the only change is the price.

Which brings me to my next point... how come the difference? To me, I would consider a $400 difference significant. Do insurance companies set the prices as they see fit? Why all of a sudden am I paying less for home owners insurance? I'm not complaining but as I think more about it... am I paying more than what I should for my other insurance policies?

I spoke with family members who have comparable homes with a pool and they're paying around $540 per year. I'm still not certain of the difference. I still don't get it! Insurance is such a SCAM!!! I wish the government would do something MORE to monitor insurance companies closely and provide easily accessible public pricing guidelines so that consumers don't get ripped off!! Can you imagine that I would have paid $1235 plus taxes when I could be paying the $978 taxes included? Maybe I can pay even less! Maybe I'm still being scammed! Maybe you're being scammed by your insurance company!

Good Times!

2006-04-18T08:30:00.000-05:00

What a great weekend with the family! I only wish they ALL lived in O-town! They drove a long way for such a short visit but I'm so thankful that they came! It was really nice spending the time with them and I'm glad my grandpa finally made it to O-town! He's been talking about coming up here for a long time! Mike took him, my brother and Allison (my brother's girlfriend) to the Aviation museum to see my grandpa's plane during WWII. However, when they arrived my grandpa asked a guide if the Bulldog plane was available for viewing but unfortunately, it was in another section closed off to the public. Luckily, the tour guide was SUPER great and took my grandpa on a private tour. I'm so happy that the museum made the extra effort to show a veteran his plane -- respect to the museum and to Allan the tour guide!

So, this week is dedicated to studying for my exam on Saturday. I have six books to read... I guess I kind of fell behind in class. I'm heading to Costco sometime next week with Ferda so if you're interested in coming along, give me a call or send an email!

Easter Weekend!

2006-04-11T09:02:00.000-05:00

My family (minus my sister who has to work) is coming up for Easter weekend! My brother is bringing his girlfriend and I'm anxious to meet her. My other brother, well, he's just so cute, I can't wait to see him. Plus, my grandpa is coming for a visit. He's been wanting to come to Ottawa for the past three years and he's finally getting his wish! I'm really looking forward to seeing him. They arrive on Friday and will depart on Sunday. That's a pretty long drive for just a weekend visit so Mike and I decided to at least feed them well.

We're hosting Easter dinner on Saturday. We'll have a full house with my family and his family and their families. Mike's one sister has three adorable kids who will be joining us for the mange-mange. I'm really looking forward to the weekend! However, leading up to it, I've got a lot of things to do around the house in preparation for their visit! My main priority is getting the family room and the main floor bathroom painted by Friday. After taking three weeks to decide on a colour, we've finally chose one. I hope it looks alright. If anyone is interested in coming over this week to help paint, please give me a call! Aside from that, anyone interested in distracting me and helping me to procrastinate, give me a visit!

Dinner Time!

2006-04-10T08:28:00.000-05:00

I can't take credit for this one since it was forwarded to me in an email but I thought I'd share it. Enjoy!

A hunter kills a deer and brings it home. He decides to clean and serve the venison for supper. He knows his kids are fussy eaters, and won't eat it if they know what it is - so he does not tell them. His little boy keeps asking him, "What's for supper?" "You'll see", says his dad. They start eating supper and his daughter keeps asking what they're eating. "Ok," says her dad, "here's a hint, its what your mother sometimes calls me." "We're eating asshole!!", she screams.

Do you get it?

2006-04-07T08:14:00.000-05:00

Lately, I've been dealing with one particular insurance company (who shall remain nameless but who is linked with a grocery store) in what has turned out to be a misleading and misrepresented cost. As it turns out, I've decided to cancel my policy with this company since it's been nothing but a headache to deal with them. Aside from that, here's a tidbit of conversation in what I call my insurance fiasco. This conversation started earlier in the game before I was given the cost of the policy.

Me: I would like to add Mike's name to the property insurance policy.
Person in Contact: Is he a tenant paying rent?
Me: No, he owns the house with me.
PC: You'll have to send us the ownership papers showing his name.
Me: You can't just add him at my request?
PC: No, we need proof that he is an owner.
Me: That does not make sense to me. I'm an owner and you didn't ask me to show papers.
PC: We have to make sure that he's an owner. At your earliest convenience, please send your ownership papers.

And here it is my cancellation notice and reason for cancellation:

Please cancel my insurance policy on a pro-rata basis. I was also told by your agent that I would not be charged a cancellation penalty fee.

Reason for cancellation: When I set-up the policy in the first place, I asked for the TOTAL amount that I would have to pay and I was told $1235/yr. Before I went to pay online, I called to confirm the total amount and found out it was not $1235 but rather, $1333. When I originally talked to your representative, he failed to inform me that there were taxes on top of the $1235 misleading me to believe that my TOTAL cost would be $1235. I’m sure it was not the intention of the agent to mislead however, for future efforts, it should be made clear that TOTAL means taxes included. Ultimately, I based my decision to go with your insurance company on $1235 and had I known that $1333 was my TOTAL amount, I would NOT have chosen your insurance company and would have gone with a competitor with a cheaper price for the same coverage. It is for this policy that I was told I would NOT be charged a cancellation penalty fee and I hope that your company will honour this statement.

UPDATE: I'm on the phone with the unnamed insurance company and now they're telling me that they're going to charge me an insurance premium of $119 for ONE WEEK of coverage! That's the price for a whole month!!! RIDICULOUS! Someone is getting an earful from me! AND, this company just bought themselves $119 of word-of-mouth advertising.

Last Essay of the Semester!

2006-03-29T12:30:00.000-05:00

Thursday will be my last class of the semester. It is also the day that my last essay is due which, I have yet to start. No worries, I have all day to figure out what I'm going to write and all night to actually write it. One thing that I don't like is that my exam for this class takes place on April 22 at 9AM! BOO! This means that I have to wake up early on a SATURDAY! What the heck? Since when do exams take place on the weekend?

All Moved In!

2006-03-27T12:30:00.000-05:00

What a weekend! Thank you to Pumpkin, Dave, Ferda, James, Corrine, Matt, Christa and Mike for helping to move my stuff into my new home! It was a very smooth transition and I'm so happy to finally have a permanent address of my own! I'll be spending the next little while finding a place for all the things that got packed up.... oh ya, and I'll be painting, too.

Over the past month, Mike has taken time off work to be with his family here in O-town since his dad is very ill. I'm scared to imagine what Mike and his family are feeling but I know there's a tremendous amount of sadness. Mike's family is being very strong and are supporting each other during this time.

It's interesting how life's events make you realize the importance of family and friends during times of happiness and sadness.

Priming and Painting!

2006-03-23T22:28:00.000-05:00

I've taken the week off to spend time with Mike and his family and also to spend time working on getting the new house in order! Right now, Mike and I are having a fun time priming the multi-coloured walls for some fresh new paint! At least most of the odours are gone. I'm sure the rest will be eliminated over time. The house is slowing but surely getting into order. There's still a lot to do but with an amoritization of 25 years, that's a lot of time!

Bad Odours

2006-03-16T12:30:00.000-05:00

Yikes! Mike and I went to the new house last night to continue our cleaning. It's pretty smelly in the house because the tenants who were living there smoked inside. Essentially, the place smells like a bar/hotel room - the stale smokey smell that I can't stand. Mike and I are planning on washing the walls and steam-cleaning the carpets and I've been told that it will get rid of most of the gross smells. I think I'll cry if it doesn't... does anyone have any other ideas on getting rid of bad odours?

House Cleaning

2006-03-14T12:30:00.000-05:00

Today, Mike and I start the big clean of our soon-to-be home. We went out last night and bought a bunch of cleaning supplies. Tonight, we will roll up our sleeves and put on some rubbers (gloves, that is) and start the sanitation of the entire house.

I'm currently calling around for property insurance. The rates vary depending on what company you go with and for some places, you get a discount if you do both auto and home insurance. Personally, I think insurance is a scam. It's needed for the "what if" but what if nothing happens? Oh well, I guess it's good to have if something does happen which I hope it doesn't....

I'm looking forward to moving in and having everyone over. Like I wrote before, the place needs some work but we've got lots of time to do it. In the meantime, it'll be nice just to move in and have company over.

Buying a House

2006-03-09T12:30:00.000-05:00

Based upon a couple of the comments from my last post, I guess there are a few people out there who don't know the latest news. Well, here it is... Mike and I are buying a house in Nepean. The closing date is planned for April 3. The house needs a little work but we're getting it for a very good price since we're buying it off of family (Mike's sister who now lives in California is selling the house to us). It's a two-story, single-family home, with a single car garage and did I mention? It has a pool. I'm not sure if we'll run the pool this first year of ownership simply because pool chemicals are expensive and that money could be used to fix up other areas of the house such as the roof. We also want to do some landscaping in the backyard to open up the space a bit. Unfortunately, I know nothing about landscaping but something tells me that I'm going to have to be a quick learner. So, other than cleaning, painting and renovating a few things, the house is ready for us to move in.... I can't wait! All that's left is to get Mike a job in O-town and we'll be all set.

Mike's Spaghetti Sauce!

2006-03-07T12:30:00.000-05:00

I'm just getting rid of a cold that grabbed a hold of me about five days ago. This was an evil sickness that had me in bed for two days with fever, chills, pains, congestion and no appetite. Since those bed-stricken days, I've coughed a lot; gotten very little sleep; blown my nose so much it's now red, raw, and dry; I've lost my sense of smell and can't taste any foods. Luckily for me, my appetite is slowly coming back and the first real meal into my body was today's lunch. For lunch, I had Mike's famous spaghetti sauce! Quite the treat if you ask me. He's a really good cook!

I hope Mike gets a job back here in Ottawa soon. Especially now that we're buying a house together, it's only appropriate that he gets to dwell there as well. I can't wait until we close the deal on our home. I'm really looking forward to moving in.

Ousted from the Olympics

2006-02-22T16:49:00.000-05:00

It's all over for the Men's Olympic Hockey Team. With a 2-0 loss to Russia, Canada is out of the medal standings. No bronze, no silver, no gold... nothing but a plane ticket back home. This sucks! I wish the third period power play goal counted... but it didn't because the whistle was blown (a little too prematurely in my opinion). This entire tournament was a disappoinment. Canada didn't turn on the pressure until it was too late. Passing, puck control, and overall chemistry was off like raw fish and unpasteurized milk on a hot day. BOO!

Women Like Diamonds But They Also Like GOLD!

2006-02-21T12:41:00.000-05:00

Let's hear it for the Women's Olympic Hockey Team! What a great 4 -1 victory over Sweden! I knew they would do it! I had full confidence in our women's team! Two consecutive Olympic GOLD MEDALS!! Woo Hoo! Canadian women RULE hockey!

Now, I'm a little more concerned about men's team. That Pat Quinn guy better stop moving the lines around and overall, Team Canada better start playing like a team rather than a bunch of individuals. Passing needs work, they need to get to the puck faster, and they have to start coming on strong as soon as they step on that ice! There's no time to wait until the 2nd and 3rd period before they decide to turn on. I don't want to see anything less than a GOLD medal being brought home by our Canadian men! No need for another BRONZE disappointment.

Moving Preparations!

2006-02-13T16:41:00.000-05:00

I started packing last night and managed to fill four very large containers with some of the contents of my spare bedroom. Thanks to Ryan for letting me borrow the storage bins that belong to a certain red head we all know and love! I should probably get around to letting Alex know that I have them.... So, tonight, the packing continues after I play a little hockey. I can't believe how much stuff I have -- it's ridiculous! Time to get rid of some things. Mike suggested doing some spring cleaning while I pack. He's right, who wants to move their garbage to a new home? Not me!

Encounter on the 401!

2006-02-07T12:30:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, while driving back from Mike's place, CoBro and I got hit-on by a truck load of guys on their way to the Sens game against the Penguins. After stopping at the same service centre and exchanging useless banter, the guys drove by us on the 401, donned a piece of paper with their phone number, and then sped off. Later, when Corinne and I made a second stop for gas, we found that the guys also made the same stop. They called out to us from the other side of the parking lot, "We love you!" I'm thinking of publishing their phone number on my blogsite... maybe someone can come up with a good prank call.... LOL!

T.O. the Weekend!

2006-02-03T12:30:00.000-05:00

In about five hours my weekend will begin with a four hour car ride to visit Mike. I have to say that it brought a smile to my face when he told me that he woke up extra early this morning to clean the apartment. I'm heading to T.O. to celebrate my 29th birthday taking place on Sunday. Mike asked me to go on a date with him. The plan is to have dinner and then watch a movie. I'm just looking forward to spending some time with him.

Next weekend, Mike's sister, who lives in California with her husband and two kids, will be in O-town. Mike will also be coming to O-town and we're going to visit with his family. I love Mike's family. Despite all the of the cigarette smoke (I'm coming from a non-smoker background), I really enjoy hanging out with them. They've welcomed me from the beginning and have made me feel very comfortable. My faviourite is playing Texas Hold'em Poker. Everyone gets in on the action and it's amusing to watch the kids' bet their chips with their poker faces on.

Lots to look forward to... as well, the packing begins next weekend! Looking forward to the move -- hopefully, I can find a nice apartment. I have a couple of options, just not sure which one to exercise just yet but the decision making will come soon and I will be sure to post it. I hope everyone has a great weekend!

New Word to Vocab: NUM-Chucks!

2006-01-30T12:30:00.000-05:00

This weekend, I had one of the best birthday party and Chinese New Year celebrations of my life! We started out at Red Peppers and had Thai cuisine for dinner then headed to Caliente's for some salsa dancing. The evening was excellent but it was my friends who made the night by joining me to make memories and share the good times! We had great food, conversations, and lots of laughs!

My favourite highlights from the evening:

1) During dinner, Kelly's game of introductions - here are the top three:
Number Three: "Hi my name is Shannon and I am standing...."
Number Two: Gordon - "Hi my name is Wing-Shu and I'm Melissa's future mail-ordered Chinese groom."
Number One: "I'm Sharif and I met Melissa shortly after I started sleeping with Julie."

2) Corinne arriving at the restaurant after EIGHT HOURS of non-stop, exhausting hip-hop dance classes with some of the top correographers of all time! Talk about endurance and commitment!

3) Maureen supplying enough cake for everyone topped with the perfect amount of icing. That cake tasted sooo good!! I'm craving it right now!

4) At Caliente's, Amanda getting asked by some random guy to salsa dance with him.

5) Holly almost tripping down the dance floor stairs but luckily falling into the arms of the oldest man in the bar. I think she made his night by dancing not only one song with him but FIVE!!!

Those are just to name a few of the occurances that took place over the course of the evening. Other things will remain unpublished so as to protect the pure and delicate innocence of certain friends who drank their share of alcohol. THANK YOU to everyone who made this night such a wonderful and memorable experience!

ONE MORE THING:
I would like to thank Holly for setting me straight and adding a new word to my vocabulary. NUM-Chucks: those sticks that are connected by a chain or rope that you swing around in Martial Arts to make body parts numb.

The Unexpected Phone Call

2006-01-26T11:24:00.000-05:00

I recently received an unexpected telephone call from my friend, David, who lives in England. David and I met while I was living in England, we had classes together and became quite good friends. He's now a big shot lawyer working for this huge firm in Sheffield. Luckily for me, he remains grounded and still remembers the little people. Anyway, as it turns out, he's getting married at the end of March and has asked Mike and I to attend the wedding. He offered to pay for our hotel as long as we got ourselves there. David is getting married at the George which is also where we'll be staying. This place is amazing! Check it out: http://www.georgehotelofstamford.com/

After talking with Mike, we've decided to go for a week. We'll probably visit my family in London and stay with them for a couple of nights. And of course, my very good friend, Sabrina (who is close like a sister), is insisting that we stay with her. This will be my third trip with Mike over the Atlantic ocean in just over six months. I certainly can't complain. Mike is an excellent travel companion!

O-town's Finest 5.0

2006-01-19T12:30:00.000-05:00

Ever since the new tenants moved in to the apartment below mine at the beginning of the month, almost every night around 3AM, I've been woken up by loud music, banging and yelling. During this time, I've taken various measures to inform the tenants below that their noise is disruptive and inconsiderate. I've knocked on their door and asked them to turn it down, I've spoken to the landlord to talk to them about the situation, I've pounded on the floor to let them know to be quiet and last night, I resorted to something I really didn't want to do but had to be done.

I called O-town's Finest 5.0 on the non-emergency line. Shortly after my phone call, two police cars pulled up and parked across the street. A couple of police officers walked up to the house and knocked on the new tenants' door. I quietly walked down my staircase to listen to the conversation taking place on the other side of the entrance to my apartment in the main foyer.

Essentially, the police officer said that they were there on a noise complaint. In addition to the noise complaint, the police officer highly suggested that the tenants turn over any marijuana in their possession and they won't be charged with illegal substances. The tenant denied that there was pot around and the P.O. said he could smell it. The P.O. then said he wanted to see inside the apartment. The tenant said that he didn't want them in there because they didn't have a search warrant. After some discussion the P.O. persuaded the tenant to let them into the apartment. The officers looked around and then came back out into the front foyer to continue their conversation with the tenant. At which point the tenant said the following:

"I have to be honest with you. I work at a bar and usually don't get off work until after 11pm. Occasionally, we'll come back here and smoke a joint or two but we're not trafficking or in possession of kilo bags of this stuff."

To which the police officer responded, "I appreciated your honesty so I'm going to give you a warning. We came here on a noise disturbance and the next time we come you will be fined $365. At that time, if you are suspected of having drugs, we will search your place and charge you. After my report tonight, this house will be flagged with being associated to illegal substances and drug use. My advice to you is that if you're going to smoke pot, don't draw attention to it by blasting your music because you're going to get nailed."

(Note to self: since I'm not a big fan of smoke - cigarette or pot - I guess the next time I call the police, it will be an, "I smell pot and hear noise complaint." But before I resort to that action, I guess we'll see how much these tenants peeve me off.)

Anyway, after the police officers left the next thing I hear is a male voice calling up, "Bitch" and a female voice yelling, "Slut" and a bunch of laughing and more loud talking. Luckily for them, that's not quite enough to peeve me off but if it continues....

Well, I didn't get to bed until 6AM but I have a feeling that tonight will be a quiet night.

Call Out for Boxes and Containers

2006-01-17T14:00:00.000-05:00

I have a request for those of you out there with cardboard boxes that I can have or plastic storage containers that I can borrow. I will be starting to pack my things this upcoming weekend so that I can leave my place with very little notice. I've decided to take the next little while to decide on a place to live. I hope to be moved out of my current situation no later than by the end of February.

Thank you to everyone who has offered to help me move. It's very comforting to know (in such uncomfortable times) that I have great friends that I can count on especially during the dead of winter.

Soon to be Evicted

2006-01-09T12:30:00.000-05:00

I can hardly believe it! After six years of living in the same place, I'm being kicked out. Don't worry, this is a good thing! It all happened when my NEW landlords found out they weren't able to raise my rent and so now they've decided to evict me on the basis that THEY will be "moving in" to my current apartment. I have a feeling they want me out so that they can get someone else in at a higher rate.

Eviction notice? Whoopie! I can't wait until they serve me the notice in writing! Get me out of there because I'm tired of waking up in the middle of the night to music blasting at top volume, plus, I'm sick of the cigarette and pot smoke consuming my apartment making my clothes smell foul and putting my health at risk. The source of this smell and noise comes from the tenants who moved in to the apartment below and who also happen to be friends with the landlords.

They're all inconsiderate. Since the first day I met them, I've had nothing but negative behaviour from them. My next plans are to start packing and find a place to live. Wish me luck!

Swiss Tap Water

2006-01-03T12:30:00.000-05:00

Wow! What can I say?! The scenery is breath-taking, the drivers are courteous, the chocolate is decadent, the cheese is delicious and the red, red wine really makes Mike mine! I'm a very lucky girl to have been invited to share the view and experiences with Mike.

During our entire journey, all flights were delayed either due to computer system problems or bad weather. We ended up flying from O-town to Amsterdam to Geneva. Once in Geneva, we took a 40-minute train ride along a beautiful lake landscape with mountains for a backdrop. We arrived at our destination in Lausanne and checked into our hotel. After freshening up, we went back out and got ourselves situated. We spent our first evening exploring the city by foot. Although it was chilly, there was no snow.

The next day, we woke up relatively early for being jet-lagged and headed to the car rental company. We went to Mike's potential employer and they were very kind to give us maps and point out areas to explore. Mike and I had one thing on our mind and that was to check out the grocery stores and that, we did. We also picked up a paper to figure out rental expenses for an apartment. To our discovery, one word comes to mind when doing our price lists -- expensive. Actually, as we originally thought, the entire cost of living in Switzerland is very high -- we just didn't realize, how high....

Next day, Interview Day. Mike looked so good in his suit -- simply irresistible! I met him and his potential colleagues for a delicious lunch. After lunch, Mike continued his interview and I did some exploring on my own before heading back to the hotel to take a nap. Upon Mike's return to the hotel, we were taken to Chalet Suisse -- very different from the Swiss Chalet as we know it in Canada. For an appetizer, we had bread with viande seche (dry meats which, as Mike put it, closely resembled processed lunch meat). We had a cheese fondue with bread and two bottles of red wine were ordered. The fondue was great and very filling! I'm glad the company picked up the bill because for five people eating lunch meat, bread and cheese, it came to 280 Swiss francs. Just to note, one Swiss franc is pretty much equivilant to one Canadian dollar.

On our final day in Switzerland before our flight out, we decided to take a drive along Lake Geneva with the hopes of ending up in Italy. We forgot the map of Switzerland at the hotel and only had the map of Lausanne and surrounding area with us. So, we winged it. While setting out on our drive, we stopped off at a grocery store outside of Lausanne and picked up a few 1kg bags of chocolate. We continued our trip, travelling uphill and came upon loads and loads of snow. The mountains were all around us and it was spectacular travelling between them. At one point, we actually went through a tunnel in the side of a moutain.

We drove some more, the signs turned from French to German. We found the German-speaking part of Switzerland!? Shouldn't we be close to Italy by now? Why aren't the signs in Italian? Where are we? In what direction are we going? We ended up in a little town called Visp and ate dinner. It was at that point we decided to head back to the hotel since we weren't sure where we were, how far we were from Italy, or if we were in Germany.

Back at the hotel, we looked at the map of Switzerland (which, as it turns out, was with us all along but just hidden at the bottom of our travel bag) and we found out that we missed our original turn towards Italy. However, the path we were driving was also on course to Italy... actually, we were just 15km short of the Swiss-Italian border when we stopped for dinner and decided to turn around. I have full understanding of the meaning: so close yet so far away. Oh well, it was nice to spend the time with Mike driving around blissfully.

So, whether we move or stay still remains to be decided. In most part, we're waiting to hear back from the company. I imagine that they'll have to interview a few more candidates before getting back to Mike on whether or not he got the job.... Mike should receive word soon and of course, we'll keep you posted of any decisions.

One more thing, Swiss tap water tastes like no other. It's so crisp, fresh and clean! I crave it!

There's No Day Like a Snow Day!

2005-12-16T12:30:00.000-05:00

Wow! I went to bed last night and it was snowing. I woke up this morning and it was still snowing. It is expected that by the time I go home tonight, it'll be... snowing!! I feel like running through the snow, falling down and making angels or building an igloo!! Actually, does anyone want to get together and have a snowball fight? How about coming over and helping me to shovel -- perhaps Palmer can talk his neighbour into bringing his blower ;) Any takers? Anyone? Bueller, Bueller, Bueller.... Oh well, at least I'll have fun trying to dig out my car. What a great day!! AND, tomorrow, Mike and I head to Montreal to catch our flight to another snowy place but much more picturesque. I'll be sure to take lots of pictures and share the stories when we get back.

Rest & Relaxation

2005-12-13T14:48:00.000-05:00

The pressure is off... my term paper is handed in, my exam is out of the way, my job interviews are over and I'm ready for some R&R. Wait, hold that thought, I've still got three days of work before Mike and I fly out of the country.

Luckily for me, it'll be a nicely filled three days. Tomorrow, we have our staff Christmas... err, I mean Holiday Party and we get free food and pool for the afternoon. Well, it's not really free since we work for the Feds which means no extra perks like what is offered by the private sector. Contrary to Gomery belief, we have to be accountable to the taxpayers and spending on federal government employees is a no-no. So, in order to get the free food, we did some fund raising (using the money from our own wallets). Money was raised amongst staff in the office through Bingo and 50/50 draws over the past few months.

The rest of my work week will be dedicated to working on a couple new files for which I'm now responsible. I'm just glad that I'll have as little contact as possible with "The Bird". I work with this crazy-psycho woman who's eyes are bigger than her head -- she looks like an ostrich. Anyway, I nicknamed her The Bird not only because she looks like one but also because she has the brain of one. But problem solved, I'm taking on new files.

In the new year, there will be quite a few changes with my branch. A few key managers are leaving and that means, new management. That can either be a good thing or a bad thing but I have to say, it's not looking good. I have one of the best managers by far and she's leaving us. So sad, so sad. Well, I'm trying to keep positive about the change -- who knows, I may be living in Switzerland by then!

Exam Anxiety!

2005-12-12T12:30:00.000-05:00

About a week and a half ago, I asked to reschedule my exam since I'll be out of the country during the regular exam time. I came into work today and found an email in my inbox from my professor stating that I should show up to his office tomorrow at 10AM to write the exam. Hmm, not much time to prepare... here comes another all-nighter.

I was hoping to study over the weekend but kept procrastinating -- you know the regular distractions such as, Christmas cards, shopping, movies, Xbox, and Switzerland. I even went to church on Sunday. Okay, well, it wasn't really a church... more like, Carleton U.'s Alumni Theatre, but they talked about church things -- the subject was Angels -- I believe they exist. Oh yeah, I also can't forget to mention all the time I spent on the phone with various friends. Actually, if I didn't spend some time on the phone, I would never have found out that James and Ferda will be at the Montreal airport around the same time Mike and I will be at the Montreal airport. (BTW, have a safe trip, Jamerda).

Oh well, here's to hoping that, tonight, after I play our last hockey game of the season and go out with the team, I'll be able to focus on studying for my exam taking place in less than 24 hours. YIKES!

Ready, Set, Go!

2005-12-07T12:30:00.000-05:00

The tickets are booked! I am ecstatic! This will be our second time in Europe this year. I've been online researching the area and coming up with things to do during the time that we're in Lausanne, Switzerland. Mike and I want to explore a few things like the grocery stores, public transportation, and a few apartments to get an idea of sizes and prices. Then there's always the touristy stuff like visit a chocolatier, museum, art gallery and take a nice romantic walk along Lake Geneva (hint hint, MJ). Essentially, the idea is to get a feel for the city and see if it's somewhere we would want to live for a year or two or five.

Poor Mike, not only does he have to get a feel for the city but he, also, has to prepare for his interview -- afterall, that's the main reason why we're going to Lausanne in the first place. This interview is such a great opportunity for him... and while he's being interviewed, it's a great opportunity for me to do some Swiss shopping :P

Lausanne seems like a beautiful place! I can't wait to check it out in person and if we end up moving there, I hope you'll come visit us! http://www.lausanne-tourisme.ch/

Plenty of Time to Spare!

2005-12-01T12:30:00.000-05:00

I'm finally done writing my paper. 1797 words. It feels good to not have that on my shoulders. I'll do some last minute tweeks and then I'll hand it in. Yippee!

So now to focus on a more important subject. Let the polls begin! Make a comment on the following statements.

Should I...

1) buy a house in O-town and continue the long-distance
2) move to T.O. and live with Mike
3) wait it out, eventually Mike will get a job and move back to O-town
4) move to Switzerland with Mike
5) move to Switzerland and make Swiss babies with Mike

Take your vote, have your say! Help influence my decision!

1000 More Words to Write!

2005-11-30T12:30:00.000-05:00

I started my course paper last night and I can't wait to finish! I want to get this out of the way so that I can focus my energies on looking up interesting facts and places in Switzerland. I want to learn how to yodel, like Jewel. If you haven't already read Mike's blog, here's a summary: He had his second telephone interview and he's been invited for a meeting in Switzerland. Oh, and I have been invited, too! Yodel-lay-hee-hee!

Furdeh, Ferdas, Ferda!

2005-11-29T09:56:00.000-05:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FERDA!!
I hope you have a fabulous birthday!

So, it's Ferda's birthday. I'll never forget the first time I met her. It was at Carleigh's Halloween Party 2003 (yes, the same party that I first met, Mike), Ferda walked in as a man. And James, well, he walked in as a ??? it was kind of like... a girl. Anyway, I wish I had a picture to post on my site but unfortunately, I don't. So, instead, I've attached a picture of them from Halloween 2004. I told them to pace themselves.... party animals! They're so cute!

Ferda, best wishes on your birthday and I can't wait to give you your birthday spankings!!

Paper Trail

2005-11-25T12:30:00.000-05:00

I have a paper to write and it's due in less than a week. I'm screwed. But to look on the positive side of things, last night, I took some time to chose a topic. Plus, I have six days to write this paper unlike my first undergrad papers where I only had one night to write. However, with the way I've been managing my time, it looks like I'll only have one night for this paper....

Friday to Sunday: Spend time with Mike and his family. Sleep.
Monday: Work. Floor hockey. Sleep.
Tuesday: Work. Class. Research paper. Sleep.
Wednesday: Work. All-nighter to write paper. Gatorade, Jolt, Red Bull. No sleep.
Thursday: Work. Class. Hand in paper. Sleep.

Does anyone want to write my paper for me? I'll pay you to transfer full copywrite ownership to me, complete secrecy, and the mark received must be at least a B. Any grade higher will receive a bonus. This is a good deal. Come on, help a friend out.... Any takers? Anyone? PLEASE?!

Real Estate Agents $uck!

2005-11-22T00:30:00.000-05:00

I rent the upper level of a house. The house is for sale. It has been up for sale for the past 2.5 months. I have been very nice with letting the real estate agents track dirt through my apartment with all their clients (even though there's a sign that says, "Please remove your shoes" -- no one takes off their shoes -- I've come home and there are people in my apartment with their shoes on).

The agents call at all hours (from 7AM - 9PM) disrupting my day. Thank goodness for voicemail. Nonetheless, over the a last couple of month's I've been very obliging in letting them view my apartment. Occasionally, I've requested no viewings over the weekend, e.g., when my parents were visiting for Thanksgiving. I think I have the right to say no.

So, today, when I said no viewings for this weekend, I get asked, "Why?" This irks me! Do I really have to provide an explanation as to why I don't want anyone in my apartment? It's none of their business. Technically, I shouldn't even be dealing directly with the agents. If anything, they should have to go through my landlord and my landlord should be approaching me with 24 hours written notice.

Another thing that has gotten me really upset is that, a few weeks ago, I found a set of keys to MY apartment on the kitchen counter of the OTHER apartment below mine. With the number of people viewing the house, anyone could take these keys. I thought these keys were supposed to be in the lock-box?! So, I called my landlord to inform him about the situation and let him know that I was going to confront the agent. My landlord was a little miffed that the agent left the keys out and to my surprise, my landlord told me that the agent already had a set of keys go MISSING about 3 weeks previous. Hmm, why wasn't I informed of this when it happened?

Here's the kicker, when I addressed the set of missing keys to the real estate agent, he blatantly LIED about them! Now, not only is my property at stake and my safety at risk but there's an untrustworthy person entering my home! There have also been other incidences where I've come home from work and doors have been left unlocked and wide open. Hmm, missing keys and wide open doors... let's make it even easier for the criminals!

Freakin' agents! All they're out for is MONEY! They have no concern or consideration for others and NO INTEGRITY! I'm not saying all real estate agents are like this... I'm referring more to the ones with whom I'm dealing. The worst part is that I can't really do anything about this situation other than make a few complaints. If anyone has any suggestions please send them my way! It would be greatly appreciated.

Hey Mike G. - Welcome to the Blog!

2005-11-20T12:30:00.000-05:00

Hey, there's a new kid on the blog and his name is Mike G. I checked him out and he's hot! His site is pretty hot, too! Go on, check him out for yourself! You won't be disappointed. There's a link to his blogsite over in the column to the right.

Okay, so I hold a biased opinion because Mike and I have been together for a while now. But those who know him won't disagree that he is a wonderful person. I love that he's sincere in his actions and expressions. More particularly, I love that he knows how to challenge me and put me in my place when I'm way out of line. At the same time, I love how gentle he is with me, from his words to his touch -- I feel so happy just thinking about him.

We first met at our friend, Carleigh's place on Halloween 2003. He arrived at Carleigh's dressed as the Last/Lost Boyscout and I answered the door in my hideous monster mask. I thought he was very easy on the eyes. There was an immediate connection -- some sort of chemistry and attraction that I couldn't ignore. I took off the mask. We smiled, we flirted, we parted. The seed was planted. Over the course of a few months, there were some brief encounters but none that satiated my curiosity about The Last Boyscout.

It wasn't until my birthday where I teased everyone in the bar for birthday kisses and at the end of the night I finally got my birthday wish. We kissed for the first time. The bud started blossoming. Since then, we've experienced so much together including a whirlwind adventure in England, Scotland and France. I have so much fun with Mike; we're well-matched.

I'm glad I made this entry. It comes at a time when the long-distance is starting to have it's toll on me. This entry has made me remember that no matter how far apart we are, we're still very close to each other. Mike and I have something unique and personalized to us.

MJ, thanks for your patience, tolerance and understanding and for being there for me. I love you.

Santa's Firefighters Parade

2005-11-19T12:30:00.000-05:00

After a night out with the girls, it was high time to hit the streets and watch the firefighters of O-town parade by while raising money for charity. The heros, the rescuers while the heat is on, the bringer of smiles to those children less fortunate -- the firefighters were out collecting toys and money to assist Santa Clause during the holiday season.

To help out, I reached into my pockets and pulled out a few rolls of coin. Although I donated some cash to the little kiddies, my intentions were a little skewed. The coins were all part of the plot to get some pictures of the hot men who battle the blazes of fire.

Let me play out the event for you....

Scenario: "Hey Christa, there's a hot one. Lure him over here with these coins."
Firefighter comes over to collect the money. Christa drops coins into Christmas stocking. Picture is taken. Scenario is repeated.

Outcome: It worked. I have enough pictures for at least a 16-month calendar.

Grandpa the Hero

2005-11-16T12:30:00.000-05:00

My Aunt Dianne sent an email to me with an attachment of the picture you see to the left, taken last week. The veteran on the right is my grandpa -- a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force. He's selling poppies. I just wanted to share this picture with everyone because he's so cute.

Also, I wanted to take this opportunity to state my beef about department stores playing Christmas music before Remembrace Day has passed. I realize that certain stores anticipate the holiday season because it's a time when spending increases and the potential to make a huge profit is prominant. Stores often start preparing for Christmas near the end of October and things really start to bloom after Halloween. But why can't they hold off on the music until after November 11th?

I don't see anyone celebrating Valentine's Day before New Years. So, why would you celebrate Christmas before remembering those who fought so hard to allow us to celebrate those special occasions. For me, I guess it's a matter of respect for the veterans and those who lost their lives fighting for freedom.

Eat that piece of meat department stores!

Interview with the Feds

2005-11-15T12:30:00.001-05:00

Today, I have an interview with the Department of National Defence for an indeterminate Communications Officer position. Next week, I have another interview with Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada for an indeterminate Policy Advisor position.

The key word in both of the sentences above - indeterminate - meaning, permanent with full benefits and a good pension plan. It is my goal to become indeterminate with the government. As well, once I become indeterminate, I have the option of taking a year off work to hang out in Switzerland (thanks for that idea, Ryan) and when I get back, my job will still be waiting for me.

I've just been informed that this Thursday at 8AM, Mike will get a call from Switzerland to further discuss his job opportunity! What will happen? What decisions will be made?

To be continued....