good-bye 2k8! You served me well

370 posts in 2008? That's not too bad, I suppose.

Sorry I've been sort of AWOL lately, readjusting to Torontotown and trying to find spare minutes to spend by myself and also back to the grind (aka my less-than-stressful part-time employment).

Got back on Monday night and Cpt. Heh picked me up at the airport because he is a very good friend and then because he is one of my very best friends he also took me to pick up Rudyard and then to the grocery store to buy cat litter so that Rudyard didn't poo on my floor.
I know, right?

Back to work last night and it actually seemed kind of nice, I don't really mind beer serving, especially after a two-week break. I'm back there tonight but I'll be done around 9 or 10 so that's not bad. Then I can party all the time.
Except I don't even know what I'm doing tonight.
I think I'm going to end up at my friend, Mrs.'s, house because I am very lazy and also broke. Also because I like her and so that would be good.
I may also go dancing or go to see bands or something. Annoyingly, all of my friends are doing completely different things. Every person has something separate they are going to. Which makes it hard for me to decide what I want to do.
My first New Year's in Toronto. I'm kind of sad to be gone from Saskatoon, all of my friends there are doing awesome, rad, wonderful things without me, I'm sure.

Hey I never did have my Christmas break-down this year. Kind of weird. Maybe I'm becoming a robot.
Maybe it's still coming.

I still have a shit-tonne of pictures to get through, editing then uploading then putting them all on here for you to appreciate and enjoy. Soon enough. Hopefully.

Good-bye 2K8!!!!!!!!!!

It doesn't feel like New Years. Probably because I'm in Toronto. But still.
2k8 was kind of rad in parts. And some really awesome things happened to me including
- Getting more famous
- Getting even more famous
- Making some moneys
- Doing it
- Getting fired and then re-hired
- Hot Babes
- Partying-All-The-Time

And now I'm 25, apparently. At least that's what they tell me. I keep forgetting I'm not 21 though, so I'm not a good judge.
25 sounds nice, it sounds solid and thick and like something you can hold onto. 25 sounds like a promise, or like a foundation. Like something I can step out onto.
Quarter century and that means that I'm serious about living this whole life thing.
It sounds like I can be taken seriously and held accountable. But in a good way.
I'm feeling like maybe this year could be about maybe stick-to-itiveness and accomplishments.
Maybemaybe maybe.

yike

oh yeah forgot to tell you my brother and I made the same joke at the same time the other day.
My aunt said that something was bothering her repetitive strain injury and both Brother and I were like
"Maybe you should stop repetitively straining yourself"
So it's official, I have the sense of humour of a 17 year-old boy. But then you knew that already.

the snow is falling lightly on the buildings and the pines

I don't know how I am running out of time so effing quickly. It is kind of ridiculous! There's still people I haven't even seen!

The thing about me is that I like people a lot and certain friends a lot and more often than not my favourite people are from all different groups and don't really know each other. Saskatoon is better these days because you can only live here for so long before meeting every single person, ever.
But then also there is layers of awkwardness that you have to try and be respectful of and that gets tricky, too.
Anyhow, I want to see everyone in the world today and go tobogganing but how do I know if they actually want to see each other or maybe they hate each other.
Yeah I'm big into trying to make all of my friends be friends with each other.

It's snowing and not as intensely cold out today! So, so pretty. I'm doing laundry and feeling overwhelmed at how many people I'm supposed to call and how many plans will fall through because people are like that.

Band Swap last night! Got a couple of pictures but mostly I was way too busy being very drunk (backroom secrets) and being a "Give it away Girl" ie: selling raffle tickets while wearing obscene amounts of ribbons.
Band Swap is very funny and fun, it's where any Saskatoon band member can sign up to participate and then they draw names and make new bands and then draw songs to cover and then one day later they perform and play the covers and maybe even new material. And all the proceeds go to the Crisis Nursery.
Anyway, it was a bit of a dance party and also a bit of a reunion - it's nuts how many people come home for Christmas. JPR was really killing me last night I forgot about his hilarious dance moves and straight-face.
I was talking to my friend and this guy shoved into him which in turn shoved me onto the ground and then my friend went to be like "what the fuck?" to the dude and the dude turned around and started fighting him. It was pretty nuts and not Saskatoon or Amigos(the bar)-like at all. Then like 5 girls broke it up and we were both fine and the guy left.
But the funny part is that this particular friend is one of the most universally adored dudes in Saskatoon. If that guy had really pursued it I think everyone would have jumped on him.

Anyway okay gotta go bathe I'm back to Toronto tomorrow so then maybe I'll have some moments alone and maybe more time for blogland.

it's really really really here!

Christmas Day! For Real! It's here! It arrived!



(you can't even see my aunt's stocking for the gifts!)

It goes so fast we don't have time to look at one another.

Kind of a perfect Christmas 'round here, but, hey, that's no surprise to us. Also in text message format the other day I was told "I hope your Christmas is as good as you always make it out to be". And it really has been!

Oh, don't worry, I have over a hundred photos to sort through and so you'll have tonnes of supportive evidence to my cause. Holy hell are we good at food and stuff in this household, that's why Christmas with us is the best.

I have to say though, Christmas breakfast is the holiest of the holidays for my immediates, it's the time when we do it up and play it right and spend a whole lot of time ooooo-ing and ahhhh-ing over all the pretty gifts and delicious treats.

We're off to dinner (of Veggie Pot Pies! My favourite!) now but it's really just an after-treat to all the festivities we've already indulged in.

Oh, in good Blog-News - Mum's getting me a new digital camera so I can continue making videos and taking dumb pictures of myself (yeah like my dslr wasn't enough, right)!

Oh yeah, by the way, I painted this:

birthdaybirthdaybirthdaybirthdaybirthday

So many facebook wall posts! So many happy birthdays!

I am having a happy birthday!



Oh, except how hung over I was this morning. Thanks Clubhouse Christmas!

Went to Magpie's parents' house last night with the clubhouse gang (of which I'm not technically a part of but Whatever I like all of them a lot that should count for something, right?)



Lots more pictures later I am editing them instead of finishing gifts for some reason who knows why!

You know what? I've already gotten gifts today! And I'm going to get more! And maybe even more tomorrow! I can't hardly even believe it!

Oh yeah guyses, Tony Pierce blogged about me today! Because I am very nice and special and it is my birthday!



YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY YAYAYA AYAYAYAYYYAYAY AYAYYAYAYY YAYAYAY AYAYAY
life is good for me


oh yeah btw merry christmas every one!!

GUYSES BIRTHDAY GUYSES

BIRTHDAY BIRTHDAY BIRTHDAY BIRTHDAY BIRTHDAY


OKAY GUYSES I KNOW IT'S NOT OFFICIALLY MY BIRTHDAY BUT IT'S AFTER MIDNIGHT SO

CLOSE ENOUGH!!!

SO EXCITED FOR MY BIRTHDAY AND CHRISTMAS ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !!! ! ! ! !!! ! ! !



awww received a text message today that said "Add a little Mistletoe to the party & it'll be great!"
words to live by, peeps, words to live by.




Toronto lovers I misses your kisses x 100, but you know, I'll be back way too soon. Then parties? Then fallings in loves? Then snow-drifts and sleddings?


GOD BLESS US EVERY ONE

there is a very very pink round baby in my living room

One tradition that has been upheld since I moved away from Saskatoon is going for Grilled Cheese Platters (aka GCPs) with Constantine (and also SteveDave when she is around).

Const is usually a babe but you wouldn't be able to tell from these pictures. He is also ridiculously funny and fun. When you hang out with him you can just laugh and laugh and laugh and he'll probably throw things at you (if you're lucky).


Steve is very pretty and she and I used to work at Jerry's together and she was a grump and I found that very funny. And we are best friends since then. Now all of our friends are friends but back then we were from sort of different circles and I remember one time I ran into her in the mall before we were friends and she stopped to talk to me and I thought "why is the prissy girl talking to me" haha but then at work I noticed that she was always reading fat books on her lunch breaks, bigger books than I even read. Like Rohinton Minstry and she seemed to even to finish them!

I told her to smile with her eyes.

Grilled Cheese Platter invariably get messy, especially the ice cream course. For sure. But this time I was for sure the worst. And I had them both dabbing at me with napkins which was very sweet and since Const is usually the biggest embarrassment, I didn't feel very badly.



For some awful reason Constantine has decided that he'll have longer hair and it looks pretty bad. But it is also funny. Especially when he puts it in a ponytail with a bandana on (barf!).

Even if he moves it around it still doesn't look good


No, really, I swear he's good-looking.. I think. Hmm, now I'm uncertain...

You guys want to know a secret? My brother is very nice. He is part giant for sure (must have been his donor-father because it sure didn't come from mum's side of the fam) and he likes guns and violence and war movies and crime novels and he goes to Mennonite house church (no one in my family is religious at all). But he's one of the nicest people I know (moreso now that he's 17 and bit calmer and we fight less and he is not quite as irritating). For my Christmas/birthday presents he is driving me home from parties this holiday season. This means staying up until three or so when I've decided I've had enough babe-chasing and then coming to fetch me (in the 40 below weathers). This was my gift last year and I have to say it is the best gift ever. Especially since I have a tendency to pile my girlfriends in and make him ferry them all around. All my girlfriends are so impressed by what a genuinely nice guy he is. I think they like my present as well.
Also he is very good with our little cousins. Today and yesterday he is looking after the baby Pteranodon who is one and he is so good with her. He plays beautifully with her and carts her around and doesn't even expect me to do anything even though I'm sitting in the same room with them.
And you can tell he really loves her. And doesn't resent baby-sitting or anything. Kind of neat.

(Edit: He just walked in and said indignantly "HOW CAN YOU EVEN SERIOUSLY LISTEN TO THIS SONG" which was Mercy by Duffy and I said "what do you mean?" and he said "IT'S SO BAD HOW CAN YOU EVEN LISTEN TO IT?" so, you know, still a teenage boy.)

KITTEN FESTIVAL::




oh lordy Adventure Cat is so pretty and little and soft and would make greeat moccasins.. just saying.

Oh yeah, for Christmas everyone is getting:

A Bag O' Lolcat!!



omg these two are so cute they are twins in different colours

the only two kittens in their litter and they were both breech and I pulled them out by their hind-legs! I know, right?


Home is nice. I've mostly been going shopping with my aunt(s). Got a sweet plaid flannel shirt yesterday that is totally something that my mum would wear and then I got told I was "very hip" at the show last night. It wasn't even buffalo plaid!
But yeah, hit up Value Village, the malls, the new Indigo store and McNally Robinson. Kind of fun. But also getting to be too much shopping! (And too much family!)



classic Mistletoe-household little eggie on toast


Hitting up the town a lot with Carlos and Magpie and co. Partying down, etc. So many people who don't live in Saskatoon anymore, back for the holidays. I'm getting very worn out by small-talk. I just can't even deal with it. Especially last night because I wasn't drinking because I was driving (Brother had to be up early to look after the baby so he couldn't come to pick me up). Sober small-talk with people I don't even really care about very much isn't very fun. Too many people I vaguely know.
No it is fun. I had a nice time driving around late at night last night also. Dropping off some drunk girls and then the city was so quiet.
And, guys, this city is so stupidly beautiful these days. I can't even explain. Frost coating all the trees along the riverbank... It is also remarkably cold. Even for Saskatoon. I felt like my nose froze and got frost bite in the 2 minutes it took to clear off the windows of the car last night.
Minus 40 about with the windchill! Biting, biting cold.




Party parties scheduled upcoming. Kind of exciting, get to see lots of people I've been missing and needing to catch up with..

One tradition that has been upheld since I moved away from Saskatoon is going for Grilled Cheese Platters (aka GCPs) with Constantine (and also SteveDave when she is around)

it's not the presents under the tree, it's your presence right here next to me

(In which I talk sort of strangely)


First hang-over of the (Saskatoon) holidays!
Holiday holiday holiday glee

I think I'm over my irritability.. maybe. And I haven't even had that big cry yet.. So we'll see.

SteveDave was mad at my blog from the other day and she said what she got out of it was that I hate Saskatoon. Not even close. It's just hard, the transitionings. Hard work loving these two places and feeling out of place here.

Oh yeah speaking of irritability, I was talking to my friend about how I sometimes feel really spacey and forgetful and unable to focus and she agreed that she also felt that way pretty frequently and that she maybe has a wheat sensitivity too.
I pointed out that she smokes weed probably three times a day and that could maybe be a contribution to these problems?

Who knows!

I think wandering around the Midtown Mall yesterday by myself helped. I do kind of like that mall, it's sort of wide and squat and familiar. And as much as I am scared of mall Santas, the one there looked very real. And nice.
Also I love how cheap things get in Saskatoon just purely from people not buying them. Sales this extreme seem to happen less in Toronto because everyone buys all the stuff before.

American Apparel has come to Saskatoon! And it's huge and managed by SteveDave's sister. And our friends work there (obviously). It's weird and giant. I'm still not a big fan of American Apparel. Whatever.

Also had lunch at the Park Cafe yesterday, which is the only place we have breakfast/lunch around here. I still want to open a brunch place around here sometime. Really.
Anyway, went with my friend and she is very smart and involved in stuff and the ex-premiere of Saskatchewan was there and talked to her for awhile about when they could have lunch. That's funny.

And went to Amigos last night with SteveDave and Carlos and more peeps and even our friend back from Calgary! Holidays in Saskatoon always include Amigos. And The Yard and Lydia's and I'm planning to visit them all.. and then some.
But yeah it was a dance time and we did a bit and also, guys, I don't mean to shock you but
There were Babes there I had never seen before!
I know, right?
Carlos says that babes are done their schooling and are moving back to Saskatoon now. And also it's Christmastime so babes are all back to visit their fams (because that's what babes do for sure).
Anyway, we didn't get around to hitting on them but they were there, and that's what counts.
Aw I want a babe who lives part time Saskatoon part time Toronto.

Anyway, we went to a weird random house party after the bar and we didn't really know anyone and there was a really really cute cat there that we played with which made it more fun. And then we made my brother come pick us up at approximately 4 in the morning.
My Christmas and birthday gift from him is driving me around during the holidays! Best gift ever!

K gotta go get ready for more family togetherness. My Edmonton aunt is getting in to town today and it doesn't feel like Christmas until she's here!

1997 Black Infiniti

This comes to you via my friend Shambers via his shared items on my Google Reader (aka best friend) via Defamer.com via Craigslist. And I'm re-posting it because I know if I just post the link you will not go and read it but srsly:

1997 Black Infiniti J30 4D Automatic with Leather and Moonroof. - $2200 (Koreatown)
Reply to: sale-962987200@craigslist.org [?]
Date: 2008-12-18, 12:26PM PST


129k miles. Two owners. All in all it’s a great car with a few minor mechanical and cosmetic issues:

The alternator needs to be replaced because it’s not charging the battery. My mechanic says it will cost around $250(parts and labor) to replace.

The body has a few small scratches and minor dings. No rust.

There is a deep crescent shaped scratch on the front windshield, left by the bottom edge of a formerly malfunctioning wiper blade. It’s barely noticeable except in direct sunlight and at night when illuminated by oncoming traffic.

There’s a small crack in the exhaust system that doesn’t seem to affect performance but it does give the car the idle of a much larger vehicle.

The front driver-side power window is not working but can be easily slid up and down with ones outstretched palm and a little finesse. All the other windows work perfectly (Except the rear drivers side window, which really doesn’t like to go down more than a quarter of the way.)

The Infiniti emblems in the center of each rim have pretty much faded away but they’d look nice spray painted black or covered with band stickers.

There’s something wrong with the fan belt. Again performance doesn’t seem to be affected much, though, when driven under 70mph, it does make a metallic shrieking noise like the Ringwraiths from the Lord of the Rings trilogy. If you haven’t seen those films then I suppose it sounds a lot like a pig being stabbed. This is nothing to worry about if you live in a bad neighborhood and don’t need to impress anyone.

The car has an amazing Bose CD/Tape player stereo system. The CD player works great. The tape deck on the other hand has an old mixtape lodged inside it, but who listens to tapes anymore really. Also the volume dial has become a bit finicky over the years. I don’t recommend playing with it as I have it set at a comfortable volume and even the slightest touch will turn the stereo up to it’s maximum volume. In case this happens, you should turn down both the bass and treble and balance/fade the stereo to the right rear speaker. In this state you should be able to listen to news or talk radio, if all the windows are down. Also some of the stereo’s important buttons are missing because of an incident with a very powerful coin operated vacuum. With a bit of practice though you’ll be able to work it just fine. And the retractable antenna no longer retracts but it keeps trying.

The under carriage guard is missing. More accurately, it was lost during a night of blackout drinking. Also part of the front passenger side wheel hub was lost that same night. I drove the car a distance of 5 miles without a front passenger tire and the sparks from my rim scrapping the road, lightly singed the paint on the front fender just above the wheel. Honestly this is just a theory as I was drinking that night as well. Rubbing compound and elbow grease should make it look a lot better.

On the bottom of the drivers side door there’s a small gash where I hit a broken cinder block a few years back. There’s a matching gash in roughly the same spot on the passenger side. That one just seemed to show up one day. Again, I recommend rubbing compound.

Despite the above cosmetic flaws the car looks great, inside and out, on misty nights, under a layer of dew. These nights are great for dates or business dinners where you’ll need to chauffeur clients. Generally speaking, most of the cars flaws will go unnoticed if your passenger has had more than 4-5 alcoholic beverages.

Recently Smogged

The interior is basically clean. On humid days though you might smell the slightest hint of goat cheese or stale milk, due in part, and this is just a guess, to a small amount of my girlfriend’s dried vomit hiding under the front passenger seat, where the coin-operated vacuum, mentioned above, could not reach.

The check engine light and abs brake service light are on but my mechanic assures me that it’s a fuse issue and not an engine or abs brake issue.

One of the best things about the car is that in its current condition you need not ever worry about it being stolen or messed with. In fact I once neglected to replace the front driver side window for four months, after it was shattered by two brawling teens. And in that time the car was not once burglarized or urinated in. I attribute this to the fact that my J30 projects a palpable menace. It’s the car of a violent crystal meth dealer or your new Korean girlfriend’s abusive ex-boyfriend.

If you’re interested in taking a look you can meet me on the 6th floor of the Arclight Hollywood’s parking structure where it failed to start after a showing of Gran Torino, staring Clint Eastwood. (A bit corny but actually not that bad)

The Kelley Blue book value for a 97 J30’s in good condition is $3,770, however I will entertain offers as low as $2200.

Thank You.


* Location: Koreatown
* it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

PostingID: 962987200


The original ad is viewable here and there are pictures!

stresses stessors

I cannot get over being irritable, it seems. I don't know why!
Actually, it is probably due to the fact that I haven't had a big cry yet. I like to have some of those around Christmas.
Coming home stresses me out terrible amounts. I know it shouldn't I know I'm here for the third time this year and I should be happy but I feel weird and detached and, well, irritable.
Might also be the wheat. (WikiAnswers says about wheat intolerances "personality changes can be a symptom -- inability to concentrate, irritableness, crankiness, difficulties with mental alertness and memory"



Okay here are so pictures back-logged from the last week or so:

Nick Rose at The Tranzac.

I made it for his whole set even and it was lovely and as much as him playing with full band is wonderful, it's still kind of a treat to see him on his own..

It really was much too dark to be taking pictures so sorreee.

Also Weather Station, it was the end of their residency there after all.

So good good.

I know I say this a lot and stuff but you don't even understand how talented the people I hang out with are. When I say "I'm going to see my friends play" I mean "I'm going to see the best bands in Toronto/Saskatchewan" and "These people are going to be so famous so soon, you don't even know"



Okay maybe I'm a bit homesick for Toronto. I know that's weird. Leave me alone.




From the gangLion comic book launch last week, I think this is a pretty representative Entire Cities photo:

I like it they are endearing. I want to sing with them again soon so that their coattails right and proper..
Best were the sunglasses

also the blacklights

And in the backroom, you could have

Or drink Jag and pear cider. If you were lucky.
I was