Saturday, December 22, 2007

Season's Greetings...

To everyone who reads my blog ever:

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

AND A HAPPY 2008!!

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Extreme TV!

Things I Think About:

1) I watch more TV than I probably should. I am aware of this and so sometimes go out of my way not to watch TV after work and to go out or read a book or try to be an interesting, healthy person. Which is why I don't understand people who always seem to ONLY talk about TV. People who never tell stories about their own life - but start their stories with "this one time on Friends...." I definetely do this on occasion - but I try to intersperse my TV-world-life with an actual life.

That being said....

1) Extreme Make-over versus the Biggest Loser. I have never seen Extreme Makeover but I have seen The Biggest Loser - and though both end with the contestants going through extreme physical transformations - I think that the emotional/spiritual transformation that the contestants go through on the biggest loser must be way more intense because the people on that show are actually causing the change in their lives. And I think that they go through an equally intense change on the inside - which I don't think happens on Extreme Makeover. Which is why I would much prefer to be on the biggest loser (not that I think I should/need to go on either) because I believe it creates a more meaningful and sustainable life change.

2) Extreme Make-over: Home Edition. So they build these brand new mansions for families that are not especially well-off from a financial position and then at the end the family has a big house that reflects the size of the that family's heart. awww.... But what happens the next year when the property tax guys comes around, re-assesses the property value, and suddenly your acre of land with a shack is an acre of land with a mansion and you owe thousands in property tax that you cannot afford. Does the show help you with that? Do they get the municipality to wave the property taxes for a certain length of time? Do they pay the property taxes for the first year? First ten years? I wonder....

Monday, December 17, 2007

7 random things

1) I think my parents are absolutely fabulous.

2) I rarely wear make-up - even though I think I look better and older when I do.

3) If I had been born five years earlier I think I would have been super into grunge music and culture.

4) I am a feminist.

5) I want to try new things and I am scared to try new things in equal measure.

6) I think advertising and branding are far more interesting than marketing.

7) Despite the Law and Order coolness factor, I don't actually want Fred Dalton Thompson to be the next president of the United States. Sam Waterson on the other hand....

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Pop-Country and the full spectrum of human emotion

This last week I've had the Carrie Underwood song "Before he Cheats" stuck in my head. I thoroughly enjoy that song. And think it's a great example of pop-country music. That being said, I completely disagree with the entire message of the song and think that any song that glorifies destruction of property as an appropriate response to emotional betrayal is really not setting the best example for today's youth. (seriously).

However, I do appreciate the message about getting in touch with your anger. I have come to realize in the past month that I don't get angry. I get sad and I get frustrated but I don't get angry. Which probably (okay definitely) means that for some reason (cough, internalized societal role of women, cough) I re-direct/internalize my anger and don't allow myself to acknowledge my emotions when those emotions are anger - regardless of whether or not the anger is directed outward at someone else or inward at myself. So I have decided to start acknowledging and feeling and acting on, and therefore being able to process my anger. Not that I think I have a lot. But I am pretty sure I have more than zero.

All part of the process of becoming the perfect person.

Friday, December 14, 2007

christmas festivities

Yay Christmas season!

Okay. So I have two parties to go to this Saturday and two parties to go to next Saturday. Except that all four parties are IN TORONTO! Yeah. Not cool. How can I be social and festive when my social life in Toronto is far more exciting then my social life in Victoria (which largely consists of setting fires at office Christmas parties).

So as for presents:

Mom: still working on it
Dad: Idea number one ruled out. Onto idea number two.
Sister: Part One: Done. Part Two: Done.
Cousin #1: Done
Cousin #2: Still working on it
Boyfriend: In progress.

That's not great - but it could be worse - and there are still plenty of shopping days until Christmas!

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

shopping at the grocery store

Today I went to Safeway after work. This was quite unusual for me - because with the location of my apartment this year Safeway is no longer within walking distance. So today I took a detour after work to go shopping at Safeway. I made two exciting purchases:

1) I bought two haagen daaz! Yes two! That was because they were on sale 2 for $9.50. I bought one tub of Baileys and one of Mango sorbet. I was a little worried about the Bailey's, but I remember having it in Ireland and really liking it - so I bought some. Turns out - I don't like it. Not one little bit. Well there's $5 I will never get back. The Mango Sorbet however is lovely.

Luckily purchase number two was more successful.

2) I bought a potted mini-pine tree for $7. It is fabulous. It is too small to hang any ornaments on - instead it is currently on the top of my bookcase (although I may move it), next to my (sadly) small collection of Christmas cards. It's all very festive. And the mini-pine smells like pine which is lovely and it has a festive red ribbon tied to the top so I am now most definetly, slowly, starting to get into the Christmas spirit!

Sunday, December 09, 2007

the type of story that makes you so sad and makes you wish the world could be a different (better) place

I just saw on the news that there were two shootings today in Colorado. The second shooting took place in a mega-church. The gunmen killed one person and wounded several others before being shot and killed by a security guard.

This is obviously so tragic, and seeming all the more for taking place in church. And it's lucky that more people were not killed. But I cannot imagine going to church and seeing a security guard armed with a gun. I know that I am not an expert on going to church, and clearly today it was necessary - but what kind of world are we living in when Churches are handing out guns? Obviously this practice is not widespread, and I have never been to a mega-chruch - I just think it's a really interesting and sad commentary on the world we live in. That people are paid to carry guns in churches and that today that practice saved lives.

Friday, December 07, 2007

Christmas at the Office

Though I don't usually write about my job, for obvious reasons, tonight I am making an exception. Tonight was the annual, and my first, staff Christmas party for my office. We went out to a nice restaurant, sat in their "group area", had a lovely three course meal (actually two of my courses were almost not editable - but I digress), and then had a tacky gift exchange.

Out of 15 people I got to choose my gift second. It was a book (worthy of its own blog post) wrapped in many many layers of tissue which I took off and placed on the table. As I was showing everyone the book, someone says something about a fire. Yes folks - that's right - apparently in my haste to display my tacky gift I neglected to notice that the tissue paper was precariously close to the candle on the centre of the table. And by precariously close I mean all the tissue paper went up in flames.

I immediately stepped back from the fire while other people attempted to address the now leaping tissue paper flames, which were somewhat contained in the original (but cardboard) box. Several people attempted to smother the fire, but to no avail. And it was far too big to stamp out using one's foot. Finally, after one very long minute, several glasses of water were thrown on the fire and it was mercifully extinguished. Around this time the wait-staff began to come over, apparently the leaping flames had caught some of the other patrons eyes. Although by that time all that was left were the ashes floating through the air like snow and a pile of charred tissue paper.

Apparently that is the most excitement that the office christmas party dinner has seen in some years. And afterwards, everyone said they were glad that my hair didn't catch on fire.

So now, at every Christmas party for years to come, long after I have left this job, someone will say "remember the christmas party when Elizabeth started a fire". Rarely is one aware of the exact moment when they become part of office lore - but for me - without a doubt - it was tonight.

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

Something's Coming

What do I Love?

Music
Theatre
Musical Theatre
Spending Time with Devin
Having a Night out on the Town

Which makes last Friday's viewing of West Side Story one of my highlights of the season. I listen to music that makes me happy. Some people listen to music that helps them be sad or angry or melancholy or any other emotion. I listen to music to make me happy and put me in a good mood. And that is what musical theatre does to me every time. Even if it's sad musical theatre. It still makes me hapy to listen to.

And so... on that note...

Could be!
Who knows?
There's something due any day;
I will know right away,
Soon as it shows.
It may come cannonballing down through the sky,
Gleam in its eye,
Bright as a rose!

Who knows?
It's only just out of reach,
Down the block, on a beach,
Under a tree.
I got a feeling there's a miracle due,
Gonna come true,
Coming to me!

Could it be? Yes, it could.
Something's coming, something good,
If I can wait!
Something's coming, I don't know what it is,
But it is
Gonna be great!

With a click, with a shock,
Phone'll jingle, door'll knock,
Open the latch!
Something's coming, don't know when, but it's soon;
Catch the moon,
One-handed catch!

Around the corner,
Or whistling down the river,
Come on, deliver
To me!
Will it be? Yes, it will.
Maybe just by holding still,
It'll be there!

Come on, something, come on in, don't be shy,
Meet a guy,
Pull up a chair!
The air is humming,
And something great is coming!
Who knows?
It's only just out of reach,
Down the block, on a beach,
Maybe tonight . . .

Sunday, December 02, 2007

quote of the day

"I have so many insecurities they fight for prominence."

Maura Tierney

Clue

This afternoon I decided to watch some television and one of my favourite movie ever was on! Of course then my mom called so I didn't end up watching it - but in any case...

The movie is Clue. It is based on the board game "Clue" and stars Miss Scarlett, Mrs. White, Col. Mustard, Prof Plum, Mrs. Peacock and Mr. Green - the whole gang!! They go through all types of crazy plot twists and turns through the dinning room, the hall, the kitchen, the lounge, with a candlesticks, a wrench, a revolver and a whole exciting assortment of rooms and weapons!

It was made in 1985 and set in the 1950s and I highly recommend it for anyone interested in seeing the first (and possibly only) movie inspired by a board game. And if that doesn't guarantee quality, I don't know what does?