I'm too sexy for my life.

Admittedly, these malaria drugs are kind of blurring the lines between dreams and reality. I lot of stuff that I can vividly recall happens in my dreams that I sometimes mistakenly think actually happened when I wake up. Just little things, like this morning me expecting to find a certain email, but finding no such email actually exists, and then cluing in that it was actually just a mundane, but vivid dream.

I rather like it. I think dreams are a wonderful way to experience new things or re-experience old things or feel things you can't feel in waking life. It's kind of like turning on a TV in my brain whenever I go to bed.

Been pulling long hours at work, but neglecting my transcript duties. Oh well. Those two parts of my job seem to be mutually exclusive. I either seem to be doing long hours AT work or long ours doing transcripts at home, but never both at the same time. Not enough hours in the day.

I am crossing my fingers that I met get a taste of adventure this summer.

I have watched two seasons (short of two episodes) of Dexter since Friday. It's a wonderful show. Most times, predictable, but every now and again it manages to throw me for a loop.

And the effing car won't start. Something wrong with the starter, says Aaron, and it might be costly to fix. Just bad luck. Nasty, bad luck.

That's my present life in a nutshell.

I eat my words!

The winds of change?

It's thrilling to think and wonder where I'll be in a year's time. So much changes in a year and there's very little that's the same when I compare year-to-year scenarios, besides a few obvious common threads. Where will I be in a year's time and what else will I have accomplished? The world seems much less bleak when I think about it this way.

Feeling angsty. No reason for it. And thought I beat my sore throat, but now it's back. My body is a douchebag and seems to hate me.

Home ownership continues to be an adventure. I found a big wet spot on our basement carpet, but no wet walls or ceiling or anything, so we're currently dealing with that. We have pulled up the carpet and the underpadding and set fans on it in hopes that it'll dry instead of mould. It seems to have dried pretty well and we have our handyman neighbour over tomorrow to try to figure this thing out.

Also, we've finally hung up curtains in our bedroom (after many mornings of being blinded by the sun). It only took us about six months to get a rod, curtains, and have them hung. It's funny. We've been here half a year, but we're still very much moving in, in a way. Hopefully Granny's room will get a makeover this summer - a nice splash of paint, maybe green, some new curtains, shelves, maybe a new bed frame. We never sleep in there, but it surely needs it, despite all our guests urging and begging us not to change it because it's really comfortable as it is.

It's that time of year where I feel like a TV fiend again. Plenty of shows to watch once again and plenty of reasons to love my PVR. Seriously, what would I ever do without the quality programming of the Celebrity Apprentice and Paris Hilton's New BFF and the like?

I've watched the first three hours of the new season of Lost. And it's just terrible, terrible, terrible. Hoping it doesn't come to having to be discarded, like other shows I've discarded because they got terrible too (ie: Heroes), so I'll give it a couple more episodes.

Just awful!

It was a good weekend. We got a suite at the Queen Elizabeth in Montreal, thanks to Roger's work event. Brock and Shannon joined to entertain me during the times when Roger was out doing worky things (which was most of the time). We spent all three days of the weekend (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) strolling St. Catherine Street and going to the mall and eating ice cream. Friday night, we went to Drugstore (where Shannon was yelled at by a lesbian for being straight) and then Sky Pub (which was brilliant... I think). Saturday, I joined Roger for the fancy dinner, then went up and played Quelf, our new game, with Brock and Shannon. What an outrageously random, fun game. After that, we went to Unity, where an okay time was had (had pretty much burnt out by then!).

All in all, it was a great weekend. I'm definitely bar-red out for a while... I had a great time, but I felt really, really self-conscious the entire time for some reason.

And I am swamped at work.

Out.

Felt like a long week, but in fact, it wasn't. Four days on, then four days off (whoo, long weekend with booking Friday off and then Family Day), and then four days on again. What could be better?

Work is going well. I learn everyday and everyday is a new experience.

- I'm in desperate need of a haircut. I am dreading it. They always do such a bad job.
- I'm in desperate need to drop about 10 lbs... haha. Though I am happy that I could go from my summer weight of 210 lbs to a more proper 195 lbs.
- Work is going great. I love my job.
- Buses are back! Gasp, shock, awe!
- My sister gave birth to baby Maddison. I can't wait to meet her tomorrow.
- We (Roger and I) spent the last three nights playing board games. Ticket to Ride and Gloom with Jake and Zabby on Thursday; Risk with Christen, Brock, and Shannon yesterday; and Boggle, Jenga, and Scattergories with Crystal, Aaron and Sylvie tonight.
- Quite sad that the Sims 3 was delayed for months.
- I've played LittleBigPlanet a couple times now when other people brought it over. But I don't like it enough to buy it.
- Montreal next weekend. It's going to be fantastic!
- Super long weekend as well, since I booked Friday off and Family Day is on Monday. Whoo!
- Lord, it's late. Getting less sleep on a weekend than a weeknight. Sigh!

It's been a while.

Bus strike is ended after 50some days and buses to come back at some later point in time - probably not this week, but next. I'm pretty sure we all know where andre cornellier is going to spend his afterlife. And while I'm a total grammar Nazi, I feel that andre cornellier doesn't deserve capitals. Douchebag.

Home ownership is fun. It's been a few months since we bought our house. I still feel like a lot is missing and most rooms are still coming together. Finally today, after moving some stuff around, I consider the office to be complete. It was always missing a little something and I finally figured out what it was and solved the problem. We have another poster coming for the basement, so hopefully the basement will soon look complete. And Granny's room, well, that room just needs a total makeover. That's the plan for the late summer (I believe), perhaps to celebrate our first anniversary of buying this house - if not sooner.

However, home ownership has it's ups and downs. Sigh, our drier no longer heats the clothes (but it will still work and spin and tumble the clothes) and the treadmill (just a couple months old) is making a loud grinding sound and has left stains all over the carpet. I guess we got what we deserve for wanting to try to be fit - lesson learned! Anyway, lots to look into. Carpet stains are fine because carpets can always be replaced (or stains can be hidden - yay, for strategic furniture placement!), but things breaking really, really irks me. Especially new things.

I've had a bad last few hours and I think I've inhaled too many carpet stain remover fumes (and it still didn't work!). What an exciting Saturday night?

Seriously? This is day 37 of the transit strike in Ottawa? Absolutely ridiculous. The first two weeks (before Christmas) were kind of fun. You know, staying downtown at different places so as to beat the traffic in the morning.

But this is just getting tiring. I'm not big on routine, but I am big on comfort.

The OC transpo drivers can starve, for all I care.

Our curved staircase may look nice, but apparently take some skill to maneuver.

On the way down the stairs, when I had about 8 stairs left, my feet went out from under me into the air, my laptop which I was carrying went flying, and my feet, while in the air, took out the candle sticks and photo frames that are on the ledge on the way down the stairs, and I slid down the 8 stairs on my back and elbows.

Thankfully, I survived that, but my laptop isn't so lucky! Well, a piece chipped off and it still works (thankfully), but I'm going to probably have to ghetto it up by duct taping it. Also, I oh so conveniently broke just one candlestick in a set of three, which is hella irritating. And I have a large scrape all the way down my arm.Never a dull moment!

The moral of the story is while curved stairways may look nice, I'd rather fall down a good ol' straight one anyday!

Hungry kitty eyes New Year's ham.

I got a new camera for Christmas, so I've decided that for 2009 (resolution, of sorts), I'm going to try to take more pictures. Like a daily photo blog, but neither daily, nor consistent, nor expected to last the full year. (I go on short kicks, as everyone does, especially because this is a new toy.) I'm no photographer, but a picture says 1000 words, and I could too, but it takes a lot longer for me to say 1000 words. No more than a picture a day, but no less than a picture a month, so I hope. Haha.

I can't wait to go to Cuba (no planned trip, but someday, I'm sure) and use this new digital camera in the ocean. Smexy.

Anyway, my resolution is to try and take some more pictures (this goes along with the usual resolution of not being such a fat cow, and also trying to remember to actually floss).

Once again back on the transcript bandwagon... lots to type, lots of money to make. Sweet.

I don't think 2009 will be able to compare to 2008. I won't let that hinder my year, but I think it's just a fact that I'll have to accept. Maybe it'll be time to get a hobby or something because from here on out, at least for this year, there's really not much in the queue. I love my job, I love my house, I love my relationships, so maybe the extent of 2009 will be a new TV. Yes, something real nice.

Low expectations is key. Have low expectations and you'll never be disappointed.

Maybe I won't wake up tomorrow. See? Low expectations!

Little boxes on the hillside, little boxes made of ticky-tacky.

No, I don't do memes anymore, but I still do this meme every year!

1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
Visit Asia, take a plane ride longer than 8 hours (more like 16 hours...), ride the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world. I also voted for the first time, as if it means a hill of beans!

2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
My resolution was to drink no pop, and of course, that lasted about a day. But thankfully, I drank just diet pop, until we moved into our house and started to stock our mini-fridge full of all kinds of pop for visitors. I think this year I should try to floss more.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Not this year, though my sister is expecting for early 2009. Yay!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No, thankfully.

5. What countries did you visit?
China, Dominican Republic, United States, Quebec (yes, it's like a different country!).

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Things really came together for me in 2008. I'm not quite sure what I could have in 2009 that I didn't gain in 2008. Perhaps some more adventure.

7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Breaking my foot at the end of February, going to Hong Kong in May, throwing Roger's surprise party just a day after arriving home from Hong Kong, going for my interview before leaving for Hong Kong in April, graduating in June, my first day of a "real job" in May, the first day in our new house in August, my birthday spent in Montreal. These were all very, very memorable dates this year.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
There are so many it's hard not to list them, but finishing my Honours thesis and graduating summa cum laude have to be it. Oh shit, and buying a house, of course.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I'll have to think about this one.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I broke my first bone - woohoo! I slipped down the Simard steps after a mid-term in February (thankfully after our trip down south). I broke my fifth metatarsal and found myself in an air cast and sporting a cane. In fact, I still have the x-rays that I never returned.... oops! Oh, and something might be wrong with my liver, but that's still unknown. Just great.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Haha, a HOUSE and all the amazing things that we bought to furnish it. Who knew that we actually had taste and style!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Mine. I jumped over a lot of big hurdles.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Hm, I would definitely say Carl's, if I cared enough to actually get depressed by it.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Furnishing our new house.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Getting a real job (and it ended up being one that I love).

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Peanut Butter, Jelly Time? (which inspired the Halloween costume of '08)

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder?: happier, absolutely
ii. thinner or fatter?: about the same (I ballooned up to 210 lbs or so over the summer, and am now down to about 192 lbs again)
iii. richer or poorer?: poorer, huzzuh for mortgages

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Physical activity.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Sitting on my tushie.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
We will be spending at least part of Christmas Eve with the Grimes family (our new family away from our family?), Christmas Day with Roger's family (tons of gifts, turkey dinner, Christmas movies, no doubt), and then Boxing Day with my family (potluck buffet, REAL egg nog, Secret Santa, and Wii).

22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
No, I already am.

23. How many one-night stands?
Guess.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Desperate Housewives, Lost, Survivor, Big Brother, Amazing Race, America's Next Top Model, Corner Gas, Pushing Daisies, A Shot at Love and A Double Shot at Love (yes, sigh), Paris Hilton's My New BFF (double sigh), Chuck.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Hate is a strong word, so no, not hate.

26. What was the best book you read?
...read? What's that? I honestly haven't touched a book (besides crossword puzzles) since school ended.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I had no '08 musical discoveries - sigh!

28. What did you want and get?
A REAL JOB!

29. What did you want and not get?
Millions and millions of dollars.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
We watched all of Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, and almost all Chucky movies this year. A great hobby, if you ask me.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 22 on the 20th. We spent the night in Montreal, drinking and eating and dancing and not remembering what happened. It was an amazing night.

32.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I'm not certain if there's anything, besides perhaps three wishes from a genie.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Well-dressed. Seriously. I wear dress shirts and ties and dress pants every day I go to work. Mind you, when I'm at home, I'm totally oversized hoodies and pajama pants, but I don't think anyone ever thought that I could stay so well-dressed. My mother, especially, probably didn't believe it.

34. What kept you sane?
I never knew sanity.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Paris Hilton, Tyra Bank, and Tila Tequila, DUH!

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
It's hard not to get stirred by the goings on in Canada politics. So, all the election jazz and then the hibernation of Parliament and such. And totally not politics, but I am ever so stirred by the effing OC Transpo strike!

37. Who did you miss?
Nobody this year.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
I didn't meet anybody new this year. :(

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
In the long wrong, hard work will pay off even though it doesn't seem like it's worth it at the time.