Welcome to my canyon...

Welcome to the place where I share. Word of warning to begin with, I consider myself an intelligent individual, but occasionally I collapse into a not so intelligent personna. Happy reading...

++New Home

09.08.05 (11:28 am)

http://the-marina.blogspot.com/" title="http://the-marina.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"http://the-marina.blogspot.co... That's my new home. A little sparse at the moment but it will onlyl get better! I hope I'll see some of you there. I'll still be kicking around, checking everyone's posts but hopefully, my headaches of trying to post wil be over!

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++Freakin' T-Blog has screwed me for the last time

09.07.05 (7:14 am)

I'm royally pissed now to the point that I give up. For two days I've been trying to get caught up on reading and commenting and posting and the bloody site has been down. That's the last time. I've had enough and I feel ripped off for having paid my hard earned dollars for something that only works part of the time. I'll be posting my new link in a day or two.

4 Comments

++Car Shopping and Other News

09.01.05 (9:18 pm)

Well, I've lacked time over the last few days, both at work and at home and so, I've only now (12:18 AM on Friday Morning), completed my "reading" catchup. BTW, great posts everyone. So after finding the car, getting the price, and applying and being approved for the financing, we've decided to wait until next spring/summer. By then, we should have most of our bills paid and some money to put down. After a long discussion, we decided to hold off until we feel more comfortable. After all, they'll have other deals right???? (I hope so!) Other than that, it's just been very busy. The article didn't run this week. I heard from the journalist and he mentioned that the regular editor was off for the week and the replacement guy missed the story so now we're shooting for next week. Not to worry, I'll post the link when it's up. School starts on Tuesday. I'm excited but also a bit concerned because I can't afford to buy one of the textbooks for another week. I hope I can find the readings online. After all, it is a philosophy book so I may luck out for a week or so. That's pretty much it. The MIL comes in from Calgary on Saturday and is staying for a week. Surprisingly, she's not staying with us this time around. Instead she has opted to stay at a hotel for the week that she's here. I like her and all but I'm glad she's not staying with us. We really don't have the room and she'd be sleeping in the living room. This works out better for her (she's more comfortable) and for us (we're more comfortable too)! Dan is off to go drinking with his Kuldip tomorrow. Poor guy. He's a super great guy but he's having trouble with the wife. I think I'm going to stay away from that get together. Give them time to comisirate. That's all for now. It's late. I'm going to smoke and head to bed. Hopefully there'll be time for a great meme later!

1 Comments

++Softwood Lumber Dispute About to get UGLY

08.30.05 (8:51 am)

Once in a while there's a happening in the world at large that gets me going and the softwood lumber thing is one of them. I've managed to keep my thoughts to myself for the most part but after reading this morning's news story, I was more than a little surprised. This is of particular interest to me because I worked at Terasen for over 5 years and was quite familiar with the "goings on". My best friend still works there and so, I still feel close to the happenings there. It was announced a few weeks ago that a Texas based company called Kinder Morgan (which, from the little I've read, has some ties to Enron somewhere along the lines), bought up Terasen which is the gas utility in BC and which was, up until 1989, a Crown Corporation. The sale, of course, is pending a vote from shareholders at the next AGM ($$$ why would they say no?) and an ok from the governing body which, supposedly, looks out for consumer interests, the BC Utilities Commission (aka BCUC). What does the sale of a gas company have to do with wood? Here comes the doozy. The US is refusing to pay the $5B in moneys which NAFTA has declared were unfairly charged to BC lumber producers and collected by the US. In retaliation, the Canadians have suggested that they will start imposing levys on US products (the big item everyone is talking about is California wine). Though this has been discussed and considered an option this new suggestion is even better. Some politicians ar4e calling for the government to put a stop to the BCUC hearings, effectively stopping (actually only postponing) the sale of Terasen to Kinder Morgar. Wouldn't that be something? It's believe that this suggestion could work by applying pressure on energy friendly Bush by Kinder Morgan, a company which has ties to the Bush family. Could this work? I know that Terasen has been priming for this sale for years, particularly weeding out the fat for a sale. It has caused a bit of concern with employees but not yet enough to force anyone to leave. I will admit that I'm very, very glad that I got out of there when I did. It'll be interesting to see what, if anything, comes next... On another alltogether different note, it's been more than a bit crazy. I'm going to attempt to catch up on my reading this afternoon if not, this evening!

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++Car Shopping

08.29.05 (11:11 am)

Well, the saga has began. Dan and I are looking to buy a new car. We've been transit kids for a while now (we sold our 88 Prelude before it started needing lots of work) and the time has come for us to start looking for something else. We've decided to buy new to take advantage of the warranties etc because, honestly, we can't afford to fix a car if something goes wrong. And so, yesterday, we did our first tour of the lots. We're leaning towards a hatchback and after a bit of browsing, we've decided that the best options for us are the Pontiact Vibe, the Toyota Matrix or the Chevy Aveo5. The Vibe and Matrix are pretty identical (except for the $2500 price difference). The Aveno, though not the most fuel economic or even best rated out of three (it actually rates the worst) is probably our most likely choice, simply because of price. It's the one most within our pricerange. We're going to keep looking but I think that the price tags are going to rule supreme here. As much and dan and I want a Prius, it's just not within our budget, unless we don't want to eat for the next 4 to 5 years. I'm not big on car shopping but things went well yesterday. We've decided to put some more money together and shoot for a purchase in December or January. What a great X-Mas/New YEar's gift that would be! :)

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++Survey!

08.26.05 (11:17 am)

I've done this one before but I can't find the bloody thing so I'll do it again, and only because seet DeathByGlitter tagged me... 10 Years Ago Today: I was 15 (God I feel old). I was a geeky 8th grader trying to find myself. 5 Years Ago: I was 20. I was already in love with Dan. One Year Ago: I was 24. I left my comfy job and took a leap of faith. Started temping and went back to school full time. Best thing I ever did. In my life. Yesterday: I met with fellow BookCrossers for a meeting. Talked for hours. Tomorrow: Going to PBS to set up office and then off to Jess' B-day BBQ! 5 Snacks I enjoy: Raspberry Twizzlers, Nachos and Salsa, Pineapple Buns, 3 Musketeers bar, Coffee Crisp  5 Bands That I Know The Lyrics to Most of Their Songs: Queen, NIN, Pink Floyd, Sarah McLachlan (I had to look up the spelling...I always get it wrong...) and Enya.  Things I Would Do With $100,000,000: Pay depts, give family and frineds money. Buy a place and a smart car or hybrid. 5 Locations I'd Like To Run Away To: New Orleans, Lisbon, Cairo,  NY and Amsterdam.  5 Habits I Have: Saying "Fabulous" too much, checking my email 3 times a day, taking pictures of everything (I love my digital camera), buying books that I'll never read, buying ANY hand soap which is made in Portugal. 5 Things I Like Doing: Reading, going to the movies, hanging out with friends, listening to music (preferably really loud), drinking a nice Vodka Tonic on a Friday night. 5 Things I Would Never Wear: Crop tops, high heels, spandex, pantihose, Nike's. 5 TV Shows I Like: Six Feet Under, The Sopranos, Frasier, RockstarINX (my guilty pleasure at the moment), Arrested Development 5 Movies I Like: Interview with a Vampire, LOTR Trilogy (sorry, I'm counting them as one epic saga), The Matrix Movies (dito, consider these all one movie), A Tale of Two Sisters (best suspense/horror movie of all time, in my opinion at least.it's Korean, if you can watch it, do. You won't regret it!), Bram Stoker's Dracula 5 Famous People I'd Like To Meet: Anne Rice (Again. She was amazing.), Juliet Marillier (Australian author, I'd love to pick her brain), Heath Ledger (he's dazzingly handsome), David Lunch (he's just bloody brilliant) and George W. Bush (you can guess what I'd do with him) 5 Biggest Joys At The Moment: Dan, my sister, my meetup group, Steph, and life.  5 Favorite Toys: My laptop, my palm, my digital camera, my mp3 player (even though it's a CD one...for now) the last one is a secret ;) 5 Tag Teamers : jennjr, wiccachicky, nullfactor, amHCalum....can't think of a fifth...soooo EVERONE else! :)

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++Photoshoots and Extras

08.26.05 (10:26 am)

I just participated in a grueling photo shoot. Actually, it wasn't that bad, I'm just not used to having my picture taken. One of the local weekly's, The Vancouver Courier, is going to be running a story on BookCrossing with yours truly representing. I'm really excited to see it. It'll be the first time that I've been the interviewee rather than the interviewer. In other news, I've recruited my design savy cousin P to design the new logo for the company I'm working for now. He's meeting with the boss lady on Tuesday. Good luck dude. Tomorrow, I'm going off to play maid at the PBS office, helping Terry unpack the office and get thins up and running again which, will include, a bit of cleaning. I'm also going to get the design savy P to help me with my webpage. I'm having some trouble with my banner adds and I need to optimize my site because I'm not getting any hits at the moment. The other thing is that I think I may need a new webhost because my current host has been down a lot lately. Hopefully I can get P to give me a little space for a little money. We'll see how it goes. Ta ta for now.

2 Comments

++NIN Ticket Saga Continues

08.25.05 (1:11 pm)

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, NIN tickets were being auctioned off. Well, the tickets that failed to be auctioned are now available for sale. I'm more than a little pissed. Now I have these 2 good tickets for the price of 2 great tickets (floor) and I can't afford to buy floor tix until I know I can get rid of the other tickets. Do I take the chance, buy the floor tix and get stuck having bought 4 tix or, do I swallow it up and just forget about the floor tix? I'm severely pissed now. Why do bands to this to you? And to boot, Ticketmaster is all "No exchanges or returns except if the show is cancelled." Is it MY fucking fault that you guys go around dicking fans? Bloody hell man. You should have heard the guy on the phone, total asshole. He could have at least been nice about it.... So, if anyone knows someone who would like to attend the NIN, Sep. 26th show in Vancouver, I'll sell you my $69.95+tax and fees tix ($80 total) for $65 (flat rate save $5 off the ticket price plus I eat all the taxes and fees) dollar each. And yes, that's Canadian dollars. Pass the info on to anyone who might be interested. If you'd like seating info, let me know. I can tell you where the seats are located.

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++Are you a nerd?

08.24.05 (12:45 pm)

I poached this from wiccachicky. Modern, Cool Nerd 73 % Nerd, 65% Geek, 26% Dork For The Record: A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia. A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one. A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions . You scored better than half in Nerd and Geek, earning you the title of: Modern, Cool Nerd. Nerds didn't use to be cool, but in the 90's that all changed. It used to be that, if you were a computer expert, you had to wear plaid or a pocket protector or suspenders or something that announced to the world that you couldn't quite fit in. Not anymore. Now, the intelligent and geeky have eeked out for themselves a modicrum of respect at the very least, and "geek is chic." The Modern, Cool Nerd is intelligent, knowledgable and always the person to call in a crisis (needing computer advice/an arcane bit of trivia knowledge). They are the one you want as your lifeline in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (or the one up there, winning the million bucks)! Congratulations! My test tracked 3 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 82% on nerdiness You scored higher than 91% on geekosity You scored higher than 39% on dork points

Link: The Nerd? Geek? or Dork? Test written by donathos on Ok Cupid

1 Comments  

++Literature Abuse - Do you suffer from this disorder?

08.23.05 (1:12 pm)

This was sent to me earlier today and I thought it was hilarious. Here are my answers: LITERATURE ABUSE: AMERICA'S HIDDEN PROBLEM SELF-TEST FOR LITERATURE ABUSERS 1. I have read fiction when I was depressed or to cheer myself up. - Yes 2. I have gone on reading binges of an entire book or more in a day. - Yes 3. I read rapidly, often 'gulping' chapters. - Yes 4. I have sometimes read early in the morning or before work. - Yes 5. I have hidden books in different places to sneak a chapter without being seen. - Yes  6. Sometimes I avoid friends or family obligations in order to read novels. - Yes 7. Sometimes I re-write film or television dialog as the characters speak. - Yes 8. I am unable to enjoy myself with others unless there is a book nearby. - No 9. At a party, I will often slip off unnoticed to read. - No 10. Reading has made me seek haunts and companions which I would otherwise avoid. - Yes 11. I have neglected personal hygiene or household chores until I have finished a novel. - No to part one Yes to part two 12. I have spent money meant for necessities on books instead. - No 13. I have attempted to check out more library books than permitted. - Yes 14. Most of my friends are heavy fiction readers. - No 15. I have sometimes passed out from a night of heavy reading. - Yes (once and I didn't really pass out...I fell asleep) 16. I have suffered 'blackouts' or memory loss from a bout of reading. - No 17. I sometimes read without a donut in one hand. - Yes (most of the time) 18. I do crossword puzzles in pen when there isn't a pencil handy. - No 19. I have spent hours trying to program TiVO only to record Oprah when it's her book club. - Hello NO 20. I eat biscotti at Borders, even though it tastes terrible, so I can disguise my reading habit. - No - Coffee at Chapters 21. I have wept, become angry or irrational because of something I read. - Yes 22. I have sometimes wished I did not read so much. - No 23. Sometimes I think my reading is out of control. - No 24. Amazon knows my credit card number. - No - Chapters does... How many of these apply to you?

5 Comments

++Televangelist Raving Mad

08.23.05 (1:03 pm)

Pat Robertson, some moron (my term, my appologies, I don't intend to offend anyone) has suggested that operatives should kill off Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. You can check out the entire story here. Just what we need, a crazy man (not crazy because he's religious - I want to make that PERFECTLY clear - crazy because of the suggestion) trying to run the country. I only hope that no one who watched him saying this is capable of pulling this off. You'd think that a man who has such authority would think twice before saying things like this but, I guess thought is too much to ask.

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++Soaring Gas Prices

08.22.05 (6:54 am)

I had a good laugh when I saw this picture on my local news website. The story is that with the soaring gas prices, gas stations are getting creative with their three diget signage. You can get the full story here.

10 Comments

++The End of an Era

08.22.05 (6:49 am)

Six Feet Under is now six feet under. The last episode of HBO's brilliant series came to an end after 5 great seasons with an amazing and unsurprisingly sad ending. Dan even suggested the ending matched the great finale of MASH. I can't comment on this because I was too young to ever watch MASH's final episode. What I can tell you is that I'm going to miss this show, a lot. It was probably one of the best things on television. But as they say, all good things must come to an end. And though I don't consider myself much of a cryer, this was a total tear jerker for me. If you never saw it, I suggest you check out their website for show info. It's still on re-runs in Canada (Showcase), not sure about anywhere else. All I know for certain is that my religious Sunday night television watching is going to have to find a new show....I only hope that HBO's Rome is decent. From all I've seen, it looks pretty good.

3 Comments

++Friday's Crazy Thoughts

08.19.05 (10:53 am)

Ok. I'm going to try a new feature for Fridays. We'll call it.... Crazy Thoughts. Here's this week's 10: 1. Can you make a candle out of your earwax? 2. When French people swear do they say pardon my English? 3. Aren't the 'good things that come to those who wait' just the leftovers from the people that got there first? 4. If the swat team breaks down your door do they have to replace it later? 5. Can a fire truck park in the fire lane? 6. Can it be cloudy and foggy at the same time? 7. "Cute as a button" Is that supposed to be a compliment? Since when are buttons cute? 8. Can you breathe out of your nose and mouth at the same time? 9. Are marbles made of marble? 10. Why does the last piece of ice always stick to the bottom of the cup?

7 Comments

++The Grades Are IN!

08.18.05 (9:05 am)

I just checked and my final grades have come in for last semester: English: A- Anthropology: B+ Psychology: B+ Not too shabby eh? I think I'll have to celebrate this weekend! HMmmmmmmmmm I can taste the Vodka already... :)

2 Comments

++How Weird am I?

08.18.05 (8:14 am)

Apparently, totally weird... You Are 80% Weird You're more than quirky, you're downright strange. But you're also strangely compelling, like a cult leader. How Weird Are You?

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++Funny Picture of Trent

08.18.05 (6:52 am)

Ok. This was sent to me in an email this morning. Probably a fake but funny all the same! :)

2 Comments

++100 tidbits about me

08.17.05 (12:16 pm)

I saw this on JennJr's page and loved it. Here's mine: 1.  I'm Portuguese and PROUD of it! 2.  I'm in love with a man who makes me want to jump for joy every day. 3.  I love to read. Always have AT LEAST one book with me. Even if I'm only going out for 15 minutes. (You never know, I might have to stand somewhere for 2mins...) 4.  I don't like my job. 5.  I love going to school. 6.  I love to meet new people. 7.  I talk too much. 8.  My voice tends to carry (even in large crowds). 9.  I love movies. Every weekend includes either going to, renting or watching a movie on TV. 10. I have a shameless crush on Christian Bale. He's dreamy. 11. I'm not religious. 12. I believe in a higher power (entity, being, whatever). 13. NIN is my favourite band. Has been since highschool. Reminds me of being young. 14. Pink Floyd is my second favourite band. Thanks dad. 15. Kale and beans is my favourite meal. Especially when mom makes it. 16. I love my Crunchy Cheetos. Keep them away! 17. I have a pda and a handheld pc and I still can't keep track of my appointments. Next step: Invest in paper calendar/planner. 18. I smoke. 19. I hate going to the gym. My exercise consists of walks with the folks. 20. Reality shows make me crazy. (I only like the Amazing Race). 21. Anne Rice is my favourite author. 22. I meet with strangers once a month for coffee (though my bookcrossing meetup). 23. Spiders and insects scare me. 24. I love our PS2. 25. My laptop is my baby. 26. I run/fix electric and gas R/C cars (they call me the "Pit Bitch"). 27. My favourite movie is "Interview with a Vampire". Anne Rice, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and Antonio Banderas??? I'm in heaven. 28. My favourite dessert is Flan pudding. 29. I have 2 tattoos. 30. I want more tattoos. 31. I have a younger sister. 32. I used to write for the Ubyssey. 33. My favourite colour is blue. But my favourite colour to wear is black. 34. My hair hasn't been a virgin since 1999. 35. I have a streak of grey running from the front right sinde of my head to about the middle. 36. I started greying at 15. It's hereditary on my dad's side. 37. I speak 3 languages fluently. But I understand 4. 38. I love long baths. 39. I love candles. I have a weakness. 40. I love IKEA. Another pitfall. 41. I love bags. I have a bunch but I always see more that I want. 42. I still go to school. 43. Exams freak me out. 44. I like my dentist. 45. Right now, my hair is red. 46. I rarely wear make-up. When I do, you know something's up. 47. I haven't had a holiday (more than the weekend off) since Christmas. 48. My birthday is Sep. 28, 1979. 49. I feel old sometimes. 50. I don't get enough sleep. 51. I'm the youth editor for a local Portuguese newspaper. 52. I belon to a "Youth" group. 53. I loved highschool. The last 2 years of it at least. 54. I only do my nails when I remember to which is rarely. 55. I take the bus to work. Actually, I take the bus everywhere. 56. I don't drive. 57. I love Pineapple buns. 58. "SIN" is my favourite song. I'm sure you can guess the band. 59. I wear 2 rings, two bracelets and a watch every day. 60. I take my jewlery off as soon as I get home. It's a leftover reaction from my mom complaining that I scratched the furniture (when I was still living at home). 61. I have a pair of diamond earings that I don't wear because I'm afraid to lose them. They were a graduation gift from my parents. 62. My favourite stone is Amber. 63. I don't wear yellow gold. If you see me with a piece it's because my grandmother bought it for me before she realized my preference. 64. I miss my grandpa. He died 5 years ago. I didn't get to say goodbye. 65. I've lived on 3 continents: Europe, South America and North America. 66. I don't camp. I don't like the idea of portable toilets (or no toilets). 67. I'm fat and happy. I love food. 68. I bought my first bathing suit last year. 69. I wore my bathing suit out in public for the first time 2 weeks ago. 70. My sister and I are 2 years apart. 71. When I grow up, I want to be a librarian. 72. I love concerts. 73. I'm still kicking myself for having passed up the chance to see Pink Floyd during the Division Bell tour. I was in highschool. I didn't want to go to a concert with my dad! 74. I've seen Marilyn Manson in concert. 75. I met Clive Barker and Anne Rice. 76. I collect comics. 77. My favourite comic book is "The Magdalena" published by Top Cow. 78. I've always had more guy than girl friends. Until a few years ago. 79. I love to talk. 80. The last time I smoked weed I got sick. 81. I sometimes pass the time by reading confessions at grouphug 82. I don't have pets. 83. The only pet I would ever consider would be a bird. A lovebird to be exact. 84. I haven't been to Rotten Ronnies in over 10 months. 85. My favourite burger is the Ultimate burger at Roxy Burger. 86. My favourite bar was Luvafair. I stopped clubbing when they closed about 5 years ago. I want to go to a reunion. Badly. 87. 80's music is fabulous. Thanks Dan. 88. I have a birthmark on my right shoulder, the middle of my right hand and the bottom of my right foot. Weird eh? 89. I say eh too much. 90. Vodka tonic is my drink of choice. Actually, vodka anything. 91. I tend to swear after a few drinks. 92. I'm a happy drunk. 93. I can drink Dan under the table. Actually, I can drink a lot of people under the table: my sister, my dad, my cousins... 94. I rarely remember my dreams. When I do, I try to write them down so I don't forget. 95. I occasionally read my diary from highschool. I worte in it on and off for a few years. 96. I'm a published poet. 97. I won 2 writing competitions. I was in highschool. 98. A local reporter once said I displayed "Good control of her writing. A voice to watch." 99. My girlfriends think I'm nuts. Who isn't? 100. I want to be 25 for ever.

6 Comments

++Vanishing BC

08.17.05 (10:44 am)

I was watching a movie yesterday and Dan were wondering if our one-day-to-be (hopefully) back yard would look like the one in the movie and he said "Only if we could buy a house in Spuzzum, BC." "I thought Spuzzum had burned down?" said I. Yes. The town of Spuzzum is pretty much gone. The whole town, which was pretty much one convenience/grocery/pub/r estaurant, burned down a few years ago. It was a tragic because as it was, the big joke was "Don't blink when you drive through Spuzzum because you'll miss it!" but after that fire, that was pretty much it for the town. During my search for the picture above (this is an old sketch of the shop), I came accross this site of vanishing places in BC. Sort of interesting and kind of sad too.

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++Things that make me happy

08.17.05 (8:07 am)

Taking the lead from JennJR and AmyHCAlum, I'm going to post a list of the things that make me happy. Cuddling under the covers with D. I love this. Summer and winter. All the way to our chins, sometimes even our heads! Hugging. I'm a hugger too but my hugs inlcude the two cheek peck too. It's a cultural thing that I can't seem to lose. If anything, it's become more prominant over the years. Chili. For some reason, a bowl of chili any time of the year makes me really, really happy. Just typing that has given me cravings. Books. My life's passion. I love a good book. Especially an old book or one from a used book store. I love the feeling of the paper, the turning of the page, the smell of them and the idea that someone else read those same words before me. I love it all. Spending time with my family. I love this. Even if it's just spending time together in the same room but doing something different. Having them there is very comforting and makes me feel safe. Listening to music (and occasionally singing along). WOOHOO! It's like having a party all by yourself! A good wine. Preferably white or rose. Fresh figs. Another cultural thing. I've been eating so many lately but I still can't get enough. YUM. It's by no means a complete list but it's what I can come up with for now! What makes you happy?

6 Comments

++ICE - Help Them Help You

08.16.05 (7:19 am)

I saw this on the news a week or so ago and I thought it important to pass on the information, in case some missed it or haven't heard about it. As I was watching the newscast, I immediately added this to my cell phone. It's an awesome idea that is starting to pick up steam outside of the UK. How does it work? Simply use your mobile’s phone book to store the name and number of someone who should be contacted if you have an emergency – but add the letters ICE in front of their name. ICE stands for ‘In Case of Emergency’: it’s what the emergency services will look for if you’re involved in an accident and have your mobile phone with you. This straightforward idea was developed by the East Anglian Ambulance Trust and is supported by Vodafone. See the rest of the info here. You may also want to search the net or call you local Emergency Services Provider to get more details.

6 Comments

++Gaza Fears

08.15.05 (10:46 am)

I was just reading this story about the the recent evacuation and/or eviction of Jews from the Gaza Strip. I'm a bit concerned about this. Though I wish with all my heart that: 1) They had managed to live in peace without a clear divide or 2) More time would have been given to allow people to move of their own accord I'm even more worried that this could lead to more fighting. I refuse to place blame. How many more people have to die? I hope this is the end...

1 Comments

++First Kiss

08.15.05 (6:53 am)

I'm not sure why but late last night, as I was having a smoke and looking up at the stars, I had a thought about my first kiss(es). My first kiss (aka the "peck") took place in late June 1989. No, I didn't write it down in a calendar but I do remember it because it happened just before we came to Canada in July of that year. I had been friends with this boy that lived down the hill. I think his name was Chris (it's been so long I've forgotten but we'll call him Chris regardless). I was coming out of church when I bumped into him at the door. I was 9 and really sad to be leaving friends. We talked for a few minutes. I told him I'd miss him and we gave eachother a hug. Some other kids came around the corner and we all decided to play a last game of hide and seek. We drew straws. One of the girls drew the short straw so she was it. As she started counting and the kids started running in all directions, I looked around for a good place to hide when all of a sudden, Chris came by and pulled me by the arm to hide behind the wheels of a big truck which was parked near the wall on the other side of the square. We were facing eachother, squeezed between the wall and the tire. He put his arms on either side of my face, holding himself against the wall so he wouldn't touch me and then he leaned in. It happened so quickly, I barely realized what had happened until afterwards. He said he'd miss me, blushed red and just then, we were found. My next kiss, and what I consider my first "real" kiss, didn't happen for almost 10 years. I was 18. There was this guy, his name was Marty. He was a Sweed that was working in Vancouver and who I'd met through some friends. He was a bit older than me, in his mid to late 20s. I had a bit of a crush on him. After a few outings with the group, he invited me over to his place for movies. I went, hopeful but uncertain of what would happen. It was a nice evening of videos, nachos, talk and water watching from the balcony but nothing happened. There were no moves and no indications that he was interested in me in any way other than friends. And so, at the end of a nice evening, he walked me down to the bus stop. We waited, talking in hushes voices. Laughing. I saw the bus coming around the corner and opened my bag in seach of change. At this moment, he put one hand on the side of my neck, cradling my head in his palm and the other went to my waist. He pulled me close, so close I could smell the fresh, clean scent of his aftershave. Time seemed to slow down then. He looked at me and slowly leaned in to kiss me. It was a soft, slow kiss that seemed to last forever. I could feel the people around us moving past me, towards the door of the bus. My legs went soft and I started to feel hot. He slowly pulled away from me and he was smiling. I remember looking up at him (as usual, shorty that I am) and smiling back. He whispered good night and I smiled and did the same. As I walked away, his hand slid down my arm and held my fingers lightly until I pulled away. I was on cloud nine for days. It never worked out. After that moment, we never spent time alone again, instead spending time with the group. For weeks I was confused. He didn't call and when I finally called him, he never responded. A few weeks later, he started dating someone else. It was probably for the best. He was a bit immature for me but that kiss... it sent shivers up my spine. It still makes me blush when I think about it. What was your fist kiss like?

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++Best Dressed

08.12.05 (6:44 am)

I'm no fashionista, never have been and never will be, but even I can't ignore the sexyness that eminates from a well dressed man (there, now you know my soft spot - the other is ink). So, it's with great pleasure that I present this years winner of Esquire's Best Dressed Men in the World: Yes, that's him, Pharrell Williams from the Neptunes. To boot, he's got the style and the ink. Wooohooo! As you can see from the post, nothing too exciting happened yesterday or this morning except for the fact that IT'S FRIDAY!

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++Blah

08.11.05 (11:41 am)

I'm at a loss for what to blog about today. Do I tell you about my insanely boring exam? Or the fact that I went for drinks afterwards with a girl that I've been talking to (from class) for almost 3 months but who'se name I still don't know? Yikes. So instead, I found this cool thing on blogthings. You Know You're From British Columbia When... You know the provincial flower You consider that if it has no snow, it is not a real mountain. You can taste the difference between Starbucks, Blendz, and Tim Horton's. You know how to pronounce Squamish, Osoyoos & Nanaimo. You can tell the difference between Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean and Thai food. In winter, you go to work in the dark and come home in the dark - while only working eight-hour days. You have no concept of humidity without precipitation. You know that Dawson Creek is a town, not a TV show. You can point to at least two ski mountains, even if you cannot see through the cloud cover. You notice "the mountain is out" when it is a pretty day and you can actually see it. You put on your shorts when the temperature gets above 5, but still wear your hiking boots and parka. You switch to your sandals when it gets about 10, but keep the socks on. You recognize the background shots in your favourite movies & TV shows. You buy new sunglasses every year, because you can't find the old ones after such a long time. You use a down comforter in the summer. The local hero is a pot-smoking snowboarder The local wine doesn't taste like malt vinegar Your $400,000 Vancouver home is 5 hours from downtown You can throw a rock and hit three Starbucks locations You've been to a deforestation protest If a cop pulls you over, just offer them some of your hash It's November, it's raining, but you're still wearing birkenstocks You go broke just paying rent. You don't own a heavy winter coat You can't figure out why Manitoba is considered part of Western Canada. You wouldn't be caught dead on Vancouver Island or Vancouver without your umbrella and plastic shoes. You actually get these jokes and pass them on to other friends from British Columbia. The sad thing is that I actually relate with 98% of the list.

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