Jan 26, 2011

32 Things I've Learned in my 32 Years

Yesterday I turned thirty-two. Getting older usually doesn't bother me, but this year, the thought of being thirty-two turned my stomach a wee bit. Thirty-two is not old by any means, but it has sunk in that I am not nineteen anymore, and even though I have more than enough time to still do everything I want to do in life ( if I don't get hit by a bus or have a fatal brain aneurysm or anything), I don't really have the time to lollygag anymore...some decisions need to be made, and some things just need to get done, and some things just are the way they are. I haven't learned much, but I've tried, and here is a list of things I believe to be true.


1. Go ahead and lie, cheat and steal if it suits you.  Just be okay with the fact that you are going to get caught, and have a plan for when you do.

2. You cannot die of a broken heart.

3. There is no better feeling than someone making you laugh til you cry.

4. It is impossible to eat healthy when you only have $15.00 left after you cash your paycheck and pay the bills.

5. The tall skinny blonde sitting next to you, probably has just as many issues with her body and self esteem as the short, fat person on the other side of you.

6. Girls are way dirtier than boys.

7. True friends will tell you that you are being an asshole when you are, and expect you to keep them in line too.

8. Don't regret anything. What's done is done, and there was a reason why you did it.

9. Nobody owes you anything, so don't expect anything.

10. If you are going to sink a canoe in the middle of a lake, empty it of its contents first.

11. Dancing with your friends can make almost anything better.

12. Don't play board games with Bree or Nick, unless you are prepared for the consequences. ;)

13. If you're confused in an airport, train station, or bus station the haggard guy with all the patches on his back pack knows more than the staff that are paid to be there.

14. Don't use gasoline to start a fire if the pit is close to the house.

15. Don't leave your clothes on the beach when you go skinny dipping. Always take something into the water with you, just in case.

16. Always have some hand signals worked out before you hook the GT Racer up to the back of your vehicle and whip your cousin around on it.

17. Don't wear flip flops to a concert, unless you're okay with standing in the back, or losing a toenail or two.

18. Wear comfortable underwear. Picking a thong out of your arse all day does not make you look sexy.

19. You are never too old or too young to have fun adventures.

20. Unless they were awful to you, it's a good idea to be friends with your ex.

21. Being poor sucks. Having money really does make you happier.

22. Take good care of your teeth.

23. No matter how hard you try not to, you do turn into your parents in some shape or form.

24. When peeing outside, always make sure that you are at the top of the downward slant.

25. You will most likely get away with driving home drunk if the people in the car are way drunker than you are, and you stick your belly out and pretend that you are pregnant and physically uncomfortable. Roll your eyes at the cop to show your disdain for your friends/family/boyfriend.

26. Nobody ever gets rid of photos that you ask them to.

27. If you are leaving on vacation, don't leave leftover fish in your fridge.

28. Cats aren't super fond of swimming.

29. A savings account is good to have so you can move your last $40.00 to it from your chequing account so it doesn't get wasted on those darn NSF's.

30. If you pluck that hair, it will come back darker and thicker, and it will bring some friends.

31. It is better to be dressed for the weather than dressed to look cool.

32. No matter what happens in your life, you can and will get through it...... eventually.

Jan 13, 2011

Snow Day

Originally posted over @ http://abigailroaddesigns.blogspot.com


I had planned on spending all day today sewing, and hopefully taking photos of some new bottle cap magnets I made this week. I am now going to be working Friday, Saturday and Sundays at a group home, so my creative job will have to be done during the week. So, like I said, I had planned on getting some work done today.

I hadn't planned on the insane storm we received here on the island, starting last night. Driving back to the campground from the city was daunting. I have driven on a lot of scary Canadian highways in the winter, but Malahat Drive has got to be the worst. The wet heavy snow made the roads slippery, the tree branches heavy, and our nerves on edge. Once we were home, we decided to spend the evening staying warm, and playing Nintendo. It was great. 

Both of us had thought about my event tent ( that we use as a picnic shelter here), and the weight of the snow. Both of us knew we should go and check on it. Both of us acted too late. When we heard the heavy thud, we knew what it was. There was no saving it. The legs and roof buckled under the weight of the wet snow. 

Oops, it fell. 




Dammit. I really liked that tent. I got it on sale too. Mother Effer.  My husband called time of death on it this morning, after he was a super trooper, and shoveled all the snow off of our roof at 4:30am so it wouldn't collapse like the tent, and then dug the tent out of all the snow. He's tops in my books today.


Not that the tent has anything to do with my ability to sew. It doesn't. We ( along with about 30,000 other people) were without power, all day. Like, a nine hour work day, all day kind of day. Without power, we don't have heat, and we don't eat anything that needs to be cooked. Without the tent, we don't have dry charcoal to cook outside on the grill. It was a cold, frustrating day, that didn't give any opportunity for crafty ventures. Unless you call shoveling crafty.

It wasn't a total bust though. I learned that I can survive in a trailer with no heat, as long as I am in BC and not Saskatchewan ( I am positive we would not have made it, had this happened back home.) The dogs had a ton of fun frolicking in the snow drifts, and I know have a special appreciation for my rubber boots, that I did not have before. They saved my feet today, so I can still push the "gas pedal" on my sewing machine.

Tomorrow is another day, the weather is looking up, I hope, and I've got a pile of material that's just begging to be made into shirred top dresses and shirts, and apron tops. Woot!



Garbage Tent. 



BTW --- Check out my booth @ handmadecraftshow.com !

Jan 12, 2011

Grace in Small Things #61

1. The power came on at 5:30pm.

2. It was warm enough to be outside today to kill time, waiting for it to come back.

3. Luckily, we were not in Saskatchewan with no power or heat. We'd be dead right now.

4. We made it home safe on the highway last night, unlike some other drivers.

5. Only my festival tent was damaged, and not our camper.

6. Might have a lead on another tent. Phew.

7. The dogs had fun frolicking in the massive amount of snow.


What is left of my event tent. :(


8. I had fun frolicking in the snow too. Especially after Smyrish shoveled a labyrinth for us to run in.

9. Even though it was a tough day, we are all safe and sound and drying off.

Jan 4, 2011

2010 Recap in 38 Questions

Here's to The Palinode and All and Sundry for helping me figure out how to start the new year on this blog. *fist bump*

1. What did you do in 2010 that you had never done before? 

I rode on a scooter. I sold all my belongings and moved into a 16' pull camper. I helped make my dad's famous beef stroganoff pie. I kept two plants from dying. I rode in an illegal Cuban taxi. 

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I don't make new years resolutions, and I won't make any this year either. I have enough issues, I don't need to set myself up for more failure. 

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

My cousin had a baby girl last month. I haven't met her yet.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

My friend Dougal. It was tough, because I was just getting to know him, and then, that was that. 

A few other people that I know/knew passed away this year. I had lost touch with most of them...not sure if that makes it easier or harder when you hear about someone's death.

5. What countries did you visit? 

I went to Cuba for the first time. Other than that, all of my travelling has been done in Canada. 

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?

Money. Confidence. More money. The ability to just relax and let things happen. 

7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

December 15th, I quit smoking. November 6th, I left Regina. September 29th and  30th...leaving the apartment. October 26th...last day working at the group home. My JP gave me a kiss on the cheek twice, proving to me that not only does she know exactly what is going on, but that we were buds, and it wasn't all in my head. 

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I didn't do much this year in the way of achievement, but I finally quit smoking, after years of wishing that I could. 

9. What was your biggest failure?

Leaving Regina and not attending to unfinished business.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

I hurt myself daily, and luckily nothing serious came of my clumsiness this year. 

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Mod Podge Dimensional Magic glaze....and my beautiful 2007 Ford F-150. 

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

No one that I can think of. 

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Other than my own? Well, honestly, I'm sure they know who they are, and I'm not getting into that here. I've moved on.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Bills. Credit cards. Loans. Rent. Cigarettes. Not necessarily in that order. 

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Going to Cuba. Our annual Canada Day camping trip. Celebrating my 1st wedding anniversary. Moving away. 

16. What song will always remind you of 2010?

That goddamn horrible "Tic Toc" Kesha song. I fucking hate that ugly talentless blankedy, blank blank. GO.AWAY.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

a) happier or sadder? This time last year, I was still unaware as to how hard the whole year was going to be. We were rolling in money, and had everything we could want. I think I'm happier now though.
b) thinner or fatter? I think that I'm thinner, but I'm still pretty fat.
c) richer or poorer? Poorer. So much poorer. Ugh. 

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

I wish I would have saved some money when I had the chance. I wish I would have kept in touch with friends, instead of just letting myself fall out of touch. I wish I would have flossed more, because I think I have a couple cavities.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Bitching and complaining. Being negative gets you nowhere. 

20. How did you spend Christmas?

My husband and I went to a friends house here in Victoria. We spent the day eating and watching "Supernatural."

21. Did you fall in love in 2010?

I was already in love, with my husband. However I did find love in Mod Podge Dimensional Magic, and I fell madly in love with the ocean. 

22. What was your favorite TV program?

I would have to say Big Love and Glee. This second season of Glee isn't really all that great though. I'm looking forward to Big Love starting up again for it's last season this month. I'm really curious as to how they are going to end it. 

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

I don't hate people. I say I hate people, but that's only because I'm overly dramatic most of the time. Hate is a very strong word. This past year I have grown apart from many, many people that I considered friends. Lost contact with some altogether, both on their end and on mine. I've gotten into fights with family members, but I'm sure that will heal itself in time. Not going to The Pub all the time, and then announcing we were moving, brought out the worst in some people that I had previously thought of as friends. I was shocked and hurt by some of it, but I know that people change, situations change, and you just have to keep on, keepin' on. I am no longer angry with the people who talked behind my back, or didn't support me.  I truly just don't care anymore. 

24. What was the best book you read?

I read a shit ton of books this year. So many, I can't even remember half of them. My friend Jen got me hooked on a couple young adult book series, and my favorite was The Immortals series. I think I got four books in, in about a week. They are most definitely not literary masterpieces, but they were entertaining as hell, and I didn't have to think much to get through them. 2010 was all about finding ways not to use my brain. 

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I re-discovered my love for the band Arrested Development at the Regina Folk Festival in August. The were amazing live, and their set with my hero Buffy Ste. Marie was mind-blowing. 

26. What did you want and get?

I wanted to see Buffy Ste. Marie perform, and I did. I wanted to come to Victoria, and I did that. I wanted to get rid of my credit card debt, and I made that happen. 

27. What did you want and not get?

A huge chunk of money handed to me, no strings attached. Also I didn't get a hover car. 

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

I didn't watch a lot of movies this year. The past couple years I haven't really been interested in going to the theatre very much, and if it wasn't for my husband, or the group home, I probably wouldn't have even rented any. Nothing stuck out in my mind, I actually had to Google "movies from 2010" to jog my memory. Of all the movies on the list I found, I have seen two of them. I have heard about pretty much all of them, but only watched two. So, between Alice and Wonderland and The Runaways, I choose The Runaways as my favorite film of the year. But Alice in Wonderland was a close second. 


29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

On January 25th, 2010 I turned 31. My husband and I spent the day getting drunk at a swim up pool bar in Varadero, Cuba, joking with the bartender, a girl from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, and a couple from Chile who didn't know much English, and we didn't know much Spanish, but I learned that when you are drunk as fuck in your bathing suits, you are already speaking the same language. Before we got totally wasted on pina coladas, my husband had made reservations for supper, and got flowers and champagne delivered to our room. Unfortunately, we both kind of blacked out and don't really remember our fancy dinner, but I'm sure it was lovely. 

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

I hate to say it, but if we had more money, and weren't constantly worrying about how to pay the bills, the whole year would have been better. Noticing a theme here yet? 

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?

If I wasn't wearing sweat pants and a tank top, I was wearing a summer dress. My entire wardrobe is sweat pants and dresses. 

32. What kept you sane?

Smyrish. Yes, I bug him about driving me insane a whole lot, but if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have made it through this year. 

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

I hate them all equally, but if those Glee kids are on the cover of a trashy tabloid magazine, I'm probably going to buy it. 

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

I don't know if it was a political issue or not, but it really pissed me off when people just stopped caring about what was going on in Haiti after a few weeks. Once the telethons were done, and the celebrities moved on to a different cause, you didn't hear much about what was going on. The people of Haiti have it worse than anyone right now, and they need help. 

35. Who did you miss?

There was a break-up of sorts early in 2010. Our large group of drinking buddies split up into smaller cliques and started going their separate ways. I missed having a large group of friends and acquaintances to spend my days with. Even though I learned who I can trust, who my real friends are....I miss the days of laughing and drinking and singing with 45 of my closest friends. 

36. Who was the best new person you met?

Even though I know nothing about him, other than he likes dogs, Junior, the bartender at The Pub, was my favorite new person of the year. I didn't go there very often, but when I did, he always made me laugh my fool head off. 

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.

You gotta do what you feel is real. 

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

How about a video instead?