Hee hee.
Daily cuteness.
I love it :)
Chemical Brothers ft Richard Ashcroft - The Test
Not much to say today...this song has been in my head all morning. It's an old favourite of mine.
Listened to this CD driving home late on the highway on sunday...and felt quite nearly perfect :)
Have a great day!
My weekend trip to Endor
Wonderful weekend.
Once again drove away to see friends, stay up late making decorations, and then spend all the next day turning a rugby hall into Endor and Deep space, all pimped up with Star Wars decorations. Yup - a Star Wars party. We covered the ceilings and walls...totally transformed the place. And then we had some great DJs play music all night...I dressed up like Luke on Dagobah, in khaki pants and tank top with lightsaber and Yoda on my back (yes I have a Yoda backpack. I'm a nerd.). Then after it was all cleaned up after the party ended at 4AM...and then we hung out with friends and caught up on life the universe and everything...
Haven't stayed up all night having fun like that for ages :)
One thing I'm glad for is we were able to hang out with our friends Mel and Bari. I was wondering how it would be, as they used to be a couple, but are now just "them"...but it was still good. It can be awkward when friends break up, but luckily, they remained friends, and so it was OK to all hang out together. It was so much fun to help out and be a part of something huge and fun, and be there and do it with a bunch of friends. All good people with shiny hearts...I do so wish they lived closer to us. Special thanks to Mel's Mom who made us bacon and eggs...you rock Mom!
And then it was drive home and sleep 13 hours...and now I am back at work, after having taken the morning off.
Tadah!
Like a little time warp. It was fun.
Once again drove away to see friends, stay up late making decorations, and then spend all the next day turning a rugby hall into Endor and Deep space, all pimped up with Star Wars decorations. Yup - a Star Wars party. We covered the ceilings and walls...totally transformed the place. And then we had some great DJs play music all night...I dressed up like Luke on Dagobah, in khaki pants and tank top with lightsaber and Yoda on my back (yes I have a Yoda backpack. I'm a nerd.). Then after it was all cleaned up after the party ended at 4AM...and then we hung out with friends and caught up on life the universe and everything...
Haven't stayed up all night having fun like that for ages :)
One thing I'm glad for is we were able to hang out with our friends Mel and Bari. I was wondering how it would be, as they used to be a couple, but are now just "them"...but it was still good. It can be awkward when friends break up, but luckily, they remained friends, and so it was OK to all hang out together. It was so much fun to help out and be a part of something huge and fun, and be there and do it with a bunch of friends. All good people with shiny hearts...I do so wish they lived closer to us. Special thanks to Mel's Mom who made us bacon and eggs...you rock Mom!
And then it was drive home and sleep 13 hours...and now I am back at work, after having taken the morning off.
Tadah!
Like a little time warp. It was fun.
Ching ching!
Last night's class was so much fun. I've been taking both beginning and intermediate bellydance classes but I have dropped back to just beginner for a little while, as I haven't had the time to practice for the intermediate level stuff as much as I'd like. Plus I'm still learning a lot of beginner things, and it has been a nagging feeling to feel like I'm "behind" all the time. So last night, it was just the 1.5 hour beginner class. It was great. There are a few girls from my old bellydance troupe in this class now, which is nice. I'm very comfortable dancing with them and Tribal dance is a lot of group work with mostly improvised choreography, based on following whomever is leader of the duet or trio group you are in. Last night we practiced trio and duet work fro the first time for a good long time, as well as learned a very cool looking torso twist and turn 
move. It was nice to dance with people I know.
We also got to learn a bit more of working with zills.
Zills are finger cymbols, and when they are played properly really add a lot of flair to your dance. In tribal there is less variation in zills, which I thought I would find restrictive, but it really does make it easier to learn them. I can play around more later :) The basic zills patterning is quite easy to pick up and by the end of class we were doing some basic shimmy moves together with trio zill patterns. I have picked up a nice set of brass zills for $30 and they sound so very nice-a nice low tung sound. There were some prettier ones, but they were too tinny for my taste...
I am still getting used to how tight the elastics have to be on your fingers to play them properly (the tips turn a bit blue), but it is so much fun. Definitely not quiet or shy! I ended up taking them out at home later to play them a bit - J was quite impressed (cats...eh not so much...:) ) Last night after class J and I just relaxed together and talked, watched a bit of Venture Brothers and it was so nice to just spend a bit of time together. It's been a busy few weeks. I heart my J.
This weekend some friends of ours are putting on a Star Wars themed costume party dance so we're helping them out with decorations and at the party itself. It should be a whole lot of fun...and after that...hopefully nothing for a while outside of home. I need to get to some organising and planning out the glass panels for the kitchen I need to make in the next few weeks. Dad is finally coming in December to revamp the kitchen...it's getting down close to the actual time of it now. It's all been in my head for months and months...but the times have arrived. Now I need to pick up a faucet and arborite and Dad will help us refinish the counter top with it and switch out the taps (seeing as they'll be off anyways and they're ugly as hell) and put up a tile back splash and rewire and install (meep) our new gas stove and range hood. With any luck the side panels for the stove will actually be here by then. (grrr). I also want to pretty up the cupboards a bit by sanding them down and re varnishing them. We need to close in the top of the cupboards to hide the venting for the range hood so I want to make a few art deco style glass panels to go up there in the wood...just cause I think it would look beautiful...and cuz I can. I'm sure it will take me a little while to get the doors back on the cupboards at the end and the new handles on, but we'll have a revamped kitchen for not too much $$$. I'd love to gut it and knock out a wall and do all kinds of things...but this we can afford. And it'll look great.
I addition to this I really have to finish up my MSc application papers and get them all in by next week so I can start in January... whew.
Anyways...must be off to the lab to do my thing.
Have a good weekend everybody!
image source
move. It was nice to dance with people I know.We also got to learn a bit more of working with zills.
Zills are finger cymbols, and when they are played properly really add a lot of flair to your dance. In tribal there is less variation in zills, which I thought I would find restrictive, but it really does make it easier to learn them. I can play around more later :) The basic zills patterning is quite easy to pick up and by the end of class we were doing some basic shimmy moves together with trio zill patterns. I have picked up a nice set of brass zills for $30 and they sound so very nice-a nice low tung sound. There were some prettier ones, but they were too tinny for my taste...
I am still getting used to how tight the elastics have to be on your fingers to play them properly (the tips turn a bit blue), but it is so much fun. Definitely not quiet or shy! I ended up taking them out at home later to play them a bit - J was quite impressed (cats...eh not so much...:) ) Last night after class J and I just relaxed together and talked, watched a bit of Venture Brothers and it was so nice to just spend a bit of time together. It's been a busy few weeks. I heart my J.
This weekend some friends of ours are putting on a Star Wars themed costume party dance so we're helping them out with decorations and at the party itself. It should be a whole lot of fun...and after that...hopefully nothing for a while outside of home. I need to get to some organising and planning out the glass panels for the kitchen I need to make in the next few weeks. Dad is finally coming in December to revamp the kitchen...it's getting down close to the actual time of it now. It's all been in my head for months and months...but the times have arrived. Now I need to pick up a faucet and arborite and Dad will help us refinish the counter top with it and switch out the taps (seeing as they'll be off anyways and they're ugly as hell) and put up a tile back splash and rewire and install (meep) our new gas stove and range hood. With any luck the side panels for the stove will actually be here by then. (grrr). I also want to pretty up the cupboards a bit by sanding them down and re varnishing them. We need to close in the top of the cupboards to hide the venting for the range hood so I want to make a few art deco style glass panels to go up there in the wood...just cause I think it would look beautiful...and cuz I can. I'm sure it will take me a little while to get the doors back on the cupboards at the end and the new handles on, but we'll have a revamped kitchen for not too much $$$. I'd love to gut it and knock out a wall and do all kinds of things...but this we can afford. And it'll look great.
I addition to this I really have to finish up my MSc application papers and get them all in by next week so I can start in January... whew.
Anyways...must be off to the lab to do my thing.
Have a good weekend everybody!
image source
PMS ahoy!
Heh heh...I didn't do too badly yesterday. Every month the hormonal munchies sneak up on me and tapdance on my head. This month was not too bad, but still a challenge.
Other than a bunch of (OK package of) baked rice crackers I came out of things OK. I had healthy lunch and supper...and a Guinness, but I drank tea to try and combat my food cravings. And so...I ended up drinking 2 full frigging pots of tea. Yes. I'm sure I'm still retaining a gallon of water now, but it helped fend off ridiculous munchies to a reasonable point. All that and I was still hungry. Crazy.
I made fresh buns too, but only ate one. This is indeed a victory. I likes me my fresh baked buns...I honestly had trouble not eating food "because it was there". With me being home for a holiday that was a challenge with the munchies going on but I kept busy with chores and getting some grad project application stuff together.
In between chores I got to watch a few documentaries on the Korean war and the Canadian troop involvement in the battles in WW2 in Italy. You hear so much in Canada about Vimy Ridge and the battles in France but so very little about the fighting that went on in Italy. I know embarrassingly little about WW1 and WW2 and I really enjoyed the documentaries. It helped me be mindful. J was busy all day putting the Remembrance ceremony on TV (they had a live mobile of our local ceremony on air on his channel that day) and then he had his live music show that evening, so he was too busy all day....not a "day off" for him at all.
And now...a long day with some bellydance lessons at the end. This weekend is our last weekend of lots of "stuff" to do for a while and I'm glad. I could go for a week or two of nothing in particular...I'm feeling busy and hectic again. Soon, comes the chill time. I can't wait :)
Other than a bunch of (OK package of) baked rice crackers I came out of things OK. I had healthy lunch and supper...and a Guinness, but I drank tea to try and combat my food cravings. And so...I ended up drinking 2 full frigging pots of tea. Yes. I'm sure I'm still retaining a gallon of water now, but it helped fend off ridiculous munchies to a reasonable point. All that and I was still hungry. Crazy.
I made fresh buns too, but only ate one. This is indeed a victory. I likes me my fresh baked buns...I honestly had trouble not eating food "because it was there". With me being home for a holiday that was a challenge with the munchies going on but I kept busy with chores and getting some grad project application stuff together.
In between chores I got to watch a few documentaries on the Korean war and the Canadian troop involvement in the battles in WW2 in Italy. You hear so much in Canada about Vimy Ridge and the battles in France but so very little about the fighting that went on in Italy. I know embarrassingly little about WW1 and WW2 and I really enjoyed the documentaries. It helped me be mindful. J was busy all day putting the Remembrance ceremony on TV (they had a live mobile of our local ceremony on air on his channel that day) and then he had his live music show that evening, so he was too busy all day....not a "day off" for him at all.
And now...a long day with some bellydance lessons at the end. This weekend is our last weekend of lots of "stuff" to do for a while and I'm glad. I could go for a week or two of nothing in particular...I'm feeling busy and hectic again. Soon, comes the chill time. I can't wait :)
I am woman. Hear me waffle
Waffle waffle waffle
waffle waffle waffle...
No I don't crave one. Right now I am one. I am Wimbly incarnate.
I keep thinking "OK girl. This is it. No more wimbling - get to this diet and exercise thing! You have no reason now to not do it. You know how good you feel when you keep up with it. You LOVE it. Come on!"
And then I sleep in...or I make a yummy meal and eat too much of it, or I get busy with Life, the Universe and Everything and blink and a week has gone by with no workout other than my belly dance classes. I'm not knocking that, but 3 hours a week on one day does not make for a level fitness program!
I know part of it is the fall, less sunlight blahs, and part of it is trying to adjust to my husband's new morning schedule (I get up before him now. WEIRD...and I am not a good companion early in the AM. Shared breakfasts is wierd. Lets just say I exude...erm...morning...crank. Yes, that's a good word...I'm missing my morning solitude). I'm trying to make my new life fit me and not make me crazy and I'm not sure what to do next. And part of me is freaking out at it all, because very soon it will ramp up even more.
Why?
Well, I'm probably bursting my big announcement bubble I'd planned once all the paperwork was officially dotted and signed, but it looks 98% sure that starting in January I will officially be a graduate student. Don't get me wrong -this is really exciting for me. I'll get to work on a Masters project that will directly impact patient care and improve breast cancer diagnosis. I will help make people's lives better. Help fight cancer in my own little way. Yes - it's a really freaking fantastic opportunity, and my boss is even kind enough to let me work full time while I do this. And that is the thing - I will soon be working full time AND be doing a Master's program at the same time...and I'm already challenged with fitting in my workouts. There's a little panicked 5 year old voice in my head going "Aaaaaaaah! How can I do this! I'll never fit it all in! I'm gonna fall on my face!".
Now don't get me wrong. I know I can do this. Everyone - my supervisors, my lovely husband and my family believe I can. *I* know I can pull it off. It just really scares the ever loving shit out of me. Honestly and truly. And so I'm trying to get my act together so that when January rolls around I'll have a bit of a routine to follow to stay sane...and I don't really know where to begin. For me that's always the hardest part. I'm a great planner...it's the jumping in with both feet and a raincoat that scares me to death. I'm prepping for 2-3 years of insanity...
Eep.
Please humour me over the next little while as I try and make my life a more sane, fit world to be in. If you have any advice for me please, chuck it my way. Right now I could really use some advice...
waffle waffle waffle...No I don't crave one. Right now I am one. I am Wimbly incarnate.
I keep thinking "OK girl. This is it. No more wimbling - get to this diet and exercise thing! You have no reason now to not do it. You know how good you feel when you keep up with it. You LOVE it. Come on!"
And then I sleep in...or I make a yummy meal and eat too much of it, or I get busy with Life, the Universe and Everything and blink and a week has gone by with no workout other than my belly dance classes. I'm not knocking that, but 3 hours a week on one day does not make for a level fitness program!
I know part of it is the fall, less sunlight blahs, and part of it is trying to adjust to my husband's new morning schedule (I get up before him now. WEIRD...and I am not a good companion early in the AM. Shared breakfasts is wierd. Lets just say I exude...erm...morning...crank. Yes, that's a good word...I'm missing my morning solitude). I'm trying to make my new life fit me and not make me crazy and I'm not sure what to do next. And part of me is freaking out at it all, because very soon it will ramp up even more.
Why?
Well, I'm probably bursting my big announcement bubble I'd planned once all the paperwork was officially dotted and signed, but it looks 98% sure that starting in January I will officially be a graduate student. Don't get me wrong -this is really exciting for me. I'll get to work on a Masters project that will directly impact patient care and improve breast cancer diagnosis. I will help make people's lives better. Help fight cancer in my own little way. Yes - it's a really freaking fantastic opportunity, and my boss is even kind enough to let me work full time while I do this. And that is the thing - I will soon be working full time AND be doing a Master's program at the same time...and I'm already challenged with fitting in my workouts. There's a little panicked 5 year old voice in my head going "Aaaaaaaah! How can I do this! I'll never fit it all in! I'm gonna fall on my face!".
Now don't get me wrong. I know I can do this. Everyone - my supervisors, my lovely husband and my family believe I can. *I* know I can pull it off. It just really scares the ever loving shit out of me. Honestly and truly. And so I'm trying to get my act together so that when January rolls around I'll have a bit of a routine to follow to stay sane...and I don't really know where to begin. For me that's always the hardest part. I'm a great planner...it's the jumping in with both feet and a raincoat that scares me to death. I'm prepping for 2-3 years of insanity...
Eep.
Please humour me over the next little while as I try and make my life a more sane, fit world to be in. If you have any advice for me please, chuck it my way. Right now I could really use some advice...
Sans pants
I can tell when I'm tired, as usually I start adding the phrase "in my pants" (usually just in my head) to things I'm saying throughout the day.
Try it. It's great. I dare you not to smile after you've tried it a few times...
I've got pants on the brain after something completely unrelated on TV last night. I don't watch a lot of TV, but during little breaks from cleaning the (whole damn) house for impending company I tried to skoosh in watching a bit of my guilty TV pleasures - cake decorating shows and fashion "what not to wear" sorts of shows. Last night the TV gods were kind enough to combine both fashion AND cakes together into one little package - it was a contest to design a cake for the opening of the fall line of a Toronto fashion line (nice clothes...already forgot the designer sorry). Wacky fashion cakes. Only 8 hours to make them. 4 different cakes. Whenever I popped in the TV area I could listen a bit & watch the cakes come together (those chefs make some crazy looking cakes you know). Cool.
As I turned off the TV I remembered my Grandma's first a fashion tip ever offered to me: "to avoid overaccessorizing take a look at yourself before you leave and take off one item. A real lady is understated and elegant and not overdone and tacky".
Then I giggled off and on for the next half an hour.
If you know me you know I'm a (mostly) reformed tomboy. Yes, I do actually make an effort on my appearance (most) days, but accessorising is usually not a big thing for me. I honestly don't really get to that point unless it's a special occasion or I feel overly girly for some reason. Hell, I'm contented if all my clothes are on and they match. If I stopped and took off one thing before I left the house, it's likely I'd likely arrive at my destination without any pants.
Noone wants to see that...
Try it. It's great. I dare you not to smile after you've tried it a few times...
I've got pants on the brain after something completely unrelated on TV last night. I don't watch a lot of TV, but during little breaks from cleaning the (whole damn) house for impending company I tried to skoosh in watching a bit of my guilty TV pleasures - cake decorating shows and fashion "what not to wear" sorts of shows. Last night the TV gods were kind enough to combine both fashion AND cakes together into one little package - it was a contest to design a cake for the opening of the fall line of a Toronto fashion line (nice clothes...already forgot the designer sorry). Wacky fashion cakes. Only 8 hours to make them. 4 different cakes. Whenever I popped in the TV area I could listen a bit & watch the cakes come together (those chefs make some crazy looking cakes you know). Cool.
As I turned off the TV I remembered my Grandma's first a fashion tip ever offered to me: "to avoid overaccessorizing take a look at yourself before you leave and take off one item. A real lady is understated and elegant and not overdone and tacky".
Then I giggled off and on for the next half an hour.
If you know me you know I'm a (mostly) reformed tomboy. Yes, I do actually make an effort on my appearance (most) days, but accessorising is usually not a big thing for me. I honestly don't really get to that point unless it's a special occasion or I feel overly girly for some reason. Hell, I'm contented if all my clothes are on and they match. If I stopped and took off one thing before I left the house, it's likely I'd likely arrive at my destination without any pants.
Noone wants to see that...
I heart sammiches
Hiya.
I admit, today I've got nothing fitness wise. Not a thing. Sorry. I'm just so happy to be healthy I gave myself a final night of delicious sleep and healthy breakfast and here I am, right back in life again. Cool huh? Nothing makes you feel good about being normal more than getting over being very sick. I'd almost recommend it for a kick in the arse perspective wise...if it weren't for the whole having to be sick part.
What can I tell ya? Well...did you know that tomorrow is National Sandwich Day?
Why? Who knows!
Who cares? I do!
I LOVE sammiches. Plain. Toasted. All good.
I was raised a soup and sammich for lunch while watching the Flintstones with strawberry jello for dessert kinda gal all through my childhood and teens. Mmmm...real sandwiches with soft yummy bread and lots of lettuce...and no not thin bland wraps. I know they're lower in carbs but they're also lower in yum and flavour and there's just no bread. I'll eat one to be healthy...but I hae to say - nothing beats soft yummy bread. (My husband like wraps better than sandwiches-Heathen)
Having just acquired a bread maker, I'm loving the potential of eternal sandwiches in my home. Yum. And this morning I stumbled across the amusing fact that tomorrow is National Sandwich Day. I have no idea why, but I'm in! :)
And so I want to know: What is your favourite sandwich? Do you even like sandwiches? What topping are a must? What is the weirdest sandwich you've ever had?
Inquiring minds want to know...
I admit, today I've got nothing fitness wise. Not a thing. Sorry. I'm just so happy to be healthy I gave myself a final night of delicious sleep and healthy breakfast and here I am, right back in life again. Cool huh? Nothing makes you feel good about being normal more than getting over being very sick. I'd almost recommend it for a kick in the arse perspective wise...if it weren't for the whole having to be sick part.
What can I tell ya? Well...did you know that tomorrow is National Sandwich Day?
Why? Who knows!
Who cares? I do!
I LOVE sammiches. Plain. Toasted. All good.
I was raised a soup and sammich for lunch while watching the Flintstones with strawberry jello for dessert kinda gal all through my childhood and teens. Mmmm...real sandwiches with soft yummy bread and lots of lettuce...and no not thin bland wraps. I know they're lower in carbs but they're also lower in yum and flavour and there's just no bread. I'll eat one to be healthy...but I hae to say - nothing beats soft yummy bread. (My husband like wraps better than sandwiches-Heathen)
Having just acquired a bread maker, I'm loving the potential of eternal sandwiches in my home. Yum. And this morning I stumbled across the amusing fact that tomorrow is National Sandwich Day. I have no idea why, but I'm in! :)
And so I want to know: What is your favourite sandwich? Do you even like sandwiches? What topping are a must? What is the weirdest sandwich you've ever had?
Inquiring minds want to know...
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