To go or not to go...

For the past couple of days, Irma and I have been trying to decide if we want to go to the Opening or Closing Ceremonies for the 2001 World Track & Field Championships. Since it begins this Friday, it's getting harder and harder to get tickets at reasonable prices. Why we didn't decide on this back in April when the tickets first came out is beyond me. There are expensive tickets available, but is it really worth it? So the question is do we go to the Opening or to the Closing Ceremonies? Opening, from what I've heard, is supposed to be very good. One of my co-workers is in one of the performances. I'm thinking of going to both shows since this will be the only time that some major sporting event like this will be held here. Unless of course they decide to have the Olympics here or something. Yeah right! Need to make a decision fast.

Random Thought

Do you ever wake up with a song in your head and don't know why? And not because you woke up to your alarm clock which is set to the radio. I woke up (late again) and I had Fiesta by R. Kelly playing in my head? Weird since I don't have a radio alarm clock and I wasn't listening to anything before I went to sleep. The worst part is no matter how hard you try to get the tune out of your head, it's still there.

Unexpected News

My dad received a letter from my uncle today (his brother). Unusual since we haven't been in touch with for the longest time. Come to think of it, we probably haven't been in touch since he got a divorce. It's very rare to hear of filipinos getting a divorce, but his ex-wife was caucasian (agwawg) [not that it makes a difference or anything]. I don't remember the last time I've seen him or his kids. It's probably been 15-20 years.

Anyway, my uncle just wrote to give us an update of what was going on. He's in Vancouver and his daughters (Desiree & Regine) are in Toronto. I have a tough time calling them my cousins because of the way they treated my uncle after the divorce. They pretty much disowned and disrespected him, which I didn't like. Desiree and Regine are both married and Regine has a kid. What's messed up is that neither of them invited my uncle to their weddings. But everything else is going well for my uncle. He's considering re-marrying, which will be good for him because I think he needs a companion. Well uncle (wherever you are in Vancouver), it's good to hear from you.

Random Thought

Do you ever get the feeling that people who talk a lot just do so for the sake of hearing their own voice? I'm in the copy room photocopying a stack of invoices to be sent to our head office, while a co-worker starts talking about nothing really important. I'm not paying too much attention to her because the stuff I was photocopying was quite important and I wanted to make sure that I didn't miss anything. I'm not saying that I can't multi-task, but some of the stuff she was saying was not making any sense? Maybe she just wanted someone to listen to her, but at the time, I couldn't be bothered. I was so wrapped up in what I was doing that her voice was irritating me. I finally told her that I wasn't paying attention to her. I may have sounded like a bitch, but don't talk to me about stuff that's not work-related, if I'm in the middle of doing something that is.

The Boss is on Holidays!

Yup, the boss just left for holidays and will be gone for 2 weeks! Woo hoo!! Now I can breathe. He was starting to get on my nerves. Now the goal is to get myself back on track and to a point where things are under control. (I think I can, I think can, I think I can...)

Surprise Lunch

My friend Ryan surprised me by coming to my office and taking me out for lunch. Actually, I ended up taking him out because it was his birthday a couple weeks ago (he failed to let me know). We went to Doan's Vietnamese Restaurant and caught up on stuff. It was good to see him, since it had been about a couple months. Everything seems to be going well for him. He's going to San Antonio in September and Ontario in January (hey, can I come? - just looking for a reason to travel :-) ).

He asked about a mutual friend and if she was bringing a date to an upcoming wedding. As it turns out, this friend and I are going stag (not that there's anything wrong with that). Of course, then he had to bring up why I wasn't dating anyone. My response: If I knew the answer to that, I probably wouldn't be single right now. I don't know why I'm single. I've heard that I'm intimidating? Little me, intimidating? Whatever. As long as I'm having fun, that's all that matters.

Impress the Bigwig

Why is it that when "important people" visit the office, people are on their best behavior? One of the bigwigs from our Florida office is in town just for the day (he has his own plane, so he can come and go as he pleases - must be nice). He just got here and my boss introduced him to everyone. I can hear him casually talking with "upper management" and can't help but notice them kiss his ass. Sure, we all want to make a good impression, but it's funny how we only want to impress those who are ranked higher on the corporate ladder.


Dress to Impress

Surprisingly, everyone in our office is dressed up all because this guy is in town. People wearing suits, ties, etc. and everyone seems to be in blue. Yes, I'm guilty of it too. But part of the reason is because it's cold here and I figured I'd wear my blue suit (you know, dress according to the climate). Yeah, whatever. Regardless of who comes to the office, I just want to look good (and be comfortable, of course)! hehe ;-)

Splash of Color

For the past hour, I've been playing around with this HTML template thing. I've finally figured out how to change the colors and I think I'm gonna stay with this (for now anyway). Don't ask why I picked blue and orange. I just wanted to add some color to this page to give it a bit of life, but still keeping it simple. The basic black, white, and grey was too blah for me.

It Worked!

I guess all I had to do was re-publish my blog for it to update the changes. Hmmmm. Let's see what else I can do with this thing.

Updating Blog Template

OK, so I decided to change my blog template. Well not really. The only difference is the Home/Archives link at the top of the page. Since I don't know anything about HTML, trying to edit it is a wee bit difficult. Now all I want to do is change the color of the title. So I did that and hit the 'save changes' button, but it didn't work. I did it before on my previous template, but somehow it's not working this time. I don't get it.

I'm Bored

I don't know what's wrong with me today. It's Saturday night and I'm at home doing nothing (besides updating my blog). [not that there's anything wrong with staying at home] I was feeling like this earlier while I was at the mall. And to think I didn't even buy anything. Now you know there's something wrong with that! hehe. But I just wasn't in the mood to shop. I was thinking of going to Taste of Edmonton again because I had a few food tickets left, but I didn't feel like driving downtown. Or driving anywhere else for that matter. What to do, what to do?? Then it dawned on me. I think I'm due for another mini vacation. My system has gotten used to my monthly trips. Now figure out where to go. It'll have to be somewhere close by, since it'll just be a weekend thing.

I hate feeling like this. Feeling trapped and nowhere to go. I know only I can change that, but I can't think of anything I really want to do. I don't feel like watching a movie (kinda movie'd out), don't want to go clubbing (getting tired of that scene), and it's pouring outside so I don't want to leave the house. A little rain won't hurt right? Yeah, but combined with wind and cold temperature, I don't feel like dressing for the occasion. Maybe I'll just have some ice cream and call it a night.

Welcome New Blogger

Since I started blogging about 3 weeks ago, I've been trying to get a couple of my friends to start as well. Well, I'm happy to say that Irma started blogging. So Irma, have fun with it! I know I'll have fun reading it (hehe). :-)

Patiently Waiting

I went to a walk-in clinic today to get my arm checked out. I have a mild case of eczema (I think) which seems to be getting worse. I could've gone to my regular doctor, but I've gone to him twice already and the medication he prescribes doesn't work. I've requested to get a referral for a dermatologist, but he won't give me one. Which is why I went to the walk-in clinic. When I got to the clinic, I was glad to see that there was only one person ahead of me. So at most, I figured I'd be waiting for 15-20 minutes. Yeah right. I sat in the waiting room for about an hour. I was busy reading a magazine, so I didn't realize that I had been sitting there for that long. What got my attention was when a couple people walked in and headed straight to the rooms. I'm thinking what's wrong with this picture? So I continued to wait. Maybe they had something serious. Whatever. When the nurse finally called my name and brought me to one of the rooms, I waited for another half hour. I was ready to fall asleep. I mean there's only so much you can read in a doctor's office. So you sit there and end up observing everything in the room. Poster on understanding the ear and ear infections; poster on contraception; gauze; Q-tips; those big popsicle sticks they use to press your tongue down when they check your throat; blood pressure thing; sink; soap; paper towels, etc. Then I noticed a sign that said "Patients with appointments have priority over walk-in patients. Thank you for your patience and cooperation." Gee, thanks for letting me know. It would've been nice if the nurses at the front desk informed me of my approximate wait time. Finally the doctor came in, asked me what was wrong, and get this, he gave me a referral for a dermatologist! I guess I should've gone to this walk-in clinic long time ago, but how I was to know that my usual doctor wouldn't give me a referral? Oh well. The one thing I hate most about going to see the doctor is you wait for so long to see him only to be seen in less time than you waited.

Food, Food and More Food

Where do I begin? I ate so much food today. But that's what happens when Taste of Edmonton is going on. What is Taste of Edmonton? A five-day-stuff-your-face event. It's an opportunity to taste all kinds of food from about 40 different restaurants. So much selection, not enough room to fit in my belly (hehe). Anyway, Jenn and I headed to Churchill Square (where this is being held) after I got off work. (Another reason why I love Fridays - I get off work at 1 pm so I can spend my afternoons at festivals, etc.). With all the food to choose from, we had to come up with a game plan - appetizer, main course, desserts. So we started off with a strawberry greek salad. Very good. For our main course we had grilled west coast salmon with lemon pepper & dijon cream (OK, a bit spicy); and emincee of beef over herb spaetzle with dijon sour cream sauce. I have no idea what a "spaetzle" is, but it was good. For dessert we had chocolate khalua brownie with maple walnut mousse. Yummy! After the brownie, Jenn couldn't eat anymore, but I felt like I was missing something. I needed something fruity, and I also wanted some ice cream. But I didn't have much room left in my stomach, so I ended up having mango ice cream. I was done after that. Irma met us there after she got off work. Jenn and I couldn't eat anymore, so we just walked around a bit. I drove Jenn home a little while later, and Irma and I decided to go shopping. After we were done shopping, guess what? We had more food! We had dinner at Tin Pan Alley and the food there was great. Irma ordered this broiled teriyaki chicken breast with pasta, and I had tortellini with chicken and mushrooms. We stayed at the restaurant for a little while and watched Matthew's Grin (local band) perform. When we got bored of them, Irma and I headed to Whyte Ave. to walk off what we just ate. Because we were walking around so much, we were getting a bit dehydrated. Solution - drink, drink, drink. OK, so maybe they shouldn't have been alcoholic beverages, but they seemed to do the trick. Hmmm...all this talk about food is making me hungry again. I think I should have a snack. :-)

Friday Real Estate Meetings

It's 8:15 am and I'm just getting into work. After checking my voice mail messages, I realize that it is so quiet. No chatter, no phones ringing. Silence. I can actually hear myself think. Gotta love it when the whole office is in their real estate meetings. Thank goodness I do not have to participate. I could go for the info session, but with the work load that I have, plus that project that I have to complete by Monday, I have to take advantage of the fact that I will not be interrupted for at least an hour and and a half (providing of course my phone doesn't ring. Maybe I should forward it to voice mail?). Yup, TGIF!

Don't you hate it when people don't know when to quit?

There are times when you can joke around, but there is a limit to how far you can take things. Sue and I are friends and co-workers. Every now and then, she comes by my desk to chit chat and see how my day is going. Nothing wrong with that at all. Today was a crappy day for me (see below) and when she came by my desk earlier this morning, I told her that I was swamped and I couldn't talk to her. Nothing wrong with that either, she understood. At the end of the day she came by and we planned to go for our walk. She quickly had to go home to get a change of pants and I told her I would meet her at the park in half and hour. And that's where it all started. She made a comment that I was always late. At first she said it jokingly and I took it be so. But then her tone seemed to change slightly (you know that tone where they want it to seem like they're joking, but really they're not) and I didn't like where she was going with it. Sure every now and then, I don't judge my time properly and I end being late for certain things, but she made it a point that I was always late and that I was on "Gord-ese" time (Gord is another co-worker who has a bad sense of time. When he says he'll be back in the office in half an hour, he really means and hour and a half). I'm not THAT bad. Anyway, I didn't really appreciate her comment, and the worst part was she kept pushing my buttons. At first I didn't let it bother me and I made some smart ass comment, but when she wouldn't back off, I finally told her that she was pissing me off and I was not in the mood. She continued laughing, but I was not amused at all. OK, maybe I shouldn't be making a big deal about this, but coupled with the fact that I had a crappy day, I just didn't like it. There! I vented and I feel much better now.

Is It Monday Again??

Another hectic day!! Just when I thought things would slow down a bit - uh, yeah right!! Besides the usual volume of paper that passes my desk, I have now been assigned a project which I have to prepare for Monday. The project itself is not a big deal - just a couple of brochures I have to put together. But it's compiling all the info that takes time. And my boss doesn't seem to understand that concept. (Of course he doesn't; that's why he's the boss.) Oh well, at least he'll be gone tomorrow, so at least I'll be able to breathe.

I'm Wet

It's not what you think. ;-) We've had nothing but rain for the past several days. Makes it even harder to get out of bed and go to work. But the funny thing is, even though I got up late, I still managed to get to work on time (give or take 8 minutes). And I got here before my boss did. Maybe there is still hope for me (hehe).

O Canada!

I just read an article where a Liberal senator and an Alberta-based feminist group want to change a line in the Canadian national anthem because it doesn't recognize men and women as being equals ("True patriot love, in all thy sons command"). Do these people have nothing better to do than to pick apart the lyrics of our national anthem? I don't know too much about Canadian history (ironic since I was born here, but it was never my strong subject), but why change it? I mean, the lyrics flow and the words rhyme, so why change something that everyone is used to? Will we be considered more patriotic if we edit the lyrics to recognize equality? Are people gonna stop singing in the middle of the anthem and say "Hmmm...this anthem doesn't give equal recognition to men and women?" I don't think so. The just of the anthem is Canada as a nation, a whole entity, regardless of gender.

Over-Analyzing or Good Perception?

I got an unexpected call from a friend last night. We used to talk on the phone all the time, but it slowly stopped. The reason for her call was because she got that SirCam virus from me and I guess she wanted to let me know? Anyway, she gave me a link that would remove the virus from my system (of course, it didn't work because this computer is damn old). While all this small talk was going on, she casually asked me if I RSVP'd to her brother's wedding. I told her that I replied long time ago (since they needed the reply before July 7th - duh!). Then she asked me if I was bringing a date, to which I said no. Right after she asked me that, she gets an incoming call which she had to take. She said she'd call me back, but she never did.

So the point of this? Do you ever get the feeling that something's up when a friend calls out of the blue? Did she really just call me to tell me that she got that virus? Why ask me if I replied to her brother's wedding? I mean, she could've asked her brother since he'd know who would be coming. As soon as she asked me if I was bringing a date, I could sense that she was fishing for info. Funny how you can sense these things, even when you're on the phone. Maybe I'm over-analyzing the whole thing and she just called me to touch base. But why the incoming call right at the time she asked me if I was bringing a date? I'm not stupid. I think I'm pretty perceptive when it comes to stuff like this. Plus, I used to play that game when I was younger. You know, call one friend first and tell them to you call you back in 5 minutes, while you're on the other line with someone else because you didn't want to talk to them for a long time. Chances are, the person on the other line was someone who was interested in whether or not I'm going to this wedding, and if I'm bringing a date. (Maybe I was a private investigator in a past life). Bottom line, if someone wants to know something about me, they should have the balls to ask me directly instead of getting someone else to do it for them.

I'm Drowning

I am unbelievably swamped today! I can't see my desk, there's paper all over the place, and my brain is completely fried! I'm getting hungry too. Hmmm...I think I better get a quick snack before I pass out. BRB.

OK, so I just got back from the Dollar Store after buying a stash of munchies. It's amazing how much you can buy for 5 bucks. Now did I really need to spend $5? Probably not. (Mental Note: don't buy snacks on an empty stomach because you end up spending more than you have to). But I definitely needed to eat something. Plus, I had to replenish my emergency snack drawer (it's not a big drawer, and no I don't lock it up). Which is very good to have for those days when you REALLY need it. Hopefully it'll last me for the next week or so. Now that I have had my little snack, I can get back to work. Oh look at the time - it's time to go home. :-)

Signing Authority

I just spent most of my morning signing checks, checks, and more checks. To pay bills, bills, and oh guess what, more bills. Now if only I can somehow sign a check for myself. Maybe I should charge a fee for every check I sign. Either that or change my signature. Having an 11-letter last name doesn't help.

Random Thought

Day breaks, sun is out. Calls for a great day right?
Although that is the initial intention, it only takes one thing to set it off
and everything goes downhill.
No matter how hard you try to get yourself out, you are pulled in deeper and deeper.
Deeper into your state of miserableness.
No matter how hard you try to let things roll off your back, they remain in the back of your mind,
lingering,
adding to the endless list of shit that bothers you.
You keep score.
No matter how hard you try to mask what bothers you, the true emotion from within is written on your face.
Plasticity does not work.
But is it really just one insignificant thing that instigates this downward spiral?
Like a stupid question? The missing file? The constant interruptions? Perhaps the gossip?
It's not one issue but the accumulation of issues that constantly nag at you, causing unhappiness.
It's the inability to let go of these issues, causing stress.
But how do you avoid this and regain your sanity
when you're bombarded with these things day in and day out?
You do everything you can to escape, to save yourself before it's too late.

Gotta Love Mondays...NOT!

Typical Monday morning. Woke up late (of course, I wake up late regardless of what day of the week it is), hence late for work. Get to work and set up my boss' laptop (because he's technically challenged to figure it out for himself, but yet he can surf the net and check his stocks - go figure). In his 'out tray' is a pile of work for me. Obviously he was in on the weekend catching up on stuff. As I plow through this pile of paper, figuring out what has to be distributed, faxed, emailed, etc., he buzzes me and asks me if I got this dictaphone tape. My reply is "no, there was no tape in your out tray." Then he says that he's putting it in his out tray now. Huh????? (Thinking to myself) So why ask me if I have the tape, when you know you haven't given it to me?!?!?!? Stupid questions first thing Monday morning do not go well with me. Thank goodness he left the office for a while. I should probably have lunch before I get really bitchy. I'm tired, hungry, and you don't want to be pissing me off when I have this combination.

Baby Shower

I went to Christine's baby shower and it was nice to see her and new son. I hadn't seen her in 7 months, and she looks great. Definitely looks like a mom. But talk about baby season! Besides the hospital, I don't think I've seen so many babies in one room before. All of them were born within the last 6-8 months, and they were all so cute. I felt a bit awkward being the only single person there. But I knew a couple of the women, so it wasn't too bad. All I know is I can't even picture myself being married right now, let alone having kids. Eventually I would like to get married and settle down, but not right now (plus it doesn't help if there's no man in the picture either). In the meantime, I'm just gonna enjoy life and go with the flow.


Breast Feeding

With all the new babies at the baby shower, the main topic seemed to be breast feeding. They started talking about size and how the breasts get bigger due to the production of milk. One lady knew a woman whose breasts went from a C-cup to a G-cup! I didn't even know they made bras that big. Anyway, this woman has to get a breast reduction now, because they didn't go back to the original size once she stopped breast feeding. Makes you wonder. Another woman talked about an incident where her breasts were producing too much milk that she started leaking, even though she had just finished feeding the baby. I guess all moms experience different things. For those of us at the baby shower who don't have kids (I think there were 3 of us), we kept mental notes on everything. Good to know for the future.

Early start to yet another busy day

As I've mentioned before, somehow my Saturdays involve me running around town. I had a really early start this morning. I can't believe I actually woke up at 8:30 am, especially on a Saturday (and without the help of my alarm clock). I made myself some french toast, took a shower, and started my day. Had to pick a couple of things, then drove downtown to meet Irma and Joi at Eaton Centre. We watched Kiss of the Dragon (but on our ticket it said "Kiss of the Drag" - I wouldn't be surprised if there was a porn movie with that title). The movie had a slow beginning, but great fight scenes. After the movie, Irma and I head to Klondike Days (i.e. carnival). We met up with Sue and watched McMaster and James perform, which was only delayed by 40 minutes because they were doing their sound check. And it started to rain, but we stuck it out (a little rain doesn't hurt). Then we headed to the Agricom to check out the Indonesia pavillion, which was very interesting. They had furniture on display (which was for sale), information on travelling to Indonesia, and other art displays. There was this wood carving on display which was so cool. Kinda hard to describe without a visual, but basically it was 3-D art carved out of wood. There were also performances and it was cool to see the dances (Gary, you would've enjoyed that). We then walked around, played a couple games, and decided to go to a lounge for drinks. Klondike Days was pretty much the same as last year. I would've liked to go on a couple of rides but no one wanted to go with me. Oh well, maybe next time.


Dehydration

Do you ever get so dehydrated that no matter how much you drink, it doesn't seem to quench your thirst? That was me today. Of course it probably didn't help that I was drinking alcoholic beverages, but I had this craving for fruity drinks so I didn't care if it alcohol in it or not. I just wanted the "fruitiness" in the drink. After the second bellini, I felt much better. The fact that it had alcohol in it was just a bonus. ;-)

Delayed Thought

Didn't get a chance to post a thought yesterday. Hmmmm...you'd think that getting off work at 1:00 pm would give me some time to write something. But between going for my power walk with Sue, getting reimbursement for Janet Jackson tickets, going to the gym and then to kickboxing, somehow I lost track of time. So the point of this is? Oh yeah, note to self: don't wear grey nylon skirt to work because it's too noisy (for some people in the office). But if I'm comfortable, why should I worry about what my co-workers think?! Oh well, I'll probably end up wearing it again just to annoy them. :-)

Road Rage

I'm on my usual drive to work down the freeway. High volume, fast-paced (i.e. rush hour). Occasionally I drive by accidents, but there weren't any today (that I know of anyway). As I was getting closer to work, I looked at my rear view mirror and noticed this minivan approaching me. I'm already speeding to begin with (not by much), and in no time she's on my ass. Being the considerate driver that I am (most of the time), I decide to change lanes and let her pass. I figure she's in a hurry. But aren't we all? Anyway, we both must've decided to do the same thing because we were changing lanes simultaneously. After that happened, I kept watching her to see her reaction and she was waving her arms, shaking her head, and talking to herself. Probably making some comment about stupid drivers or something. So I sped up to give her space. You would think that she'd pass me, but she didn't. She actually slowed down! So why get all riled up after what just happened? What a waste of energy. Now, I've been guilty of yelling at cars too, but you have to wonder how some of these drivers get their licenses. I'm not saying I'm a perfect driver, but some people just shouldn't be on the road.

While on this subject, a co-worker of mine told me there was an incident this morning where this guy pulled out his machete because another driver cut him off. He didn't do anything with it. Just used it as a scare tactic I guess. So is this the answer to solving problems on the road? I've heard of some crazy road rage stories, but not in Edmonton. Well, there's a first for everything.

Here's a thought: don't you find it amusing when a car tails you, then passes you, the driver gives you "the look" as he/she passes, only to get to the stop light faster? I think to myself "that's what you get for being in such a hurry." :)

We are experiencing some technical difficulty...

Aaaarrrrggghhhh!!! Just when I'm about to post my recent thought, something happens with our internet connection. And it's not internal either. Apparently the entire city is going through the same thing. OK now that we're up and running again, let's see if I remember what I wrote...(seeing as this is my 4th attempt, I think I have my thought pretty much memorized)

I guess I'm not the only one experiencing technical difficulty

Blogger was down briefly. All I want to do is post my thought. Is this a sign or something?

I had the weirdest feeling this morning...

My alarm went off this morning, as it usually does at 6:00 a.m., and of course I turn it off. Not hit the snooze button, but turn it OFF. As I was lying there, I could actually here my voice telling me to get up. And it wasn't just a voice in my head, but rather a voice that was hovering above me. Like I had a brief out-of-body experience or something. I don't know how else to describe it, but it was weird. And no, I was not dreaming. Nor am I losing my mind. I was fully aware of what time it was and what was going on, but being the stubborn person that I am, I ignored the voice and went back to sleep. I told myself I'd sleep for another 5 minutes which turned into an hour and 20 minutes. Next time I looked at the clock, it was 7:20 a.m.! Great, late for work again. That's what I get for not listening to myself.

Paper Weight

I'm sitting at my desk, plowing away through endless paper work. Although I'm pushing paper off my desk, I'm inundated with more. I'm starting to get overwhelmed with the paper that seemed to have given birth. What do I do? Burning it has crossed my mind many times. But I don't think my co-workers would appreciate it if I started a bon fire in the middle of the office. Some of it just needs to be filed. But the majority of it are current projects which are somehow all inter-related. Don't you hate it when you try to accomplish something only to realize that you have to refer to another file first? Then it becomes an endless cycle and all this paper just accumulates. Files upon files stack up on your desk, until you're literally drowning in paper. No matter how hard you try to get rid of it, it just comes back. We're in a technologically advanced world where everything is electronically generated. I've heard that computers are supposed to cut down on paper. I don't think so. With all the reports, documents, spreadsheets, etc. that are done on computer, a hard copy of it still needs to be filed away as part of the paper trail. Plus, just in case the computer crashes, there's always a paper copy to refer to. Unless there's a way to prevent computers from crashing and everything can just be viewed on the screen, we will never be rid of paper.

One Week

Well, it's been one week since I've been blogging. And I must say it's helped me release what's on my mind. Although my writing style isn't that great, and perhaps the content isn't that interesting either (hey, I'm still a rookie! Besides, this is my blog and I can write whatever I want), I think in time I'll be able to tap into a deeper side of me. A side that I've closed off. For now, I can only write what's on the surface of my mind and slowly work through the layers to get deeper. I'm not a writer and I don't expect to become one. Nor become one overnight for that matter. But before I sign off, I would just like to say "Thank you Gary for getting me started on this. Maybe one day I'll be like you (because everyone wants to be like you!)" hehe ;-)

Speed Demons

I'm driving home for lunch, and everyone on the freeway whizzes past me. I figured there wouldn't be too much traffic during lunch hour, but I was wrong. So why is everyone in such a hurry? Part of the Monday rush? Late for a meeting? Maybe just a heavy foot? I'm not saying I've never gone over the speed limit (I was 10km over today), but it seems like everyone is obsessed with speed. Like they must go faster and faster. The worst part is when you're already speeding and the car behind you is right up against your ass. When you finally get a chance to change lanes to let the car pass, the driver has the nerve to give you the "look" like you're driving too slow. What's up with that? I've thought about having signs in my car, so if anyone gives me the look I can flash a sign saying "What's your problem?!"

Driving Around

It never seems to fail that my Saturdays involve me driving around the city. Although I try to limit myself to staying in one area of the city, it never happens. My Saturday trek began at 10:30 a.m. when I drove to work. I stayed there for a couple of hours to catch up on some things. I drove back home to pick up my mom and Shelley (my brother's girlfriend) and headed downtown. We were looking for a dress for Shelley to wear to a wedding she's attending in August. We had no luck at the first shop we went to, so we continued driving around downtown. Once we found something for her, I had to drive my mom back home, then Shelley and I drove back downtown to meet Mike (my brother) and his friend Ryan. It was a nice day and Mike and Ryan were sitting on the patio at Joey Tomatoes. We had some food and a couple of drinks, and since we were downtown, I wanted to check out the Street Performers at Churchill Square. Street Performers is a week and a half long event where you can see anything from jugglers and illusionists to artists and musicians. Then Shelley and I went to meet Mike and Ryan at this other restaurant, Dante's, for more food and drinks again sitting on the patio (yeah, they had the patio theme happening). After I ate, I drove to my friend Irma's house and we went to the Urban Lounge (bar with live music). We had a lot of fun and the music was great. So 150 km (about 93 miles), 18 hours, and about a quarter tank of gas later, I managed to make it home. I suppose that's the price I have to pay for having a fun Saturday.

Are You Superstitious?

So it's Friday the 13th. I know some people are superstitious and think everything is supposed to go wrong today. But does the day really have anything to do with it? I mean, why do "bad things" have to happen only on Friday the 13th? Why not Tuesday the 24th? Or Thursday the 5th? The point is, I think some people get too caught up with the day itself. They try so hard to prevent some events from happening when really everything happens for a reason. Now what about other superstitions? Like when a black cat crosses your path, or if you walk under a ladder you'll have bad luck. Who said so? Or if you're walking on a sidewalk there's the saying "step on a crack, you'll break you're mother's back." I don't know about the rest of you, but I've been walking on sidewalks, sometimes stepping on the cracks, and let me tell you my mother's back is just fine. If you ask me, I think the whole Friday the 13th thing is just psychological.


Late for Work...Again

I don't remember the last time I went into work on time. Actually come to think of it, it was on June 27th when I was going to San Francisco. Otherwise, I've been late for work pretty much everyday since October. Sad isn't it. I just find it so difficult to get up in the morning. It's not due to lack of sleep or my alarm not going off. I just can't get up. Instead of hitting the snooze button, I turn off the alarm and go back to sleep. I know I shouldn't do that, but I'm so comfortable in my bed. I keep telling myself that I'll wake up early the next day, but that doesn't work. I've tried setting my alarm earlier, but I still turn the damn thing off instead of hitting snooze. I have to figure out how to get myself out of this vicious cycle. But I do have a reason for being late today though...because it's Friday the 13th (haha).

Today's a Better Day

Today was definitely more productive than yesterday. Although I still had a few minor interruptions (especially from this one co-worker) I managed to get quite a bit of work off my desk. And I hardly had any phone calls. I wish my days were always like this. As I'm sitting here eating my grapefruit before I go out for my power walk with Sue, I can actually say that I had a good day.


"And You're Asking Me This Because..."

A co-worker of mine (we'll call her 2-8) was having a rough day. Normally I don't mind her asking me questions, but she was just constantly in my face. And it didn't seem like she was processing anything I was telling her. True, everyone is entitled to having a bad day, but she just wasn't picking up on anything. For example, 2-8 asked me how to process this one invoice. Given the invoice was a bit different than what normally crosses her desk, she didn't take the initiative to figure it out for herself. So instead of telling her what to do with it, I asked her a few questions, so she could learn how to process them in the future. As she was answering my questions, 2-8 was able to figure it out. So why did she ask me how to process this in the first place? Hopefully she was able to retain that information. (As I'm trying to finish this blog, I get yet another interruption - go figure). Anyway, another co-worker asked me what the correct abbreviation was for the word 'enclosures' in letters. Now, over time I think it has changed. Especially since his schooling was a bit different than mine. I have always used "Encl." I've seen some people use "Enc." or "enc." or "enclosures." When I told him the different possibilities, he decided that he would stick with what he originally had ("enc.") because it was too hard for him to change it. (shaking my head) So why ask me this question? As I try to leave, I get yet another interruption. I better get out of here while I can before someone else asks me something.

"When the Cat's Away, the Mice Can Play"...Or Can They?

My boss left for Aspen today and he's gone for the rest of the week. Yay for me, right? Well not exactly. For most people, when their bosses leave it means an "easier" work day (a.k.a. slacking off). For me, I only wish I could do that. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that he's gone - it gives me a chance to do some of MY work. But somehow, I can never get to it with the constant interruptions. Between phone calls, co-workers asking for help, or even "putting out small fires", it's difficult to even attempt to try and do some of my own stuff. I've tried turning off my phone and working in another office, but it doesn't help. I'll get paged or someone in the office will hunt me down. There's no escape. And why do they all come to me? Is it because I'm the Executive Assistant/Office Manager that I'm supposed to know everything? Why must every question, comment, bitch, and complaint be presented to me? Am I supposed to have all the answers? Do these people find me that easy to talk to? A good listener perhaps? What? It's not that I don't want to interact with them or help them out (because I'll try to help as much as I can), but I feel like I'm being pulled in all directions. Thus, making me unproductive. And it doesn't help if you're PMS-ing, tired, hungry (very bad combination), and someone has the nerve to ask you a really dumb question or make some smart ass comment. Sure, I've read Don't Sweat the Small Stuff, and I agree with what Richard Carlson has to say, but I think there's a point where everything doesn't just "roll off your back." Obviously I'm giving into the stresses of work and I'm trying not to let it affect me, but it's hard in this office. Especially if some people don't use their common sense (that's another topic of it's own, which I won't get into now). In an effort to keep my sanity, I did manage to get out of the office for an hour. So this mouse did get a chance to play, even if for a little while.

It's SOOOO HOT!!

As I'm sitting here typing away, I'm doing my best not to move. It seems like any sort of movement (besides my fingers) will trigger perspiration. It's 33 C and humid (that's about 90 F for those of you not on the metric system). Don't get me wrong, I like the hot weather, it's just not typical Edmonton weather (if you don't know where Edmonton is, I'll talk about it later). I was at the mall earlier to pick up my mom from shopping, and was relieved to go inside where it was nice and cool. When my mom and I walked back outside, it reminded me of when I was in the Philippines last year. It's like that suffocating feeling you get when you get off a plane where the A/C has been on the whole time and walk into a hot and humid airport. Maybe not as bad, but similar effect.


You're from Where?

Quick geography quiz. Where's Edmonton? If you're a die hard hockey fan, you'll know where it is. If you're a hard core shopper, you'll know where it is too. If you plan on attending the 2001 Track & Field Championships, you know where to go. For everyone else, Edmonton is in Western Canada (Alberta to be precise). It's home to the Edmonton Oilers hockey team and the world's largest mall (West Edmonton Mall). It's a city consisting of approximately 900,000+ people, and the capital of Alberta. So what's in Edmonton besides hockey and the mall? Well, you'll just have to come here and see for yourself. But just to set the record straight:

- we do not live in igloos;
- we do not have snow year round;
- not everyone has a farm;
- not everyone says "eh" at the end of their sentences.

In general, Edmonton is a nice city. Personally, I'm bored here. I guess it's because I've been here my entire life. But then, anyone else would say the same thing too if they were in the same position. So that's pretty much Edmonton in a nutshell (eh). haha.

Blog Rookie

OK so here it goes. A friend of mine (we'll call him "The Donger") suggested that I start this blog doodad thing. For the past couple of months, I've been reading his blogs and found it interesting to read what thoughts were crossing his mind. And some of the stuff I read I could relate to. I used to have a diary when I was younger, but as you can see I didn't keep up with it. Ran out of things to write I suppose. Or just plain lack of interest. Bottom line, I didn't make time for it. I guess I wasn't too concerned with my thoughts let alone putting them down on paper.

What to Write?

So now that I'm starting to do this, why is it that I can't think of anything to write. Don't you hate it when you think of things, but when asked to write about them, you manage to get writer's block? Why is that? Perhaps you're caught off guard and your brain goes into "panic mode" and all information is lost. Or could it be that you're thinking too hard to write about something because you want it to be profound or inspirational or something, when the simplest of thoughts could be just that. I suppose as time goes on, I'll be able to write stuff with no problem. Whether it be inspirational or profound or whatever, it will be simple everyday thoughts. As "The Donger" says, this is therapeutic. Which I totally agree with. And guess what, I managed to write about something after all.