Sun and Shopping

Can you believe this weather? Even I, the winter-lover, am enjoying the spring sun these days. I like it because although the sun is warm, the air still has a chill. I especially love the crisp morning air. We even had rain last night. I heard the south end had thunder too!

I was able to indulge in some retail therapy today. Actually, quite a good chunk of it. I'm all spent out for a while, that's for sure. The best part isn't even that I finally replaced my piece 'o junk Blackberry; I was able to finish off my PRD graduation outfit by finding a nice little girlie blouse and some bright, white pointy-toed heels. I should probably touch up my tan before the big day as this prairie girl's Mexican glow is already starting to fade...

So about the Blackberry. The main goal really was to check out a new phone for Paul. His is in worse condition than mine, and last weekend's experience was terrible, so we tried out the kiosk in the mall. There was this young, hyper salesgirl that helped us. She reminded me of the car rental agent we had at the Glasgow airport four years ago. Hyper and chatty and almost a ditz, but quite intelligent. The kind of girl that is blonde at heart but God made a brunette to make it easier for her in life. (I'm laughing inside because I consider myself one of these at times.)

Anyway, the long story short is, he found a nice little touchscreen LG and he's been obsessed with figuring it out since. At least with my new Blackberry, I know how to use it; it's the setup to my personal specifications that takes a while. I only just got the contacts all transferred over (thanks, Blackberry Desktop application!) but still have to download a number of programs I used on my old one. Gotta be able to check the weather in the morning before I head out for the bus! Oh and, how else will I be able to record TV shows on the go if I don't have my Sasktel Max Remove DTVR?!

Today was a good day overall, that's for sure. I'm looking forward to trying out a new outfit tomorrow too, including new jewelry made by my friend "L"!

Sons of Scotland

Well, the Nairns have now been initiated into the (cough) prestigious Sons of Scotland Benevolent Association. In case you're not up on your big words, benevolent means to serve a charitable, rather than a profit-making, purpose.

We found out about the group through the annual Burns Supper we attended in January and thought it might be fun to get involved. We also figured it was full of a bunch of old people that would eventually die (sorry to be so forthcoming...), so they needed the young people to liven it up. We were pretty much correct on that assumption, so it's funny.

The initiation was quite formal. We came dressed up, Paul in his kilt and I in my blue ruched dress. There were two other individuals being initiated as well that had been invited through friends that are current members. We were piped in and led by marshals and a standard bearer. That's about all I can tell you! Seriously. We even learned secret signs, a handshake, and passwords. Whoa! I think it's cool. Secret symbols on the inside, but on the outside a group that is involved in the community and otherwise. 

Everyone was very welcoming. It wasn't surprising, just really nice that the members were so happy to have us there. I felt right at home very quickly. Not that I have any trouble getting to know people, but I felt as if I'd been there before. It will be nice for Paul to be in an association that is based on the country of his birth. I'm just looking forward to doing more volunteer work. Well, that and the whiskey :p HAHA

So, that's it for brother Paul and sister Dana. We'll see the group again at the next meeting in a month's time, and start working towards the annual folk festival in May (Mosaic). Fun!

Scotch pi: 3.141592653589793238462643383279502884197169399375105

Thursday's Thoughts

I really have not much to say today, because yesterday's happenings were MUCH more interesting than today's. I can give you the following advice, however, based on my day:

1. Don't buy President's Choice Wood-Fired Vegetarian pizza. It's not really pizza-y, gets too crispy, and doesn't have enough sauce. This is coming from a pizza-holic, so trust me.
2. Be patient with computer systems. They DO eventually work.
3. Don't buy shoes you can't walk in. Return them, quick, before you make a bad decision and wear them outside!
4. Caesar dressing is only good if it's the full-fat kind. That is my opinion, but that diet crap is just no good when it comes to creamy stuff.
5. You can never be overdressed for the weather; it's easier to take stuff off than to put it on when you don't have it!
6. Zits suck. Cleanse every day, twice a day and wash off your makeup before bed!
7. Don't let your dog find your Blackberry (no, not this one, the old one. I'm still upset about it a year later when I can't afford a new one...)
8. Don't forget to pay bills. Oops!
9. Multi-tasking can be fun, but it can also confuse the heck outta you! Use with caution!
10. Always put on the window lock if you have an un-crated dog in the car.
11. Pizza is yummy. Eat it whenever you like, just don't eat it while sitting on the couch. I got fat that way and would rather keep getting TOPS awards than get fat again. Amen.

 

My pizza pi: 3.14159265358979323846264338327950288419716939937510

TOPS Installation Night

Each year TOPS chapters around North America hold an "Installation Night" to install their new executive committee and to hand out annual awards to their members. Ours was held tonight, March 28, at our usual meeting location. It's a nice place because it's large enough to hold our 30+ members and has a small kitchen area for prep and cleanup of our potluck afterwards.

I became the new Weight Recorder, and there were three other new committee members (two remained for another year). It means I'll see each and every member as they come to weigh in each week, and I'm also responsible for tallying monthly results for awards and building the chapter "resume" for the annual stats.

Many awards were handed out, to myself included. I don't want to say I expected to get many, but I hoped to get at least something. That's not being too bold; I know how I did and can judge pretty good how others have done in the last year, so I thought I probably did well enough to get something for my losses. That and I'm part of a few committees so they always recognize those people.

In the end I received the following awards, always given in the form of charms that we sew onto our sash:

• a "Star Performer" charm for my volunteer work on committees
• a golden KOPS candle charm for becoming KOPS in 2011 (July 27th)
• a "KOPS in Black" charm for never being out of leeway since becoming a KOPS (20 weeks from July 27 to December 31)
• a "TOPS Winner" charm for Successful Weight Loss (3rd Place overall with 14.5 pounds for the year)
• a "TOPS Division Winner" charm for a 2nd Place finish in Division 4 Female (based on starting weight at the beginning of 2011 and pounds lost that year)

Not bad, eh? I'm pretty happy about them, especially the KOPS ones as those are new for me this year. I definitely look forward to getting some more next year!

But that's not all I got. I know, keeping you in suspense is mean. Get over it! HA! Okay, okay. Absolutely, utterly, surprisingly... I was named Chapter Queen for 2011. WHOA! I not only got a cute little pin in the shape of a crown with the word "TOPS" on it and 7 coloured gems (fake, but who cares!), I get to keep the "crown" (aka my cousin's wedding tiara... sweet!) and a purple sash with the words "Chapter Queen" on it for the next year! I don't know what my royal duties will be, but I will attempt to execute them to the best of my abilities. :)

Cool huh? I don't actually know the qualifications to become Chapter Queen, but I imagine it has something to do with weight loss and reaching my goal. Either way, I'm extremely happy to have it. This should definitely keep me on track for a while... right through to the end of the year, I hope!

When I get pictures, I'll post a link for anyone interested.

Pupcakes

Wow, my Casey girl is two year's old tomorrow! Time sure flies when you're having fun. She sure is an awesome dog, albeit nuts and a little disobedient on occasion. We sure love her.

To celebrate, I came up with a recipe for "pupcakes". No sweets, just normal food that she likes, made into miniature muffin-sized treats. Here's the recipe:

1 can flakes of tuna in water, drained
1 can flakes of chicken, drained
1/2 cup brown rice
1/2 cup shredded cheese
half a green pepper, diced finely
2 eggs
1/4 Panko or breadcrumbs
sour cream, yogourt, or cream cheese (to dollop on before serving)

Then I baked them until they looked golden brown, probably about 25 minutes. I liken them to meaty frittatas because of all the egg. Casey sure likes them, and so does her new friend Rider.

Rider came over tonight for another playdate. They had as much fun as last week, and his mom wasn't even around. Check out the pics in my Facebook album. I think she's even napping right now! Hope she doesn't get too much sleep before bed; I'd really like a good night's sleep before my big day tomorrow.

So this is a tad premature, but Happy Birthday Casey! You're the best!
















Pi for today: 3.1415926535897932384626433832795028841971693993751

Whoa, Monday already?!

Yikes, that was a super quick weekend. Good thing I enjoyed myself otherwise I'd be pretty disappointed! I'm sure this week will also fly by with the things I've got going on.

Today I had to make a quick stop for puppy treats (and a couple other things... the pet store gets me every time). Then supper was made, eaten, and now I'm sitting here. Shortly I've gotta run out to pick up some items from a fellow TOPS member for our installation night on Wednesday.

I also placed an order with Sears for my skirt and shoes for PRD on April 15th and have to pick them up tomorrow. Hopefully they fit and are what I'm looking for. Since I'm graduating, I need to wear white, so should only have to find a blouse now. We'll see after tomorrow if the ordered items fit and look good!

I think tomorrow night Rider may be coming over for a puppy playdate again. If he is, we'll have Casey's birthday a day early so she and he can enjoy her pupcakes. Yum yum.

Oh yeah, and Installation Night, right. It's a yearly TOPS event for each chapter where we have the annual awards handed out and the members of the executive are "installed". We also enjoy a nice, healthy potluck afterwards. It's a good reason to dress nice and share in the successes of our fellow members. I'm looking forward to the night, just not the setup and pre-event stuff. Oh well, it will all be over in a couple days.

We also have a meeting to go to on Friday night, for our inauguration into the Sons of Scotland group. It's a pretty formal affair, apparently. They like you to wear something tartan and since I don't personally own a sash yet, I'll have to stop and get one. Good thing the store is on the way home, and the Flower of Scotland tartan that Paul wears is the most common one out there.

So yeah, busy week. Obviously during the day I'm working my little tush off as well, so not much time to breathe. At least I'm having fun!

Monday's pi: 3.141592653589793238462643383279502884197169399375

Hair!

It makes sense that the hair colour and styling business is a multi-billion dollar one. After thinking about all the women I work with, I would guess that at least 90% of them colour their hair. Why is it that we all want to have something different than what God gave us?

I think hair is one of the easiest things we can change about ourselves, relating to our image. It's constantly growing and changing. We can cut it short or grow it out, curl it or straighten it, colour it or go au naturel. It's simply so versatile that we can't help but want something different every few months.

I've never been fully blonde, except for (what I would consider) too many highlights once. Otherwise I've had every shade of brown, nearly every shade of red, and (only once) slightly blond with a few well-dyed highlights. Since high school I've been mostly into the auburns, like mahogany (remember, mom?), but have stuck mostly with black or very dark brown for the last few years.

My hair has also been all sorts of lengths and styles. My school portraits really tell a story so I like to look back on them to remember just how varied my styles were for 13 years. The summer before we moved to Regina, I cut my hair pretty short in an inverted bob. I kept it up for a while, then moved here. It was so bloody hot in that hood-house that within a few days of moving in, I found a stylist that cut it even shorter. Ahhhhhh relief! It was short enough that I made it through the summer with my neck free of hair sticking to it. Since then, however, I've been growing it out.

We'll see how long I can go with it being long. It's not really long yet, but at this rate, it will be by the end of the year. I'm notorious for cutting it when it gets hot out, and considering we have no central air, this summer may be a trying one. I guess there's always ponytails!

As far as colouring goes, I have to keep it up every 6-8 weeks now with the colour I use. Since my hair's not naturally black, the roots really start showing after a while. I don't pay a colourist to do my hair though. I consider that a waste of money when it's only one colour, to be honest. There have been only three situations where I paid someone to colour my hair, two of which were the highlights, and I can't see myself changing that anytime soon.

My dear, darling mother was my colourist for many years, until I moved to Regina. Now I take care of it myself, mess and all. Thankfully, mousse colour came out around the time I moved here, so it was a blessing. I could be less messy, but then it wouldn't be fun, right? LOL Just take a look at my ceilings after I paint and you'll understand... it's pretty much how it goes with the hair colour, minus getting it on the ceiling.

I know that colouring my hair will definitely be something I do for a very, very long time, as well as changing the style with the seasons. It's nice to be able to change your look so drastically just by changing the colour or cut. A lot cheaper than getting plastic surgery, that's for sure!

Pi for my colourful day: 3.14159265358979323846264338327950288419716939937

An Entertaining Day

Wow, what a Saturday. My bathrooms finally got cleaned (whew, productivity!) and we spent most of the day out of the house enjoying some entertainment.

As you may have heard, The Hunger Games came out in theatres on Thursday at midnight. I'm sure it was a packed house that night, as I slept soundly in my warm bed. I decided we should definitely go see it since I've read two of the three books, but thought that avoiding an evening show was probably a good plan.

We were there an hour early this morning, for the 12:20 showing, which really was too early, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. We got our favourite seats, munched on some treats, and enjoyed a pretty decent show. I wish they'd made it a little more true to the book, however. The reason why they didn't is because they wanted to ensure that kids could see it without their parents, since the books were written for teens/pre-teens. I still think it would have been better with more gore. Meh. Read the first book then watch the movie and see what I mean.

Then we went over to a Rogers store to see about getting new phones. Paul doesn't really like anything they've got, except for one that requires a data plan, and we're not really prepared to budget for that right now. I'd spoken to a rep in the morning about getting a new Blackberry for myself, and was told about a particular option for getting a new BB outright. At the store, it was a different story all of a sudden. Not only that but, I forgot to mention we waited in line for nearly an HOUR to be helped, since apparently everyone in the city needed a new phone today. Anyway, we left in a huff, totally unsatisfied and beguiled at the whole thing.

Dinner, a rest, then we were back out to see Danny Bhoy. Check out my "Easy Come, Easy Go" blog for a YouTube video clip of a routine he's done. He was really funny, especially the parts where he "takes the piss out" of other races and cultures. It helps that he's half Scottish, half Indian, so he could use his own heritage as a joke-starter. If you ever have the chance to see Danny in person, definitely take the opportunity. Paul really enjoyed it too.

Now I'm beat and need my bed. It was a long but entertaining day. Now if I can just make it through one chapter of A Clash of Kings, I'll be a happy girl.

Food and Fringe

Oy, I'm getting behind on these... guess I don't have much to say!

I spent my Friday in a computer room in Viterra's basement. It smelled funny. I did learn some new things, however, so at least it wasn't a total waste of my time. I stayed after and worked late, but only because I'd not checked my email (nor the team's group email) once in the entire day. I did eat too much though! Haha!

Actually, that's not very funny. I've been having a hard time not eating as much as we did in Mexico, since we got back. It's amazing how one solid week of eating lots of food could do me in for at least a month. I've only lost .25 back what I gained, so that's even harder. Motivation is hard to come by, and everything tasty is "bad" for me, lately anyway. *sigh*

At least our regular Friday night show is back on, for eight weeks straight now to finish off the season. All we don't know is if it's coming back for another. This could be the end of "Fringe" for good! Eek! I guess some shows just tire and run out of a story though, so that could be the case for our friends Olivia, Walter and Peter, et al.

So, I don't have much else to say. I'm glad the week is over, but also hesitant for the weekend ahead and the matter of fitting everything in that I want/need to do.

Puppy Play-Date

Our friend Denise and her son came over tonight with their dog Rider for a "puppy play-date". I wasn't nervous about it because Casey loves all dogs. I just want her to have lots of friends and be able to play with them as much as possible. Not only is it good for her to get out all the energy she has, but it's good for us because it takes less effort to make her tired.

When Rider arrived both dogs were leashed and Casey was a little territorial. We went outside so they could just run around the yard and get to know each other. Right away they smelled each other and started to play. Rider's tail was up, so he wasn't nervous, even considering he's a smaller dog than Casey and we weren't sure how he'd react to a dominant dog. It took less than five minutes for the real fun to start. Watch the video below to see what I mean:

It's amazing how two active, fun-loving terriers can really get each other going and have a great time. I know this isn't uncommon, but we only own one dog and don't get a chance to interact with other dogs except at the big park. It's not the same as in your own backyard. Ideally we'd have two of our own, but that won't happen for a while.

They played and played until both tongues were hanging out, and then we went inside for a rest. They both continued to have a good time, jumping up on each other and wrestling. It really was awesome for me to see my "pup pup" playing so well with another dog. I know she's a lover, but Rider is a perfect match for her. He's five years old but as young at heart as our Casey, and he's welcome here any time.

We've already invited him to come over for a play-date next Tuesday. Should be fun! Rider's not only a good match for a playmate, but he's a good dog inside the house. I'm sure Casey will be very happy to see him again, and we will too, because it means we'll get a good night's sleep :)

Puppy pi for the day: 3.1415926535897932384626433832795028841971693993

Eggs!

Wow, post #82... and I'm running out of ideas! I hope it's just writer's block and something interesting comes to me tomorrow.

Until then, the only thing I could think to write about today is eggs. Yes, eggs. They're just so versatile! They can be scrambled, fried, poached, deviled, hard and soft boiled, shirred, basted, pickled and coddled (Wikipedia!). They're also found in omelettes, soups, salads, homemade meatballs, meatloafs, and burgers, fried rice, fritattas, egg foo yung, and MANY more ethnic dishes. You also use them in baking pies, cakes, custards, meringues, and other yummy desserts. Wow, who knew?!

I love eggs. In the past I didn't eat them very often but found a new admiration for them when changing my eating habits a few years ago. They are such a great substitute for meat, so I eat them at least once per day. For a long time I would eat only egg whites, but I got sick of the taste so switched to the full egg. Now I often buy omega-enriched ones for an extra vitamin kick.

Each weekday begins with a fried egg -- no runny goo allowed! -- and other breakfast items. I even share a bit with Casey :) My favourite traditional egg preparation is omelettes, because you can put whatever you want in them. I like mushrooms and spinach, but will add turkey bacon when I have it around. For desserts, a good lemon meringue can't be beat!

Have you eaten an egg today? You should!

Eggs are great for the eyes.
People who eat eggs every day lower their risk of developing cataracts.
One egg contains 6 grams of high-quality protein and all 9 essential amino acids.
Regular consumption of eggs may help prevent blood clots, stroke, and heart attacks.
They are a good source of choline. Choline is an important nutrient that helps regulate the brain, nervous system, and cardiovascular system.
They contain the right kind of fat. One egg contains just 5 grams of fat and only 1.5 grams of that is saturated fat.
Eggs are one of the only foods that contain naturally-occurring vitamin D.
Eggs promote healthy hair and nails because of their high sulphur content and wide array of vitamins and minerals.

Any one of those reasons is good enough for me to eat eggs! So, what are you waiting for?

Eggy pi of the day: 3.141592653589793238462643383279502884197169399

My Company's Buyout

You've probably heard by now that the company I work for got bought by an even bigger, international company. I don't know any more than you do, however, so what all the news reports say is basically all I've got for ya.

I can say that I believe the CEO is somewhat sad to see an "end to an era", in a way. He brought the company up from the dredges into a successful, internationally-recognized powerhouse. In a way, I'm sure he sees it as "his", so I can understand the bittersweet feeling he may have.

As for me, I'm not at all concerned with my future. Sure, anything could happen, but because I work in an integral area I won't just be shouldered out right away. Also, nothing is really going to happen for at least a few months. For the next while, it's business as usual for everyone, and I'm definitely going to act that way.

I'm actually hoping that opportunities come out of the changes, for me specifically. The new company may want to change things up a bit, or even create new jobs, so I'm just going to keep working at developing my skills and experience and show them how valuable I am.

I guess in the end I just hope that the new guys consider what's best for us and them and make good, sound decisions. The province wants in on the specifics, which I understand, and I know that many farmers will want to know more details regarding their assets. There are a lot of questions that can't be answered yet, but in time everything will work itself out. I'm looking forward to what new things are ahead in 2012!

Pi for the day. 3.14159265358979323846264338327950288419716939

Easy Come, Easy Go

Yay; we got our tax refund deposited today, just like the CRA said we would! Probably not unlike many people, we're using most of the money pay off a few things. Nothing major, but it's nice to clear things up. The rest we'll keep for home renos and FUN money!

That said, after listening to Paul giggle from the basement while watching a particular comic's gig on the computer, I bought tickets to this Saturday's show. It so happens he's in town this weekend, so why not?! I'd never heard of the guy -- Danny Bhoy -- but I enjoy a good comedy routine. Especially a Scottish one. At least I made Paul go "woohoo" after I bought them. That doesn't happen much :)

Here's a clip:

So, that's what we'll be doing Saturday night: busting a gut listing to a funny-man.

We also plan to get a new electric kettle (Paul's request) and a new exhaust fan for over the stove (my request). Oh and we'll be able to buy a Sun Tunnel for the kitchen. Paul will install it, of course, but I'm really looking forward to having some natural light in the kitchen. You'll have to come visit us to see it! :)

It's funny how quickly the money can be spent, though. Oh well, easy come, easy go! I wouldn't be a Bateman if I didn't know how to spend my money! HAHA

Piece 'o pi for the day: 3.1415926535897932384626433832795028841971693

Arbonne et al

I've been known to endorse certain products that I truly believe in. There are no royalties paid, and I benefit absolutely nothing of value doing it, but I do get the satisfaction that I was able to help someone else out.

A co-worker invited me (and other co-workers) to her home today for a "party" she was holding for a friend that sells two different company's products. One was Arbonne and the other I'll not name until I can base an opinion on their product. I've purchased Arbonne items before, and didn't feel they were overly special. The company prides itself on producing goods that are free of chemicals and fragrances and really hard to say compounds that are completely unnecessary.

I felt it was a good time to give them a second chance and ordered some shampoo and conditioner. I'm already happy with my skincare regimen, including the makeup I buy, but hair care is an area I'm still willing to try new things in. The tea tree oil shampoo from Arbonne that I bought last year is alright, I'm just not used to the lack of lather. Lather is created by all those unnecessary chemicals, so it's really just mind over matter when I use it.

The other company is fairly new to Canada as they only recently got permission to sell their products here. They really only sell one product -- yes, one -- but have two other serums to back up their sales (or that's what I figure, anyway). This particular product is a roll-on "magic" serum that claims to fix (or make better) many ailments such as dry skin, wrinkles, scars, stretch marks, acne, rosacia, excema, etc etc etc. Who doesn't have at least one of these issues, is what I was thinking, so I went ahead and bought a bottle. It wasn't cheap, but even the seller raved about it after using it regularly herself, so I was sold. If it truly does what it says, I expect to not only look five years younger within a month of regular usage, but my stretch marks (from weight loss) should be much better or even gone.

Trust me, as soon as I know if it works or not -- and I will be following their usage directions to make sure I get a result -- I'll let you know. If it does work, heck, I may even want to start selling it! If a miracle product truly works, why not?

I shall be back...

The Future of Shopping

Many major retail outlets have installed Self Checkout stations in the recent past. I really like using them because I can do it "my way" and often get out of the store faster. I thought up an even better idea for shopping in the future though, after my weekly trip to Superstore.

The premise is, upon entering the store, each shopper would receive a unit called a "Personal Cashier". It would work like an inventory device, in that it would scan each item you put in your cart. So, you go about picking out all your items, scanning each one as you shop. Then all you'd have to do is visit a "real" cashier to pay for the items and get a receipt. Novel idea, no? I even thought that you could go a step further with the idea: if you wanted to pay with cash you would have to visit a real person to pay, otherwise you could end off at a Personal Checkout Station where you would dock the device, insert your payment card, and the station would print off the receipt for you.

I've even contemplated the possible issues with loss prevention: the device would have a serial number attached and would trigger an alarm at any exit should someone attempt to steal one. Also, when taking the device, the store could have it setup that you would have to scan a piece of ID or provide an electronic fingerprint. That would ensure the devices couldn't be stolen and were attached to the person using them. All items in-store would also have to be setup to trigger an alarm at any exit, in case the shopper didn't scan something and thought they could get away with stealing. Maybe something would even be able to tell the store which item was missed. Oooooooooh!

Advantages:
1. eliminates long lineups of people waiting for others to go through a cashier
2. shoppers wouldn't have to load up their cart only to have to unload it all so a cashier could scan the items, only to have to load it all back up again
3. lowers costs for the store by eliminating the number of employees they need to have working
4. gives people control over their shopping experience

Disadvantages:
1. may be costly to implement
2. eliminates jobs

I wonder if sometime in our future this is how it will work. I sure hope so, and that I'm around to see it happen! What do you think?

Politics & Michael Moore

I treat politics like I treat mathematics; with little or no attention. When something political occurs, I tend to not understand it. I've tried, but it all seems very mundane. I do vote, and make the decision based on what the particular individual believes in and wants to achieve, as well as the party's objectives as a whole. But that's where my political involvement ends.

I do, however, enjoy watching documentaries about politics, especially anything by Michael Moore. I've seen Bowling for Columbine, Fahrenheit 9/11, and most recently, Capitalism: A Love Story. Well let me tell you, the latter was quite the eye-opener.

The film centers on the late-2000s financial crisis and the recovery stimulus, while putting forward an indictment of the current economic order in the United States and capitalism in general. Topics covered include Wall Street's "casino mentality", for-profit prisons, Goldman Sachs' influence in Washington, D.C., the poverty-level wages of many workers, the large wave of home foreclosures, corporate-owned life insurance, and the consequences of "runaway greed".  The film also features a religious component where Moore examines whether or not capitalism is a sin and if Jesus would be a capitalist.

Before watching it I hadn't formed any opinions about the American bailout crisis, nor did I know how widespread income-earning issues were. Michael Moore isn't necessarily correct on all points he discusses -- and I realize I should probably form my own opinions rather than adopt his -- but he sure made me think differently about a lot of things. What's most funny about him is that he's just trying to get the facts out there about the horrible things mega-companies can and are doing, and they really hate him for it. They are scared of the Hollywood movie-man who wants to out them to the world. Ha.

I will tell you one thing, after watching the film and assuming I now understand what capitalism is, I sure don't believe in it. Everyone should be able to earn enough money to live decently, not just the rich! Obama might just be the one to fix all that, but we'll have to see what the future holds.

Anyway, you won't waste your time with this one if you have two extra hours to kill sometime.

Pi for the day: 3.141592653589793238462643383279502884197169

Casey: Bestest Dog Ever

My dog is better than your dog. Seriously! Nothing you can say will change my mind. Okay okay, she may have some negative attributes, such as chronic barking, jumping, and jealousy, but she's still the best.

We went to the dog park tonight. As usual, she knew exactly where we were going once we were within a few blocks of the place. Then once arriving, she pulled on the leash so hard she was choking herself. Silly girl. We took the whistling chuck-it with us tonight to throw around and make her run. It totally worked because she couldn't get enough. By the end, her tongue was hanging way out of her mouth and she was grinning ear to ear. Sorta like this pic, just way more exaggerated:

Then when I go to relax on the couch, she's like white on rice and immediately becomes a fixture on my lap. My little lap dog. She likes napping there and I don't mind it because she's quiet.

She's so smart too. Too smart for her own good. And you really can't beat her cute looks. Nuh uh. When was the last time you saw a natural full mohawk on a dog? Super cute, right? She even smells good! What?!

Yup, that's my "mental nutcase head", Casey. Crazy as all get out, but our favourite dog nonetheless. I wouldn't trade her, that's for sure!

As I finish up this blog entry, she jumped up onto my lap for a little cuddle. We must've tired her out tonight at the park :)

My puppy pi for the day: 3.14159265358979323846264338327950288419716

Happy Pi Day!

Wow, it's already March 14th. Where has the year gone?! Since my blog started with my idea to memorize pi, how better to celebrate today than with an "ode" to pi, of sorts. Okay, I'll come clean, I didn't write it but I thought it was cute nonetheless:

Roses are Red, Violets are blue ... 3.141592
PI is a number that is mighty fine ... 653589
Practice this often until it sticks ... 79323846
Practice when you swim since there's nothing else to do ... 26433832
Let no one ignorant of geometry enter this door 79502884
Numbers rule the universe, Pythagoras made the decree ... 1971693

I also thought it would be fun to list out the digits I've learned so far and something about myself related to the number. Here goes:

3 - how many pets I have
1 - how many husbands I have (whew!)
4 - the number of pounds I gained (overall) since my last weigh-in before holidays
1 - the number of limbs I've broken
5 - my height, plus 10 inches
9 - my shoe size
2 - the number of bananas hanging on my banana tree
6 - the age of my cats this year
5 - the last digit of my house number
3 - the year I got married ('03)
5 - the time we get home each day
8 - the number of years I've been married
9 - the number of years I'll have been married in August. Eek!
7 - the time my TOPS meeting starts each Wednesday
9 - how many hours of sleep I like to (try and) get per night
3 - the number of books I've read in the last month
2 - how many plants will probably die in my house this year
3 - one of my lucky numbers
8 - my birth day
4 - my birth month
6 - my other lucky number
2 - the number of earrings I have in each ear
6 - the number of steak knives in my knife block
4 - the number of (major) family vacations I remember taking as a kid
3 - the number of years I worked in my previous job
3 - the first digit of my area code
8 - the number of hours I work in a day
3 - days left in the week that I'll have to work (yes, even Saturday. Don't ask)
2 - Casey's age
7 - the number of years I've been a member of Zip.ca
9 - Casey's weight in kilograms
5 - the number of pills/vitamins I take each morning
0 - how many "close" friends I currently have :( very sad :(
2 - the number of days I'd like to work for the rest of the week...
8 - the time I like to go to bed to read, on a good night
8 - the number of yogourt cups in a full package (it's about me if I eat it, right?)
4 - the number of tattoos I'll probably have eventually
1 - the number of rings I wear
9 - my dog on the "cutness" scale. Okay, she's actually an 11, but 11 isn't in pi... I couldn't think of anything else for 9.
7 - the number of full days we spent in Mexico
1 - my bus route number

Whew! Happy Pi Day, everyone!

The Music in My Life

A good way to make yourself do something you don't feel like doing, or keep forgetting to do, is put it right in front of you so you don't have a choice. I practice this all the time at work. I'm very organized and hate to lose things so I make nice little piles of my "to do items". Whether I want to do it or not, I don't have a choice in looking at it. It's always more rewarding to complete those not-so-desirable tasks first anyway.

I do it at work, so why don't I do it at home? Growing up, I learned to play various musical instruments. First was the piano, starting at age seven or eight. Then in junior high I took on the clarinet, followed by the bass clarinet and then the baritone in my final band year in grade ten. I also played the keyboard for a few years in the junior jazz and took up the bass guitar on my own for a bit. Since then though, I've had a hard time with commitment to my musical abilities.

It doesn't help that I don't work in the music industry, nor do I play piano well enough to do it at church (I never learned chords). I do, however, still enjoy playing the piano very much. I also attempted to relearn the baritone after my family generously purchased me one a few years ago. It was going well and then we up and moved to Regina. *sigh* I've had way too many other things to keep me busy in the last 18 months.

I know what I need to do: bring the darn thing upstairs and put it next to my piano. Ironically, my television sits on the piano, so it's not like I don't look at it often enough. If I do that, maybe I'll be able to get back into it. I should also set a goal, like learning a particular song or getting my mouth used to the embouchere again to play the really high or low notes. And I should play a song on the piano every few days. Just one, to keep the fingers nimble.

The worst part about not keeping in touch with my musical side isn't that I feel guilty for not doing it. After so long, you can forget what you know, and then it's much, much harder to pick it up again. Even after all the piano lessons I took, I have a little trouble with certain things now. It's kinda the same as my French language skills, except they are much worse than my piano-playing ability!

I think either way it's important to keep hobbies going that you enjoy and that enrich your life in some way. After I post this, I'm going downstairs to get my baritone. I may not actually play it tonight, but at least I've made the first step.


Tomorrow is Pi Day (March 14 = 3.14)! 3.1415926535897932384626433832795028841971

The Joys of Spring

Holy melting snow, Batman! Today on the way home my car's external thermometer stated it was 9° celsius. That's only 10° colder than it was most nights in Mexico. Yikes.

As you know, I like winter quite a bit and feel ripped off from this last one. There was some hope when it snowed the weekend before we went on holidays, and even more when we returned to 3-4 inches of more snowy goodness. Alas, Mother Nature (aka God) decided that it was time for spring. *sigh* okay, fine *sticks out bottom lip and crosses over arms in a defiant manner* but I ain't happy.

Actually, spring weather is really nice, save for the puddles and mud everywhere. The worst spot is our backyard. We discovered this last year -- our first spring in this house -- and were extremely frustrated. This is what it looked like when all the snow melted, leaving us with muck galore and an un-raked mess:

And this is the current state:

I'm not sure what it will look like in a week, but surely not as bad as last year. At least we raked the yard, at least twice. Also, we haven't had nearly the same amount of snow this winter (as previously discussed in my "where has winter gone?" rants). Paul will have to get out there with our pool pump and get the water draining to the lane. See the first pic: the pump is submerged in the bucket. Fun times.

All I can ask is that we don't get more snow after it all melts, and that the rain isn't torrential this spring. Now God, can you at least help me out with that? Thanks :)

New week, new piece of pi: 3.141592653589793238462643383279502884197

KOPS

As I've mentioned in a previous blog or two, I lost enough weight at TOPS to make it to my goal and attain my status as a KOPS (Keep Off Pounds Sensibly). As a KOPS, I must stay within "leeway" --  3 pounds above goal or 7 pounds below -- in order to maintain my status. Since reaching my goal on July 27, 2011, I have not been above my goal, nor out of leeway.

Regina has a Gold Key KOPS Society whose mission is to keep all current active KOPS on task with their own goals. There aren't many members, me included, but I like the group. We're actively looking to gain more members, but many KOPS don't think it's necessary to take part. Maybe they just don't understand what we do, so I'm working on getting that message out to my own chapter.

We meet only four times per year for regular meetings, and another two times for a fun get-together, like bowling or mini golf. The cost is so extremely minimal that it was a no-brainer for me to join. I actually joined a quarter late because I wasn't even informed of the meeting date in September (that's another issue I have).

This afternoon was the first general meeting I've attending since joining, and it was election day. Now, the society is very informal, so there really wasn't any election. I had already indicated my interest to the "Korrespondent", so I ended up becoming the new "Ko-Kaptain" for 2012. Cute, with the K's, eh? The other positions are "Kaptain" and "Kashier". Haha.

I'm not sure what my job will be, but I suppose I'll fill in for the Kaptain if necessary. I can't imagine it will take much out of my life. I'm just happy to take part in something I believe in, and hopefully get the message out to other KOPS that we ARE a vital part of weight loss success. If it weren't for the continuing encouragement and support from other KOPS, us at goal would probably quit going to TOPS altogether, and maybe even gain our weight back. I'm really happy there's a separate group out there for me.

Siestas and Safeway Cake

*sigh* What a lazy three days I've had. I'm blaming not feeling too great as my excuse for it. My cold really isn't an issue anymore; it's my body having a hard time adjusting back to Canadian food. Or so I think. Hopefully by Monday I'll be more normal for when I go back to work... and that I don't accidentally sleep in for all the sleeping in I've been doing lately... and the naps!

Last night we actually went out. Not far, though. It started in the afternoon when Paul was outside scraping up ice that was accumulating on our driveway. I guess the neighbour, "B", was also out and let Paul know he was having some people over later and that we could stop by if we weren't busy. We've only been invited over one other time, but it was on the day we got possession of our house (Dec 24, 2010).

Soooo.... even though I wasn't really feeling it, we went next door to see what was happening after we'd had dinner and watched our TV shows. Other than the presence of a disgusting amount of second-hand cigarette smoke, we had a good time. I even got to eat some good 'ol Safeway cake because it ended up being a party for B's birthday. It was funny because, even though we've lived next door for 14 months, we haven't actually met any other neighbours, or even B's kids, for that matter. Everyone was really nice and we'll definitely be hanging out again.

There's only one day left of my two-week vacation and it's quite bittersweet. I just hope that it was enough time off to re-energize my soul for a while. There's a number of things happening in the next few months, on the weekends, so as long as I can keep a good work-life balance, all will be well. And as far as I know, my "temporary promotion" is still in place, so that can only be a good thing!

Every day may not be good, but there's something good in every day.

The Best and Worst of Mexico

Okay, here's my list of the most-awesome and least-awesome parts of our trip to Mexico.

The Weather
Good: Lots of sun, periodic clouds to shade us from the heat, and no rain
Bad: one day was so windy that we couldn't be on the beach or by the pool because the wind created clouds and took away the sun

The Temperature
Good: nice and warm during the day but not so cold at night that we froze (and were prepared, anyway)
Bad: the room was really humid, even with the air conditioner on, and I was often chilled at night. Either it was too hot or too cold inside

The Beach
Good: lots of chairs to lounge on and warm sand to dip your toes in
Bad: the vendors just get annoying. It's nothing new, but "no, I don't want to buy anything and if I do, I'll come see you."

The Pool
Good: the kiddie pool always had chairs to lounge on and was close to a bathroom
Bad: the adult pool was where the fun was, and had a swim-up bar, but chairs were NEVER available. Also, the water was so cold!

The Food
Good: plenty of options, including many "American-style" items
Bad: too much food, all day long! I couldn't stop myself! There's a reason why I have weight issues, people!

The Other Guests
Good: Canadians
Bad: everyone else. I'm not saying I dislike Americans or Mexicans or anyone else for that matter, I just don't have any thing in common with them. Canadians rule!

The Hotel Staff
Good: our maid; bartenders Carlos, Jorge, Antonio, and Eli; bus-boy Paulo; the girl at the Steakhouse during the lunch hour that doesn't seem to speak English (I liked her anyway); and the entertainment staff
Bad: the "nameless" bartender who pocketed the tips instead putting them in the drawer, and the server with too much makeup!

The Entertainment
Good: all the girls were awesome, especially Alma who we got confused while playing poker; also, the dancers that came in for the shows were extremely talented
Bad: the Michael Jackson impersonator (ugh)

The Toilet Paper
Good: it was softer than the stuff we have at home! What the deuce?!
Bad: ummmmmmm...

The Television Lineup
Good: enough American tv to get by on
Bad: I watched more CSI in Mexico during that week than I've watched in a year in Canada

The Feral Cats
Good: very cute and cuddly-looking
Bad: not so cuddle-able... trust me. Last year I got clawed.

The Beverages
Good: lots of variety of juices and soda, and very tasty cocktails
Bad: the "orange juice" wasn't pure orange, it was that sweetened crap you can buy at McDonald's. Also, they had only Pepsi, not Coke products. Ick. The milk was more creamy than we're used to, so although delicious in a Mudslide, I probably wouldn't drink it straight.

The resort definitely lives up to its 4.5 star rating, and all-inclusive really is the way to go. I just wish I knew when to say "no" to the food! At the end though, all I was eating was pizza and hot dogs because I was sick of the different meats and Mexican-style food. It was all good, I just wanted something more normal. At least there's plenty of fruits and vegetables around for some healthy choices.

I think we've gotten our fill of the Riu Jalisco now for a few years. We definitely recommend the resort for people of any age! Next time we come to the west coast of Mexico I think we'll stay up the coast a little bit, near Bucieras, which we haven't yet visited. Now we're looking forward to our next vacation, which is most likely Scotland in August 2013.

Over and out.

Home at Last

Ahhhhhh. We're home. At last. It's funny I say that because we were so looking forward a fantastic vacation. Don't get me wrong, we had a really good time and the weather was near-perfect, but when you get sick on vacation, it does ruin it a little.

I haven't yet gone to the doctor and I'm not sure I will now. The sore throat isn't present any longer; just a phlegmy cough and a runny nose. Sounds like a typical cold, so I'll see how it goes for a day or two.

It sure is nice to have a few extra days of though. There's extra time for laundry to get done, and the house to get tidied, and for more relaxation (especially considering I'm still in ill-health).

Pictures have been posted online to my Facebook page so feel free to take a peek anytime at this link: Mexico Pics

We didn't take as many pics as last time because we stayed at the same resort. If you'd like to see more of what the resort looks like or what we saw around Puerto Vallarta, just check out my Mexico 2011 albums.

Mexico 2011 - 1

Mexico 2011 - 2

I'm attempting to gather a list of the "best and worst of Mexico 2012", so that should be in tomorrow's blog. 

Paul tested me on my Pi memory today and I got all but the last three. Oops. Just as a reminder I'm at: 3.14159265358979323846264338327950288419

Thanks for reading!

Mexico Final Day: Homeward Bound

Well, we’re headed home today. I am actually quite happy to be going home, which is kinda sad. I didn’t expect to get sick, but it made my relaxation time not-quite-so-relaxing. We did still enjoy ourselves but didn’t get the full experience due to both of our down-times. At least we met some new people, made new memories, and are looking forward to our next hot vacation.

I got to enjoy my favourite lunch one last time (which is completely un-Mexican but delicious nonetheless), while gazing out at the beautiful ocean views, with my favourite guy. The sky is clear and blue today, so our flight should have no issues heading out. Over and out, Nuevo Vallarta!

Mexico Day Seven: Restless

Our second last day in Mexico was another hot one. And we were restless. Paul went down to the main pool early to grab chairs. After breakfast when we went back to them, I discovered that the sun was quickly going behind us – and wouldn’t be back due to the palm trees overhead. I found us another spot across the pool but within half an hour, it was also a bad location due to another palm tree. Okay, fine. Kiddie pool it was! Our spots from the day before were open, under a nice cabana.

We were able to take in some more sun before lunch, which obviously was yummy, but enough is enough! Seriously, I’m ready to be back home, just to cleanse myself of all the excess food.

After lunch, within a hour, Paul stated he was feeling dizzy and wanted to go back to the room. Okay, buh-bye. I stayed at the pool to tan some more, read some more, and take a nice, cool dip in the water. I only lasted until mid-afternoon myself, as my sore throat had turned into a phlegmy cough and stuffy nose.

We both napped until dinnertime. I went to eat, but decided my head was just not cooperating so I retired to bed afterwards until the main show at 9:00. It wasn’t even very good. Oh well. At least Paul met some nice people he could hang out with in my absence.

Mexico Day Six: Hot, Hot, Hot!

Whew! It’s a hot one out there! Just the kind of day you’d hope for on a warm, tropical vacation J

We started out on the beach for a bit this morning. I tanned in the heat while Paul enjoyed the waves on a boogeyboard. Then he decided we should move to the pool, which got no objection from me. I don’t much like swimming in the ocean anyway, so taking quick dips in the pool was much to my liking.

The poolside iguanas were out and about today too. We got a few good pictures of them and each other. I took many cool dips in the unheated pool in between sunning my front and my back. Gotta take advantage of a hardly-cloudy day when you get one!

We haven’t made it back to the beach for a sunset this entire trip, so tonight is the night. We’ll have to bug some innocent bystander to snap our cute, tanned mugs. 

On another personal note, I feel much better today. On the advice of "K" from Regina, I drank a few mudslides last night after dinner. I also drank a few throughout the day. It seems that what he thought about the milk in them was right. My stomach is definitely more "normal". My throat is not, however, and after many, many issues in the past, I'm self-diagnosing this one as strep. Not cool, but at least I have Tylenol, Advil, and some giftshop Vicks drops infused with Lemon and Vitamin C. I'm sure I'll make it until we get home and can see a "free" doctor for a real diagnosis.

Mexico Day Five: Breezes & Bellyaches

Today was quite a windy one. We spent the better part of the day at the beach attempting to soak up as much sun as possible. After lunch the wind picked up even more, however, bringing clouds in that began to overtake the sun. After a Mexican blanket purchase (something I’d wanted since our friends bought them last year), we went back to the room.

Since we couldn’t sunbathe anymore, and I’ve been feeling “off” the last few days, we decided to head into town on the bus to the Walmart. I was able to pick up some Pepto and Tums, but both aren’t really helping. Maybe I have a bug, or something. I hope not, but I’m tired of the feeling I have in my gut. Blech. I also picked up the special request of hairspray for a friend. Apparently, “it’s the best”.

The bus was long and bumpy, but air conditioned. Now we’ll have a rest before dinner. I’d really like to fully enjoy the rest of our trip, so hopefully tomorrow my tummy feels more normal!

Mexico Day Four: Poolside Sun

Day four started off with another beautiful Mexican sunrise over the hills. Breakfast was o-k but I’m getting a little sick of all the food available. It’s a good thing I keep finding new and interesting items.

We hung out beside the kids pool today. It’s actually four feet deep all around, so it’s not really just for kids. It’s just a good place to find deck chairs when the main pool’s chairs are all reserved.

We met a few guys from Maine, enjoyed another hearty lunch, and soaked up more Mexican sunshine. The Asian restaurant is booked for tonight. I’m hoping they have many familiar items to eat, i.e. chicken balls.

Now for a short nap before another fun evening!

Mexico Day Three: Meeting New People

Well, this may be a day late in reporting, but Day Three was just another perfectly, boring day! We really are enjoying being on holidays.

We met some more nice people – even some from Winnipeg – and got to know bartenders Antonio and Jorge a little better. Where we thought the resort was filled with a bunch of Americans and Quebecoise, we did end up finding plenty of people from the Prairies. Thank goodness: something in common!

The hot dogs and nachos from the sports bar were enjoyed thoroughly, as well as the sun, of course.

Just another day in paradise!

Mexico Day Two: Bored and Loving It

What a perfectly, boring day! Seriously! Isn’t a holiday supposed to be that way?

Day two started off with being awakened by the sun coming over the distant hills. We ate a hearty breakfast then staked out a good spot on the beach. That was how we spent our morning: sunbathing, napping (for Paul), and (for me) delving into a good book.

Then we ate lunch and found some spots by the pool. That’s about it! We did take a dip in the cold water, and chatted with Paul’s seat neighbour from the plane. Then we had a delightful nap in our room. Now we’re getting ready for another meal, and hopefully some good times tonight.

Speaking of which, last night we had a fun time at the main stage. We eagerly accepted invitations for men and women to join the entertainers on stage for a “men versus women” competition. Except for the beer-drinking part (ick!), it was a lot of fun. The women won, obviously. Paul even ended up wearing only his underwear. Don’t ask.

Tomorrow we plan to do about the same as today. I love vacations!