Saturday, February 28, 2009

Only in Canada

Only in Canada, when the temperature is -12 will we still insist on sending the kids out to play! The scene reminded me of the picture we have on our $5 bills with the quote from the story The Hockey Sweater by Roch Carrier.
Picture taken at Too Good pond in Unionville, just north of Toronto.



Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Not so technically challenged after all!!

Hurrah!!

I was finally able to figure out how to:
  • Create a "new" travel blog that was exact in every way to the old one - with a slightly different name
  • Save everything from the "old" travel blog and move it over to the "new" one so that I don't loose all my previous hard work
  • Disassociate this blog from the travel blog so that I can go back to being "open" and my 3 faithful readers don't have to sign in anymore
  • Hopefully gain new readers now that it is back to being an "open" blog

I really am quite proud of myself folks! I consider this a significant step for me getting closer to technology. We're not moving in just yet. But we will be dating more frequently from now on.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Nite of Fun, Friends and Fashion

The ever amazing Trippy hosted her annual "Awards Nite" dinner yesterday. The actual show began at 8:30pm EST, but we were there well in advance for the red carpet extravaganza because let's face it, that's what we were most interested in. Trippy had some delish munchies to keep our tummies full, and exciting and fun filled Oscar trivia games for the commercial breaks and the boring speeches. And prizes too!! At the end of the night, Ms. Trippy was voted "Best Hostess" and richly deserving as well. (WHY is this girl still single??)


And because I cannot resist, here's my two pence:
  • Best opening sequence in a long long time. Yes people, the Oscars are about MOVIES and ACTORS - not comedians with their trying-too-hard monologues.
  • Best year for acceptance speeches. Personal fav, the Japanese dude winning for best short animation ended his speech with "Domo Arigato, Mister Roboto". Kate Winslet telling Meryl Streep to "suck it up" was also pretty damn funny.
  • Best intro to the 4 big acting awards. It must have felt pretty damn good to be celebrated in that fashion - win or no win.
  • Best presenter pairing - Steve Martin and Tina Fey. Now that's how you do a comedic presenter piece.
  • Worse gown - Beyonce. It looked like someone had vomited gold all over the dress and her too plain hair and make up and utter lack of jewellery wasn't a hit either.
  • Worst presenter pairing - Daniel Craig and Sarah Jessica Parker. Thank god for the teleprompter, because it was obvious that they had NOTHING to say to each other.
  • Best awkward moment - cameras cutting to Angie as Jennifer Anniston and Jack Black did their thing on stage.
  • Worst let down - Hugh Jackman kept his clothes on for the entire show. I want a refund.

Just in case you were under a rock and missed out on what happened with Hollywood's biggest night of the year, here's an excellent article that nicely sums it all up.

Wish this guy did some of the acceptance speeches!!







Thursday, February 12, 2009

Just in Time!

Extract from an email received from Air Canada re upcoming promotions:

More ways to earn Aeroplan® Miles!Earn 2,000 Bonus Aeroplan Miles when you book your flight at aircanada.com by March 15, 2009.

This offer is valid for travel from April 1 until December 31, 2009 between Canada and the following destinations:
Frankfurt
Munich
Paris
London
Zurich
Geneva
Rome

And isn't it just handy that I have to travel to London in August for (yes, you got it) a friend's wedding? Hurrah for online deals!



Wednesday, February 11, 2009

A Quickie

No, you pervs - not that! Just a little update on Bean's visit to the T Dot.

Monday: Beans hung out with my bro for most of the day and they did the following:
  • Tried to get a local SIM card for Beans
  • Abandoned that idea when they found out that the cheapest one would be $60*
  • Visited the Scarborough bluffs by the lake where they bonded with the local wildlife by following geese around and attempting to mimic their calls
  • Went for a tour of the Rogers Centre (the baseball stadium)
  • Waited at the pub while I finished up with work

After work, Beans and I headed over to the CN Tower to check out the sights of the city from way way way up high. It was a nice enough day and we had plenty of time to see everything before the sun went down and the clouds rolled in. Oh, should mention that it was the first time I'd ever kissed anyone at an elevation of 342 m. It made my head spin; then again he always does. Finished off the evening with an absolutely scrumptious dinner at the restaurant at the top of the tower. The view was spectacular, the food was amazing, the company was delightful - what more could you ask for in a meal?

Tuesday: Beans and the bro continued with the male bonding with trips to the Police Museum, The Hockey Hall of Fame and the Steam Whistle Brewery where I caught up with them after work for a couple of pints. The 'rents wanted us back for dinner and the Mater had gone all out with the meal. Gee, she must be really desperate to make a good impression on my behalf!

Sidebar funny story: On Sunday morning, my mum comes up to me and tells me this: "He seems to be a nice boy, very pleasant. How nicely he made his bed this morning and came up and said hello to everyone. And you? Not even out of your pyjamas as yet! You'd better shape up your ways. Nice boys don't like messy girls."

I was dying to tell her that its not how I make my bed that turns him on, rather what I'm able to do IN it. But it was too early in the morning to get into that.

After dinner, we had a nice congenial chatty session in the basement before a warm wood fire before calling it a night. How civilized!

Today: More sightseeing in store followed by the basketball game with Trippy and Beer Baron tonight.

And in case you're wondering, yes, there has been ample opportunity for "extra curricular" activities.

Monday, February 09, 2009

He Came, He Conquered, I Came (Twice)

And so 132 days after he told me that he was planning on visiting me, Beans landed in the T Dot on Saturday.

Trippy and the Beer Baron were on hand to watch me dance, jump and jiggle my way through an agonizing hellish 30 minute wait in the arrival hall at the airport. Yes, they have video clips. But even the anxious "I-need-to-go-potty" like dance didn't prepare them (or the rest of the airport) for the ear splitting shriek I let out when Beans FINALLY walked through the doors. Or my mad dash to get to him where I (apparently) pushed 3 children and 2 old ladies out of my way. Or my spectacular leap right into his waiting arms.

When I finally pulled my lips off his, they drove us home where the much anticipated "Meet the Parents" scene played out. Thankfully there was no talk about milking cats or any other such topics and he hasn't knocked out a family member, nor burned down the backyard - yet. AND most surprisingly, my mother hasn't been the anti-dating, relationship-hating, ball-busting villain that she usually is, but has been a model of hostessing delight. For the record, I'm afraid. BUT, Beans has charmed the proverbial socks off both parents and also the friends - some of who he met at Cosmo Girl's house warming party on Saturday night.

And speaking of socks off, those and more were were discarded for all of yesterday afternoon thanks to les parents being at a christening party and le frere away at work. As I mentioned to Trippy this morning, my FB status should read: Pixy spent last afternoon at the amusement park and enjoyed several extended rides on the sexmobile.

But perhaps that would be socially inappropriate?









Thursday, February 05, 2009

Utimate Rejection

Back in November last year when my mum was in the hospital, I had made up my mind to sign up for blood donation as soon as I got back from the holiday. Accordingly, I called up the Canadian Blood Services (CBS) last week and got an appointment for today. I set off in my lunch break very eagerly and excited that I was going to do something "important".

After getting there and filling out a load of paperwork, I was told "Thanks, but no thanks".

Turns out, I cannot be a donor after all because I've had malaria. Formerly, CBS used to accept donations from people who'd had malaria because they would separate the blood and just not use the red blood cells part coz that's where the malaria bug (virus?) infects and it can lay dormant for up to 6 years. But they've since found that it is far more cost effective to simply turn down donations rather than have to dispose off the RBC component in a safe way. They did let me know that if the rules change, they'd call me back.

I totally understood the reasoning behind my donor rejection and it all made perfect sense when the nurse explained it to me. But still, as I left the clinic and stepped outside, the sharp wind that hit me was not as cold as the feeling I had deep inside that I'd just tried to do something nice, and failed. Rejection, is never a warm and fuzzy feeling.



Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Vexing

I am very surprised by the seeming lack of basic etiquette in today's world. And I'm not talking about grand gestures to society.Just simple everyday niceties that when collected and put together make for a nicer, happier existence for us all.

Like holding the door open for the person behind you instead of letting it slam into their face.
Like standing to right on an escalator so that persons behind you can walk up the left.
Like paying a little visit to a new neighbour, or new colleague to say hello and welcome.
Like RSVPing to an invite in a timely fashion.

Case in point. I sent out an evite to my birthday celebrations over 2 weeks ago. The evite called for people to respond yes/no/maybe with the option to change that response at any time. 52 people received the email. To date, only 23 have responded - either verbally or online. And the rest? I know they've all read the email. I can tell from the timestamp on the evite. It's just about a week to the event, so won't you know your schedule by now? I don't mind if you've other things planned and cannot make it - that's fine. But, at least let me know that. Right now, I have only a vague sense of who will be attending and if I was catering for the event - I'd be left clueless as to food quantities.

It may seem like a petty issue, but I am peeved, especially since all the people on that invite list are folks who I consider my friends and hence I would expect better of them.




Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Take that V-Day

Email received from our IT team this morning:
We have become aware of public reports of malicious code circulating via spam email messages related to Valentine's Day. These messages contain a link to a website that contains several images of hearts and instructs users to choose one image. If users click on one of the images, they will be prompted to download an executable file. Reports indicate that the executable files could be named: youandme.exe, onlyyou.exe, you.exe, and meandyou.exe (please note that these file names may change at any time). If users accept the download, malicious code may be installed onto their systems. We encourage users to be aware of these type scams during the occasional holidays and if ever in doubt, don’t.

My response:
If this isn't a lesson to folks to stop perpetuating this ridiculous "celebration" of so-called "love" in a manner that is both exclusive and irritating to many, then they deserve to have their computers devoured by V-Day viruses. *insert maniacal laughter*



Monday, February 02, 2009

A Warning

Today, I saw this article online about the slamming winter weather in the UK and the ensuing chaos of a county grinding to a standstill.

All I'm saying is that those dudes at Heathrow better get their act together by Saturday or else I'm going to be VERY VERY upset if Beans is even a MINUTE later than scheduled.

They really DON'T want to mess with a woman who hasn't had sex in a very very long time!






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