What I actually spent a long time thinking about between 2:30 and 5:30am

Last night I went to a party after work. Managed to be home by 11pm. After a quick wash, pulled out some clothes for work and jumped into bed. Slept well until 2:30am. Then spent a considerable part of the next 3 hours thinking about hydrogen-cell cars and how will it be possible to make them safe and affordable for consumers so we can stop polluting the planet.

I kid you not. This is what keeps me up at night.

Call me crazy. It's OK. Really.

Parents and Technology

For some time now I have been aware that my mom is a little confused when it comes to technology (not knowing how to turn off her new cell phone during a church service is just one example ...). This weekend I found out that she has some trouble with recognizing the difference between a blog and a flickr site, and also how to make an appropriate user name and password for all these sites.

What happened was this. She explained to me that she had wanted to post a comment on Nick's flickr page, but kept getting a user name of "Little Princess 3". Seriously. She couldn't understand how that happened. I don't know what Mom or Dad did to get that user name, but boy was it funny to see Little Princess 3 appear when she tried to post a comment. After a little explaining and a quick search we managed to change their user name on flickr to something a little more age appropriate. They are now Bill&Gigi.

Still it's worth a good giggle.

Many thanks to Eric and The Wedge

Some time ago my brother Eric posted an entry on his blog about a music video show called The Wedge on Much Music. Friday night I finally watched and guess what?! I saw 2, count 'em 2 videos by M83 (also a band that said brother introduced me to for much listening pleasure)!

Now I'm asking myself why did I wait so long?

What to say and when to just shut up

A close is friend is going through quite a life crisis at the moment. Last night we were able to get together and talk things through. Well, mostly I tried to let her talk it all out. I just hope I provided enough of a listening ear, shoulder to cry on, and some pertinent advice to balance it all out. It's hard knowing what to say, when and how to say it, and when to just shut up and listen.

Woman, hope it helped. I'm always there for you.

Pictures up on flickr

Have posted a few pictures from my vacation. Enjoy!

PVD has officially set in

Post Vacation Depression (PVD) has hit. Big time. I hate, hate, hate the end of vacation. As much as I love being back in my own home, with my own stuff again - I really miss my friends in Europe.

Dancing in Why's kitchen like a fool, screaming my head off (and dancing like a fool) at the mention of a snake, eating piles and piles of chocolate, laughing until I cry, impressing Why's kids into silence with the power of my burps - these things, I tell ya, just don't happen in my everyday life. Guess maybe that's why I appreciate Why all that much more when we do get together.

PS - Why, you make sure you come over in two years or less. Anna's wedding or not.

Back to my roots

Have spent the last 10 days in Switzerland, returning to my roots, so to speak. Had a great week in the Emmental Valley with Yvette, Andy, Kolina and Dylan. Spent the last 4 days running all over visiting with Grandmaman, aunts, uncles and the many cousins, their spouses and children. Now in Zurich for a little bestestfriend time (i.e. girls day shopping!) and of course the essential stocking up of chocolate!!!

Can't believe 3 weeks is almost over. It's been wonderful.

UK visit

Nefertitia is in Lowton (somewhere between Manchester and Liverpool) in the UK. Having a brilliant time with Jill, John, Rachel, Abby and Lizzy. Weather is co-operating too!

More next week from chocolate country!

Jet Set

I'm off on vacation tomorrow. First a week in England to visit my penpal Jilly (and yes, we have met before, many times), followed by two weeks in Switzerland. The first week will be spent with Why and her family at a farm in the Emmental Valley. The second week will include a visit with Grandmaman and various cousins.

I'm so friggin' excited I was awake at 4:40am this morning.

And I still have 8 hours of work to go ...

Remember when?

Last night I got soaked on my way home. It wasn't raining when I left work, but about 5 minutes into my walk it started to rain a little, then a little more, and by the time I got home it was pouring. I was wet from head to toe (even with the umbrella), my backpack was soaked through (and everything in it too) and my running shoes were doing that wet squishy thing. Sounds like fun, right?

Call me crazy, but it was. Mostly because it brought back an all time classic moment in friendship of Stef and Why. Here's the story:

Back in June of '85 or '86, we were in the same French class. It was exam period. On this particular day, as we did on many occassions, we left good ol' LHS (or Lakeside Academy as it is now known) in the midst of a huge rainstorm to run the two blocks over to my house. Silly girls, I know. But it was fun at the time. We thought for sure we'd just throw our stuff in the drier and be fine. Pick up an umbrella and be back at school in plenty of time for the next exam. Well, it didn't really turn out that way. My mother wasn't home, I didn't have a key and it was still raining. A lot. So we ran back to the school and ended up doing our French oral exams with Mr. Elmo, sitting there literally dripping on the floor. I think he may even have made some kind of comment about the state of us.

Why will have to correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I was wearing my Duran Duran concert t-shirt that day.

Good times!

A sight for sore eyes

The last couple of weeks I've been walking to and from work. This morning I did not. Not because I was being lazy, but rather because my backpack weighed about 20 kilos (laptop, battery, lunch, running shoes, change of clothes ...). While I was waiting at the bus stop, suddenly I saw, out of the corner of my eye, what seemed like a mostly naked man walking down the street. Keep in mind it is 7:50am. So I blinked, and blinked again. No, I was not mistaken. It was a man. In a blue speedo. Walking down the street. Nothing but the speedo with a pair of socks and running shoes. But he did have a bag over his shoulder. I'm going to guess that's where the rest of his clothes were.

Can you guess where I live? The province of speedoes, yes, Québec. All I can say is thank God he didn't have a nasty beer gut to go with the speedo.

Work Weekend at Camp

This past weekend was spent working hard at the Salvation Army's Lac L'Achigan Camp. A group of 30 or so people went up for the weekend to ready things for the summer camps. It was hard work, painting a few cabins, reshingling a few roofs. Have a look at the camp pictures up on my flickr site.

Grandma's Underwear

This past Saturday I tagged along with my parents for their weekly visit to my grandparents at the senior’s residence. After getting Grandma to try on the new dressing gown we had brought for her, she kept trying to pull up her underwear. She asked Mom to buy her some new underwear as hers kept falling down. When asked what size she was wearing and after responding “Large”, it was settled that maybe she should wear a medium size as the large were obviously too big for her and it wouldn’t do for them to fall off while she was walking. To which Grandma replied “Oh, they already did.”

Apparently (earlier that day or another day entirely, we’re not sure) she was walking in the hallway, with her walker, and could feel the underwear falling down so just let them drop and picked them up. Not embarrassed or anything. Just stated the fact.

We roared with laughter!!!

Funny Kid Story #2

Thanks to my sister-in-law for this. Read on and laugh out loud!

"... The other one happened last night after supper. When I had some friends and their babies come over the other day so all three girls could all play in Darcy's pool, we were talking about how expensive the little swimmers diapers are. One mom mentioned that if it's just her daughter in her little pool by herself, then didn't she put a diaper on her. I thought that made sense, so I figured I'd give it a try. Darcy did her nightly ultra-noticeable poop at the supper table (she pushes really hard), so I thought it would be the prime time to try her out "sans diaper". She was barely in the pool for a minute when I noticed some floaters in the pool. Sometimes some stuff falls off the neighbours' tree and into her pool, so I assumed that's what it was at first. On closer inspection, it was, of course, POOP! I pulled her out of the pool and sat her on her towel. I ran into the house to get Nick who was finishing cleaning up from supper before coming out to join the pool party. What a mess! We had a quite a time getting her cleaned up. We learned a valuable lesson about putting her in the pool with no diaper on. Don't do it!"

Gaping Void

Have a look at gapingvoid today. I think he must know me.

After the Sleep Study, Part 2

3pm, Sunday afternoon.

Cranky and crabby - that’s what I am. Picking up where I left off last night, Alfonso hooked me up around 10-ish, and then let me read until 11. From 11pm to midnight, the light was on in the hallway, so there was no way I was going to fall asleep with it being that bright. Plus lots of walking up and down the hallway by somebody. At midnight they turned off the hallway light and I thought I might get to sleep. But no, I tossed and turned until sometime close to 1:30am (I know this because I kept looking at my watch – thank goodness for a luminous dial). And that’s when all the noises started. Machines beeping LOUDLY (because all noises are about 10 times louder when you’re trying to get to sleep). People running down the hall to turn off said machines. This happened at least 3 times that I can remember. Then I think I slept. But every time I turned over I woke myself up because of the stupid wires pulling at the tape on my skin. At 5:00am they started unplugging people. I laid there in bed and waited for my turn. I was last at 5:35am.

Alfonso told me that there was some leg twitching and also it seems I have obstructed breathing when I lie on my back, so there are two possible solutions. One is to wear some kind of breathing contraption while I sleep which would force air into me, the other is to have some kind of surgery. I didn’t ask what kind because I really don’t think I want to have surgery. All this will be discussed in greater detail with the doctor at my next appointment.

And there you go. On my way out of the hospital I again didn’t see a single person. Very creepy. It was exactly 6am when I got out of there, so I missed the first bus home. Took my time walking down the street and took a couple of early morning sky pictures (see my flickr site: flickr.com). Got home, had some breakfast, started some laundry, did the groceries, cleaned a little and by 9am I was wiped so I had a nap on my oh-so-very-napable couch.

After the Sleep Study, Part 1

Saturday, June 4, 2005 - 9:07pm

Here I am, in my pj’s, sitting on the bed in this tiny hospital room. I suppose I should be thankful this is for testing purposes, so it’s private. Getting here was easier than expected. I thought for sure I’d get lost, but I managed to find my way up here, despite the intermittent signage. It was kind of creepy though, I saw nobody in the hallways anywhere. Not a bed, not a patient, not even a security guard.

Presented myself to Alfonso, the technician/nurse and he explained what’s going to happen. Sounds like I’ll be hooked up to some poly-something or other machine - I have no idea. The apparatus that’s here has 15 wires coming out of it. Plus I’ll have some kind of wrap around my chest and waist. As far as I can tell, I won’t be getting a good night’s sleep.

I’ll be hooked up sometime between 9:30-10pm (there are 3 other patients here for testing too) and then I’m “allowed” to read until 11pm. When Alfonso told me that I sort of snorted at him and said “Yeah, right”. But he’s serious. Oh boy … I also asked if I could get a face cloth and towel just to rinse off before going to sleep and he came back to me with 4 mangy, ratty old facecloths. One of them had this big, long clump of hair and cotton all rolled into a big dreadlock kind of thing. Nasty. Didn’t think to bring my own. And there’s some crusty toothpaste or cream on the tap. Shudder …

There’s got to be a 2-inch gap at the bottom of this door that leads to the hallway. How am I supposed to sleep if there’s light coming through? Or noise? Already I can hear this old man do his phlegmy cough/throat clearing. Is that going to go on all night? What happens if they find out this test is normal? Will they think I’m a big faker? When I think of all the times I’ve been awake half the night, or longer, to have them think there’s nothing wrong with me would really make me feel foolish. Oh man – there’s no toilet in this room. I have to use a toilet down the hall. What happens if I have to get up in the middle of the night? Will they have to unplug me?

My heart is racing a mile a minute. Must remember to take pictures of me wired up. I should really just lie down, read and relax. More tomorrow.

Sleep Study

I've had problems sleeping for years now. This winter I finally took matters into my own hands and am now being followed by a couple of doctors. At my last doctor's visit, I agreed to participate in a sleep study and also a group therapy workshop. This was at the beginning of May. I figured I might get a call in about six months to say there was finally room for me. Yesterday (June 2) I found out I could participate in the sleep study this Saturday night. Listen to this - they want you to arrive at the hospital at 9pm and stay over night. Not really over night, because they boot you out between 5:30-6:00am the following morning! I have a few issues with this. First of all: I will never fall asleep before midnight if I'm in some hospital bed, wired up to electrodes and all sorts. Second: how are they to determine if I'm getting a full night of sleep if they make you go home before the sun rises?! And third: I sometimes get my best sleep from 6:00am-7:30am. So not only do I get to stress about this until then (and thus lose more sleep), I get to waste a perfectly good chance at a full night of sleep. Thanks. FYI: I might be a little crabby on Sunday.

Anyway, I'm going and I'm a little freaked out. But this will hopefully help in determining what's going on in my head when it should be in down-time. Will be sure to report all the details next week.

Still waiting to hear about the workshop - maybe that'll be 6 months before I hear ...

Funny kid story #1

My best friend, Yvette (aka Why) has two kids. Her boy, Dylan is nearly 6 years old, her daughter Kolina just turned 10. Why often shares with me funny stories that happen to the kids. Here is the first in the Funny Kids Stories series:

"I think Dylan learned a lesson today. Immediately after dinner (soup, bread & yogurt), he went and sat on Kolina's desk chair, which is one of those office-type ones with wheels and that you can spin around on. Well, Dylan learned that if you sit on said chair and spin around like an idiot, you throw up your dinner.

Thank goodness we have parquet floors!"

Other blogs that may be of interest

My brother Eric and a couple of my friends also have blogs. Maybe you'd be interested in reading what they have to say too. I won't say anything about them but will let you discover them for yourself.

Eric's blog (many topics covered) - www.themuddler.com

Lyndy's blog (she's an angry little thing) - http://angrygnomer.blogspot.com

Pam's blog (she's preparing for a marathon) -
http://tntrunforhope.blogspot.com

Eric also introduced me a couple of other sites, namely www.dooce.com and www.gapingvoid.com. Enjoy!

If you know of a blog that I may be interested in or have a blog of your own, please let me know.