So, we're officially as decorated for Christmas as we're gonna be.

I dug through the boxes of Christmas stuff today and put up a bit of stuff. A couple of years ago, I reorganized my holiday stuff so it was actually pretty easy to do today. We didn't do any decorating at all last year. We just didn't feel like it, we were having Christmas at my mum's place so I didn't feel like making a big deal of it. This year though, I'll be off work for a couple of weeks before Christmas and, presumably, will be home a bit more so I felt like putting up some stuff.

The tree's not up but I put up a really nice, fake greenery with mini lights garland around the entrance way to our living room. I also put some mini lights up in our patio doors and in the kitchen window. There are now tinsel garlands up in the kitchen doorways and my fake flowers on the dining room table have been switched from fall to winter. I also put a couple of extra "christmassy" type candles in the living room so it's nice and cozy. We're not religious at all but I like to have things a little brighter and sparkle-y in the days leading up to the solstice. It's just so dark, so early these days, it's nice to make things a little more colourful.

We had our first proper snow today, it was actually "blizzarding" at one point. The visibility was for poop and the roads were really slippery. Fortunately, the sun came out late this afternoon and melted most of it. It's actually kind of annoying but I think that if it hadn't snowed today (and I'd not been listening to "Merry Fucking Christmas" by Mr. Garrison today, I may not have bothered. I'm kind of glad that I did though, it was a good excuse to get into the corners of my living room with the new vacuum!

Here's the Friday Five:

1. Do you like to shop? Why or why not?

Yes I do. When I was younger, I loved shopping. I could live at the mall. As I've gotten older, I still enjoy shopping but I'm not fanatical about it. When I have something that I need to buy, I love to go shopping and getting it but I don't go hang out at the mall and wander around just for something to do anymore.

2. What was the last thing you purchased?

Groceries for Mark's dad on Wednesday night.

3. Do you prefer shopping online or at an actual store? Why?

Depends on what I'm buying. I'd rather shop online for music and books because I live in a small town and the selection online is better than in the shoppes. For clothes, I love to shop in person (although I have bought a lot of stuff online too). I much prefer to feel the fabric and try stuff on in the store.

4. Did you get an allowance as a child? How much was it?

I know that I did when I was really little but can't remember how much it was. I know that when I got to high school, my mum gave me the baby bonus cheque each month for my allowance but I had to do a lot of stuff around the house to earn it.

5. What was the last thing you regret purchasing?

The wooden screen door we put in last spring. Our side door is a non-standard size so, rather than order a custom aluminum door that would match the one we were having put in at the front of the house, we got this really nice wooden one. Given the fuss and bother of painting and having to get a piece of lucite cut for it (for the winter) and the way that it has warped a bit over the summer, I now know that we should have sprung for the extra for the custom aluminum door because we're going to have to go that route eventually anyway.

Yikes, who knew?


My life is rated NC-17.
What is your life rated?

Happy Tuesday!!

Well, we had a bit of snow last night. Not a lot, about 4 flakes I think. When I got up this morning, it was still dark outside and I could see a bit of the white stuff stuck to the car and the concrete. It wasn't anything major but it was a bit of a shock after the balmy, spring-like weather we had here on the weekend.

There isn't anything to really report today. I'm at work, gettting stuff done. It's been a pretty productive week so far and that feels good. So...given the lack of really juicy, interesting stuff, here's a quiz, have fun!!


Your Potty Scotty. You love the simple things in
life, like sliced bread. Can't get enough of
the sliced bread. You don't care whats
happening if it's bad. Brain Food...mm.


Which Garbage Pail Kid Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

It's Monday again, already. So far my week is going really well. I'm at work today but I'm having one of those rare, super-productive days. It might just be regular-productive but it feels "super" because I tackled a bunch of jobs that I've been putting off for ages first thing this morning. You know the little annoying jobs that don't take much time and aren't really a high priority but they still have to get done? Well I had a big thick bulging file folder full of them. The unit I work in had been helping another unit on an event recently so last week was the first week in a while that I had to focus on my own stuff.

So, did you see Michael Jackson's mug shot on the weekend? I know that you're supposed be presumed innocent until proven guilty but looking at what he's done to his face, it's hard to imagine that he's innocent. I remember when I was a really little kid, watching the Jackson 5 cartoon on Saturday mornings. I had the biggest crush on Michael. He was so cute. I don't know how he can look at the mirror and think that what he's done to himself looks good. His behaviour just gets weirder all the time. I'd like to hope that he actually is innocent and that no one was hurt in all of this but it all just feels really wrong to me.

Although it flew in a blur, I had a nice weekend.

Honestly, I didn't do much of anything except for vacuuming and doing laundry. Mark and I spent the best part of this afternoon watching the Simpsons Season 3 on DVD with the audio commentary on. What I love about the Simpsons DVD is that there is an audio commentary for each and every episode and they are usually pretty hilarious.

Tonight (well, just late this afternoon I guess), we were out for dinner with Mark's dad. We ended up at Montana's and a nice, quick and early dinner. It was kind of nice to be home before 6 p.m. I know that this all sounds really boring and lame but it's been such a nice weekend. We've been so busy lately that this weekend felt like a real treat. Hopefully, the rest of this year will be just as laid-back and quiet as this weekend has been. Here's hoping anyway!

I got a new vacuum yesterday. Mine is old, really really old. It belonged to my parents, is avacado green and has fake wood panelling on the top. It's an old Kemore that long ago outlived it's usefulness. It's been dying a slow death recently. Mark's dad told me to look around and find one that I liked. If I could find one under $300 he'd get it for me.

So, I've been shopping around a fair bit and found a Eureka Litespeed Upright. It's VERY cool (you can see it here, model #5744). It works SO well, it's insanely powerful and I'm a little disguested with the amount of dirt it sucked up from our carpets downstairs. I'm going to do the upstairs today. I was really impressed with how quiet it was. It also has that Hepa filter deal and a cool duster thing. It's an electrostatic feather-like duster. When you've finished with it, the vacuum will clean it. Too nifty.

I know that it's kind of sad to get excited about a vacuum but it is a really cool little sucker!

Here's the Friday Five:

1. List five things you'd like to accomplish by the end of the year.

- I'd like to finish up a couple of projects that we started around the house back in the spring but haven't completed
- I'd like to get my Christmas shopping done
- lose a few more pounds
- enjoy the two weeks I have booked off before Christmas
- finish the books I have piled up beside my bed right now.

2. List five people you've lost contact with that you'd like to hear from again.

Lisa M., Lisa L., Ryan P., Bill B., Leslie E.

3. List five things you'd like to learn how to do.

- play a musical instrument
- speak a different language
- build stuff with power tools (carpentry)
- bake bread without the use of my breadmaker
- stop my voice from going quivery and crying when I'm really angry (I'm the world's worst angry person!)

4. List five things you'd do if you won the lottery (no limit).

- quit my job
- hire a personal trainer to workout with me every day
- move to New York or New Orleans or London
- start up another restaurant
- travel (a lot).

5. List five things you do that help you relax.

- hang out with Mark, anywhere, anytime
- workout
- sleep
- paint my toes
- reading

Who can take a nothing day...and suddenly make it all seem worth while?

...well, it's Stewie, and you should know it, baby! This is the best news I've had in a while and it totally made my day:

"Family Guy" Reunion in the Works
By Lia Haberman

Victory may still be Stewie's.

The pint-sized tot with plans of world domination could return to Fox as the network considers resurrecting its animated comedy Family Guy.

Truth be told, strong DVD sales and not Stewie's heavily accented scheming are reportedly behind the move to reinstate the cartoon 18 months after it was yanked from the airwaves.

At this time, production of the dysfunctional family cartoon is "under discussion" according to a Fox spokesperson.

Calls to creator Seth MacFarlane's rep were not returned.

As many as 35 new episodes could premiere in January 2005, according to the Fox spokesperson, which would mark the first time a canceled series has been revived on the strength of its DVD sales and syndication ratings.

Fox head honcho Sandy Grushow told USA Today the series was a late-blooming phenomenon that may have aired before its time.

DVD and cable viewers have "created a kind of groundswell that could lead to better ratings," said Grushow.

Indeed, despite being canceled after only three season, Family Guy is this year's top-selling TV title and the fourth best TV series seller ever, according to Video Store magazine.

A DVD set released in April of the show's first 28 episodes has sold close to 1 million copies while a second collection of 22 episodes has already passed the 500,000 mark. Reruns of the show also rank number one among adult viewers on Cartoon Network.

Family Guy premiered to 22 million viewers on Super Bowl Sunday in 1999 and high praise from critics ("gloriously twisted" said TV Guide). Created by then 24-year-old MacFarlane, the show revolved around the dysfunctional Griffin family of Quahog, Rhode Island, including talking toddler Stewie who vowed revenge for being incarcerated in his mother's "cursed ovarian Bastille" for nine months.

MacFarlane had his stamp all over the Emmy-winning series, lending his voice to the roles of patriarch Peter Griffin, son Stewie and family dog Brian, while Seth Green and Mila Kunis played sibs Chris and Meg Griffin, respectively.

However, the series had difficulty maintaining its following as Fox bounced the show all over its schedule. The series was also the target of an advertiser boycott instigated by MacFarlane's former prep school headmaster, the Reverend Richardson Schell.

Schell convinced several advertisers to abandon the 'toon due to its alleged anti-Semitic, racist and sexist content after MacFarlane refused a request to change the cartoon family's surname. Griffin was the same last name as that of Schell's assistant, Elaine Griffin.

More than 125,000 fans fired back with their own online petition announcing their intention to boycott the network and its advertisers if the series was canceled, all to no avail.

Now, the last laugh may be MacFarlane's. Not only is the network considering reviving the sassy series, but earlier this year he revealed that a direct-to-DVD project featuring the animated Griffin family could be in the works for next year.

Sometimes, the weather just fits my mood.

It's rainy here today, and grey. Yucky generally. It's been a busy couple of weeks and I'm finally getting myself sorted out as far as life, routine, work, home and everything else goes. I don't honestly know where the past four months have gone but I'm shocked to discover that Christmas is just a little over than a month away.

Today, November 19, is my brother's birthday. Happy Birthday buddy, just think, in 4 months, you'll be 33 1/3!!

Wow, Friday already!! Here is this week's Friday Five:

1. Using one adjective, describe your current living space.

cozy

2. Using two adjectives, describe your current employer.

large
chaotic

3. Using three adjectives, describe your favorite hobby/pasttime.

relaxing
fun
educational

4. Using four adjectives, describe your typical day.

busy
long
rushed
crazy

5. Using five adjectives, describe your ideal life.

peaceful
relaxed
fun
exciting
rewarding

I'm really tired today. I didn't sleep much the past two nights. I was up and down a lot and having some weird dreams when I was sleeping. I've been kind of in a fog all morning, and it's been cold in my office so we are all huddled around our space heaters.

Anyway, when I'm foggy I'm bored and when I'm bored, I do quizzes!! Here is today's offering:


Cinderella!


What movie Do you Belong in?(many different outcomes!)
brought to you by Quizilla

My ankle is feeling much better today, I'm happy to report. I also feel healthier today than I have in about a week. I know that I was fighting some kind of bad cold for the whole of last week. I'm happy to report that I'm pretty sure I kicked it's ass!

The flu-shot clinics have started popping up all over town and there have been debates around the office over the pros and cons. Personally, I'll never get one again. In the fall of 2000, Mark and I both bought into the advertising and got one. That year, the local health unit was really promoting them. It was the first year also, that the shot was free and we thought, what the heck. We both work around a lot of people so why not. Well, I'll tell ya why not. We never get the flu. We get colds, sure, but not the actual flu. All winter that year, we felt blah. Just a real sense of malaise that we couldn't shake until spring arrived. Now, it's possible that it wasn't the flu shot but I'm betting that it was. Why else would both of us feel tired and kind of achey all winter long? We didn't get it in 2001 or 2002 and, aside from the odd head cold here and there, we were fine. I think that some folks think that the flu shot will prevent a cold. It won't and I'm not comfortable having something injected into me that I'm not sure I need.

The sun is shining here again today. I think it's kind of cold outside but I'd rather have it be bright and chilly than overcast, damp and mild.

I was up a little later than normal this morning but still pretty early. I had a stupid accident at work yesterday and twisted my ankle a bit so I'm hobbling around the house a bit this morning. I was supposed to go help my mum this morning (her church has a tea and sale every year and she runs the plant table) but I've begged off because hanging out in a damp basement would not be good for my ankle this morning.

I'm puttering around the house instead of working with her. I'm deadheading plants and tidying up, stuff I can do from a seated position. Mark dragged some stuff downstairs for me earlier to help me out. I feel like a bit of a knob but there's not much I can do about it except rest.

Something very cool happened this morning though. I was sitting on the sofa, deadheading my geraniums and I looked outside... a gorgeous Cardinal was sitting in our bird feeder, having breakfast. There were two squirrels sitting on the ground below (with a couple of morning doves), eating stuff that was hitting the lawn, and about a dozen sparrows buzzing around the Cardinal. She was running the feeder though, no one was messing with her. It was so awesome. I never thought that I'd get into a bird feeder but this is the second fall/winter that we've had it and we really enjoy it. I can not get over the variety of birds that live in our neighbourhood. It doesn't hurt that our yard has lots of trees in it either. I don't know why but whenever I see cardinals or blue jays out there, I just stop what I'm doing and watch them until they've flown away. They're just too pretty not to watch I guess!

Here is this week's Friday Five:

1. What food do you like that most people hate?

I don't know that there is anything in particular that I like that folks hate. I love a lot of different vegetables that some folks I know can't or won't eat (like broccoli for example).

2. What food do you hate that most people love?

I can't honestly think of any food that I hate. I mean, some foods, I won't eat if they aren't prepared the way I like them but I can't think of anything that I wouldn't eat.

3. What famous person, whom many people may find attractive, is most unappealing to you?

I don't understand the appeal of men like Fabio (or pretty much any of the wrestling guys). He looks like a lunk head and, quite frankly, I've always thought that he looks a little too much like Alf for my liking (sorry Alf!).

4. What famous person, whom many people may find unappealing, do you find attractive?

Although he's not a "traditionally handsome" man, I think that James Gandolfini is very sexy. I think he's the hottest guy on television.

5. What popular trend baffles you?

Low rise jeans and crop tops. The jeans make your ass look huge. Bigger than it already is. I have a big ass already, I don't need to wear a pair of jeans that are basically too small, to make my ass look bigger. Many girls who wear this combo end up with a spare tire hanging out between the shirt and the jeans and it just looks terrible, in my humble opinion anyway!

royal gala apples are still yummy!

weirdly, as I have typed here the past two days, I've been eating an apple..mmm...odd!

I'm still feeling sick but fighting it. I'm getting really sick of the headaches and zombie feeling that I've had the past several days. It bites.

I realized today that I have almost a week of vacation leftover and about the same in lieu days accumulated. I think I'm going to take them all together before the Christmas break. I'm really lucky because our office shuts down between Christmas and New Years. Also, this year, because New Years Day falls on a Thursday, we have January 2 off. It's looking like I'm going to be able to take a week and a half off before Christmas. I think that my last day of work for the year will be December 11. It'll be a nice break. By the time it rolls around, I usually really need it. I did it last year and it was very nice. Mark will be working but I'll be able to putter around the house and get us all ready for the holidays. I'll also be able to get our running around done, during the day when it's not so busy. It's his really busy time at work so he'll be able to come home and just put his feet up, should be good. It's hard to be thinking about the holidays already but they are coming up, fast and furious.

Royal Gala apples are yummy!

We've been eating a lot of them lately. I love this time of year, apple season. We're really lucky that we live in an area where you can find apples a-plenty. yum!!

Last night, we actually watched the Giller Award broadcast on Book TV. Now, I hadn't actually read any of the short listed books but I do listen to Sounds Like Canada every morning. Shelagh had a panel on, discussing the books and making wagers about the winner and I had joked to Mark, over dinner, that the show was being broadcast last night. I watched it because Shelagh had mentioned that she was going to be on the show and was going to be wearing a really pretty dress. Well guess what? We watched the thing, out of curiousity. I wanted to see what Shelagh was wearing. They ended up cutting her out of the broadcast so that they would have time to actually show the Giller prize being awarded. What a rip off huh?

So, other than being disappointed by a literary awards show (!??!), not much is going on this week. Work's really busy right now and I've been fighting a cold (I think it's the one that Mark had last week) all week. Yuck. Not fun. I can't get sick right now. Just don't have the time. So there!!

I know that technically, I'm supposed to be a grown up. Grown up people aren't supposed to love kids' stuff but I have to admit that I still love Strawberry Lip Smacker lip gloss. I've loved it since I was a little girl and I still love it.

Speaking of grown ups versus little kids, I saw a lot of little kids last night. I also saw more than one dad dressed up like Link from the Mod Squad last night. Many of the kids were "dead" last nigh, dead cheerleaders, dead skater kids, dead pajama party attendees, dead pop stars. Just dead. Last year it was Harry Potter, this year it was dead. I guess dead is easy to do. One little boy (he seemed like a bit of a thug, to be honest) was dressed up like Anne Shirley. He said, "betcha can't guess who I am!" to me. I told him that I thought he was either Anne Shirley or Blossom. He said, "who's Blossom?" and then "I'm that chick from PEI!" Sad but true, he knew he was an icon, just didn't know her name. I'm guessing he's not a fan of Lucy Maud Montgomery. I always love seeing 20 something guys carrying babies (I'm talking less than a year old) around on Halloween night. Like the baby is going to eat a bag of Doritos! The kids in our neighbourhood seemed to be doing okay. I noticed several dads carrying hockey bags around which seemed full.

After the shelling out was over, we went out for dinner. On our way home from the restaurant, we drove around the downtown area to see the "parade" of people. The Queen's students were out in full-force. We saw a french maid, a slutty angel, a dead academic (ie a guy in an academic gown with a knife sticking out of his head), a trio of slutty construction worker/girls, Elvira, and a bunch of hippies (some slutty, some not). Amongst the grown ups, slutty was in last night, slutty kitties, slutty devils. You get the picture I'm sure.

Today I'm sure the Christmas decorations are going up in the mall. I have managed to avoid going out so far today. It's been nice. I've been doing some cleaning and laundry. Typical Saturday-type stuff. Other than that, not much is happening today. It's the first day of November but the temperatures are in the mid-60's today. It's very odd. There are lots of dopey insects flying around. The squirrels are acting a little weirder than usual in our yard today too. Maybe it'll be a very late winter this year. I'm not complaining about the nice weather, that's for sure. The longer I can avoid shovelling snow, the better!