Archive for January, 2005
January 31, 2005 at 6:58 pm · Filed under Evil Things
I just got a phone call from a travel representative at the Ramada Plaza Resorts because I was demographically chosen out of 1000 entrees at an event I attended a few weeks ago. He called to tell me that I was chosen to receive a Florida to the Bahamas vacation package. My first words were an exclamed, “REALLY?!!”, but his hesitation in joining me in my excitement made me realize that this was not so much luck as it was my being a 24 year old single white female. He explained the details to me and slowly I realized that by securing a payment now, I would have a cruise guaranteed for me in the future, provided that I also flew down to Florida. He spent 5 minutes going through his little bit and then I got him to clarify the expenses. That I would have to pay on the phone right there and then to secure a trip I could maybe take sometime in the future. I realized at this point that their are two types of people: those that can make impulse (and I mean impulse) over the phone and those who cannot. I was one who cannot. He was going off about suites and spas and orlando and free car rental and I was thinking about plane tickets and medical shots and how much money I would waste shopping if I were sent down south. I was adding up how much everything would cost in time and money and before he finished his speech I had figured that it would be more than the “deal” I would get on this package. I could not do it. Damn him for making my heart race with thoughts of sand and turquoise sea.
I later did some googling and found some testimonies of these vacation packages at the Ripoff Report. I was right to think it’s a “scam”. Not just that they make you feel you are getting something for free, but they don’t tell you of your obligations to sit through several 2-hour long sales pitches for time shares. Still, I’m amazed at the alarm that rang in my head as I continued talking to the Ramada fella.
We are so used to people trying to rip us off that if someone actually wants to give something away, we find all the strings attached. All the contests, and sweepstakes, and sales, and surveys that you fill out to enter and win BIG… …they are not taken seriously because they have been abused. They are abused. Is there anybody who does not abuse them? Is there anybody who is really going to give something away for free. It bugs me that I don’t think so.
January 30, 2005 at 1:24 pm · Filed under Reflection
I’m at Noah’s and we were looking out his window at the rain. The window being at ground level, I saw small budding crocuses in wet rich dirt.
The season changes in Vancouver are so different from in Saskatchewan, it shocks me a little. The days become so extremely short in the winter, though it doesn’t register that it is winter because of the lack of snow. When springs rolls around in February, I feel as though I have hardly had to endure enough of the harsh winter rain. It motivates you but you wonder what has happened to your lazy, I don’t want to go outside it’s too cold time.
I guess the early flowers will motivate me to get my thesis work done as spring means summer is coming soon which means that my deadline is soon approaching. YIKES!
In other good news, our installation submission for NIME 2005 was selected! YAY!
January 28, 2005 at 6:55 pm · Filed under Random Thoughts
When I was younger I had this obsession with all things crafty, any kind of paper, pens, markers, glues, stickers, and tape oh especially that colourful tape that Mr. Dressup used. I remember having a friend with a “art corner” in her house and I was so jealous at the amount of things she had to make other things with.
Today I went into a stationary store and realized that this obsession stills lingers with me into my adulthood. I had to stop myself from buying bright coloured notebooks and star confetti. I imagine though, if I have a child that child will have an arts & craft ROOM.
January 25, 2005 at 3:09 pm · Filed under Dreams, Thinking
I had one of those long lasting fade into your morning dreams last night. I think the basis of it came from the Lush raffle I bought tickets for yesterday. The prize was the Northern Lights hatbox, a Lush gift box containing all sorts of soaps and goodies. I bought 24 tickets with $40 going towards Tsunami relief. The raffle box was close to empty when I made my purchase, with only 3 hours left to go for ticket sales. Still, even with my good odds, 9pm rolled around and I realized that they would have called me by then if I had won. Part of me was very stuck on the idea that maybe they were not calling the winner until today. That part of me came into dreamland with me. My dream was very hopeful in feeling. There was some party at my apartment, then another party down by a lake. Many people from my past came in at some point or another. When I woke up today, there were elements of my dream that were still very stuck with me. For example, I dreamt that I moved my apartment keys to another more accessible position on my keychain. Leaving for the gym this morning, I was surprised that I had not actually moved my keys - that had been only in my dream.
The question is: should I organize my keychain? Do dreams that seem to blend in so well with the real world hold any lessons for that world or are they just processing? Are they just my brain trying to organize what has already happened without actually producing any answers?
January 24, 2005 at 9:44 pm · Filed under Experiences
Adam and Noah just left with Daisy. The place feels lonely again. I’ve been detached from the responsibility of a small creature yet I still feel attached. After saying goodbye and closing the door I looked over to where her cage was. She left reminders in the form of hay and bunny chocolates but that will probably be swepted away before the morning. I opened my bedroom door to circulate the stale air in there, and then went to the bathroom and kept the door open (I had been closing the door before, as to treat daisy with the same respect I would give to a guest). As I sit here at my computer I can feel the temperature in this room slowly dropping. It is no longer being heated with a little furry heart-racing animal. All these things will slowly go back to normal and then having Daisy here for a week will just be a memory.
January 23, 2005 at 8:22 pm · Filed under I am feeling...
I am not meant to have a day off. Time off = lost and not being able to pick up after myself. It makes me question whether I have any will power at all. There are a million things that I could and should do but because I started the day off with relaxation and amusement, I cannot bring myself to do any of them. Countless times I have tried to review my life philosophies and push myself to reasons for being productive and creative. Countless times I have experienced days like this.
Days like this mean that tonight I must set my alarm clock. I must be up at the crack of dawn to make up for my time lost.
I DID clean the bunny’s litter box (it’s a daily task) and she has this thing where when I clean her litter box she must come and bite my legs and pull my sleeves. I want to know why the bunny is so protective of her waste.
I also think that I’m in the mood to travel. Really travel and learn. Maybe spend a few months in one place far away. Don’t know where. Just somewhere to grow.
January 21, 2005 at 10:33 am · Filed under Experiences
I am bunnysitting daisy for a couple of friends.
Daisy and I are getting along fabulously, well most of the time. Generally I let her roam around my apartment. It’s all available roaming space except for my room and table / counter tops. I give her parsley and carrots and (if she lets me) I pet her. She keeps me mentally stimulated.
Daisy knows when she has done something wrong. You can tell as for every move you make, she does the bunny bolt in some direction closer to her couch hiding place. The bunny bolt is a practiced rush, the bunnies fur and organs leaving the stationary position before it’s bones do. All the while it is keeping it’s eye on you, judging your possible anger at what it did. The first incident of this caught me by surprise. She had jumped across the table, over my laptop finding some function that I didn’t know of on the way, and onto the window sill. I came into the room, not being able to see her because she was behind the blinds. But, she knew she shouldn’t be there so she jumped onto the table, knocked my mess around, and ran to the floor then stopped in the middle of the living room. I said, “daisy, you shouldn’t be up here”. Five minutes later I made a move to get up and at the point I was lifted maybe 3 inches from my seat, she bolted.
I think she’s upset with me right now cause I made her go into her cage last night. But I was tired. It was 3am! She was letting tired me chase her around for a bit first.
When Daisy is gone I think I will miss her. Better enjoy the company until Monday!
January 18, 2005 at 11:08 pm · Filed under Random Thoughts
Have you ever noticed the shows and films about satan worshippers.. ..there’s always the worshipper that wears glasses.. ..ones with large frames and dark black or red rims.
always.
January 17, 2005 at 1:52 pm · Filed under Random Thoughts
It is raining today. Hard. The rain will probably melt the snow so I don’t mind at all. It’s hard to adjust to though. The other day I walked by Mum’s Gelato shop and there as a sign:
Close for winter - will reopen February 2nd
It’s all very confusing, but I like it. I am taking care of a bunny rabbit this week. It’s great.. ..it is scared but not scared of me. If I’m really quiet and still she will come up and walk all over me. Especially if I give her some parsley before hand. I must remember to take some pictures while she is here. Noah gave me a tripod for my birthday so maybe they will actually be focused.
January 12, 2005 at 7:44 am · Filed under Dreams
My clock is turning over to the next number today. I think it’s one of those old analog/digital clocks with the flaps that flip over, revealing the next number. Sometimes one gets stuck a little. Takes a few days to completely change over.
So I had a weird dream. I was driving drunk and the cops pulled me over and gave me a 5000$ fine. I felt quite humiliated and did not want to tell a soul about what I had done. What was worse was how I felt driving in the car. Completely out of control in my dream.
I’m thinking that it might be parallel to my dentist visit last Monday. I came out with 2 cavities and 2 cracked fillings in need of repair. The bill - around 325.00$ - I felt completely responsable for that. Maybe a little less candy and I wouldn’t be dishing that money out.
Today I am going to the aquarium (by bus). The otters will make my day, I just know it. More on things later.
January 7, 2005 at 1:05 pm · Filed under Random Thoughts
The snow is not too bad, probably because I know it will not be around for long. I laughed this morning because I saw a women carrying an umbrella. I have never seen that before - umbrellas for snow - but I guess it all makes sense.
Mind you, in Saskatchewan we didn’t ever really use umbrellas in the rain either so why would we use them at all in the snow?
January 6, 2005 at 11:52 am · Filed under Random Thoughts
It’s a snow day today. At least I have made it that. I tried to get to campus but there was some congestion on W 10th so I headed back home to fix some household congestion of my own.
Current contents in kitchen sink drain:
- rice
- silverfish
- coffee stir stick
- coffee grounds
***A note: coffee grounds do not help unclog drains. Apparently in this case Liquid Plumbr does not either.
The battle will go on today. I have taken this opportunity to clean / organize / and redecorate my space. If anyone has some feng shui tips to improve my focus in a home working space please email them to me.
January 5, 2005 at 7:24 pm · Filed under Evil Things, I am feeling...
I am back in Vancouver after 20 days in Regina (or about that many). I am tired, my place is a mess, my extra Christmas pounds are not needed in this mild weather, I have no more toilet paper, and the work is stacking up. But it all creates a lot of motivation.
I came home to not as much mail as I would have expected. I did receive an envelope from Canada Post, inside containing another envelope delivered from California by first class air mail. They say the envelope was found in a public place. Unfortunately its contents were cleaned out. It was supposed to contain 4 sheets of Don Hertzfeldt temporary tattoos; a gift for Jemma. Oh the pain. Why would somebody take them? I mean, okay, maybe I would. Still…
Then I just thought now - somebody out there may put these tattoos on. What would I do if I saw some guy walking around with Billy and his balloon on his arm??
January 3, 2005 at 11:04 pm · Filed under Reflection
My last night in Regina: Jemma and I were discussing futures, knowing, fate, etc. I came home and thought that it’s not so much that I’m wondering what the meaning of life is as I am wondering whether or not I am supposed to spend life finding meaning.
January 2, 2005 at 5:04 pm · Filed under Games, I am feeling...
I am technically not snowed in. I could go out and do things, see people. The blizzard came but it left (left huge piles of snow) and the streets are finally getting cleaned up. Still, I feel like curling up in a blanket and staying inside until Tuesday when I fly back to Vancouver.
So what can I do inside? Play Harvest Moon 64 on an N64 emulator. It’s quite dangerously addictive. My left index finger will not stop aching. I highly recommend the game, but wait until you have about 150 hours of free time and read up on your ergonomics first.
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