The Things I Fail To Understand

Baby - it's cold outside. I mean. I want one of those robber masks to sheild my face with. And yes I'm being a weather wimp if you want to compare me to the -40 degrees before windchill in Winnipeg - but it doesn't change the fact that -15 and -20 before wind are cold too and there are people walking around with their jackets open and others in shorts. I know they're cold - I see them shivering - so why do they do this to themselves? This is something I fail to understand.

There was a woman on the platform of the Bloor subway station. She was not a homeless person but she was dressed like a bag lady if we're talking about style sense. Yet in her hand rested a beautiful stylish bag that read: Bloomingdales. This is something I fail to understand.

When I walk to work - I get off the subway and walk through the food court of an underground mall. Every morning at 8am there's this man sitting there in the same spot. He has on a big fur coat that comes down to his shins where you can see his raised knee socks that have a red stripe and then flaunt his hairy legs. He's just sitting there at the same time every morning. He's gone at night. This is something - I can probably guess the reason - but I still fail to understand.

Same food court - not all but many mornings there's a homeless man sleeping in the corner. He smells. But then again - so does the food court - this strange burnt coffee smell. At night I walked back through there and saw these two young lovers making out in the same spot he sleeps and smells. I was aware of this. People shouldn't take these particular matters into account. They're everyday happenings. Why do i? This is something I fail.. to.. under.. stand.

But Would You Wear One?

Someone has gone ahead and re-invented the umbrella into the nubrella.
https://www.nubrella.com

Would you wear it? Possibly. But check out "How it works". That would never work with my "light packing" or "small/compact packing" strategy. Something I take pride in. I also don't see it covering the 'wardwrobe' attire from getting wet in windstorms nor do I see how people are going to be walking around with special wiper mittens to clean the front so they can see where they're going.

That said - Ironically I can see that people will eventually be walking around in these - and while I would laugh at the current moment - probably laugh and laugh and laugh - it has a futuristic enough look to advance eventually into something normal looking. Hopefully though, this is an instance where I'm wrong.

*****

I've got to stop making eye contact. That or I'm gonna have to create a coffee table book based on the elevator.Today I stepped into the elevator to travel to the ground floor to mail something.

FedEx Courier: Well look at you - walking around without a care in the world!
J: Yeh I wish!
FedEx Courier&J: hahahahahaha
FedEx Courier: So I guess you just fool people by smiling all the time
J: I guess

Sigh. Happy March.

Invisible Forehead Tattoo

There's a certain sign I sometimes wonder if I have on my forehead.

Today I was in Winner's picking out some gifts for my friends kids when a man stops me and says "Excuse me - I was wondering if you could help me maybe pick out some - um - underpants for my daughter... this is her jean size (hold up a small pair of jeans) and I'm just not sure what to do". I kindly informed him that I was simply shopping for my friends kids and really didn't know how to help him but wished him luck.
Later on my way out of the store I saw him at the help desk.

Yesterday I got a package in the mail from my parents. If you must know - it was some clothing items they decided to generously send me. Some tops I'd pointed out that I liked when in Montreal. So I'm on the elevator and weird 9th floor guy gets on and stares up and down at me and starts to speak.
Elevator Boi: So - you have a package there.
J: (glazed-eye look turns her head confusingly) "huh?"
Elevator Boi: (Matter of factly) That's a package. (points to parcel)
J: Yes it is!
Elevator Boi: (singsong voice) I hope it's not for work!
Now - I just didn't feel like sharing the contents of the package with a total stranger
J: Nope - it's not for work
Elevator Boi: (stares)Oh. (stares)(stares)(stares)
We finally arrive at a floor destination and that moment was over.

I have this stupid winter hat that I know is stupid. But it's the only one I have and so it was cold the other day when I walked/streetcar/subwayed to work and I wore it. So I'm walking home later at night thinking about my stupid hat (about how winter should be about keeping warm and not being fashionable) when this guy calls out from a cab "Hey! Nice hat!!". I turn and sure enough he was laughing and smiling at me from the frosted window that he'd rolled all the way down to stick his head out of. "Thank-you!" I call out with a sarcastic smile and a big thumbs up with the mental note to let my ears freeze next time.

(added note: clarification that it's not one of my many fashionable wear hats - it's a winter hat that actually protects you from the cold)

Random Thoughts and StreetCars

If speeding is such an issue - why is my car made to go up to 220km/h? Why are any cars made to go so far over the limit?

I've been in a pretty prissy mood all week. I don't know if it's that it's FAR-EEEZING outside - or that it's February blues time - or that I've been surrounded by what I like to refer to as "Stoopid People" all week - but I feel like a need a really good chill out session and a very very strong drink.

I wish I had a big space to practice my pirouettes.I wish nobody was living underneath me so I could practice TAP. I'm having trouble finding my balance in TAP.

I wish I wish I wish. As prissy as my mood is - This year I've been trying to be about positive thoughts. So when I feel down or negative - or start complaining about not being able to afford an iPod - or not having a huge place to dance in - I remind myself of how much I do have and how thankful I should be. Because I do have a lot - and I CAN still go to my dance classes. Even if I have to dig into the penny jar for them.

I got a little upset yesterday when I invited a friend out for some drinks - as we're going to a place on the same street as her office but probably a very good 25 minute walk from her office. She could have just said she couldn't make it. But instead - she said "I have no way to get there and I don't do streetcars. If it's not too cold I might walk". Huh what? She has a car that she parks near her work so I imagine she didn't want to look for parking furthur down King St but - hello - "I don't DO streetcars". I know she was just making a sarcastic comment and all but I just felt it was like.. well I don't know. One of my good friends is a really poor student right now and I've seen her juggle things like walking really far distances in the extreme cold or using her bike to get everywhere because she doesn't have money sometimes during the week to use the streetcar. Meanwhile the girl who doesn't DO streetcars - drives to work everyday and parks in a spot she doesn't pay for - and still has the option to use the streetcar. Yes they smell. Yes they're packed with people. I know.. ew.. people. But it provides the route from point A to B in which point B contains good people laughing over a beer.

I just thought it was a really stupid comment. I'm probably over politicizing it. Although it provided a lot of laughs for the day.

MSN Quote of the Day
Red: Hey J - wanna come over and play rock band tomorrow night?
Janna: Oh I dunno Red - It might be too cold to walk and I don't DO streetcars.

L.I.F.T.

On Saturday afternoon I skipped and hopped over to Hip Hop class where I proceeded to Hip and Hop. Yes. That was a very tacky sentence. But I'm not erasing it.

Anyways - I'd never been to this place for hip-hop before and I just kind of have to repeat this cause it's funny - to me...

At the end of most dance classes - when you more or less know the choreography but are still thinking about it and therefore your steps seem mechanical - all instructors love to tell you how you should just not think about it anymore... let it happen... enjoy it and embrace it and it will look so much better even if you make a mistake. Plain. Simple.
This instructor however, stops - stares at us - leans against the mirror, looks up for a few seconds... and starts talking about how we have to "LIFT".

"What do I mean when I say lift? Anyone? (silence) See... it's like this - we're born, we go to school, if we're lucky we go to college. We get a job. We pay the bills. We have kids. Then we die. Ok. It's like that. Born, school. college. job. kids die.
(repeats this a few times). But the thing is that in it all - you have to find the things that you enjoy in life. That make you happy. Those little things that give you meaning. So I don't want you all to move your hand 5-6-7-8. I want you to LIFT and enjoy it."

Now. He's right. But it was a really elaborate speech and I was ready to crack up. Tho it seems the message stuck. But I think he was drunk.

"I gotta get my body moving : Shake the stress away : I wasn't looking for nobody : When you looked my way" - Rhianna

News you need to know::
I was walking down queen st. west on my way to the rhino two fridays ago when I passed a hooker who stops in front of me and said "Oh my gosh I love your hair". Yes. It did look good that night if I say so myself. But. Yeh I was a bit taken aback and so I said thank you and kept walking.

Would the world really appreciate a Dr. House?

House is one of my favorite shows. Well.. not favorite but I really do enjoy it. Much for the same reason as many people which is figuring out Dr House perhaps. A lot of us love his quirky demeanor, bluntness and rudeness. Truthfulness. But would we really want a doctor like Dr. House? When we go to the hospital out of concern for a problem - we expect or hope for some kind of care shown to us. We are putting ourselves in these people's hands.

I have really screwed up feet. It's true that I haven't been very kind to them. I run, dance, rock climb, walk endlessly and I really really love fashionable high heels. But the truth is - I don't truly understand how my feet got so bad so fast. One day they simply became flat feet. Then the bunions, and two toes are starting to cross over. Yes, I wore a lot of heels in my early 20's. Not the best shoes. I climb. Climbing means tight shoes. I dance which is a lot of jumping and stomping. But is it really all justification for how in a few years it can make ones' feet so bad that they look like the feet of a 60 year old? Ok perhaps I'm exaggerating. But it's not comfortable. And it's incredibly incredibly hard to find flat fashionable shoes. Not so much in winter where they make all kinds of boots.... but the good fashionable flat ones... are upwards of $200! And in summer I feel pretty much screwed with sandals that ruin your feet and cute ballet slippers that give no ankle support or cut into my foot.

So naturally - I wanted to see someone for advice as to whether surgery to fix my feet is a option or whether it's advisable to wait longer. I also wanted to know why and how so much changed so fast! So my GP refers me to a doctor finally. I wait 8 months for this appointment. This appointment is part of a clinic and this clinic is ONLY on Thursday's and ONLY in the morning. I had tried to get out of it being on Thursday as I have an evening class therefore have to leave work a little early - and I don't really want to arrive at work late cause of this appointment cause then I have more hours to make up. But no wiggle room. Ok whatever. So I'll work harder. So finally the appointment day shows up and I really happy to finally be getting answers. I show up at the hospital at 8am for xrays - then go to my app't. I meet first with a very kind med student who asks me all sorts of questions and shows concerns and etc. Finally I'm going to meet the doctor. I'm sitting there waiting like 15 minutes in the very cold room by myself when finally he walks in. All attitude. Hands in his pockets. Leans against the desk and crosses his arms while the kind med student rambles in med speak for two minutes about my feet. So I'm thinking... "wow they must be more fucked up than I thought". Then the doctor who I waited 8 months for, took off two hours from work for, ended up being really late for my evening class for, paid $10.25 in parking for, and woke up even earlier for says "Well, you can either have surgery or choose not to have surgery". Um. Yeah. Thanks. That took like 15 seconds of your time. So of course my spoken reaction is "Um... ohkaay?" After about 2 seconds of silence he proceeds to ramble off the pros and cons of surgery which - yes are helpful - especially the part about the 30% dissatisfaction rate with this type of surgery but - my gosh speak a little slower? I have to remember all this. So I start asking questions about what causes feet to get bad so fast - is the surgery even advisable for someone my age - should someone my age wait a little longer for something like this - especially since I have pain but I can bear it for longer. After each question he gives me a shrug with some attitude still leaning against the desk with his arms folded with the same answer of "Well you know I'm not psychic. You have crooked feet. Either you have surgery or you don't." After the 3rd or 4th "I'm not psychic" - I lost my cool. And let me tell you - I'm not usually brave enough to lose my cool. I'm pretty shy in these situations. Where I proceeded to say "I'm not asking you to be psychic - I didn't make an appointment with a fortune teller. I made an appointment with you - a doctor so that you could give me proper medical advice!". There was a bit of a silence. An unsure look from the med student like "uh-oh". Then finally an answer that wasn't "I'm not psychic" - however - It was a politicians answer. Which leads me to believe that television has led to too many real life malpractice suits with a 30% dissatisfaction rate. But even if there was a 0.1% dissatisfaction rate - would I really want someone who seems to care so little - who says "Well there's a 2 year waiting list but it takes me an hour and a half" to do this work on my feet? I'm not exactly embracing him with trust here. However I have heard that these orthotic surgeons aren't typically known for their bedside manner.

Which brings us back to Dr. House. No. I can't say that in real life I would feel comfortable with one. In fact, it makes me think his patients on the show are far too trusting for too long. But... what do I know.

Singin' In The Rain - Trailer

Yes! We actually have a trailer for our theatre production! Put together by our fabulous director Alex. I thought I'd share it with you all as a teaser for the show. I'm in the beginning in the overhead circle and winking at the end if you're curious. Show opens Nov 22, 2007 and runs through to Dec 1, 2007. Tickets available online or by calling the box office at 905-877-3700.



On a side note I realize I dissappeared. I should be back in full form once the show ends. xoxoJ

He Likes Turtles.

I know I'm a few weeks behind with this. But it never ceases to amaze me at how the internet makes some things so famous. And funny. I need to think of something like this. Thanks Ger.

Overheard in a Bloor St. Bar

Person 1: OMGosh that's totally awesome where'd you get it?
Person 2: Shoppers. It comes in really handy when you need an impromptu colonoscopy.

Any guesses as to what they were talking about?

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

I wrote this yesterday - so i'm adjusting it for today.

Wednesday was International Talk Like a Pirate Day. I found this out about mid day. After hearing many people talk like Pirates. I then proceeded to look down at my ensemble and it seemed that subconciously I always knew this. I was wearing a black and white striped shirt, a hat, and a scarf. (I know.. at this point you're all shocked about the hat and scarf) AND.. pointy shoes. If the sun hadn't been so bright - I may have removed a lens from my glasses for effect. But for now we'll just call me a modern day fashionable pirate. Ahoy.

So if Wednesday was that - Thursday was definately Go And Buy A Lotto Ticket Day. In the morning I got pulled over for "failing to come to a complete stop at a stop sign". Now here's the thing. I always do stop at stop signs. I see people roll through them all the time. But I always stop. And yesterday morning - I saw the police car - and made sure I stopped. So I suppose you can imagine my surprise when she emerged suddenly from the car and pointed me to the curb. None the less - I pulled over - I even signaled and made sure not to idle my car. Handed over the license and all the papers. And said "I'm sorry Ma'am, but I believe I came to a complete stop". She informed me that even though I felt my car stop - my back wheels were still rolling a bit and that's how she can tell I didn't make a complete stop. I'm still not sure I buy it. But - she says "Well, I'm going to let you off with a warning. You are obviously aware of why I stopped you and you have all your paperwork in order and you've been very kind ...." and her speech continued for a couple of minutes about safety on the roads. Now - while I really appreciated not getting a ticket - especially since it totally was not a rolling stop - I also appreciate that in her speech - she mentioned that she was stopping bikers too. She pulled over three of them actually right after me.. in a 1-2-3-boom style. It was pretty impressive.

Bikers - While I appreciate their commitment to the environment, I curse at the fact that many (I will acknowledge though that there are some very good bikers out there) think the rules of the road don't apply to them. They think I'm trying to kill them but truth is I'm trying not to! I'm terrified every time I have to pass one. But they don't signal, they don't stop at stop lights or stop signs, they go the wrong way down a one way street, they make left hand turns from the right hand lane, they decide to shift into my lane suddenly without warning, and I really hate that so many bikers don't wear helmets.

But I think I went off point. The point was that I was stopped by a female police officer and DIDN'T get a ticket. This either disproves the theory that all female cops are mean bitches or it means I should run out and buy a lotto tix. For now - I'll just take the assumption of disproving the theory for some hopefully good karma. Especially since yesterday I forgot to get a lotto ticket.

Cinnamon Buns for Liza

I don't advise smoking and I think it's a nasty/disgusting habit. Yet, at 17 when it wasn't as important in my head - I was trying to be artistic with my words. Nonetheless - with a reminiscent post, came harsh criticism from my sister - who is a public health scientist - claiming that I was portraying smoking in a positive light - when the truth is I was trying to show the inside of the "goings on" of someones head. (And as a psychologist I think she should wonder about what goes on in people's heads as well) On the other hand, before posting - I did suspect she would probably have something to say about it. Sure enough, she emailed me and requested that I in fact change the words to my story. To describe the smell and flavor of cinnamon buns as an alternative. Whilst the art of my story is that art and I won't change the words. I will certainly write a story describing cinnamon buns just for you Liza. And note, I would never make a post like this for anyone else in the world.

Scene fades in on a girl sitting in an apartment.
Day one of her detox. She gazes at the surroundings of her aprartment positively nodding her head. "I can do this!", she proclaims out loud. She stands up proudly only to sit down again at the table and sets up her 4 week scheduled menu. Scanning though pages and pages of recipe books to find the perfect meals to eat as dinner and take for lunch the next day. Instead of falling back into the comfort of her sofa, she gets on the treadmill and messily writes out her grocery list to accomodate her meal plans. She stops after 30 minutes and has a thought. "I'm very proud of myself. This is going to work out. I will be healthy. I will feel better. I will work better. Oh - I'll need to incorporate flax seed into my breakfasts". Day two of her detox. She crams herself into the sardine canned subways to get to work. As the train reaches her stop, she steps off and finds herself suddenly sniffing the air. Her head cries in excitement "Cinnamon Buns! Oh it's been years! How I would love a cinnamon bun!" As she trots up the steps from the platform, she gets closer and closer to the bakery. Her heart is pounding. She can taste the cinnamon spice through the scent in the air. Her mouth waters. Anticipating the frosting glazed on top. The taste of the frosting - the dough and the cinnamon mixed together and being swallowed down her throat. She has a second thought that - perhaps she shouldn't be thinking this way about a cinnamon bun. After all, it's a cinnamon bun. But the bakery is around the corner now. Her footsteps approach and the bakery attendant, looking at her eagerly says "Yes?". The smirk on her face fades suddenly. "Oh mi gosh my detox! What should I do?" She slowly backs away. "Oh what have I done". Walks to work with her head down.

Day after day for five days... she passes by the bakery. Feeling headrush with each scent of cinnamon in the air. Even though she'd never noticed it before the detox. "Should I cave? It's the weekend now. Just one won't harm". She stands her ground firm. Three weeks pass. Just one to go. The seasons are changing. It's getting cold outside and the tip of her nose gets cold. Outside her apartment a new cafe/bakery opens up. They have cinnamon buns! "No!" She cries! "I've been so good!" She can't take it anymore and besides which she's freezing! She races across the road and arrives at the bakery counter NOT gasping for air - as she's been in better shape than ever over the last three weeks - The bakery clerk looks at her, "Yes?". She orders a large hot steaming cinnamon bun fresh from the oven with glazed icing melting over it into the corner pockets. She turns and her eyes scan the cafe wildly as she spots a rather new but comfy looking sofa chair by the window and sinks back into it. Slowly she unwraps the cinnamon bun eating it bit by bit. Savoring every flavor that touches her tongue and cheeks. Feeling the warmth in her mouth and down her throat. When she realizes suddenly - again - that perhaps she shouldn't be thinking this way about a cinnamon bun. But her nose is warm now. She is bundled in a sweater which is bundled in a sofa chair and is happy. "I am too happy eating this cinnamon bun - I vow never to do a detox like this again" she states to herself.

In what would look like the perfect final scene of a movie, the scene pans out as she gazes out the window of the bakery/cafe staring at the cars whizzing by on the busy street - where she notices in the reflection of the glass - a dirty blond haired girl in a scarf and a hat at another table - staring at her. Scribbling intently.
Scene fades out.

Jasmine's Dance Class

Yesterday I bought two very pretty scarves and a hat. It was a really warm day yesterday. Then it poured. Took eons to get to rehearsal. Because when it pours - it pours. And people. Stall.

But, by the time I got to the roads leading to Georgetown, the sun came through; yet it was the sunset - so I was driving through farm lands - and the sky was orange. Very very cool. And pretty.

Today is chilly. But it's a really nice chilly. I don't know what it is but I love fall weather. I love sweater weather. The air just seems much more fresh. Crisp. Refreshing. I love fall style. And I love wearing hats and scarves. Which I did this morning. It feels somewhat artsy-er.

Summer fashion is very pretty. But I've never been comfortable with summer flowers on me. I can't seem to work them the way I can work hats and scarves. On that note, I remembered this seague I wrote in college at 17. Well, the truth is I simply found it the other day. I was watching this woman in a cafe and was trying to figure out what was going on in her head. I actually started to write a whole story about her but stopped for some reason after three chapters. I named her Jasmine. Sometimes I can't believe the stuff I wrote. But I'll share it with you all today anyways. Regarding the end of it. It's not meant to leave on a sad note - as I am quite happy today. Have a great Saturday :)

"Sometimes you're there and you're talking back to me : Come the morning I could swear you're next to me : And it's ok : It's ok"

It was after her dance class that she walked into her favorite café. It was one of those chilly days outside. Those days that she loved. She was bundled up into her favorite sweater and her nose was cold. She leans back into the old beat up sofa chair. Sips slowly on her coffee. Trying not to let it burn her tongue which always sucked. The warm bitter sweet taste crawls down her throat. And there she relaxes. Relaxes about nothing. Takes a drag of her cigarette. She slowly leans back into the sofa chair watching the smoke she has exhaled; allowing the head rush to take over. Loving the feeling of blood moving all around her head and sinking back into her body. Sinking into calmness. Releasing her stress as she watches the smoke that she has exhaled float and vaporize into the air with fascination. Studies the other regulars and their lives. She just observes. On her voyage home, she replays the cafes scenes in her head. As she arrives home, she snuggles into the corner of her couch; still in the protection of her sweater which provides warmth and love. The smell that comes off the sweater is the cigarette smoke. Not the horrid overwhelming smell of smoke from a bar but the warm sweet faint smell. The smell that gives her a warm feeling inside. As she turns her mind to something else, she becomes lonely and hurt. Is missing in a world of memories.

The Language Café: 2

Sigh. That Friday Morning Bagels post. Well, the cafe downstairs in our office building, I think people have complained. In all honesty. The food is horrible and the prices just keep going up.

So today, I was down there for one thing or another. Perhaps a bagel who knows.. and there was a form at the cash saying "Owner is nice, food is good, price is good - Please sign". And the owner is the one at the cash. And even though he barely speaks english and never gets the price right and it takes forever to pay, he's still a very sweet smiling man. So when he pushes the paper in my direction - what do I do? The owner IS nice! But the food is horrible and the prices aren't right. Yet, I don't want anything bad to happen to someone just trying to make a living. But I didn't sign it. Partly cause he didn't notice cause he was figuring out how to use the debit machine for someone else. But not signing it; I feel like shite for some reason. It's a horrible way though to have to prove a point against a complaint if in fact there was one.

"Easy silence that you make for me : It's okay when there's nothing more to say to me : And the peaceful quiet you create for me : And the way you keep the world at bay for me : The way you keep the world at bay"

SO the first coat of color went on the wall. Um. Yeh. I don't think I like it as much as the sample piece. But there's nothing on the wall currently and I went from quite a subdued color to bright! Soooo.. I'll just wait and hang everything up and see from there. I was just somehow expecting the blue to have just a touch more of a grey subduishness to it. I think cause it's shiny bathroom paint it appears brighter than the FLAT look from the sample which is beautiful. Maybe a coat of flat over it? Naw. Embrace it Janna embrace it. Love it. Make it an ocean. Or something.

So - if you can spend the extra bit. Advice is spend on those $5 mini cans if available and test the color on the wall first. I'm sure I'll like it though when everything is hung back up and decorated.

UPDATE::: Second coat was applied today and it looks soooooooooooo much better. I feel so relieved. Happy. YAY!

Oh a side note - Congrats to VeddersGirl who finally met the man. Now I'm really bummed that I wasn't able to make it down there. I expect pics!

On a second side note.. Shana Tova to the masses! Wish you all the best for the year ahead. I'll be at K&J&J&J tonight. Just cause there needs to be another J.

Singin' In The Rain

I don't know how many people know this but I'm going to be in another community theatre production. This time it's "Singin' in the Rain" and our rehearsals started last Wednesday. I'm in the dancers chorus btw. Now, the first rehearsal is always a read-through of the script which - as a chorus member is usually the most boring thing on the planet cause there's nothing for me to do but read along. But - I thought personally it was all pretty hilarious. Carmen's rendition of Lina is priceless. I laughed most of the way through. Also, I think Alex our director, has a really good vision for the show. So I'm pretty stoked. We started learning our finale dance last night. The only worry I have now, is I'm not a tap dancer by trade, so I asked our Choreographer if we'll be reviewing the tap steps. But now I'm stragely worried she'll think I thought the whole thing went too fast (and I thought it was slow) and she'll stick me in the back of everything. But, that's probably just silly. She knew I couldn't tap when they cast me. Right? Oi. When in doubt, keep your mouth shut.

Anyways, the other problem is I have all the music constantly stuck in my head now. So after learning the finale dance, which is co-incidentally Singin' in the Rain, I headed home and went out later with Tamara, Lili, and Shirley for a drink at the Roxton, and found myself humming the song a lot. I think I was irritating them. So being me, I just kept singing. Tho I did stop. I do know where that line sits. But I promise everyone, I'll try not to do it too much :p

Doodle doot doo doo dee doo doo doot doo dee

Colour Update

Well, Tropical Splash it is! YAY! But, in order for me to explain that I'm not THAT easily influenced (Although generally I am) I feel the need to explain how I came to that decision. Truth is, when I posted the colours, in my head I already knew I was going to do the blue. In my lil' heart.. I WANTED the blue. I wanted to be bold and to be different. Yet, everyone in real life, was telling me to do the taupe. My mother, my sister, my friend sonz, my co-workers. (Yes, I obviously like to ask a lot of opinions.) So, still determined to find someone else who liked it - I blogged it. What do you know... I love all my readers even more now!!! (Thank you to all - even the ones who sent their hidden votes by email to say "Taupe") Then I proceeded to show the color to my aunt who's an interior decorator (i think that's the right term for her) and she said it was the blue without a question. So the deal was sealed and I picked up the paint. Now... to get it on the wall...

Speaking of colors, I got a new phone. What does one have to do with the other? Well, I picked up a pink razr. I did it cause I thought it was funny, cute, a bit of a different razr than the sea of razr's out there and yeh... it was just odd. And well, I love it. The color that is. I laugh every time I look at it. It's Pink! Bwah-ha-ha! But what I find weird is everyone who's seen me use my phone since is like "Your phone is pink?" And I smile and go "Yeh!!! Isn't it great!" and they just give me a weird look and repeat "It's pink". We nod - and then the subject changes. Which for some odd reason, makes me like the colour of the phone even more.

Colour-fully Yours

So - I'm painting my bathroom. I'm stuck between "Tropical Splash" and "Classic Taupe". Being that my actual bathroom has no windows, it's darker and so these are about a shade darker in there. But it's all white trim. Somehow not as shiny.. but definately white.

The rest of my place is YELLOW. So I'm just worried if I stick with the neutral colors... It will look - well.. it will definately look nice and make it easy to match towels and pics. But boring no?





Vote for you pick.. pleeeaaazze? (pics courtesy of BEHR Smartcolor Workbook)

I'm waaay too hyper to be at work today. Yes. We are at the brink of a long weekend. But I also got to bed before midnight last night. And so woke up early too. This is a shocker. But I was feeling really broken I guess after a full two weeks of late nights and sports and getting the bathroom ready for painting. Speaking of which - I've always noticed that due to some small things and the way they were done in my place, the previous owner wasn't a world class handyman. However, taking apart the bathroom left me a bit speechless. Those big holes and using molly's to hang up everything? I can kind of understand for the heavy cabinets. But certainately not for the plastic-ally light towelbars and little glass shelf. There's a proper way to do this stuff. And lord knows I'm gonna get my father right on that!

"To be despised, to be loved : To be dreamt of, to be sought : On the inside of I don't care : Right in the middle : I'm right in the middle"

If there's any show I hate on television - it's gotta be Dancing with the Stars. The irony is that I look forward to their casting announcements like no other. You know. For the giggles. And with Wednesday's release... I found myself slightly disappointed in the giggles department. They're running out of D-list Sublebrities. More sports people and supermodels. And yet another 90210 alum. No boy band dropout this year. Oh well.

Yesterday the fire alarm went off at work and it was going forever. The unspoken rule of thumb here is that we don't move until they make an announcement on the speaker system that it's either a test or that we should move our butts outside. Nonetheless, the sound is incredibly annoying. So I said to my co-worker sitting next to me: "I'm gonna turn off my hearing aids - can you let me know if they make an announcement". He's like.. "Hey.. that's not fair". Well Dave, life isn't fair. haha.

On that note. Hope you all have a great long weekend. Here's to the end of the light summer traffic.

And now for World Peace

News You Need to See:
Here she is in her glory.

CC:: (sort of)
"I personally believe that US Americans are unable to do so because some people out there in our nation don't have maps and I believe that our education like such as south Africa and the Iraq and everywhere like such as and I believe that they should our education over here in the US should help the US or should help south Africa and should help the Iraq and the Asian countries so we will be able to build up our future."

Friday Morning Bagels

It's the little things. I really used to like coming to work on friday's and seeing the friday morning bagels in the kitchen with cream cheese. It was yummy and perfect for friday mornings. Then the person who brought the bagels and took off from the company and so did the friday morning bagels. So now, if I decide I want the treat. I have to go down to our caf. Ordinarilly the only problem with this is spending two dollars but... the people who work in the caf don't speak english too well. This is a replica of my routine with them.

I'd like a bagel with cream cheese not toasted please.
I said bagel and cream cheese.
Bagel.. yes...
This one (points)... yes..
Whole wheat.. yes... this one (points again)
No the whole wheat one. Thanks.
No no no.. not butter - i want cream cheese...
Yes.. cream cheese...
no... not toasted..
No no no... stop.. I said not toasted...
Thanks..
(wait and watch and wince as way too much cream cheese is slathered on the bagel)
Pay at the cash.. different person to deal with..
outrageous price comes up...
No that's wrong.. it's just a bagel with cream cheese...
No. Not a western... No.. no tomatoes in there...
just a bagel with creamcheese..
Ok? Good. Thanks.
You have a good day too.

Sigh.

Perhaps I could do something simple like arrange to bring my own. But.. I don't eat a lot of bread. I don't keep it in the house. It wouldn't be a treat otherwise. Oh well.

I feel young but...

Today the CD turned 25. Not sure how much longer a life it has.
The other day the Nirvana baby turned 17. 17!!!! I remember when that album came out and the baby on it is 17!
Elvis died 30 years ago. Only just over a year before I was born.
The CBC Radio 3 Rewind best of the 80's podcast is replaying these radio, tv newsclips::

• From St. John's NFLD a young man named Terry Fox has started running and says he won't stop till he reaches BC.
• Unbelievable - they've just named the new dollar coin "The Loonie".
• Ben Johnson of Toronto has proved he's the fastest man on earth.
• This is a Cabbage Patch Kid. It's the run away hit of the '83 christmas season.
• 7-11 convenience stores are now stocking condoms for anyone at any age to buy at any time.
• Welcome to Skydomes opening night.

I also feel the need to mention the Pac-Man conversation Dan overheard.

If anyone was curious, my cabbage patch kid doll was named "Melissa Jane". She has a birth certificate somewhere too. I adopted her and yet, she's sitting still in a basket in her pyjamas in our spare room. I guess that says lengths about my motherhood abilities.

On.

On Reading.
When I went to New Zealand... I read a few books. My favorite of the ones I read was "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime". From there I made a note to myself to read books again more cause well.. I missed it. Reading books. Stories that cultivate ideas in your mind. When I was a kid I read so much! Ok.. so it was all along the lines of Sweet Valley High and VC Andrews but at least I was reading. Now it's like I don't have time. Too much and too many personal projects on the go. And when I get home at 8 or 9 everynight.. it doesn't occur to me to pick up a book. I did however start to read "The Life of Pi" a couple of weeks ago and so far i think it's fantabulous! Even tho a lot of people have told me they didn't like it. But that's the thing... if I continue now I feel like I'll have to start the book over due to memory laspes cause normally I used to finish a book in a day or two or three. I will find time for this. I will.

On Relationships.
I feel like the older I get, the more games I'm expected to play. Or figure out. But shouldn't it have been the opposite? Shouldn't it have been that games are played when you're younger and now there should be no BS? Do the single men left in Toronto really suck that bad? Everyone trying to play games with my poor little head.

On Dreams.
I've had some dreams over the last while. You know the ones where you find yourself standing in front of your school auditorium naked? Well... something like that. Except, I'm sitting in coffee shops, or auditioning or doing something when suddently I realize I'm naked. But unlike the latter dreams where I wake up in horror and think "Oh thank fuckin god that wasn't real!"... I'll ... while in my dream think "Oh! - Well, I guess I'll just find some clothes to put on". And while this is all sort of a haze of remembrance... there was a rainstorm while we were travelling between the two coffee shops and I was missing a shoe. I know dreams shouldn't make sense. But does this mean anything?

On Home.
I LOVE living downtown. I love my condo. I love that everything other than work - rock climbing, dancing, friends - are all within walking distance to me. It's really the perfect area for me and I say shame to the first agent I had who refused to take me looking in this area stating everytime and instilling fear of "But Janna... do you really want to drive that far to work? You'll be so unhappy". But above all, above everything... and i know this is going to sound silly... but since people laugh at me anyways.... I LOVE having my own laundry. It is the be all end all must have had and I can't imagine being with out it now. Words typed out here cannot even fully express my love for my laundry machine. Even though the dryer could dry a little faster.
Go ahead. Laugh at me. And yes... I actually do get out sometimes :p

"Trying to be someone else was harder than it seemed : But somehow I got caught up in between : Between my pride and my promise : Between my lies and how the truth gets in the way"

MSN Conversation Quote of the Day

Janna says:
i realize this may be kinda redundant a question but. why are some people so stupid?

A'nymous says:
Because they are not smrt.

Janna says:
i suppose that's a simple answer. does that mean my life would be easier if i was stupid?

A'nymous says:
But it wouldn't make my life easier. You wouldn't want me to go even more insane would you?

Janna says:
no i wouldn't want that. i guess then i'll stick to the hard life then.

Talk Thirty To Me

A couple weeks ago I went to see a really great, well put together show. I had blogged it but never entered it. Here you go:::

Part of this years Fringe Fest, Talk Thirty to Me is a play out of a bunch of interviews with a group of 29 year olds on the verge of 30, talking about what they've been through, their fears, and where they thought they'd be by now. Just about everything they said affected me. I have thought almost all those thoughts... and there's just one conclusion drawn, which is pointed out, I don't know that getting old is what we're so afraid of... we all agree that we wouldn't want to go back and be 25 again, but more that it just feels, we're running out of time.. there's not enough time to do all the things we want to do. There were many moments in the show where I almost cried.. and yet.. even though I've thought all these thoughts, the girl from Yugoslavia points out, we're so lucky, we're not wondering if we're gonna be shot a by a sniper in a war torn country everyday when we step out of the house. And she's right. So are we selfish. Anyways, I encourage you to check out the website for the show and synopsis.

Favorite Line: "I always thought I would die at 27, I never pictured myself older than 27, so on my 28th birthday, I was like, 'Wow, here I am. I didn't really make plans for this.' "

::: As a side note, this show is playing at the Hamilton Fringe till August 19 if anyone is going to be in the area. I highly recommend it. It's hilarious, aloof, fun, sad, and insightful all at once.

Related Articles: Globe and Mail - Calgary Sun

Memory

"What's your birth month?"

Ummmm? (Janna looks up - double checks the reference in her head) Ummm... umm oh yeh.. September.

Receptionist at Sephora entering me into their beauty insider system laughs. He speaks "Yes, everyone does that. No one seems to remember their birth month". Hmm. Why couldn't i think of it? I'm constantly reminded of it. Oh well.

Wii in the Way

Some of you know, I have a bit of a trip to work in the morning. However, the only truly annoying part of it is the left hand turn from Bathurst to Lakeshore. The light allowing the left turn is sooo short and waiting for it to come back is a full two minutes.. and so the left turn lane line up is sometimes looonnng. So sometimes, I go straight and around Queen's Quay back onto Lakeshore which is hypothetically longer but way faster than waiting for that stupid light. Anyways, that fleet of Wii cars, is what was in that left turn lane this morning. I understand they need to advertise and at least it's in fuel efficient cars (dual advertising) but why oh why do so many of them have to be in my lane during rush hour when I'm late? I just felt like noting that.



And no, no I do not take pictures while I'm driving. I was sitting and waiting and waiting for that same light so I could go straight to Queen's Quay... starring at the fleet of Wii cars.

Mark My Word

I was in Montreal last weekend where I always get asked by my mother to go through some old stuff. Naturally when I do so I get lost in nostalgia with a trip down memory lane. This past trip I cleaned off my old desk. And with nothing left on it, was the appearance of the plexiglass on top. So I sat down at the desk with a notepad and wrote the following to copy here:::

Life's Lessons
About a month ago I once again took a trip to Burlington to guest host on that show "Chat in the Hat". However, I was reluctant to post anything in part cause I didn't say much on this episode and so then I figured why would anyone want to listen to it. In seriousness though, I brought with my friend Lili and one of our conversation topics got pretty serious. About kids and how they are at 14 and 15 and how when we were that age we thought we knew everything. And so I thought I'd mention the episode.

I'm in Montreal right now and growing up an artist, I had a desk like this:


(click to enlarge and wander)

Wrote down all my little inspirations. Paint marks and drawings and XACTO knife cuts from framing all my photo work later on. Below are the notes of inspiration that I wrote at 14 or 15 - the ones faded from the plexi and not showing much in the photo.

(Shel Silverstein)
This bridge will only take you halfway there.
To those mysterious lands you long to see.
Through gypsy camps and swirling arab fairs,
and moonlit woods where unicorns run free.
So come and walk a while with me and share
the twisting trails and wondrous worlds I've known.
But this bridge will only take you halfway there.
The last few steps you'll have to take alone.
(/Shel Silverstein)

(John Ciardi)
The reason for the pelican
Is difficult to see:
His beak is clearly larger
Than there's any need to be.

It's not to bail a boat with-
He doesn't own a boat.
Yet everywhere he takes himself
He has that beak to tote.

It's not to keep his wife in-
His wife has got one too.
It's not a scoop for eating soup
It's not an extra shoe.

It isn't quite anything,
And yet you realize,
It's really quite a splendid beak
In quite a splendid size.
(/John Ciardi)

Ah 15. Why does it all seem so juvenile now?

Also if you scroll through the photo, you may or may not notice I wrote the name "Mark" a lot. So I assume that at some point back in the day I must have been madly infatuated with some guy named Mark. The ironic thing is, at this stage, there are a lot of people named Mark in my life but I can't for the life of me remember who I was scribbling about. Oh well.

:::: and I stopped writing there. Wandering off for the rest of my Montreal trip.

Toronto Traffic

Years ago, my friend Aaron was trying to convince me to vote for Mayor Miller. I tried to convince him not to. He went through all these reasons Mayor Miller would be good for the city. I didn't have reasons that he was wrong just a hunch of a very bad feeling. So my friend Aaron voted for the election of Mayor Miller, and then promptly moved out to Markham to enjoy a little home in a suburb leaving me with a Mayor that has been making me scream all week.

Our Mayor is a Knob. In fact, what an effin PNOK. I've never seen anyone make less sense or contradict themselves more. Even the guys I've dated are less confusing... and that's giving the guys I've dated way more credit than they deserve.

So, if you're not part of our fair city, which has depleted itself of all its reserve funds so that they can do things like revive an old theatre and narrow down Lansdowne, the big thing of the week was the vote to double the Land Transfer Tax on the purchase of a home. Which, is a pretty hefty penny to pay. While part of me feels that somehow people would have just come up with the money as they always seem to, it just wasn't right to put that extra burden on someone struggling to buy a home. (Even though there are arguments I'm acknowledging that the extra transfer tax is a small price to pay to keep property taxes lower) And so we got threats too. "If it doesn't go through, you will have 10% property tax increases, cuts to public services" and etc etc etc. The council defeated the mayor for the first time in a vote of 23-22. Close huh?

So now that there's no extra land transfer tax, the first cut was the 1.2million proposed renovation to Mayor Miller's office. Excuse me, but do you mean to say that had the tax gone through to help with the budget shortfall, it would have renovated an office? Not to mention the nice 9% pay raise city councillors gave themselves last year. They voted 22-9 not to reduce the percentage of that payhike of their salary from 88k to 95k. Or their free transit passes or their free golf club memberships which are all in place. The first cuts come here to the TTC. Funny. Just yesterday I was debating giving up my car and getting a transit pass and joining Autoshare. You know. To be trendy. No really - because giving up your car is really one of the best ways to help the environment. And with an autoshare lot right outside my building, I figured it could work. But the TTC is already a sardine can.. and my co-worker who uses it, saw the news of yet another fare hike and said, "fuck it.. I'm buying a car - it's cheaper". So here's to the environment. Cheers. Janna's keeping her car.

Which by the way according to my mechanic is like new after 6.5 years - cause of my prompt and regular maintenance.

They're also thinking of taxing club owners for people who line up on the sidewalk. Tomorrow I'm going to get taxed for sitting on a bench. I'm sure of it.

I could go on all day. In fact sometimes I do. I think it just bothers me so much cause I've lived in Toronto almost 9 years. And I've spent a lot of time knocking it. Cause I lived in the boonies where there wasn't much around. And now that I live downtown, I've been loving loving loving it. Finally understanding that it is a good city and there's so much around to do and a lot to offer. Yet everytime I look at the goings on around me.. I see that all falling to shambles with a city hall that doesn't know how to balance and budget and while it's not all the provinces responsibility, we have a premier who hasn't done much to help either.

And soooooooo... with that off my chest. I feel like I should say something remotely entertaining.

Oh!

Celebrity sighting! Degrassi fan? I know.. they're rare.. in my age group anyways. Tuesday night I saw "Snake" (or Mr. Simpson to the next generation) having a beer on the patio of the bar outside my building! It was very exciting. No I didn't say "Hi" or ask for any Degrassi prattle. I just went in and put away my pharamaceuticals that I had just bought. Apparently he's always there though. According to a neighbor. So maybe next time. Maybe next time my dears.

The Chin Beard

Friday afternoon after work I hopped along to the Brant house to meet up with "B" and expecting to find all the regulars that I see there... but it was just all a table full of guys. Six to be exact. Now normally this isn't a problem. In fact, normally it's a bonus... ding ding ding! But.. it's rather strange when you realize you've walked right into guys night out and they sit around talking about having a competition at work for who can grow and keep a chin beard for the longest. And usually, i find all these male conversations fascinating to my knowledge but.. ironically, i've heard the chin-beard competition conversation before. I've also heard the who can grow and keep a moustache the longest competition conversation before. So... there's some originality lacking in male conversations these days.

So Tamara called and rescued me and we went to see Knocked Up which my friends.. is frakkin hilarious. I loved it. I think Tamara was depressed by it. But really... why go there.

The rest of my weekend was incredibly strenuous. Picnics, backyards, pools, beers. Oh the horror. Hope everyone had a great Canada Day! Happy belated to Canada!

To the latest Pnok. Take care.

"People say to me it's best that we've parted : 'Cause you know I'm better alone : Don't explain to me how you're so broken hearted : I'm too busy mending my own"

"Honest goodbyes only work once or twice : They work once or twice : Then the rest must be lies"

I know I've mentioned before about people using blackberries on the elevator in my building... but i'm starting to feel left out. I guess cause I don't have a blackberry myself and feel rather odd when I'm the only one on the elevator NOT twiddling my thumbs. But I still have to laugh. This girl the other day missed her floor on the way up. She was so caught up in whatever she was txt'ing that the 4th floor came and went before she looked up and said "oh shit - fuck". How I managed to keep a straight face all the way up to my floor is beyond me. I'm usually not very good at this.

I also once complained about the lights being off in the washroom on a Monday. Well this is a Quasi-Monday.. and the lights are off in the work washroom again. I understand the rage with save the environment but really... seeing when you're peeing has many benefits.

Oh.. that's something that I've been thinking about lately. Saving the environment. Going Green. How suddenly - it's "trendy". Why did it have to become "trendy" before people took notice? It's not so much that I don't doubt that people are generally taken more of an interest these days... but advertisers are actually using those words. "Well, it's trendy to be green so we're aiming our ads at that population". Suddenly condos are being built to cater to the "trendiness" of being green. Hotels are becoming equipped to be more enviromentally friendly cause as they say - "they see a trend". I think it's great that condos are being built to be "green" and that hotels are upgrading and roofs are becoming green - which is really great by the way.. just why did it have to be "trendy" before people took notice?

Being enviromentally friendly was also going to get me started on bikers on our city streets. But I'll save that for another day. Lunch is now complet.

He Likes Big Butts

I know I ain't posted and there's a lot to catch up on. But.. I have to comment on this years Canadian Idol. Normally I don't watch it cause a) it's right after American Idol finishes and by that time I'm sick of it - and b) well.. reason A was good enough. However, upon hearing that they're allowing contestants to audition with instruments this year, and the fact that absolutely NOTHING else is on... I decided to tune in and I'm glad I did. It was a fabulously entertaining audition process with a lot more authentic artists. You can argue that it's unfair for them to audition with instruments but then, you would never ever see this...



He didn't make it to the top 22 unfortunately. In fact, I'm not sure where he got cut, but so far I'm hooked for the summer

Obnoxious Much?

Revenue Tools. Uh huh. That's what they call it. It was voted sometime last year that Toronto now has the right to implement whatever laws they want now without getting special approval from the province. This is otherwise known as "The City of Toronto Act". So, being that our fair city knows how to waste money, it's claiming it's broke. It claims they don't have enough money. This is after auditors have found that there's an incredible amount of personal spending and expenditures at city hall. Gifts such as SUVs given as incentives to employees. Councillors who work at Queens Park with a generous salary paid partly by moi, are given free things such as bus passes, golf club memberships, year round passes at the zoo and other little perks. I don't doubt their phones are paid for too. I don't understand why someone making six figures gets a free metropass and golf club membership at the expense of MY little salary - that they can't afford it on their own but I digress... this is supposed to be about 'revenue tools'. So now that our fair city claims to be broke, our mayor is proposing to tax us up the ass on everything citing the taxes as revenue tools. Here's the list.

Cigarette Tax - 5% tax increase - ok I'm fine with that one..
Movie Tickets, Sporting Events, Live Theatre - 5% tax increase
Road Tolls - Congestion Tax - Pricing TBD
Parking - Downtown Core - $100/stall per year to owner
Vehicle Registration - $40 for each passenger
Property Land Transfer - at least 0.5% interest increase
Outdoor Billboards - Varies

Pretty much everything. Also, not on this list, there has been a proposed tax for garbage as well. As in the amount you can put outside your home which i'm sure makes big low income families feel great. Here's the thing that's kind of amusing.. while of course I oppose all the taxes, everyone whined about all the taxes but when taxes on booze was announced, the city went crazy, petitions came out, rallies started happening... people are down at queens park shouting. I know booze is already heavily taxed as it is but you have to see the irony of not getting between a man and his booze.

Anyways.. I oppose to all the taxes cause it's hard on my wallet which ain't getting fatter. That being said, I am aware of other reports stating that Toronto has some of the lowest housing taxes, and in other cities they already pay more taxes to park and road tolls. Also I'm aware that everything goes up and nothing comes down. But it seems that everything is going up much faster these days. Certainately faster that anybody's salary which experts admit - there's no level there. Yet.. my problem is that I don't see taxes - or revenues tools - as the solution to the problem. There really should be another way.

Lick N' -- Hein?

Everytime I hear the phrase "Internet Cafe", I picture some warm looking place decorated in wood with couches and computers and expressos all around. A real comfy loungy/library feel where you can work on the comp. However, everytime I walk into an internet cafe, it's a room with flourescent lights and rows of computers. Some of these places do in fact serve coffee but not many. However, a few weeks ago I was driving in the east end of the city and I passed an internet cafe that looked exactly what I thought an internet cafe should look like. However, get this... it's called - "Lick n' Click". Now, maybe it's just me but does anyone else see anything wrong with that?

My friend asked me the other day why people blog. I was really busy and ignored him and so.. sorry for that. But the truth is - I have no idea why the hell people blog. I only have a vague idea of why I do and so I'll share that. Even though I'm not so sure. I guess you could say that this is not the 'creative writing' that I do on the side with songs and poems and stuff... but I really do like to write a lot - and sometimes I'll find stuff years later that I wrote before and sometimes feel bad when I made a good point yet, kind of like a tree in the forest, it doesn't exist cause it's been sitting in stacks of paper or stuffed in a shoe box on the edge of a napkin. I guess in part, I feel like I'm talking to someone even if sometimes it feels like thin air - and perhaps getting another opinion response or POV - which is fun.. and also.. i don't have to look through file folders or shoeboxes to look back on what I've written. It's all there. Of course.. sometimes it does feel weird that I've allowed my point of views out there for the world to see. But I also happen to know that I only have about 7 readers max. As well... ironically the two top search terms that land people on my blog are #1 - Earpulling - usually out of Asia - lands them here in august 2005, and #2 - Elvis Stojko - lands them here in august 2006. It does strike me as slightly odd that those are popular search terms but.. who am I to judge. There was also once a search for "Hot girls at WEGZ" - which landed them here last october.

In celebrity sightings of late, well... i guess this is a pseudo one... I was standing outside the banknote with my friend Jamie a few weeks ago when he says "Hey how's it going?" to this dude standing near us who to me, looked like a bouncer for the bar next door. So I figure they know eachother and the dude is like "Oh you know, keeping a low profile how about you?" They shook hands, I nodded at the guy and then he left when his friends showed up and then Jamie says, "That was Ben Johnson". I'm like "what?!" Apparently they'd never met before. I would have never been able to pick him out on the street like that. But according to the know it all, you can usually spot him downtown on King St. In the same suit none-the-less. Oh and he's short. I know... it's not as exciting as when I ran into Goldie Hawn - who - hasn't been a search term landing here even though her husband was.

A Matter of the Mondays

This is why Mondays should be Illegal.
Yesterday early morning there was an underground subway accident killing a subway maitenance worker closing down part of the Yonge subway line.

This flooded the streets with people becoming animals ready to kill each other forcing the police to shut down parts of Yonge street diverting heavy traffic to other already heavy traffic routes.

Lakeshore, my route to work, a water main broke putting the "lake" in Lakeshore. No joke. A river.

There were 4 accidents on the east 401 which resulted in a closure of all lanes at a certain exit.

There was this crazy ass thunderstorm in the afternoon with high winds that collasped many things.

A building collapsed in Thornhill which caused many power outages.

Had enough?

To top it all off - the lights weren't working in the womens washroom at work. How's that for difficulty.

On the bright side. Monday is over. Hello Tuesday.

"Where is the coastguard : I keep looking each direction : For a spotlight, give me something I need something for protection"

News you need to know::
You can now get your very own Alec Baldwin ringtone. You can get the full version or just the line "You are a pig". Or something like that. This is the latest and greatest of technology.

At work we're having a "Make the worst mix tape ever" contest. I'm going to win.

Last friday night i had a craving for chocolate and I made a whole chocolate cinnamon cake. It was really good. I'm craving it now again. Darnit.

I haven't been blogging cause I've been on Facebook

It's addictive. You all know that. You all know why. You've all been just as nosy as I have. So I'll stop at that. Moving on.

Speaking of other things you all know (I think I'm up to seven readers now) - I haven't written in a long time. Part of it could be the above mentioned. Part of it is not even pondering what to say but it's really taken me that long to finally get settled back into my life. Even though people travel for way longer than I did, I think when you take that much time off from your life, it has a strange effect on you. One that makes you feel weird but one that you want to hold onto. I guess my month in New Zealand, I took a big giant step back from my life, and just thought and thought about everything in it. While not totally thinking about it cause there was a lot of partying going on too. There was no stress. I was just free to do whatever I wanted. Every person I met, it was a fresh meeting. It wasn't the same people I pass by and talk to everyday who almost don't see me anymore - or hear me. I'm referring to changes. And how you get subdued into your everyday world.

And so I got back here and everything was the same. Almost as if I'd never even left. And all everyone around me seemed to talk about was work. Not that there's anything wrong with that. And so I tried to find all this change within myself that I discovered out there - and bring it back with me here... but have I been too busy?

Busy on facebook maybe.

So at last - like a month and a half later... I'm being happy in the city again. Started up with a ballet class to get my flexibility back in some kind of shape... I haven't taken a dance class since I got rear ended last year.. and I've been running 3x a week with Brendan.. .yesterday we went out all the way past ontario place which is good and great.

Also this - is very exciting to me... no one else thinks so - so it makes me want to mention and detail it even more... I had a very embarrassing moment in San Diego... For those who've known me long, know I have a pair of Birks that are 14 years old and in pretty sad shape. So I walked into a Birks store in SD to look at some new ones when the sales rep screamed out "Oh my god I've never seen such a sorry pair of birks in my entire life". I turned red naturally - explaining their history and politely tried on a new pair before rushing out of the store with my sister laughing behind me. The condition of the birks only got worse in NZ where I was ready to toss out 14 years of history when beautiful Erin told me about this little store at Yonge and Bloor that would save the old leather and give me a brand new birks sole. And so that's what I did. And I have them back now with the leather all broken in already looking good as new. It's really truly exciting. To me. Here's to another 14 years. CHOICE!

I know. This is what you've all been waiting so long to read.

Thanks to ReeD for making a comment on a really old post. It inspired me to stay here on my ass at lunch time and write today. I'm kinda surprised though that you read that far back. Nonetheless as a thank you I will send you a list of Montreal activities, eateries and sights. Very excited for you that you're going there.

Okie dokes. Catch you all later.

Janna Goes to Parliament

So one day in Wellington (New Zealand) I went and took a tour of the Parliament building. The tour is really good and learned a lot.

The Beehive - Named so cause it looks like one.


Parliament Library

What most tourists don't get to see, is the inside of the Beehive. And their exclusive bar. Lucky for us, we had an insider working there - who took us on her own tour....

From the inside of the bar...


Me, Erin and Sara.

Things that made me go Hmmm..

There were many signs and things that I saw in New Zealand that made me go Hmmm....


Hmmm.


Phew!


We're not that Different.


Hmmm.


Hein?


I was inspired.



Mirky - Look what's on Erin's wall.



They need a car to match.


Enough choice?


Café le Cupp - with two P's? This is comparable to Caffe with the accent on the F - as well as an advertisement for a breakfast reading Ala Cart.

San Diego End Notes

I'm working my way up to those New Zealand pics. Right now, I thought I'd add in the end of the San Diego trip. My last day was actually a wonderful day. We went for breakfast and then found the most amazing thrift shops in La Mesa where I found.. you guessed it.. the most amazing pair of shoes ever for $7. I should have taken a picture of them. But Liza is going to mail them to me.. cause I couldn't pack them.. But they're awesome.

Then we proceeded to drive - as opposed to climbing - which you can do - Mt. Helix. There's a big cross at the top - but it's not in these photos.


On the top of Mt. Helix they have this sort of stadium... where bands play - and where you can sit in stadium style. Again - my point and shoot camera does no justice.


And then Liza and I ended it all off with touristy type shots. San Diego was a blast. I would go back any day and any time. I miss you Liza.