Holy Crap! My Blog Still Exists!

I'm going to start by saying I have no idea how to post things anymore. I had written an entire post about nothing, complete with links and rambling, then the link wouldn't appear, then the spell check didn't exist, then the spell check didn't work, and now my Windows 8 experience is pissing me off.

Http://marawilsonwritesstuff.com/ is the link I was trying to share.

I should probably put that into context.

I hate watching television, movies, movies on television, etc... However, I am the only person in my household that feels that way. Our television is always on. To pass the time, instead of actually watching whatever is playing, I'm usually doing Google searches on the actors and actresses I do or don't recognise. Mara Wilson was one of them. I'm not going to go into what we were watching, or who she was, but now she writes, and I enjoy it. I was reading her blog, and then remembered that I had a blog once.

I tried to log into it. I failed. Apparently I misplaced my web address, username, password and registered email address. Then I tried to Google it for clues. Despite my overwhelming fame and fortune, Google returned no relevant results.

Eventually I figured it out, an old email address and the magical "forgot password" link. Now here I am, blogging away.

Or not.

Apparently I have nothing else to say.

Except that as I tried to preview this, my internet went down. Or not. I disabled my network connection?

John gave me a new laptop for Christmas. It's very pretty, comfortable, and doesn't get hot. It also came with Windows 8 which is in no way what-so-ever laptop friendly. So far I've managed to unknowingly turn off my touch pad, disable my Wi-Fi, and every time I try to move the cursor, it switches applications. I realize that it's not all Windows 8, or even the laptop. I'll figure it all out, sooner or later. Probably later.

I Really Love That Song.

I just spent 20 minutes typing some mushy crap about friends and relationships. I stopped to read over it, and I found myself wondering what the hell I was whining about.

So... I deleted it.

I love my friends.

I've found myself to be in a pit of nostalgia that I can't seem to climb out of. Maybe it's because in the past three months, I've spent more time concerned about my health than I have in my entire life.

I've learned something. Either I am very much mortal, or being immortal is a cruel thing to not know about.

I had my second baby back in January. My pregnancy seemed to go on forever, and every time I went to the doctor there was some other could-be-complication with the baby. In the end, despite statistics, Isabel was born a perfectly healthy baby. However, my placenta had grown into my uterus, and during the removal, I almost bled to death, depending on who you ask. Seeing as I was very much unconscious at the time, I can't really say for sure how near death I was.

The experience left me feeling rather lonely. Everything went on as normal, which surprised me. I don't know what I expected to change, but I felt like something needed to change, or was supposed to change.

So I've been reflecting a lot, re-establishing (or trying to) relationships that I let deteriorate over the years, and letting go of the more toxic parts of my life. This rant is getting heavier than it was meant to be.

Nostalgia. Right.

I've found myself to be driving more, with the sun making an appearance and all. I miss just getting up and going, no where in particular, but watching intently along the way. It's a little harder to absorb everything when you're the one driving, but I keep thinking all find something. I don't know what it is I'm looking for, but it's out there somewhere, on the side of the road. I only hope it's not road kill.

I listen to the music I grew up with. I don't find myself really liking anything that's been released in the last decade. I'm sure there are exceptions, and I'm sure there would be more if I could actually bother to go looking for it, but I just can't get into it.

I want to pick up my guitar, but I'm waiting for the right moment, when I can just play for hours, because I know I won't want to put it down.

Anyway, if you're wondering if I ever think about you (and I actually know you), chances are I do.

The $215 Fee Includes 45 Days of FREE Insurance.

It's been forever since I've had anything to say.

Today, I took it upon myself to insist on opening a box of KD using the "push tab" on the side of the box. It didn't happen. I broke a nail, and the box seemed to be super-glued shut on top of it. It was an unpleasant experience, though once I actually got around to eating the finished product, I remembered why I keep buying it. KD has a comforting effect that few other foods provide for me. Lipton's Chicken Noodle Soup (in a box), and BK's poutine also have this effect on me.

AQFAMOT: Day... Umm... Part 2.

This past Friday and Saturday, we (my family) took our first giant step in purchasing a vehicle. By this, I mean we actually got off our bums and went outside.

We spent the day in the Ottawa area, where we started our adventure at a GM dealership. We walked around what we thought was the single row of used cars, all of which were Buick, but it wasn't until we found the Pontiac's that a sales rep actually came out to meet us.

We didn't actually test drive anything at this location, mostly because it was my first car shopping experience, and I was nervous. However we did take a look at a few cars.

Pontiac G5 (2006?) - Mediocre unloaded car, with tiny passenger space and roll up windows. Some warranty. $10k

Nissan Alitma (2005?) - Mostly loaded, quite comfortable, ABS, sunroof and heated seats. No warranty. $11k - 60 000km

Pontiac G6 (2005) - Fully loaded, super comfortable, some rust on doors (not sure about underneath) No warranty $9k - 60 000 km, suspicious. Based on these 3 cars, I would have bought this one, assuming it all checked out.

Next Stop - Jeep/Chrysler/Dodge

We didn't see anything worth looking at here, though it did put us in view of our next stop...

Unimportant Sleazy Street Corner dealer (I don't actually remember what the place was called) We saw an Elantra with obvious accident damage (dents and paint issues) and an Ion that left too much to be desired, both with nearly 200 000 km on them, no options, and $10k.

Next Stop - the bus. We concluded our Ottawa tour here... or did we...

On our way home, we did stop off at Ford dealership, which is really what we wanted to do in the first place, and we spent more than a few hours here.

Cars that caught our attention:
2005-2006 Ford Focus, wagon, hatchback, and sedan, all of which left me unimpressed.
2005 Saturn Ion. Two thumbs up for the price.
2007 Ford Fusion, easily the best car I've seen yet.

I test drove 2 of these cars.

The Saturn Ion. What a headache. Not the car, but the sales rep. I was impressed with the price because it was well within our decided price range (the car was $8000), upon sitting in it, I explained to the car dealer that I was looking for something with ABS, which I knew the Ion didn't have, much to my surprise, he told me it did. I asked him to make sure, so he looked under the wheel, and then under the hood, and then confirmed that it had ABS. Maybe I lucked out? Not likely.

We walked over to the Fusion, started it up, and it made some less than impressive noises. When I asked what the problem was I was told that a) all Fusions sounds that way, and b) that it would be fix upon pickup. Not impressed, but overwhelmed by the overall awesomeness that is the Ford Fusion.

Back to the Ion. We took it for a spin. Not overly impressive, but it did everything a car should, it drove, it stopped, turned, handled well, had a bit of pick up, and for the price was 100% awesome. Upon return to the dealership, we decided to make an offer, where we started talking to some other guy, who reminded us that if the car had ABS, there would be an ABS light that turns on when you start the car.

Back to the car. No ABS. I knew it.

The ABS wouldn't have been a deal breaker, it was that we were lied to that turned us off the car.

Lets test drive the Fusion.

Orgasm on wheels is all that comes to mind. Comfortable and easy to drive, as far as I'm concerned, this may be the best car ever created. I wanted it. It wasn't until the guy pointed out that if we're not going to buy it, that he wasn't going to have it looked at that I was a little suspicious.

We left.

Saturday, we started with GM, where we decided we liked the Pontiac Vibe ( I feel like at this point that I should mention that my friend drives a Pontiac Grand Prix, which I might love as much as the Ford Fusion). I'm developing a preference for Pontiac. Leave it to me to choose the extinct. Out of our price range, we moved on.

A different Ford dealer ship had a single Ford Focus to offer, overpriced.

Saturn, which we almost didn't go to, is where the magic happened. Greeted by an awesome sales rep, who was awesome with my daughter (bonus point), we told him exactly what we were looking for, and he brought us to exactly what we were looking for, no recommendations to spend a little more over a longer period to equate to the same monthly payments (more bonus points), no gimmicks. He recommended the Hyundai Accent, which put us exactly where we needed to be, with everything we wanted, and we went to look around the lot.

Always reluctant to do what I'm told, we decided to test drive a 2007 Hyundai Elantra, and a Pontiac Pursuit.

The Elantra came first. At this point I've taken the Fusion off my list of comparable cars, because I won't buy any other car if I don't. Upon sitting in it, it gets points for being comfortable. Really comfortable. I'm tall, and it had lots of room for me, and then some. The controls are easy, and everything is where it should be. Ample storage, with your classing glasses compartment over head, a storage compartment over on the dash over the radio, another one under the radio, and a huge one in the traditional between the front seats position.

It was also loaded with other options (heated seats, A/C, Cd MP3, power everything) All of the lights, signals, cruise control were exactly where they made sense to be. Incredibly easy to drive, I could see myself driving it comfortably for hours upon hours. Thoroughly impressed with the overall ease of this car, I think I made my decision at this point.

Into the Pontiac Pursuit. Fun little car, not built for the tall, horrible seats. Lots of pick-up. If I could have taken the seat out of the Elantra and put it in this car, it would have been a definite yes. However, I think I drove it for 5 minutes before my back started to hurt.

Time for lunch (or so I told the dealer), already certain that I wanted the Elantra, We decided it was time to test drive a Kia. On a wild goose chase, we managed to find a Kia Rio and and Kia Spectra to test drive. The Rio was better than I thought it would be, quite comfortable, ample trunk space for a hatchback, and much quieter than I expected. My issue with this particular Rio was that it had a billion kilometers on it (140k actually, much more than the average of 60k we've been seeing), it was literally brake pedal to the floor to slow down. Assured once again that this would be fixed, we tried out the Spectra. The Elantra knock off lacked in the comfort and charm department, and without even leaving the lot, I was unimpressed with the breaks. These breaks made a lot of noise. For $800 less than the Elantra, we decided that it was time to go back to Hyundai.

After taking it for one more drive, we put in an offer, and that is where we are right now.

Today we find out if we can manage it, and if the recall issues that I just found out about have or will be rectified.

OMG WTF??? - BRB - Seriously?

I'm certain that's the context of at least a million IM/Texts right... now.

I don't get the Twitter thing. I sort of get the facebook thing.

I sort of feel like I'm forcing this post. I feel like writting, but I can't really think of any words. If I wrote what I'm feeling, it would go like this:


sajdhflhasdkjfnAPojsakljdbn:PWn vsajdfilhawelnf jsdofpjapwoieur asdnhkfjhaeirut8743ytrg23;oitgrkjsabdkf;janklfeasbfjkhadiosfuvnawuvjkandcvjkhaioery84t 2w3rnk3jro9a ew0nfjaksldnfvagkjhay84ty nasdlkfnkjnd;LH NOWrjf'pov.

So there you have it. That is what is on my mind.

I think about things I'd like to do with my life, and unfortunately, I cannot do all of them, simply because I'm only one person, and as far as I know, I'm mortal. My most recent non-project involves building an entire town from scratch, but perhaps I've been playing the Sims a little too much.

I'm off.

Words that Rhyme with...

Hippopotamus?

Here are a list of random words I feel like sharing:

Teaspoon
Apostrophe
Fajita
Cheers
Snuffleupagus (who's first name is actually Aloysius, says Wikipedia)
Mailbox
Chocobo
Caption

That's all. I guess the letter of the day is "C".

P.S. After running spellcheck, I've decided to add "snowflake" to the list, because it's the only alternative listed for "Snuffleupagus".

L is for Passion.

I was sitting here, playing guitar, and I spontaneously got the urge to write about things, a lot of things. Things I probably shouldn't think about, let alone write about.

As I may or may not stated, several times, I'm a neurotic, nostalgic, passionate hypocrite.

Though my neurosis may be self diagnosed, I assure you, it is there, and often displays itself in bouts of hysteria. I am over emotional, to the point where commercials make me cry, and my frustrations often leave me feeling like there's a foam bat following me around, hitting me in the head, continuously. I can see it vividly in my thoughts, it's a bright read bat, with a black handle that sort of looks like it may be wrapped in electrical tape (the handle, not the bat), the cartoon is Archie-like in style, and I'm a super-hot red head with great ass *sigh*.

My nostalgia is mostly based on feeling, where as I probably wouldn't repeat much of the crazy shit I've done that has gotten me to where I am today, though I would love to re-visit some of the intense feelings that have made me who I am. Actually making it home after getting caught at the zoo in a tornado, great feeling. The tornado part, not so much.

When I find myself passionate towards something, or someone, it often leaves me feeling (and acting) bat-shit crazy (I wasn't sure what made bat shit crazy, so I googled the term, and found references to t-shirts and Tom Cruise, still not sure where the term comes from, but it definitely means beyond crazy). Perhaps this is where my neurosis comes into play, I'm totally the type of person to return to a place I haven't been in years, just to see if the air still "breathes" the same. My passions often disguise themselves as obsessions, so if I'm stalking you, be flattered.

As for me being a hypocrite, I believe at some point in our lives we all are hypocrites. However, with every passing day I find that I am picking up traits that I despise in other people. For example: I'm emo-blogging. Everything sucks. There. I said it.

Not everything sucks. A lot of things suck, like my inability to divide myself into two people so that I can be in two places at once, or in one place at the same time, which sounds kind of kinky, if you ask me. I think too much about things I can't change, and neglect the things I should be doing. In my head (I still appear as a red-head), when time runs out, everything just starts over again, only I'll know what to change (I experience a lot of déjà vu to support this delusion).

All in all, I've completely forgotten what it was I wanted to write about, so enjoy my self-abusive rant, and if I remember what it was, I just might write about it another time. I think I'll buy some hair dye this weekend.

Cheers.

Here's The Thing.

I don't do well when I feel trapped, but then really, who does?

There's a lack of cars here. I needed to get antibiotics for my daughter this morning, and had to rely on a good neighbor to be willing to make the 20 minute trip (and that's just one way).

In reality, I have no one to blame but myself for my increasing stress. I'm the one that didn't feel like I needed a liscence until the day I actually needed one. I'm the one who chose to be a stay at home momm, making it harder for me to re-enter the workforce when I need to, not that it matters because I couldn't get to work anyway.

The basement we live in sort of flooded. I think that was probably my fault too.

Anyway, still working on that car thing.

I have no patience today, so I'm gonna stop here.

My Foot Bone's Connected To...

Either your ass bone, or my mouth bone (jaw?).

Anyway, this entry starts what I think I'll call April's Quest For a Mode of Transportation, or Aqfamot. I like that, Aqfamot.

So, here it is, Aqfamot:Day One.

It isn't quite day one. Day one would either be a) the day we moved here, b) the day I received my g1, or c) Sunday, when the secondary car at the house was totalled. For story purposes, I'm going to go with Sunday.

Here's what happened:

Sunday: Might-as-well-be-mother-in-law flips car while trying to avoid a plow on the way to church. Bye-bye car.

Monday: Neighbors offer might-as-well-be-mother-in-law (baby-daddy-mama?) old station wagon free of charge. Mother-in-law offers it to us.

Tuesday: Wagon doesn't start. Charge Wagon.

Wednesday: Neighbor gets wagon started, drives wagon to us. Tow picks up wagon for inspection. Inspection says don't waist your money.

Wednesday afternoon: Car-less. Again.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't super excited about the 1997 Ford Escort Wagon, roll down windows, tape deck, and all the other wonderful features (namely, key-less remote entry, and that's about it). I really was quite excited. In the 30-seconds that it was in my possession, I adjusted the seats, mirrors, and programmed the radio. I was quite happy.

But I think this is a good thing. It's made me realize that I would be content without all the options that cars come with today, like heated seats, and sun/moon roofs, 6 CD/MP3/DVD/PS3 hook ups (I may have watched one too many episodes of Pimp My Ride). Hopefully this realization will help me to save money on my first drivable car.

Realistically, I just want to be able to leave the house without a chaperon (not the hat), preferably comfortably, and maybe have some music to listen to on the way, and I will totally buy cassettes if I have to. I may even still have a copy of the Offspring laying around. Retro's cool anyway, right? -sigh-

That being said, there's a comment on a post (2 posts ago I believe) from someone I don't know, in a language I wasn't sure of (let's hear it for Babel Fish), and I want to say thanks for taking the time to read my stuff.

I don't really know how this blog thing works. Generally, I don't read other people's blogs, though I have recently discovered that I can browse random blogs simply by pushing a button. I have several notebooks from high school with random rants and scribbles by me, and I guess I sort of thought of my blog as a notebook, that if someone wanted to, could read. Like a non-private diary of sorts.

Perhaps, while I'm not working on Aqfamot, I will explore the wondrous world of the blogger.

In the mean time, thanks for reading.

It's Raining, It's Snowing, The Old Man Is - Wait, That's Not How That Song Goes.

It's been raining/snowing/slushing for the last 3 days, possibly longer, but I can't think that far back. Right now, it's a nice fluffly snow that causes momentary white outs.

I think the cats are hungry.

Now there are fed.

And the dog is being obnoxious.

I love pets. Personally I have 2 cats, but the household total consists of 3 cats and a rather large dog.

I used to have fish. Janice has my fish tank. Fish are great, and apparently owning fish relieves stress (until they start eating each other).

I can't really think of anything else to write, so I'll leave this here.

Dandelion Fluff and Other Forms of Precipitation.

I got a new microphone. AND a recording program.

This Sunday marks the beginning of what should prove to be an interesting attempt of me, making digital recordings of, well... me.

I promised some music probably about a half-a-dozen entries ago, but I finally have the means to do it. Now all I need is quiet.

Looking forward, because the outlooks seems entertaining.

Day 4...

Alright, so as my last post explains, I've made some resolutions for the year. Here is my update.

Today, I woke up at 6:30, instead of my usual 9-something. I emptied the dishwasher, had some breakfast, and completed 2 french lessons. After that, I fought with my computer over not letting me continue my french lessons because the program I am using (Rosetta Stone) is registered on another computer. I managed to squeeze in about a half an hour of "Fit" time, which resulted in me straining some muscles after attempting some crazy yoga pose in which I become a pretzel.

I also stripped the Christmas tree of it's decorations, and put in some driving time. After that, I don't think I did much of anything, other than discovering that Baileys and hot chocolate mix well together. I guess I did some cleaning too.

Yesterday, however, I did design an interesting plan for storage under the stairs.

I live in a basement, which has it's pros and cons.

Pros:
I have a woodburning stove in my bedroom.
I have a roof over my head.
I have access to a washer and dryer in the next room.
It's unfinished(ish), so I can pretty much do with it as I please.

Cons:
My bedroom has 3 walls, which makes for interesting climate control issues with my significant other, who likes it to be five hundred million degrees, while I like it to be just above zero.

I'm the kind of person who likes to pile blankets on top of themselves so that they have about the thickness of a good-sized pillow, which is probably why I like it to be so cold, it's the only way to sleep under a mountain of blankets and not die of heat frustrations. More ofter than not, my feet will be sticking out from the blankets in a desperate attempt to lower my body temperature.

The other thing is that because there are only 3 walls, it feels like there is a lack of privacy, even if no one ever dares to venture down the stairs into what will soon be much less of a mess.

I hear Iron Man. I really dislike that song. And football.

Anyway, I'm fighting with myself to stay awake, so I'm off.

New.

New year, new decade, new beginnings?

One can only hope.

I did something this year that I've never really done before. I made new year resolutions. Why? Mostly because I'm tired of being a fat-ass. The rest of my reasons range from needing to get my life in order, to the need to find myself, and from boredom to an excuse to play my new Wii Fit. The Fit thing is kind of interesting, because I don't actually have a Nintendo Wii, however there is one in the house. I'm actually surprised that there aren't currently 4 Nintendo Wii's in the house, seeing as everyone in the household had someone else in mind to buy one for over the Christmas season.

I'm rambling again. Yay! That means I've got my groove back.

Resolutions:

1) Stop being a fat-ass. (My goal is to lose 40 pounds by 2011. Gotta look good for the end of the world in 2012).

2) Get in shape. Not only do I feel like a fat-ass, but I'm as weak and unbalanced (says Wii) as a person can be. Wii tells me I'm 34 (I'm 25). I plan to work on my posture, my ability to lift things, my ability to not trip on myself, and my ability to stand up straight without losing my balance (which is a surprisingly difficult thing to do).

3) Learn to speak French (fluently). I get so frustrated when dealing with customer service representatives who don't speak either of our national languages. I figure since my English is exactly wonderful either, the only way for me to not be a giant hypocrite, is to speak both of our languages with some mediocredy. *Note: for some reason, spell check told me I had to capitalize English, but not French?

4) Stop being a fat-ass. Wait. I covered that. Fine. I'll stop being a slob.

5) Stop taking escalators/elevators when stairs are a viable option (granted, I won't be taking the stairs if it will take me more than 10 minutes to do so).

6) Make some damn music.

7) Get educated, not just in french.

8) Get a car. I cannot keep relying on other people to get around. And for those of you who don't know, the TTC is no longer a viable option for me.

9) Get out of the basement. This means to be on my feet enough to be able to support myself in a non-government funded way.

10) This I think is my most personal resolution. I'm going to be trying my best to be less of a bitch. For those of you who know me, know that this is going to be a huge change for me, and I'm sure it will get very ugly. For those of you who don't know me, well, I was going to say something half-wittedly mean, but then I wouldn't be off to a very good start. However, you should note that the sarcasm is staying. I just wouldn't be me without it.

Everyone I've spoken to about resolutions so far seem to have some sort of anti-fat resolution in mind for themselves, and I wish us all the best.

Happy New Year everyone. Here's to many, many more.

I Have No Idea What Chapter This Is, But Here I Go Anyway - The Multi-topic Edition

I was reading the Toronto Star online this morning, and a couple different articles caught my attention.

Article #1: 7 Gifts to Ruin Christmas.

My first response was, short of swine flu, or some other virus or disease, or other horrible *insert whatever here* a gift should not ruin Christmas.

As a mother, I feel like Christmas is about the children, so to read an article on what not to get your guy for Christmas, I was somewhat unimpressed. Then the obvious occurred to me, I wasn't always a mother. I haven't even been a mother for very long, a certainly not everyone else is a parent either, and those non-parents celebrate Christmas too.

As someones significant other, I completely agree that there are gifts that just kind of put you off for the holidays, especially when it slaps you in the face that this person you've vowed to spend the rest of your life with, doesn't know you at all. However, it doesn't help if the question "what do you want for Christmas?" arises, and you respond with;

a) I don't know.
b) Nothing.
c) Something completely out of the question/price range.

So in the spirit of Christmas, here is my "What Not To Get Your Spouse" list.

Let's pretend I'm your s/o.

-Anything practical. When you're in love with someone, a gift should be personal, not practical, I don't want socks, and if you're going to get me underwear, there had better be an ulterior motive behind it.

-Anything electronic. This brings me back to the personal thing. Anyone can pick out an MP3 player. If you really want to impress me, and I really want an MP3 player (which I don't) fill it with all of my favorites, plus a few songs I've never heard of that you know I will love. Emphasis on the know. I don't want a TV, even if it is 50 inches with high-def, and I really like movies, this isn't a Christmas thing, this is a lets do it together thing. So lets just say, no electronics, unless I specifically said I want one (or it vibrates).

-Perfume. Unless I have a favorite brand, don't assume I'll like a scent.

-Clothes that don't fit. If you don't know my size, too big or too small will upset me. You're gift will either imply that I'm fat, or prove that I'm fat. You don't want to go there.

-Anything edible. Yes I love chocolate, specifically Ferrero Rocher, and yes I will eat it, and yes I will enjoy it, and I'll love you for it. But my New Years Resolution probably has something to with dieting and/or eating healthy/exercising etc... and the temptation is not helping.

-Anything (insert metal/gem here, in my particular case, gold). Know your spouses preference before walking out of a jewelery store. No woman wants to tell you she doesn't like that $400 necklace *just* because of the colour, because she really wants to like it, and she appreciates the effort, but she also doesn't want to feel like you replaced thought with cash value and took the easy way out. But she does want that one piece of jewelery she just doesn't want to take off, not just because you gave it to her (which will always be good enough), but because she truly loves it.

I guess the moral of the story is, be 100% sure of yourself. Don't get something you think she will like because it caught your eye, know your woman.


Article #2: TTC Traumatic with 2 kids, stroller and lots of stairs.

My response to the title was relief. "Yay, somebody gets it".

The article refers to the wondrous torture of trying to navigate the TTC with kid and a stroller, obviously, but also TTC policy not to help passengers lift things (strollers included) onto the bus, passengers not offering seats, and people generally being more concerned with themselves than to aiding other people who are struggling with the task of taking public transit.

My need to write about this revolves more around the comments I've read on the article.

Argument 1) Don't take your kids on the TTC during rush hour.

Umm... when else are people supposed to drop their kids off/pick the up from daycare or their other means of childcare. I don't know about most other people but I would drop my kids off on my way to work, and pick them up on my way home. Generally, this would be rush hour.

Argument 2) Take an umbrella stroller instead of a stroller that takes up the same amount of room as 4 paying passengers.

Agreed. Except infants cannot ride in umbrella strollers, and this usually results in the child getting whacked in the face with someones backpack/purse/laptop/shopping bag.

Argument 3) Always have a car available if you have kids, even if this means someone has to take the TTC to work.

Ha ha ha ha... not all of us can drive, for many reasons. Some people are not medically able to drive, some people are not good drivers, and the vast majority of us non-drivers simply can not afford a car and pay Toronto prices on car insurance.

Argument 4) The write has enough money, she could have taken a cab.

...
Lets say for the sake of argument that you know this for a fact, and that it's not an incredibly stupid thing to say. Why should she have to shell out the $40-something it would cost round trip downtown just because she can, when the rest of us can do it for $6? That's just a stupid thing to expect.

Now that that is out of the way, try finding a cab driver that will take the time to let you install 2 child car seats, properly, and not charge you for the time it takes to do it. Putting a child into a cab without a seat is a risk. Think about it, when was the last time you took a taxi, and they followed all the rules of the road?

These, I found, we're the most common comments.

I agree that having your perfectly-abled 6 year old in a travel-system stroller because it allows you to bring the child's entire bedroom with you to be a little absurd, especially on the bus. But I felt the need to point out the fact that not all parents who are on the bus with a stroller are doing it to inconvenience everybody else, hell, everybody else isn't even feeling inconvenienced. But some of us, like you, are just doing what they need to get by in life. Just as not all passengers on the bus are soured enough by the facts of life to lash out at parents of other people. Unhappy with your life? Lash out at your own parents, they are, in fact the ones who gave you life anyway.

Odd Things That I've Learned Over The Years and Other Useless Ramblings.

1. See my first few entries for detailed instructions on removing Vaseline from your hair.
2. The easiest way to microwave Mr. Noodles, is in a measuring cup.
3. Horsefly bites often resemble baseballs, and can lead to emergency room trips.
4. The worst way to pick up a woman, is to imagine her as a man.
5. It is impossible to keep your eyes open when you sneeze.
6. Walls and boxes make excellent amplification systems.
7. Chinchillas masturbate.


I've learned that the most direct way to my heart is through the arts. Music, cartoon, poems, etc...

I've learned that I'm too tired to finish this post.

50th Episode Celebration.

I know I have a separate blog for mommy related things, but I felt the need to share that I just spent the last hour you-tubing ancient Sesame Street episodes, and I have the Do The Rubber Duck song stuck in my head, so I apologise in advance for the direction I fear this entry may take.

Commercials that make April Smile:

Most Mac ads. (Mac vs. PC). If you haven't seen them, you're either a) lame or b) one of the few people who aren't mesmerised by the television, and for that, I salute you. However, if you're reading this, then you clear have computer access and I suggest that you You-Tube a few ads asap. I'll never buy a Mac, but I can appreciate their ads.

The Cheerios commercial where there is a couple seated at a table and the man spills his cheerios, and she gives him a look, then he rolls her a cheerio, she examines it, eats it and smiles. I only like it because she runs out of milk.

More Mac ads. Specifically the one where "PC" is dressed up as "Mac" and telling people to buy PC's.

The back to school ad featuring the song "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year". Not because I'm a mom, I've always loved that ad.

The Pro-Active ad featuring Jennifer Love-Hewitt and her acne in "this area".


That's all I can think of at the minute. I'll update once Bones is over I'm sure, or as soon as I can figure out what ad is almost vividly playing in my head.

Until then,

Flannel Pyjamas Says Sleep Is On My Mind.

I'm waiting for everyone else to go to sleep so I can hop on the well-rested train.

Trains. Hmm. There's that three hour and two minute train ride home I get to make Saturday morning I don't particularly like taking the train. Mind you, I don't much like the idea of distance between my bed and myself.

There's also the Mary Murphy Train, complete with ear piercing screams, I mean whistles.

I grew up in a 30 story apartment building.We lived in 3 different units in the same building during our 15 year stay. My grandparents lived there before us. We even took over their unit when they moved out.

The apartment was along the train tracks. There were 5-7 sets of tracks, depending on where you were standing. The set closest to us was usually reserved for Go trains and the occasional misplaced Via train. Another set, in the middle was a set that was never used for anything other than to house the local vegetation. The remaining tracks we used for freight trains, cargo trains, whatever you want to call them.

I really enjoyed watching people herd themselves on and off the Go train, but more than that, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the rail equivalent of the "Erkel" car, a bright yellow one person rail car, that I can only assume was used to service the tracks. It made this funny clicking noise as it passed by, that I could hear quite clearly from our 8th floor apartment.

I don't remember when the yellow cars stopped coming, or if maybe I just stopped looking for them, but they began to appear less frequently, and today, that makes me sad.

I'm typing this from a brand new laptop computer, and I have to say, at this moment I'm less than impressed with the keyboard. I don't know if I have to break it in, or if perhaps this web page is just glitchy, but half of the letters that I type don't appear.

With that, I'm going to stop typing this before I annoy myself beyond reason, but I think my next entry might be a review on this HP laptop of mine.

I Go Walking In My Sleep.

I have never been as wide awake as I am right now (insert yawn here). Apparently I'm not as awake as I thought I was, seeing as my right leg is in fact sleeping from the knee down. I can't seem to get myself to go to bed, so instead of getting the sleep I so desperately need, I'm going to write a blog entry.

I promised music. I can honestly say I haven't worked on anything since I made that claim. I'm not sure why really, but I just haven't had it in me to write. I've barely even played.

I'm sitting alone (an rare occurrence), in the living room (even more rare), I can here a TV on in the house, though it's not the one I'm sitting in front of. That's right, at some point in time today I managed to gather the strength to turn off Treehouse. I believe that the sounds I am hearing are coming from one of the bedrooms upstairs, as opposed to mine, which is down stairs.

The roof here is metal, I can't say for sure what it is, though I'm tempted to say tin, knowing that if there is one thing it isn't, that one thing would be tin. It doesn't particularly matter anyway. It's raining, it has been for hours, and the sound of the water hitting the roof is truly amazing, and I think that's why I can't bring myself to head downstairs. I can not hear the rain in the basement.

I'm not sure where I am going with this entry, other than crazy, so I'm gonna end it here. My apologies for the lack of content. Cheerio.

That's Okay, I Didn't Want to Interact With You Today Anyway.

Even as I'm writing this, I can't seem to pull my eyes away from the television. The fact that the television is currently showing "Treehouse" doesn't seem to be a deterrent either.

I've been doing some thinking. I was originally going to title this chapter "I'm sorry sir, but your wife is dying from television exposure" but I don't like the term "wife", so as I'm typing this sentence, the chapter remains untitled.

I can't seem to find the words to express what I'm trying to say, but basically, I hate television. I'm not sure if I've covered this topic yet. I hate that it's not only become the go-to, in the event that someone is not sure if there is something better they should be doing with their time, but it's also become priority to most other things.

Honestly, when was the last time you put something off until a commercial started? How often do you find yourself browsing through the television guide, just because there might be something on.

I find that I know two types of people who watch far too much television. There is the type that just likes to sit in front of the television because they don't feel like doing anything productive or social, and there is the type that is just completely clueless, and browses hours, and days in advance, just in case they'll have to put their life on hold because something showing on television. They set reminders, as their loved ones watch, hopelessly thinking "that's okay, I didn't want to interact with you today anyway" while crying on the inside.

Cuddling up and watching a movie is only romantic if it isn't suggested or done on a daily basis, and if it actually includes some cuddling. Also, if your significant other is trying to get a little closer, to sigh and mutter anything along the lines of "I'm trying to watch the movie", it's a total mood killer, and it kills every mood. Not just the "I want to be closer to you" mood (no matter what scale 'closer' happens to be on), but it also kills the mood to watch the movie.

I can't think of a way to end this entry, so I just will.

It's Been A While.

Okay, so now I'm thinking Nickleback. Hurray. I'm not a Nickleback fan. I could have been, there was some potential, but when it really comes down to it, not my thing.

Why don't I like Nickleback? I'll skip my usual "Yes Chad, Nickleback does suck" answer and get right into the specifics. I learned to play one Nickleback song, on guitar, for a friend, and I'll confess it wasn't the most horrible song I've ever heard, or played. Consequently, upon learning I realized that I could now fake every hit song (and regrettably there are many) that Nickleback has ever had, and no one would know the difference, except for maybe the band, and a few die hard fans. That's reason number one. Reasons numbers 2-18 consist of various complaints about the frequency in which Nickleback is played on the radio, and the remarkable way Nickleback is playing in almost every store I walk into. Reason number 19 is that there is one song (I'm sure there are many others I haven't heard) that makes me think that the band consists mostly of dirt bags I wouldn't want to meet on the street. The name of the song? "Figured You Out". Something about the lyrics just scream "JERK" to me.

Anyway, we've moved. I've moved. I'm now living in the middle of nowhere, and when I say nowhere, I do mean that I cannot walk to anywhere of value, and I can't use my cell phone. I must say, I love it. It's taken a little bit of effort to get the family adjusted, but I think for the most part all is well. I really do love it here. It's so quiet, and friendly, and as John has pointed out, I have a fireplace in my bedroom. Sexy.

I'll end this one here for now, my apologies for taking so long, and I'm sorry Chad.