what's been going on?

I know I've been MIA the last while. Really, I'm not sure what to tell you. It's not like I've been doing that much, but it feels like I haven't had a whole lot of extra time. Whenever I'm on the computer I wind up doing my online classes and/or doing online research and/or responding to discussion boards for class and/or reading through the mounds of emails from my department. It's good times, all around. I'm getting sick of my computer.

But enough of that. Here's a little update of my goings-on:

Last Thursday I think I saw Tangiene. Is that right? Yes, yes I did. We went to the Vet's Hall on Main for Sara's birthday. I'm still having sleeping problems so was tired; Tangiene was as well. We stayed for an hour or so, long enough for me to have a disappointing Caesar and for Tangiene to mention she likes big cocks, and then she dropped me off.

Friday I went for a couple drinks with Christine and her CBC boss at the Railway. Gosh, I love drinking at the Railway. I know there's a reason I don't go more often, but I'm afraid it's only a dumb one, like lack of money. FYI: if you want to guarantee that I'll agree to meet up with you, say you'll buy me a beer at the Railway.

Saturday I was feeling deadly (I'm going to blame a lack of sleep again; it's a good scapegoat, but, really, my tummy hurt, though not from booze, I swear) and called in sick. I wanted to stay in bed all day, but instead had to get ready for the Jack & Jill party on Saturday night. We went to a Greek restaurant and by the time we finished eating it was after 10pm. We went down the street to the Legion (my idea; Chris and Charmaine are both members, and Chris' mom is a member of the one we went to) and, at the door, I overheard a few guys say, "I wouldn't go in there. It's karaoke night." Haha. How bad could karaoke night at the Legion be?

Well, pretty bad, actually. The karaoke host was drunk and surly, hogging the machine and not letting anyone else sing. He did sound a wee bit like Wayne Coyne, though, which was frightening because he wasn't a good singer and made me rethink the Flaming Lips CDs in my collection, but sounding like someone doesn't mean they can or can't sing. And the people he did let sing were easily the worst singers EVER. Granted, there were only about 16 people when we got there, but still. The host's system: put the 10 or 11 karaoke discs on a table and let people look at them. There wasn't anything I wanted to sing (which is saying a lot), but my sister found an N'Sync song that she busted out. Imagine my surprise that my shy, sober sister actually kicked it boyskool. It was pretty hilarious, but I wanted to scratch my eyes out from the contacts and the lack of sleep and the achey tummy... I went home around midnight. After getting a recap of the remainder of the evening, I'm glad I got out when I did.

One of the more rational bridesmaids told me on Sunday that they decided to go to the Biltmore. For those out of town, the Biltmore is a scummy hotel bar mid-city that is frequented by raging alcoholics, gangs, women without teeth, and my friends when they're drunk enough. The only times I've ever been to the Biltmore have been with Charmaine and the fear was overwhelming. So apparently the party (about 10 of them) all went to the Biltmore, somehow collecting a guy who bought them drinks at the Legion. One bridesmaid noticed that the guy had two guns in his waistband and so she wouldn't go in. So the others asked what was up and she quietly mentioned the guns. So finally the one friend went up to him, patted him down, and asked, "Are you packing heat?" The others made him go into the alley and put the guns in the friend's bag before they went in. In the couple hours they were there (not sure what they did because the recapper just said she was terrified until 3am) the cops showed up 6 times. Sure dodged a bullet with that one.

Sunday was Word on the Street at the library. I went into work early to set up and work the VPL table. I wound up taking Roch Carrier ("The Hockey Sweater") to the VIP room and had a little chat with him. He was lovely and so kind with the most endearing demeanor. The only other thing of note was watching a few songs by Duplex!, despite Nardwuar's attempts at taking over the show by talking for close to 15 minutes when introducing them. Gah.

The rest of the time was spent worrying about school, but that isn't news so I won't talk of it again.

Really, I'm hoping things improve once the wedding is over this weekend. We're supposed to leave tomorrow morning, but I haven't heard from the drivers to make plans or anything, so if they don't call or pick me up I guess I'll be drinking the wine I bought for the wedding couple alone in my light pink dress this weekend. I will let you know what happens. The bridesmaids have changed plans again and are now coming back on Monday, the day I said I couldn't come back because I have to work. Hopefully I can catch a ride back with Charmaine's brother. Both Charmaine and Charmaine's mom informed me he would, so we'll see.

Today is my grandparents' 70th wedding anniversary. Please send good thoughts their way. My sister & bro-in-law and my parents are there for it. Luckies.

my new calling

Just home from a coffee shop up the street from my house. Rachel left a message that she was going to be in my neighbourhood, so went to meet her for a coffee shop-related beverage (in this instance, it was iced chai since I have a cat's tongue and can't drink hot things). It was nice to see her and have a wee chat, but, really, there were other things going on, exciting things, that distracted me from her.

On the third Tuesday of every month (for the last 6 years) the Royal Vancouver Ukelele Circle has met for playing and singing. Rachel tipped me off onto this. The place was full of ukelele players, which confused a few people who came in for a coffee. It was a lot of fun chatting with the varied group of players and singing along to songs I only vaguely remember hearing at weddings or from musicals or the like. I attempted to play Rachel's wedding ukelele, but don't know any chords and couldn't fake something like that, so just sang.

In the first half everyone follows along in their songbooks (all the members get one) for warm-up. In the second half, though, it's a free-for-all. We couldn't stay very long into the second half, but did hear a rendition of "Viva Las Vegas," as well as a couple of Hawaiian tunes with dancing accompaniment. It was rad.

It did make me think it would be a fun hobby to take up. I mean, it's not the bass, but, as Ralph Shaw, the Ukelele King of Vancouver, pointed out, a bass is just a bass ukelele because it has 4 strings (not a bass guitar, which would have to have 6 strings). So why not learn the ukelele?

I'm on the Circle's email list now and got an open invitation to come and play anytime. Even got a tip on getting a really nice, affordable ukelele when I can spare a little cash. I may just do that.

Know any indie rock bands that have ukelele players in them? I wonder if there's room for ukelele in twee...

Currently listening :
Welcome To My World
By Daniel Johnston
Release date: 18 April, 2006

souvenirs

Just watched a commercial for Canada Post. They've decided to put some money into advertising themselves, finally. I can't remember the last time I saw a commercial for it. It wasn't even a super fantastic commercial, but the music snagged me. What was the music? Architecture in Helsinki!!!

Canada Post, even though you lost my shirt/CD combo from a band in the States (or maybe it was the US Postal Service... I like to blame them because I know, CP, that it's really hard to steal from your facilities) you have renewed my love of you.

The shirt/CD combo, Part 2 should be arriving any day now. If not, I blame the sender.

Currently listening :
Fingers Crossed
By Architecture in Helsinki
Release date: 06 April, 2004
8:16

i don't need no education

I am becoming so fricking boring, it isn't even funny. Which is the whole problem.

Everything I think about is in relation to what I have due. Can I go to that rock show, or do I have to work on an essay due a few days after? Should I make plans with a friend I haven't seen for a few weeks, or do the reading for a class discussion tomorrow? Talk on the phone to catch up with someone, or do my online course? Two weeks in and I'm already sick of thinking about school. It wakes me up at ridiculous hours (5am, anyone?) and occupies large portions of my emaciated brain. Zombies would not be interested in my brain because there's nothing going on, no sign of life.

Guh. Only 11 weeks of classes left. I just have 19 official assignments and about 5 extra, mandatory but currently hypothetical assignments to complete in these 11 weeks. Oh, but one of those assignments is a take-home exam. One nice thing about grad school is that I don't have exams in the traditional, cram-all-night-and-write-garbage-the-next-day sort of way. No, I get one take-home exam that will probably be a heavily-researched essay. But it is due a week after everything else is due, so, in theory, it's the only thing I need to think about that week.

It's probably hard to tell, but I don't want to talk about school.

Tonight I think I'm meeting up with the other bridesmaids for the last Operation Bridesmaid meeting before the Jack & Jill party next Saturday (the wedding is the following week). I have been avoiding everything wedding-related, except for the bride, and finally sent an email to the others yesterday. Within hours a meeting was planned. I suspect I will be subject to snide comments from at least one of them and perhaps there are inside jokes between them now with regards to me. Whatever. I don't care. I just need all the wedding crap to be done because, as earlier mentioned, my brain isn't able to think about the wedding anymore.

One good thing to report: I've almost finished my bridesmaid dress. Just have to sew on buttons and snaps, and hem the bottom (though I think it would be easier to just sew some binding and leave it at that). It really didn't take that long to do and probably will look OK. It was strongly suggested that I get a tan, real or artificial, for this wedding, but there is no fucking way I'm going to do that. These little "demands" that I do something (ear piercing? starting a wedding savings account? buying a ball gown?) make me passive aggressive crazy and make me want to avoid talking to them for the month before the wedding. Oh wait, I already did that.

I just realised I have to buy a shower gift _and_ a wedding gift. Oops. Maybe I should check to see if there's anything left on the registry.

Oh, something that amuses me... On the Thursday that we're leaving for the wedding, I have a tour to go on for school. I'm back on Sunday night. Guess when the written report/analysis of the Thursday tour is due. And I haven't been able to track down the instructor to see if I could hand it in the following day.

If you've gotten through all that whining and complaining (whine, whine; complain, complain), good for you. You get to be reminded that tomorrow (September 18th) is "Talk Like A Pirate" Day. Shiver me timbers. (Is that in reference to peg legs?)

Currently listening :
Born Again in the USA
By Loose Fur
Release date: 21 March, 2006

school + me = bad times

I'm, like, such a slacker or something. Four days into school and I'm already behind. This does not bode well.

It seems like there are a million pages to read this first week and the class that was supposed to be the hardest actually has the easiest readings this week. I'm completely overwhelmed and can't even answer when people ask, "So, how was your first week?" I don't want to complain, because I'm the one who asked to be put in this program, but still... I wish it didn't feel so hard all at once.

During my undergrad I did maybe half of my readings. And still managed to get through and talk my way into a Masters program. Reading for real is hard.

Really, I'm having second doubts, which is apparently normal in "the core." The first four requirements to take any other classes constitute "the core" and people (OK, me) say it in a different voice to give it some forboding tone. I like to say it like the announcer who does the commercials for monster truck rallies. Imagine me also making those little quotation marks with my fingers while saying "the core" in the monster truck voice and you can also imagine how many friends I've made.

If you guessed none you would be close.

No one has yet addressed the fact that anti-social people are often drawn to collections that sometimes let them hide out from other people. I am just not the sort that perkily walks up to people and introduces myself to everyone in my class. I can't remember half the people's names. I can barely recognise the people I saw every day last week.

I've also said stupid things in small groups already. Like, I told one of my classmates he was pussy-whipped for some reason I can't recall now. And told a classmate I had a serious question to ask and it might affect whether or not we could be friends: if she ate meat or not (she didn't and it was awkward). And said something to someone about how everyone says they are in the program because they like books and how that's a stupid answer; the someone actually said that in an introduction a few minutes later. I'm trying not to talk too much because I have that problem with saying dumb things.

This working and going to school thing is going to kick my ass. But it is a necessary evil. If anyone comes into some extra money that they don't really want/need, consider passing it my way. I'm sure scholarships or monetary gifts are tax deductible.

Also: My friend whose wedding I have to bridesmaid at... She called on Thursday. On Wednesday she finalised the plans for the wedding at a heritage hotel that would handle the ceremony and reception and cake and flowers and all the little details, and didn't want to think of it again until the end of the month because she's sick of wedding crap. Wednesday night/Thursday morning the place caught fire and is a write-off. So she has to re-plan a wedding she was sick of planning in the first place in three weeks in wine country during the high season. Good times. I can't help her because she lives where the wedding is (4 hours away) and what could I really do right now anyway other than ply her with liquor while I read for class?

Oh, I also went to see the Evaporators play at the Central Branch of VPL at 1:20pm yesterday. There were lots of babies and little kids rocking out. It was a sort of strange crowd: lots of people older than me with kids, a few old crusty punks, people in their 20s and 30s, and teens (whom the program was actually meant to target). Nardwuar changed no fewer than 6 times in the 45-minute set. He is a hairy, hairy little man.

dreams are scary

Yesterday morning I had a fairly graphic dream in which Rick Springfield was trying to hook up with me. He was divorced and a little down on his luck, but was really into me. I felt oddly creeped out, despite loving him when I was a kid. It seemed weird for a 54(in the dream)-year-old man to declare that we had a future together after just meeting in a parking lot outside a casino. He also said it was between me and some girl named Natalie, and he would decide later. Sounds like Rick Springfield is a playa.

I know it's never going to happen because I looked up his actual age: 57. Rick Springfield is 57! And, as far as I recall from Access Hollywood, he's still happily married. And I'm sure he would be disappointed that I don't want to hear any of his music except for a few songs on "Working Class Dog."

Which reminds me... SPIN is a ridiculous magazine because they list that "Working Class Dog" is good. I think we all know that it's barely good. Does it really need to be ranked at the same level as Spoon's "Telephono/Soft Effects" just because it's reissued? The short answer: no.

in review

I realise I neglected to mention I was leaving town for the weekend. Ooops. Sorry about that. Anyway, a little recap of the pre-weekend stuff, with the weekend recap to follow. Eventually.

Last Tuesday I went to a radio taping of a new show on the CBC called "The Debaters." Shawn Mujumber hosts it and has two comedians debating about current events. We were in Studio One from a bit before 7pm until 9:30 to tape three half-hour episodes with one break in between. When we sat down I noticed the music: Paper Moon! They played nothing but Paper Moon to set the mood, which David and I liked a great deal.

When the show started I thought it would be easy. I mean, three half-hour episodes is only 1 1/2 hours. Easy peasey. In reality, it is extremely hard to laugh and clap for that long. My hands hurt, my throat was sore... Nothing seemed very funny by the end. I was tired! From listening!

Shawn Mujumber is short, about my height, so obviously I had an instant crush. It was short-lived; by the time we left the studio it was done. But he is funny.

On Wednesday Tangiene and David and a couple of his friends came over to watch "Wonder Showzen: Season One." It's almost a little too painful to watch, and I actually felt bad laughing at some of the more horrendous stuff. But still... I realise that I'm not very politically correct sometimes and other times I'm overly PC. Must look for a balance.

Thursday I met up with Rachel, Nathan and Augusten for a good hang-out session. I've been concerned that Augie hasn't been a big fan of me the last couple of months. He gets pissy when I'm around, doesn't want to sit with me, pretends he don't know me. This time I was going to make him like me again. I was, after all, the baby whisperer for a while. Turns out Augie likes me again and is getting pretty animated and fun. His parents like to make him do party tricks like a monkey (haha), but I guess that's all an important part of growing up, performing for guests. By the time he went to bed we were all three dead tired. It's sad when a baby can outlast three adults.

Tomorrow I'm starting school and am a bit nervous. I'm sure it will be fine, but I seem to enjoy worrying about everything so might as well worry about this, too. I paid my tuition on Friday (ouch, my bank account) and submitted an application for a workplace scholarship (pretty sure I won't get it). I also bought most of my books on Thursday after work (holy crap, $143 with three books to go) and have a couple of coil binders to write in. Just need a watch to get to class on time and I could be set. I should maybe get stuff together for tomorrow so I know where I'm going. When I get into a regular schedule with work and school I'm sure things will feel less nervewracking. As it is my tummy hurts with worry.

OK, weekend recap soon. I think I might go to a housewarming tonight, so it will follow shortly.