"Millennium theater"

(Lyrics by Ani Difranco)
Millennium theater
Get out there and buy that water and gas
Ramadan orange alert
Everybody put on your gas mask

First leak it out about the president
Then stand up and shout "impeachment"
Pulling coat tails out from under that little V.P.
Before he has a chance to get in the driver's seat

Millennium spectacle
Everybody put on a show
Slip a little prince in the back door
21st century here we go

Digital whiplash
So many formats so little time
While out in TV nation
Under darkening skies
The resistance is just waiting
To be organized

Millennium theater
Chief justice is for sale
Yucca mountain goddesses
Their tears they form a trail

Trickle down Israel
Patriarchies realign
The ice caps melt
And New Orleans bides her time
New Orleans bides her time

Ladies and gentlemen
Welcome to tonight's show
The millennium theater
Asks that you not smoke
Please turn off your cell phones
And forget what you think you know

It's been a while

So, I've been back to school for practically a month now and it's only been now that I have been able to sit down and blog. It's not for lack of time. Although I'm quite busy, I just haven't had access to the internet. My computer went down way back in December and I haven't had the money or time to fix it. But now it's back, so hopefully I get back into the groove of blogging on a more consistent basis. Last semester I wrote very infrequently, so I will try this semester to do a better job.
Quite a bit has happened since I wrote last, but I really don't have time to write about it now. I have decided that today is "work my ass off to get school work done" day, so I better get at it. It took me nearly a half an hour just to plug all of the cords back into my PC-computer reassembling is not user friendly under normal circumstances, try plugging everything in by touch only. Makes things interesting. :)
Anyway, I must start reading "Violent Origins," and write out my reflection on the a million pages of reading we've been assigned this week.
Talk soon-that is a promise!

It's 2007!

New Year's Eve was soooo much fun! We all got dressed up at my house and headed over to the Portuguese club for dinner and dancing. (Lindsay took a lot of pictures with her camera and I'll be talking to her about putting them up). We indulged in a three hour meal which included soup, salad, pasta and meatballs, fish, rice, green beans, turkey, roasted potatoes and dessert. I think there was more, but I can't remember what it was. It took us three hours to eat the entire supper and I refrained from the last few courses because I was stuffed. The rest of the night was spent dancing with my mom and Lindsay and Tenie. Some of the music was frightening-and for some reason the DJ's thought it would be a good idea to play Spanish and Italian music at a Portuguese club-but we managed to have a great time. After the ball dropped we all ran around wishing everyone Happy New Year's. I managed to accidentally spill one of the club's member's champaigne all over my arm when I hugged him, but all in all it was relatively incident free. Tenie likes to give me a hard time because the first words of 2007 I spoke to her were "ouch!" because I slammed my foot off of a chair trying to get to her. It was pretty funny. There was one song we danced to-that I think was called 'stroke it"-and the singer asks a bunch of questions in it. Tenie started answering the questions and she had to keep saying no because the singer was asking about the last time one had had sex. My mom nearly died laughing and told Christena she wasn't allowed to say no anymore, so Tenie started saying "yes" way too enthusiastically. I litterally fell over on the dance floor laughing.
We dropped my parents back at home around 1 or so and then Tenie, Lindsay Jetta-I picked her up because I missed her-and I headed over to our favourite hang out...you guessed it, Tim Hortan's. A couple of guys we knew from high school met us there and we stayed there until 4:30 just blabbing away. The one guy was very interested in feminism and he got me started on a topic I could talk about forever. Although he didn't agree with everything I said-which is fine-he was not aggressive about it. He just asked questions and we agreed to disagree on a few points. It was a great conversation. Even Tenie got in on it, which tells me that she has been living with me too long. :) It was after five when I finally crawled into bed. By the time we dropped Lindsay off and got home ourselves, Tenie and I were up long enough for the light of day to start peaking in the windows. It was a great New Year's celebration!
Today I head back to school. My bag is packed and I'm sort of ready to go back. It's been nice to be home and I miss everyone at school, but I'm not sure I'm ready for classes to start. Tomorrow I get to start the day with Sociological statistics. Yikes! But it's my only class on Wednesday, so that is a good thing as well.
Anyway, I'm off to have a shower and eat some breakfast-I need to get my ass out to the airport soon.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Okay, so I'm a bit late with the Merry Christmas, but I'm at least early for the Happy New Year's wishes. Just after I last posted, back on December seventh, my internet went down on my computer. Since I was in the middle of finals and needed my computer to read my course material on the computer, I was not able to get it fixed. That will be on the agenda when I return back to school on January second.
Jetta and I have been home since the 21st and although our visit home will be shorter than most years, it has still been enjoyable. We decorated oour Christmas tree the night I got home, which has been a tradition in our family. (It's a real tree and it smells so good). Friday night Jetta and I headed over to Christena's house to wrap presents with Christena and her mom, which is another tradition going back into high school. Before we were legally allowed to drink we used to eat Skittles and tons of chocolate during this process, but this year Christena's mom bought wine glasses at the dollar store and we all had a few drinks. It was pretty fun. Christmas Eve, my Dad's family gathered at our house and we ate so much food! It was a full house with fifteen people and two dogs. The funny thing is, that wasn't even half of the family: everyone is spread across Ontario and not everyone is able to come home for the holidays. Christmas Day, we headed to my mom's parents' and ate way too much again with my uncle, grandparents and one cousin-again, not even three quarters of the family were able to make it home. People from that side are scattered about Ontario and British Columbia-oh and Washington too. Boxing Day, we drove out to my Dad's parents' house. They have 25 acres of property and it's a great place for Jetta to run free. She and Flash had a blast and I was very impressed with Jetta's gentle behaviour toward my grandma's new puppy. He's four months old and is a shnoodle...his name is Snoopy and he likes to play fetch. He's sweet!
Jetta was treated very well this year. She got a new chicken flavoured nila bone, a pink glass food dish that reads "princess" and a pig's ear that she only got to eat while supervised. We haven't opened the bone yet because Flashis greedy and won't let Jetta chew hers in peace so it will wait until we get back to school.
Our cats were left behind because none of us could take them home. It's too expensive on the plane and Tenie couldn't take them on the bus. Carmen lives the closest, but has two cats of her own, so that would probably be a bad idea. They did get gold tags in the shape of mice with their names engraved on them before we left. And the roommies did a gift exchange as well. Carmen got me Ice Age 2 and Tenie got me a jewellery box, which I asked for, a belly button ring, purple of course, and a unicorn ring. Oh, and a sun catcher that is also purple. :) I got Tenie a Greenday mug because everyone in the house has their own mugs except her. And I also got her the pirates of the Carribian movie. I got Carmen the first volume of the Thunder Cats DVD's. :) We definitely were eighties children. :)
The last couple of days have been taken up with shopping, going to see movies and exchanging Christmas presents with Christena and Lindsay. Tenie and I exchanged gifts in Waterloo, but we had to give Lindsay hers. Lindsay bought me a Tinkerbell blanket and a whole bag full of hair stuff and make-up. It was a fun time at Tim Hortan's as it always is.
Tonight Hannah, Tenie's little sister, has invited me and Jetta over for a movie and so that is where we'll be heading. She's eight and has so much energy! I love it. She got one of those fighting fish for Christmas and we named him Sabastian-okay, I convinced her it was a good name. lol
The funniest part, or at least the weirdest part, of this holiday was that we didn't get any snow until last night. I live in Northern Ontario-we're supposed to have white Christmases! :) Tomorrow night we're going to the Portuguese club for supper and dancing. Christena, Lindsay, my mom and I have all bought new outfits-or at least parts of new outfits-and it looks like it will be a good time. Of course, I'm wearing purple. I think Jetta and Flash will have to celebrate the coming of the New Year here at home with each other for company. I don't think Jetta will appreciate the loud music, so I've decided to leave her at home. It's one of the rare times when I leave her behind.
Anyway, it's time for me to sign off. We're going ot eat soon and then it's over to have a movie night with Tenie and Hannah.
Happy holidays to everyone!!!!

Happy birthday Jetta!!!!!!

If everyone hasn't noticed, it's the seventh and that means it is Jetta's birthday. She turns six today! So, between me studying for my upcoming finals, pots of coffee, swim practice and whatever else I need to get down between now and Monday, I am going to make sure Jetta has a great birthday! She already got a chocolate doggie cookie-and yes, it was dog safe chocolate. They're her favourite! Her little brother Loki and little sister Sisu were forced by Auntie Carmen to give Jetta happy birthday wishes, by being picked up and hopped up and down on Jetta while she flaked out on the couch. :) Jetta didn't even flinch. Later I am getting a massage...and Jetta will be very happy because the massage therapist is one of her favourite people-she licks the oil bottle regardless of whether he tries to hide it or not. :) We're also watching Ashley's and Chris's cat, Tyser, so we'll also go for a nice long birthday walk. She loves walks!
Jetta says thanks to everyone who has already left her birthday wishes...I would have posted this post earlier on Jetta's behalf, but I have been studying! She said she doesn't mind-she's been napping with Auntie Tenie since swim practice endded.
Anyway, happy birthday my best girl! You are so cute and I love you!!!!!!

Merry Christmas/Happy Birthday

Yesterday we had our anual Christmas party, but with a bit of a twist. We also celebrated Jetta's birthday early. She'll be turning six on December seventh, but since everyone's exams are coming up, we thought we'd kill two birds with one stone. We had a nice turn out. My friend and his guide dog and fiancae came from Toronto; my roommates were in attendance of course; Alicia and her boyfriend Chris brought Jetta presents; James and his roommate from first year brought over turtles; Chrispy and her boyfriend Alex came with presents for human kind and dog kind alike; and the birthday girl, Jetta, was also there. :) Her brother and sister, Sisu and Loki, hid upstairs in Carmen's room away from all of the noise and the big yellow dog that wanted to sniff them. (He'd never hurt them, my friends have two cats at home).
Christena and I spent the majority of the day cleaning and cooking for the party. She and Carmen had spent the night before putting plastic on our house's windows to try and keep our heating bill down, while James and I made vegetarian pizza and peanut butter cookies for the Christmas get together. By the time everything was spread out on the counter last night, we had candycane cookies, turtles, raspberry tarts, spiced pecans and walnuts we made in the slow cooker, peanut butter cookies, gummy Christmas candy, vegetarian pizza and a few bottles of wine. Auntie Tenie had even made Jetta a birthday cake complete with pig's ear, peanut butter and food bits. :) The night before when she and Carmen had gone grocery shopping they had even bought Jetta a number six candle. We tried to get her to blow it out, but she just stared intently at her cake. The cake was split in half for both her and Jester-the other guide dog, who was intent on humping her all night-and they had a grand old time slopping up the peanut butter. We spent the night, eating, talking, drinking and slamming the crap out of a Christmas tree shaped piñata. There was plenty of hot chocolate and laughs and Jetta got a ton of birthday presents.
Jetta says thanks to Auntie Alicia and chris for: the tasty bone, YipYaps and the pull toy
Auntie Chrispy and Alex for: the milk bones
and Mommy and Auntie Carmen and Auntie Tenie for: the pig's ears and squeaky leopard print bone.
She says thanks for everyone who came-it was a great birthday!!!

Random Thought

So, I've been up al night researching my guide dog project...and my mind wandered. Well, actually, it wanders a lot, but this time it really wandered...
Why is it that mint tastes better in the form of a candy cane? You don't often see people walking sucking on a long stick of mint for fun at any other time than Christmas time...

Why?

It's this kind of shit that scares me...especially since this was on a street very close to my house. :(
Attempted sexual assault during the daytime.
Waterloo Regional Police Service has just sent us notice of a attempt sexual assault which took place at 1:45 pm on November 16, 2006 on *ent*** St by the
park. A 19 year old female was grabbed from behind in the park by a male who attempted to sexually assault her. She had been walking alone across a cricket
field between the tennis courts and the Lion's Lagoon splash park. The victim struggled with the suspect and he fled.
Description: Male white, in his 30's, scruffy looking, over 6 ft tall, wearing a black hoody and cap,thick canvass army type coat, khaki pants and shoes.

Community Safety and Security will be putting out a Safety Warning to all students and staff which will be posted throughout the buildings. A Crime Alert
will be put on our web site and Neighbourhood Watch alert sent out.

We are advising students and staff to use a buddy system and use extreme caution when walking at any time. Avoid parks, secluded areas and remain on designated
sidewalks in public and well lit places. Please don't be distracted by using cell phones or music when walking. After daylight hours use Foot patrol.

Please advise your staff and students accordingly and use caution until this suspect is caught.

Going Crazy-completely stressed out!

What else is new at this time of year? I am so stressed out. I have two presentations and two papers to get finished by the end of the year...and, I only have like five days to do it. I have a lot of the preliminary work done, but the actual polished stuff isn't done yet. Aaaahhh! My biggest frustration right now is the fact that my email address for my university won't work and I am trying to get a bunch of people together that I can interview for one of my projects. It just doesn't seem to be coming together. I managed to get one interview, but I need nine more and I can't find anymore. The people that I do have, seem to be slipping out of it every time I try to get something set up. For example, my one friend told me that Tuesdays are bad for him because he goes bolwing-fine, I can understand that. But, then he tells me that he is busy Thursdays too because he has to watch his TV SHOWS. His TV shows?! Oh, I'm sorry to inconvenience you, but if I don't get this done it fucks up my mark. You, on the other hand, just miss one episode of something...since it will probably only take about an hour-maybe even less. Have you ever heard of taping it? Aye! I can only do the interviews on those days because those are the only days I have access to the speaker phone at the university and i need it to tape-record the sessions. He even asked me to send him the questions and he could just type up his answers. Um, no! that is completely against my Ethics requirements I have to follow. I had to fill out a bloody form and all that crap. If I am going to do this I have to do it right, otherwise my chances of doing something like this could be put in jeopardy. Anyway, I think I feel a bit better. I have to keep googling "guide dog" websites. That is the other half of this project.
PS: If there is anyone out there with a guide dog who wants to participate in my study, let me know! :)

What Would You Do?

It seems to be the weekend of strange things. I went for lunch with one of my closest friends today and she had quite the story to tell me.
She recently started dating this really sweet guy who lives out of town. It's her first partner and although I haven't met him, I think they make a good couple-just by judging by other people's accounts of him. Now about a year ago, she had confided in another guy-we'll call him boy B-and confessed that she had feelings for him. At that point Boy B stated that he did not see her that way and that he was not looking for a partner. Life went on and she actually moved in with him this May...just as roommates. Here's the tricky part. When she and her now partner started going out, she returned home to tell Boy B. He reacted with skepticism, but it just seemed like a normal reaction for him. The week went by, but he seemed a little off. Finally, yesterday, he took her aside and told her he was in love with her. Now, what is she supposed to say to that? Apparently he's been hiding these feelings since July. They even had a conversation recently where he told her that it was safe for him to live with her instead of some of his other girl friends because he couldn't fall for her. Then, after he realizes that she is no longer available he finally recognises his feelings? I feel bad for him because she is totally into her partner. She realizes that Boy B is hurting, and she has promised herself that she would never have purposely done something like that to hurt any guy. But, I told her that it isn't her fault. He said and did things to indicate that he wasn't interested.
Isn't it strange how life always throws you a curve ball? She's 20 years old and within a week of getting her first partner, someone else expresses interest. This has never happened to her before and so she's very confused. I guess I was a bit shocked as both Boy B and her are friends of mine and I didn't have any clue at all. I guess this sort of teaches you never to hesitate. I mean, think things through, but if you hesitate too long, things could change in a heart beat.
On that note...one of my other friends messaged me last night to tell me his parents had been in a car accident. It appears that they are okay, but the truck is totaled and his Dad is in a lot of pain. It's so weird to think that one little movement that would have been different and they could have been both gone. It sort of hsakes you up a bit. I mean, no one is ready to lose their parents at 23. They aren't my parents, but it sure makes me think about who i need to tell I care for them. I have always tried to make that effort, but when something like this happens you always feel like you haven't said "I love you," enough.
So, to all my friends out there reading this...I love you! :)