peons.... people who need peonnnnnnsss......

I think there's something a little sadistic about an office where everyone takes 2 weeks holidays for Christmas... leaving a handful of peons to stand and stare at the wall. shit.

Christmas with the Mormons

Progress Report:

Mom is still sick. Still in Intensive Care. Hm. But dad says she ate some Sandwhich yesterday. An improvement over broth and yellow jello.

In other news:

So, before Christmas my Aunt and Uncle came by the house while i was out and dropped off a plate of goodies for me, my bro, and the hubby. Along with some gifts. Inside one were those Seashells. Y'know, the chocolate ones? Mmm. And also a DVD. So i opened the wrapping paper and found included inside... "It's a Mormon Christmas Charlie Brown!" well, that's not actually what it's called. But that's what it was. With several short films to make you feel the holiday Spirit. This after my Bro sat them down and told them he's never planning on going back to church. Ever.

So.

I guess it's for me then.

While i'm touched that they actually got us a gift, i'm a little annoyed at the choice of gift. I feel like they're quietly doing their mormonly duty of ever so softly nudging me back to salvation. BLECH!!!

Part of me wants to RE-GIFT it to my parents or my sister in law. And another part of me wants to donate it... and still another part of me wants to send them a gift. Perhaps a Book or a DVD on how to reach Spiritual Enlightenment using Psychadelic Drugs and Meditation. Or perhaps a book like: Buddha, the reason for the season. Not that i'm Buddhist. Not that i have anything against people who are. i like Buddha.

Or maybe Krishna's Road to Fame. Or something like that.

**Disclaimer**
I'm not out to get anyone's choice of worship - before the hate mail comes.

I just am trying to prove a point that they probably would be less than thrilled if i pushed MY beliefs on them. If those were my beliefs. But i think we all know how i feel about all of that. for now. But it would be interesting to see their faces when they open the package and find: "How Rabbi Finklestein saved Christmas for the Gentiles"... ...awkward pause... uhm, thanks.

So.

Thanks for the Cookies, and thanks for the Chocolates, but i'm fine without the Dogma. I'm flattered but i'll pass.

Tales of Christmas Present

So, what can i say about Christmas Break?

I spent a lot of in the Hospital. My mom is in Intensive Care with an advanced case of Pnuemonia. She is on Oxygen almost 24 hours a day. Her right lung has vanished completely from her Chest Xrays, and it doesn't seem as though it'll be coming back any time soon.

We heard the news on Wednesday night. So, i called the appropriate authorities at work to let them know i was going home 2 days early. The first day we went to see her - Friday morning, we surprised her. The hubby brought his guitar and my brothers and i sang her Christmas Carols. She was pretty happy, but she got tired so quickly so we left soon after.

We went and visted with some friends and killed some time in the city and then headed back to the Hospital. Mom was sleeping. With one of the masks on she can't talk, so she has to communicate by pen/paper. So, when she woke up she smiled when she saw me and the hubby. then she commenced to write out all these crazy Trips she's been having from the drugs. her words were:

One of the perks of being in here is the Morphine. I'm having the craziest dreams. The last one i was on a cargo ship filled with costumes and i was dressed like a pirate.

At least mom has now learned the appeal of psychedelic drugs. ha ha.

We spent Christmas Eve with the Hubby's family. There are 6 grandchildren over there now... so it's basically a scream fest. but it was good. and nice. nice and good.

After Christmas Eve Church Service, it really started to sink in that my mom was in the hospital and wasn't going to be there Christmas morning and i started to cry. Hubby was very consoling. Love him.

But i pulled through and played some games and drank some drinks... and then it was Christmas Morning.

Time to go to my parents.

Dad and the boys were already up when we got there and we all made our way to the tree - knowing that it wasn't the same but trying to make the best of it. My dad is a trooper.

The opening was a little longer than usual because i made everyone open presents one at a time so i could take pictures for mom.

Overall we had a good Christmas Presents wise. lots of Games.

• Twister
  
• Scene It - Music Edition
  
• Con-cat-en-ate it's movie trivia
  
• Simpsons Trivia Game
  

we made our way to dad's church for service and sat at the back. when it was all over we hightailed it out of there because ...well, i hate small talk but i hate Church Small Talk even more. Blech.

We went to the Hospital and opened presents with my mom. It was fun, but weird. She looks so weak. You're not supposed to see your parents sick because they're supposed to be the ones to look after YOU. it was hard. But mom's a trooper too. and she stayed awake for her presents and even for one game. But then she was tired out and needed to rest. So we all went home.

When we got home, Hubby pointed out that i was supposed to turn the Oven on so the turkey would be cooking... and i forgot. So supper was late. we ate around 7:00-7:30. But it was good. Then Dad went back in to visit mom at nine and me and the boys played games.

Boxing day the hubby and i went to get our pics developed for mom... and ventured into Boxing Day...at Walmart. Yikes. Double Yikes. it was crazy.

when we saw mom she looked better, the dark circles under her eyes were gone, but she still was on oxygen. Looks like she'll be in ICU for another week or so.

I hated to leave her. Stupid Work. I just want to stay there by her bedside and feed her ice chips and get her tea, and make cold compresses for her face. but the wheels of society roll on - dictating that i need to be here in Calgary not there with her.

but it's nice to be home. Kozmo missed us like crazy and every time we left the room he'd sit and cry until we came back. I think he's paranoid we're going to leave him again. poor kitty.

At least today is Wednesday, NOT Monday. Soon this work week will be over and another new year will start.

Once more, from the top

i woke up last night and my arms were aching like i've never felt before. it was dreadful. my whole body felt like it was pummelled in the night by the Canadian Boxing Team.

and my head. oh god....

so i called in dead to work.

the boss was none too pleased. but that's okay, i value my own sanity over my bosses approval. i think.

So i slept. and then woke up and closed the curtains, threw the blankets over my head and slept again. i even tried doing the yoga poses my teacher taught me to do in case of migraine emergency. which included shoulder stands, but i didn't do those because i didn't feel like being upside down.

seriously, i should consider re-locating. i think calgary is bad for my head.

i showered, holding on to the railing... and thought about sitting down on the tub floor and letting the water pound into my skull. but that never happened. i shaved my legs instead. dadblammit, if i have to have my head in a vice, i'm going to at least have smooth legs!!

---

I think i just want Christmas to be over. And also, january. Really, my whole life revolves around February right now. sweet sweet february.

I asked the hubby what he thought about NOT going home for Christmas next year, but just staying home and snuggling up in bed alllll day. No parties, no suppers, no screaming kids, no scheduals to keep while we're on our "holiday". i think this is a great idea, but Hubby doesn't agree.

:) - Do you really want to stay home for Christmas?

:( - well, i thought it'd be nice to just hang out, you and me

:) - Yeah, but what about our families? They expect us to come home.

:( - so.... you don't want to then.

---

i think i'm going to go upstairs now and drink some orange juice and perhaps watch The Phantom of the Opera. And also, bake cookies. sigh.

Even when i'm sick i still have shit to do. boo.

this shit is bananas...m-i-g-r-a-i-n-e

It feels like there is some sort of bite-sized alien trying to claw it's way out of my brain through my right eye... and you know what that spells??.....
....
....
....
....
M-I-G-R-A-I-N-E
it's on it's way...i can taste it.

i called the hubby to see if he'd come and pick me up after work today, but he seems to be a little pre-occupied drinking beer and eating delicious chicken wings to come and save his wifey from the horrors of the flourescent lighting and glare of computer screens... PLUS - he's drinking beer with a guy from work... and her....

...i'm not jealous.

But he does talk about her a lot. she's young.

Anyway, i used to tease him about her, things like calling her his girlfriend, and little things like that. i was not at all concerned in anyway.

then one day he freaked out because he couldn't take the JEALOUSY anymore... and i said: WOAH WOAH WOAH!!! ..woah...
who said anything about OU-wah open mouth kissing booth, more like YOUR-ah open mouth Kissing booth - I'm NOT jealous, i was teasing... but Now i'm suspicious....

i never gave Girlwelder a second thought until Hubby made a big deal out of it. Now, i think about it all the time whenever he's with her.

Nice work, hubby, way to plant a seed.

---

i picked up my 60G Video iPod yesterday, and have been doing nothing today but downloading music onto it from various libraries of various co-workers. i think this will work out wonderfully in my favour.

I'm eating Pistachios. they remind me of drinking Baja Rosa.

So now i have to bring all my CDs home from work so i can rip them up and tear em down onto my ipod. It's ridiculous how dorky i've become... yeah yeah yeah... or... how dorky i've always been. ha ha.

---

I'm starting to think that i nice icicle through that right eye would feel pretty good right about now.

Phantom of Rage

Has anyone seen the movie RENT yet?? i'm debating whether or not to go in the theatre. I did go for Phantom, and was sadly dissapointed. i mean, the sets were amazing, as well as costumes, all visuals, the underground lair, Christine was great, Raoul was great, and even Minnie Driver as Carlotta was pretty great. The problem i had was ...with the friggin Phantom!! okay... correct me if i'm wrong, but doesn't the Phantom teach Christine to sing? Operatically?? Why would they get that doofus to be the Phantom? sounds like some guy trying to ROCK OUT the Phantom. Killed the whole movie for me.

---

So, i'm hoping that Rent will be better. And also, i am looking forward to the Producers. ah, there's nothing better than my buddy Ferris Buhler and Timone from the Lion King. Can't wait.

other than Phantom, and it's huge dissapointing let down, i'm pretty stoked about all the Broadway Shows being put on the silver screen. I mean, i don't know if i'll ever find my way to New York. I hope i do, but in case i never make it, at least i can still see Rent.

---

...i love musicals...

lovey dovey, hot and heavy

listening to my husband play guitar when he doesn't know i'm listening turns my insides into jelly....

....droooool.....

i have a copy of my dear friend's album - it's called Methods

anyway, the hubby did the engineering for the album... and also plays on one of the tracks. Listening to it is sooo hot. mmmmm.

hot.

Christmas shopping...all done

Well, here it is, a full 13 days before the big santa day... and i am completely done all my christmas shopping. what a wonderful feeling! Good thing, too, because those malls are like the site of a mass-murder shopping-induced-killing-spree waiting to happen.

I mean, i used to think, in my naive way... that the malls in Saskatoon were busy. back in my cheese whoring days. boy was i wrong. i have now ventured, unwillingly mind you, into BOTH of the large shopping centres in Calgary on a Saturday afternoon.

...for those of you who know me know that i can't stand malls/shopping... on a good day... like, say, 10:30 in the morning of a weekday in June. I am, and always will be - an agenda shopper. That's right folks. i go shopping with intent to purchase. i have better things to do with my day that wander around the mall, for the hellovit, and browse the shops. No NO NO. i am a "Get in and get out" kinda gal. so shopping in a mall at Christmas kinda turns me into a seething ball of rage. i may walk in humming 'deck the halls' but i leave humming obsenities and flipping old ladies the bird.

And another thing... Christmas music in malls should be banned. I know i've said this before, but it Should be... if only for the sanity of the poor people who actually have to work inside the mall.

Lennon

Listening to: Give Me Some Truth - John Lennon

---

Today marks the 25th Anniversary of the murder of John Lennon.

It's John Lennon all day on the local radio stations.

It seems like such a tragedy that the world's poster boy for peace had his life ended so violently. bastard.

---

At the office today, i sent out an email asking people where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news about Lennon. I, myself, was only 6 1/2 months old when it happened. But hardly anyone responded to what i assumed would be an easy question. When i asked again, they said it wasn't really that important to them. Just another day.

i guess that shows where their/my priorities are.
John Lennon was changing the world. Trying, anyway. Which is more than the average person can say.

attack of the mall people

I braved the mall yesterday with the Hubby. Both of us barely made it out alive... there was much pushing and shoving and children screamin bloody murder... and old folks being trampled under foot of stampeding shoppers.

After standing in Line after line after line...we made it out alive. The longest line being 25 minutes...at Fabricland of all places. The second longest was Starbucks...but i'm addicted to their Caramel Apple Ciders. Yum.

The majority of our shopping is now done, and i spent over 300 smackers. There's only a few people left on the list, but they require some phone calling.

---

The hubby and i exchanged Christmas Gifts yesterday as well. i know, i know... it's WAY too early... but we know what we got each other (the big gifts, anyway...) I got this - the brown one. And my hubby got these. Both of these gifts required sizing/approval before funds could be exchanged for product. So, we are both currently wearing our Christmas Presents. Yay.

---

one of the things The Hubby and I noticed at the mall was that nobody smiles. Mind you, we probably weren't smiling either most of the time. When did they holidays get so stressful? I remember when December was my favourite month and i spent all my time singing Christmas Carols and making crafts out of construction paper and glue and glitter and i remember not being able to sleep cuz everything was so exciting.

Yesterday, i got home from the mall, plugged in my Christmas Tree, sat down on the couch and passed out. Why is it so exhausting?

One of the perks of having the bosses kids at work until 8.30 everyday is that i don't have to do any 'real' work until they leave. We play games, draw pictures, make crafts. Last week we made reindeer out of paper. i traced the kids' feet on brown paper, for the heads, and then traced their hands for the antlers. Currently we have 6 reindeer. The little guy wants to stop at 6 and now he wants to make santa's sleigh. Yikes. i'm not sure how we're going to make that. It's fun making all these Christmas Crafts. It makes me feel like a little kid again. i also showed them how to make paper chains and snowflakes. So, my desk and my copy room are very well decorated.

that's the Christmas i know and love. Not malls. And not badly sung Christmas Carols - recorded by RnB artists. News Flash: Christmas Carols are NOT SUPPOSED TO BE SUNG SEXY!!! They're CHRISTMAS CAROLS. ~ You sound like an idiot and you look like a fool.

cold enough to freeze your winnebego 3

It snowed again last night, so we now have a grand total of 5 inches. It's freezing cold. Although, i know i shouldn't be complaining. its' -17 this morning, but windchill equals -27. So. All i can think of is sweaters, scarves, toques, mittens and legwarmers. I'm going to try to buy some leg warmers tomorrow. it's too bloody cold with out them.

If only they could come up with some sort of system that lets me wear a parka/snow pants, toque, scarf, mittens, leg warmers the whole nine yards....WITHOUT making me feel like i'm five years old. I feel like Maggie Simpson when i'm all decked out to go outside... with multiple layers of shirts and sweaters my arms stick out and i waddle like a penguin.

MY GOD! How does anyone ever get laid in this weather?? You wouldn't know if you were flirting with a boy or a girl until it was toooooo late. All bodies look bundled and freezing. And also, i'm wearing about 3 layers to bed thses days, too. The last thing i want to do is get out of ANY of said layers. i'd rather we warm and toasty - thankyouverymuch. poooor hubby.