And she's off!

That's me in my happy travels, always enjoying the loud airport crowds and such :-) I guess I'll see you guys in 2008 - be good, play nice and above all, value love and kindness.

Have a great and Happy New Year everyone!

New poll is up

Last poll's question: If you could see how and when you will die... would you want to know?

Votes:

No! It would ruin the living part. 67%
Maybe - not sure about this one. 24%
Yes! It would help me better appreciate my life. 10%

Can't say it was an easy one to vote on... hell, even *I* still don't know where I stand on this one. After watching Big Fish I'd be tempted to say "yes" but... real life is not a movie, eh?

New poll is up... be sure to vote!

Rocket fuel

"Shoot for the moon.

Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars."

~Les Brown

Now I can relax

I am officially on vacation... got all the small stuff sorted out and the suitcases packed so tomorrow is a "me" day of sorts, LOL! Well me and the kids, until I bring them over to the sitter's mid-afternoon.

And then goodbye Montreal, hullo London!

Normally I'd be celebrating this with a glass of vino but urgk, won't be touching alcohol for a while I think. Gag.

I'm super lucky Sisterhood Curly is spending part of her afternoon with me tomorrow, first a kaffeeklatch and then she'll drive me to the airport. I know I am so spoiled in friends... and don't you guys think I don't appreciate it! And this goes for all of you.

(( Major hugs ))

Will bring my camera with me and post some pics and updates, dunno how frequently but I will pop in from time to time. Bubblegum Diaries will also get a facelift for 2008 so stay tuned for the goodies!

Takeoff = tomorrow!

Am I really off to the UK tomorrow for a 2-week vacation?!

You bet your sweet ass I am! Woot!

Went through a bit of a panic phase this morning, but thankfully it passed... being out of my comfort zone sometimes causes me to freeze like a deer in headlights.

Never been to the UK before and will have to depend on Vegas for almost everything - and that kinda throws me off. Gah. Best I not think about that and just focus on packing and stuff. One hour at a time, one day at a time.

Celebrating the dawn of 2008 with the man of my dreams is all going to be worth it. What a year it's been... and what a life it is going to be.

Love rules!

Perfect imperfection

"I just don't want to die without a few scars."

~Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club, Chapter 6

Everything hurts

But I survived the day, so yay me!

Sipping on water and chewing ginger pills in the hopes it will calm the nausea. The worst was doing all the dishes tonight, most of the glasses still had booze mix in them - oh, the stench! Retch. How do alcoholics do it, man?

I seriously need to get some sleep or I'll be a walking Sean of the Dead. Zzzzz.

Hangover hell

Never. Again.

And no that is not a drunken promise... that is me acknowledging I am too old for getting shitfaced drunk and passing out, and too young to lose my liver through all-night puking. Ugh!

The martini party started at 4pm under docile conditions, there was plenty of snacks on the table and full bottles of vodka and mixers in the kitchen, ice and frozen limes and the like. Then the drinks started to follow each other in a liquid folly, I won't go into details because my stomach is heaving just thinking about it - suffice to say that at some point in the evening I passed out cold.

I remember waking up on my bed at some point, it's dark and I'm alone (thank the fuck christ) in ripped fishnets and a too-tight dress, I just made it to the bathroom in time... ugh. Had not been sick on alcohol in 10 years.

Then I msm'd Vegas (so he tells me) between bouts of passing out again, I was supposedly not making much sense and he felt helpless so that sucked... did I tell you I had to work today? Yep. 20 hours after the first martini and here I am at the office, still dizzy and ill.

This one is not going down in history as being "good times"!

Tally came to about 3/4 bottle vodka per person.

Never. Again.

Baby let's go

"You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover is yourself." ~Alan Alda

Boxing day, wanna box?

Three cheers for long refreshing sleeps!

Feeling chirpy this morning despite the gray mopey day outside, mom nature must be hung over. I'll do my best not to compete and take it easy on the martinis later today... although when you have raspberry vodka and frozen lime slices to play with, anything can happen ;-)

I pray that this year was the very last Christmas spent without Vegas. I used to have so much holiday cheer...

My box of tree ornaments, lights and baubles sits covered in a layer of dust in the locker outside, I've not decorated or had a tree here in 7 years. What for? Nobody here to admire it besides me, you know?

Isn't Christmas supposed to be shared?

Anyways. Vegas has threatened me with all kinds of holiday cheer after he moves here, he's a big fan of celebrations (sheeple! he he! ok I tease) and you know... I might just get it all back. My angel mold might actually get used to make sugar cookies. Yes, I have a rolling pin too, LOL!

Such a girlie, yet it's all been buried. Guess some things are better when you're two, besides awesome bed antics. *grin*

Liquid honey

Photo copyright Technodoll, 2007

"I think a man ought to get drunk at least twice a year just on principle, so he won't let himself get snotty about it." ~Raymond Chandler

Counting blessings

I need to end this day on a positive note... my life is too rich to be treated so shabbily (damn moods!), so here are my amends, in no particular order:

1 - Good friends who don't need to think about me, but they do anyways. Thank you for the kind words, phone calls, texts and invitations. The turkey was awesome btw.

2 - My family. Always.

3 - Vegas, the love of my life. Toujours so patient with me, kind, considerate, generous and loving... linked at the soul. He *gets* me.

4 - My good health, the roof over my head, the food in my fridge, the clothes on my back, my cool job. I am one of the lucky few on this planet, and I know it.

5- My two incredible furkids, the best ever. I hope they know how much I love them.

6 - Everything else goes here, to keep this post short and tidy... I am too tired to write up an encyclopedia of all the things I am grateful for.

...and lucky 7 is for all of you reading this. My best wishes, passed unto you: treat them gently and pass them on to the next fellow bloggers and friends. It's a small world... let's keep it friendly.

Peace, out.

Got a head start

Finished off the bottle of Tuaca (just 3 small shots, no biggie) and am getting in the mood to share turkey with a bunch of old people, yay christmas dinner.

God save me.

Rather, let the bottle of italian red save me... have a feeling this will be a nice liquid dinner, if you know what I mean.

Screw this holiday shit. I just want to be off on vacation already, asleep on a plane to dull the pain away and finally be with Vegas. The next three seasons will be the death of me, if this keeps up. Eternal waits and pauses between lover's visits. Gaaah! *throws up hands in despair*

If my mood had an image?

Yeeeah, that's it. Me against the rammed-up time monkey.

He can well fuck off!

What a beaut!

Mom Nature decided to mellow out and give us a mild and sunny xmas day... awesome!

Took the kids for an hour-long walk in the quasi-deserted neighborhood streets, it was a pretty cool way to start such a special day... which to me means nothing this year, LOL!

Yep. Just a day like any other.

Am baking chocolate cupcakes for tomorrow's get-together, smells wonderful in here... laundry is almost done so I can start packing for my trip and get that out of the way. Next is the dogs' pedicures and vacuuming, and then later on we'll head out to my dogsitter's for the turkey n'cheesecake dinner. Not served together, of course. Jeez.

I kinda pride myself in being able to break out of the said mold, to be untraditional and do things my own way. So many people are bound and gagged to the calendar, it's almost funny.

Sheeple:-)

Kay, time to ice the cupcakes and stuff... Just finished my second latte and waiting for the caffeine to kick in, although I'm probably immune by now.

I am so getting drunk tonight!

My gift to you

Recorded in 1977 and released in 1982, this classic christmas song interpreted by David Bowie & Bing Crosby is one of my very favorites... Christmas just isn't happening until this song is played at least once. Have a happy one!

In the vault

"You're only as sick as your secrets."

~Author Unknown

Clive + Madonna = Guy fun

You *must* check out this blogpost from Smiler, it had me in hysterics!! Oh lordy my sides ache from the belly laugh... That was the best 5 youtube minutes evah!

Thank you for that, girly! mouah! mouah!

We'll be okay - hurrah!

Not going to let crummy work get in the way of love, are we? No facking WAY! Specially not this love... perfection in its essence.

Vegas will come visit in February no matter what, just a question of working out the flights before and after the tradeshow so we have some days together. Am soooo relieved... this LDR thing is hard enough as it is, don't need any sticks in the wheels.

And that is my happy christmas present :-)

Sorry for saying bad things to you earlier, Santa.

Hope everyone is enjoying peaceful and joyous family celebrations, however you choose to spend the holidays this year. Eat cake! Drink martinis! Be merry! But most of all, be safe and healthy.

Cheers!

The 3 Stages Of Life

1) You believe in Santa Claus
2) You don't believe in Santa Claus
3) You are Santa Claus

Beefin' it up

How to pad an empty work day so that it feels productive...

Make lots of overdue phone calls.
Speak to your boss at least once.
Clean up your inbox.
Say hi to the security agent walking the empty halls.
Sing Fa la la la laaaa out loud.

Then call it a day and go home.

Sigh. Just found out I won't be going to February's tradeshow in San Francisco this year, which is OK because logistics to leave anywhere is a nightmare with two dogs and a car in the city. But I just feel like crying... Vegas and I were counting on spending those days there together and now poof! Not gonna happen.

I fucking hate this LDR thing and I just don't see it getting any better until next autumn.

Thanks for nothing, santa.

The power of love

"Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place."

~Zora Neale Hurston

And so goes a Sunday

My last Sunday in Canada for 2007... how strange a feeling.

By this time next week I am in the UK and then 2008 rolls around - what is a calendar date, though? Besides a method to keep track of time rushing us by?

I hate "growing older". Every year my birthday makes its appearance, on time and to my dismay, and then according to paperwork I am "one year older". Yet I don't feel any different the day after, no wiser and certainly no happier to be that much closer to death. Bleh!

I vote that we all just choose an age we'd like to be, and stick to that.

Yeah. In a month I'm turning 29 :-)

Today a bunch of snow melted away thanks to very mild temps (went up to 7C!) and loads of rain. I smile. No shoveling! Had a very guffawish brunch with the gang - well I had a burger, it was still brunch though - and pretty much chilled out after that. A very lazy weekend... I'll probably regret it this week but meh.

Am I the only one who has to go in to work tomorrow?

Sigh. Sucks ass.

Still have some shopping to do, little things here and there for Wednesday's martini blowout and for my upcoming vacation chez Vegas, who has waaay spoiled me too much with prezzies from the sounds of it. Stubborn man. All I need is him but yet, he has his own mind about things. I might have to spank him or something. He he.

G'nite peeps.

Sweet dreams

Food is an important part of a balanced diet."

~Fran Lebowitz

I love a lazy Saturday

Yum. There is nothing quite like waking up at 7am and realising "hey I don't need to go in to work today!" and then you can sleep all you want - perfection!

OTOH, it's almost 11:30am and I'm still in my jammies, after breakfast and coffee... the dogs are kinda sulking, can't blame them. Thankfully it's mild today, just below freezing so I'll give them a good hour out on the snowbanks now.

Then shopping, cleaning and all that jazz.

Hell! I leave for the UK in a week - how did that happen?! *runs around flailing arms*

ARGH!

I actually fell for THIS!!

You think it's lame and then you get it.

I need a drink.

Infat-you-ation

"No one can understand love who has not experienced infatuation. And no one can understand infatuation, no matter how many times he has experienced it." ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic's Notebook, 1960

Yay for knights in yellow machines!

Remember my car situation from Monday?

Well it got worse... about 4" of additional snow got piled up on top since then, plus add all the snowplow action shoving more crap up against the car...

It was not a pretty sight.

And last night the city decided to clean that street, only the left side of course - with only a few hours' warning. Awesome. If you don't move your car they will tow it, lord knows to where, sometimes to the pound and good luck finding out which one.

So after a long day's work, then taking the kids out for their exercise, I'm wiped out... can I go upstairs to collapse and eat or something?

Noooo.

I have a bleddy car to shovel out from under megasnowass.

Luckily for my wit and charm (a-hem), I flagged down one of the siren-truck peeps and pleaded my case, I really needed help cuz there was no way I could physically dig out my car in time - I mean look at it! And look at the size of my arms!

The guy had a soft heart I guess, he radioed one of the bombom drivers (those small bombardier plows that clear the sidewalk) to come and help me if he could... and 5 minutes later the guy showed up! w00t!

Such a sweet uncle-with-mustache-kinda guy, big smile, my hero! He plowed all the snow away from the front of my car, so that I could crawl in through the passenger side and just wrench the damn thing from its snowy tomb.

Ah. Freedom!

Hats off to those overworked guys, some of them can still take the time to care for the little people.

And that was my happy story for the day.

Happy Holidays from the kids

A Christmas candle is a lovely thing;

It makes no noise at all,

But softly gives itself away.

~Eva Logue

Another secret, revealed...

"Why does a man take it for granted that a girl who flirts with him wants him to kiss her - when, nine times out of ten, she only wants him to want to kiss her?" ~Helen Rowland

World Orgasm Day

Are you ready?

The 2nd Annual World Orgasm Day happens Dec 22nd... participation is free and fun, you can do this alone, with a partner, in a group, whatever turns you on. Just don't contribute to the world surpopulation by making babies!

WHO? All Men and Women, you and everyone you know.

WHERE? Everywhere in the world, but especially in countries with weapons of mass destruction and places where violence is used in place of mediation.

WHEN? Solstice Day - December 22, at 06:08 Universal Time (GMT)

WHY? To effect positive change in the energy field of the Earth through input of the largest possible instantaneous surge of human biological, mental and spiritual energy.

w00t!

Don't eat yellow snow

I keep telling my dogs that, but they're knuckleheads. And then they want to lick my face? I think not!

Am not feeling well today, just run-down and mentally icky. Everything seems to require an effort, even smiling and breathing - all I want to do is get drunk and sleep. And if you know me at all, you know that I don't particularly *like* alcohol, I just drink it to feel numb.

Is it the holiday blues?

Where has my spunky happy self gone to?

Why am I missing Vegas so much, when I'll see him again soon?

I'm pissed at myself for "wasting days" like this, I know each and every one is precious and should be savoured and appreciated... Getting old and having regrets is one of my biggest fears. Is it really all about mind over matter?

How do I trick my mind into being happy, ffs? If anybody knows... please enlighten me.

Relativity

"Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity."

~Henry Van Dyke

Holiday 911 for ya

Ten Things To Say About A Christmas Gift You Don't Like

10. Hey! There's a gift!
9. Well, well, well ...
8. Boy, if I had not recently shot up 4 sizes that would've fit.
7. This is perfect for wearing around the basement.
6. Gosh. I hope this never catches fire! It is fire season though. There are lots of unexplained fires.
5. If the dog buries it, I'll be furious!
4. I love it -- but I fear the jealousy it will inspire.
3. Sadly, tomorrow I enter the Federal Witness Protection Program.
2. To think -- I got this the year I vowed to give all my gifts to charity.

And the Number One Thing to say about a Christmas gift you don't like

1. "I really don't deserve this."

Recap of a repeat

Not much new going on.

It's cold, it's grey and snowy, it's dark at 4pm. Work is work, love is grand, the weather is shit and it looks like I won't be able to drive to my dad's this weekend for the only "christmas celebration" on my calendar.

Yep. I'm officially snubbing xmas this year.

How liberating!

I even said "no" to the company's party tomorrow night, first time in years. Not a grinch, I'm just not feeling it at all this year, plus I've no dogsitter this week soooo it just wasn't feasible. How lucky am I! *grin*

Some asshole parked his car 2" from my front bumper after the snowstorm. My poor car, still buried under mounds of snow... I guess the only way out is to back it up since I'm parked on a street corner, right?

Guess again... the snowplows made sure I had 4 feet of hard snow packed up to my windows, so shoveling that is also not an option. Awesome. I pay $415 a month to get stuck in a snowbank most of the winter. I'm really thrilled, since I can barely afford the lease in the first place. Rock on.

I need a 2nd job.

Stop. Breathe. And listen.

"Every time you don't follow your inner guidance, you feel a loss of energy, loss of power, a sense of spiritual deadness."

~Shakti Gawain

When disaster strikes...

...it makes you appreciate how good your life really is.

Today, about 100 people in a nearby neighborhood lost their homes to a devastating fire, one week before Christmas. They left for work in the morning and came home to smoking rubble.

I imagine if this ever happened to me and I have trouble breathing... I would eventually recuperate from the material loss (I think... not sure though cuz some precious things can never be replaced) but to imagine my furkids trapped in a burning building while I didn't know or couldn't do anything to save them?

I'd have to be institutionalized for a mental breakdown.

Gone to pet and cuddle my kids now.

G'nite.

Since many of you are owned by cats!

Cats' Top Ten Favorite Christmas Songs

10. Away in a Litter Box

9. Have Yourself a Furry Little Christmas

8. Joy, To the Catnip

7. I Saw Mommy Hiss at Santa Claus

6. The First Meow

5. Oh, Come All Ye Fishful

4. Silent Mice

3. Here Comes Santa Claws

2. Jingle Balls

1. Frosty, the Furball

To my dear readers

You inspire me to emote here (almost) every day, your feedback is fuel and I just wanted to thank you for bearing with me through thick and thin.

Bubblegum Diaries will soon be a year old... it's amazing to read older posts and see how much life has changed and evolved since then. What a ride... what a journey.

Giddy YUP!

Does size really matter?

Is anyone else tired of seeing those "miracle weight loss diet pills" ads on TV?

"I went from a size 16 to a size 4 in three months!" says skeletal bimbo showing off the gigantic pants she used to wear.

Really. Who the hell cares?

I stopped wearing a size 4 a good ten years ago, in my mid 20's - when I finally developed those nice woman hips. And now that I am a size 6, I just can't get back down to smaller no matter what I do. And I've recently stopped trying to - men *like* curves on a woman, they *like* having something to hold on to besides a bag of bones.

Trust me, I've polled the mens and this is what I keep hearing over and over again.

Healthy is in, dieting is out!

Eat well, eat sensibly, exercise loads and the rest will work itself out. Indulge in your cravings once in a while in order to not go crazy, just don't overdo it.

Accept your bone structure, body type and genetic baggage and aim to be the best you can based on that, and not the best imitation of an anorexic runway model. When you love the body you're in... it will love you back.

Sure beats a wheelchair any day.

Breaths in motion

"Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person's physical, emotional, and mental states." ~Carol Welch

Fa la la laaaaa

In the midst of this day, I found balance.

For the most part I felt blue, tired, out of place and just blah for no damn reason. No appetite... just had breakfast, some fruit and a soup for dinner - and I'm a 3-meals-a-day-plus-snacks kinda girl.

Walked to the tanning place after work in blowing cold winds (it's a good 30 mins at a brisk pace) and yes, the light is good for the brain, not to mention the ensuing freckles... I like my freckles, they remind me of summer and braids for some reason.

Man, do I ever ramble. Sorry... to the point:

Got home and suited up, the kids were raring to go! go! go! out in the snow! snow! snow! and who could refuse them? And you know what?

I had a blast!

A few blocks up my street there is a huge commercial school of sorts, surrounded by enormous linked parking lots. What that amounts to in snowy winters is a gigantic playground of endless 20-foot high snowbanks, w00t! Plus, the fresh snow is so fluffy white, you just sink into it between mountains of packed snow, then there are the big empty smooth spaces to run in...

Ah. I regained my energy right there by spending it all being a kid again.

The dogs had a terrific time, and I feel like a good mommy.

*grin*

You all saw the pics of my buried car below, right?

Well after the play, they sat quietly while I dusted off the car and shoveled about 1/3 of the snow off... I quit after 30 mins cuz I was drenched in sweat and there was nowhere to put the damn snow anyways. The snowplows are just gonna bury me again so there was no point in putting in too much effort for now.

Now it's time to feed the kids and grab a glass of red wine, and hit the bed early tonight. Work is stressful this week and I was hard on Vegas today with my self-pitying whining - bad girlfriend.

Tomorrow... the sun shines, no matter what.

About the below pics

Apologies for the dark tone, the sun was only starting to emerge when I was out with the kids so most of the shots were taken in shadow, and I had no time to lighten them before posting...

I guess it does capture a mood of sorts.

Thanks for dropping by!

Autopsy of a blizzard, part 2

Lumps of cars littering the windblown snowbanks...
I'm glad I don't live at street level!

More winter desolation:

There is a special kind of serenity to it all, though...

This is only after two snowplow passes. Imagine after two more?

Dogs don't have to shovel, ergo dogs are happy.

Just to get a perspective on snowbank sizes:

Early morning commute hell:

Yes... that is a forgotten bicycle tied to the fence:

Wondering what all the fuss is about:

...and this is my car :-(

...or rather, the black lump under all that snow is my car. Shovel blisters, anyone?

Autopsy of a blizzard

Pedestrians are forced to walk in the barely-plowed streets, as most sidewalks are useless:

Commuters squeeze in and out of über-full busses, still can't make it to the sidewalks:

The dogs could care less, they love the snow...

Sans comment...

Notice the imprint of a car? You only dig out what you *really* need to!

There is gonna be lots of swearing, broken backs and dented shovels the next few days...

This goes up above my waist!

Dilemma: how to access the car to get the shovel, to shovel out the car?

La la laaaaa...

Blowing ice crystals, perfect for massaging eyeballs and exposed skin. Awesome.

What a desolate and melancholic landscape... sigh.

A blizzard in photos, pt 2

A note on the below pics

All were taken from within the comfort and safety of my own home... no editing, no photoshopping or anything. I can't risk killing my camera by taking it outside while it's blowing and snowing and hailing.

Tomorrow I'll take pics of the aftermath. If you don't hear from be, I've been buried under a snowbank. Send prayers!

PS: The pics do not do the storm justice at all. You really have to be here to appreciate how vicious it really is - I kid you not, this one is a doozy!

A blizzard in photos, pt 1