My Life In a Nutshell...

Ten on Tuesday - Valentine's Day Style

2012-02-14T07:26:00.000-07:00

This week's Ten on Tuesday is all about my most favourite holiday of the year!! As always, hosted by Chelsea at Roots and Rings.

1. How do you feel about Valentine’s Day?

Honestly? Like with most holidays, I think it is a money grab. If I need to tell someone I love them, I'd pick a different day to do it, a day that not everyone is telling me to do something. I'm a rebel like that.

2. Are you in love?

Only with myself. Right now that is all that matters.

3. What is your favorite love song?

I'm not sure I have one... love songs to me are usually associated with a given person at a given time.

4. Did your parents do anything for you on Valentine’s Day when you were a child?

I honestly don't remember... I'm sure we got a card and some chocolates or something.

5. What is your love language? (Click here if you want to take the quiz.)

Quality Time

In Quality Time, nothing says “I love you” like full, undivided attention. Being there for this type of person is critical, but really being there—with the TV off, fork and knife down, and all chores and tasks on standby—makes you feel truly special and loved. Distractions, postponed activities, or the failure to listen can be especially hurtful.

6. How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day? Gifts? Dinner?

Tomorrow I will be going to a class I'm taking... fun times!

7. What is your favorite flower?

The gerber daisy.

8. What is your favorite love story? (Book and/or movie.)

Anne and Gilbert in the Anne of Green Gables movies (sadly, I have done Canada wrong and not read all the books). But only the good movies... not the sub-standard sequels and prequels they've added in the last couple of years.

9. What is the most romantic thing someone has ever done for you? Or you have done for someone?

I'm not a huge romance person. Spend some time with me, and I'm good.

10. How did you meet your spouse/significant other?

When I find him I'll let you all know!!

Things that P*ss me off on Twitter (Part 1)

2012-02-13T11:37:00.000-07:00

Before I start listing (and trust me, this is only a partial list... given time I'm sure I could come up with a whole lot more things)... I know that I am ultimately in charge of who I follow. More often than not, the things listed below only represent a small portion of these people's tweets which is why I continue to follow them. That said, I don't know of a single person (*cough* myself included *cough*) that don't do some of these things that piss me off on Twitter.

- people complain about how they continue to get stung in relationships, only to keep entering them and declaring love after only two dates. Then get devastated when things don't work out. Then repeat. Week after week after week. Lesson - love doesn't happen overnight. Lust happens overnight. Step back and look at your life and learn the difference between the two. You shouldn't need to be in a relationship to be happy, and you also shouldn't be "falling in love" with someone just because they show interest in you.

- people who continuously post inspirational quotes. Sweet jeebus... Twitter is starting to look like my Facebook wall, but with a tad less Comics Sans font. If you're inspired - live it, don't re-tweet it.

- SPELLING AND GRAMMATICAL ERRORS. And no... I'm not talking shortening "though" to "tho" to fit your thought into 140 characters. These are (and not limited to) a) the difference between loose and lose, b) the difference between they're, there and their, c) the difference between too and to, d) the difference between spend and spent and finally e) knowing its' is not a frigging word! It is either it's or its!!

- thanking people for following you. Yeah, I know Canadians are polite and all, but sheesh... just follow back - it's like a thank-you without needing to verbalize it.

- saying good morning and good night to everyone. Everyone wakes up and goes to sleep eventually. Does everyone really need to broadcast it? Do you gauge your life worth by how many people say goodnight back?

- subtly hinting every. single. time. you. have. sex. FFS - if we cared enough about your sex life, we'd be the ones having sex with you. I don't need to know every time you procreate for crying out loud.

- lying. Yes... there are people I know in real life that I want to call shit on all the damn time. But I don't. Yet anyways.

- MEMES! Can we just get over the damn memes already?

- complaining about money all the damn time - and then go out for dinner and drinks every weekend, not to mention order take-out all the time. If you don't have money for food because you spend your money stupidly (IMHO) than starve... but don't bitch about it!

I think that's it for now... and for a few days I'm going to resist Twitter... and by resist Twitter I mean I won't be tweeting for a few days... I need to get rid of some of the snark in my tweets and taking a break may be just what the doctor ordered.

100,000 views later...

2012-02-09T10:05:00.001-07:00

Wow... my blog passed 100,000 views this week!

In celebration I bring you this Hottie of the Week... I just wish all paramedics looked like this!

Stephen Amell, who plays the much younger paramedic Scott on Private Practice. Oh, to be Violet during those make-out scenes...

Why I love hockey...

2012-02-03T00:19:00.000-07:00

They told two Port Credit, Ontario recreational hockey teams they were there to shoot a documentary about rec hockey.

They lied.

Watch the preview of one of Budweiser's Super Bowl commercials for 2012... starring the Amigos and the Generals.

eBay Ettiquette

2012-02-02T06:14:00.000-07:00

If it takes you nine days to pay (with an echeck) for an item that cost $13 (including shipping) that gets shipped (from Calgary to Las Vegas) the day after the echeck clears (that was only on Thursday of last week), it's probably not good to start an argument with me about the timeliness of my shipping.

Because when your last response to me is "fuck u asshole", I will report you to eBay for harassment.

No ands, ifs or buts about it.

Who does Google think I am?

2012-02-01T07:25:00.000-07:00

Drumroll please....

Google thinks I'm a 35-44 year old MALE!!

I'm rather disappointed Google... I'm only 34 (at least for a few more months), and I'm definitely a female!

Apparently the reasons I'm a 35-44 year old male?

Here are my "categories" - determined by my interests and inferred demographics...

Computers & Electronics - Software - Multimedia Software - Desktop Publishing - Fonts
Food & Drink - Non-Alcoholic Beverages - Coffee & Tea
Internet & Telecom
News - Technology News
Shopping
Sports - Team Sports - Hockey
Travel
World Localities - North America - Canada

Well... they do have me pegged... even down to my love of tea...

Apparently that has turned me into an older man?

How old and what gender does Google think you are?

Ten on Tuesday

2012-01-31T10:38:00.000-07:00

These questions were provided by Kara’s Chatter! (And I love that Chelsea mentioned that she’s Canadian… in case you were wondering about the “favourite”s - we love our "u"s up here!)

1. What’s your variety of apple?
Granny Smith. Hands down. I don't like red apples at all.
2. Do you prefer Long-English or Field cucumbers?
Long-English... greek salad!!
3. Tomatoes – Delicious or disgusting?
Gross! They are all seedy and slimy inside. I do however, like ketchup and my favorite soup is tomato (but only the no name kind). Go figure.
4. What’s one fruit or vegetable that you can’t stand and why is that?
I'm not a fan of zucchini, squash, beets, brussel sprouts or peas. Or yams unless they are in fry form.
5. What’s your favourite way to prepare veggies? (Grilled, boiled, roasted, sautéed, etc.)
Depends on the veggie... I like roasted and baked potatoes, grilled asparagus on the BBQ... some of the other ones can be boiled - but not to the point of mushiness.
6. Sweet potato pie: Love it or hate it?
Do we "do" sweet potato pie in Canada??
7. What’s your favourite “style” of French fry? Wedges, shoelace, curly, crinkle-cut or other?
Depends on where I'm getting them. I like the thin fries from McDonalds and Wendy's (although I haven't had them in awhile)... but what I really like are pub style fries - think Five Guys fries... yummy!
8. What’s your favourite fruit-pie filling?
The only pie worth eating is apple pie. The rest are sub-standard in my opinion.
9. When you were a kid did your parents make you sit at the table until all your veggies were eaten off your plate?
I can't remember... I would imagine we did because of my dad. If I ever had kids I'd make them eat everything on their plate or they'd get the same food for breakfast in the morning - I guess that's why I'm not a parent - I'd be a tyrant at meal time.
10. Do you drink veggie & fruit juice blends (such as V8, etc.) or make them yourself?
Yuck.

Can I get the vat-sized XL steeped tea please?

2012-01-26T07:32:00.001-07:00

This week, Tim Horton's introduced a new XL size to their customers... a 24 oz. cup to be filled with whatever hot beverage you choose.

I've heard a number of comments in reference to this "gluttonous" sized option. And here are my replies...

Tim Horton's coffee sucks anyways... why would someone want more of it?
My answer - then don't buy it. Nobody is forcing you with a gun to your head to buy any sized Tim Horton's beverage.

That new size is too big... people who order it are pigs.
My answer - then don't buy it. Nobody is forcing you with a gun to your head to buy any sized Tim Horton's beverage.

Oh my god... can you imagine the calories in the new size?
My answer - then don't buy it. Nobody is forcing you with a gun to your head to buy any sized Tim Horton's beverage.

(FYI... it would depend on how you like your coffee or tea to figure out if the new size is significantly more calories. I like my "new" XL steeped tea with 3 milk and 3 sweetener - my "old" XL steeped tea I took with 2 milk and 2 sweetener. For me, the caloric count went from 54 calories to 81 calories. If somebody is really all that worried about 27 calories, park the car and walk into the store to buy the drink. Whammo - you've burned then extra 27 calories.)

OMG! We're going to get fat (usually with some snide mark about obese Americans... because apparently we don't have an obesity issue in Canada)!!!
My answer - then don't buy it. Nobody is forcing you with a gun to your head to buy any sized Tim Horton's beverage.

The new sizes are so confusing! If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
My answer - then don't buy it. Nobody is forcing you with a gun to your head to buy any sized Tim Horton's beverage.

I think you get my stance on the matter. It is kind of sad that there is even a matter... I mean - there wasn't this kind of outrage when Starbucks started test-marketing a Trente cup - which is 31 oz.!!

In the end... I will enjoy my "new" XL steeped teas when I feel that I'm thirsty enough to drink one... and when I'm not, I'll just enjoy a large.

It really isn't rocket science.

1000's of "pins" later...

2012-01-25T09:40:00.000-07:00

I'm kind of a Pinterest addict.

I pin, and I pin, and I pin more.

But I haven't really followed through with much... I did make a chicken stoup (it was supposed to be a creamy soup, but turned more to the consistency of stew... hence stoup) that was pretty awesome, but that's about it.

Until I saw a pin about cleaning the burners and burner pans on a stove.

I had to try it.

It was easy - put burner and pan into a large ziploc along with a "glug" of ammonia... leave overnight and presto!

As a side... it's really hard to find ammonia. Finally got some at Canadian Tire for $2.00 - and it was even lemon scented (which really doesn't mean much since that stuff stinks!).

AND IT WORKED!

The before pictures (please don't hate me because I had disgusting burner pans, I purposely didn't clean them out once I saw the idea online)...

And the after pictures (do you see the gleam off of the small burner pan there??? You could eat off that baby!)...

A couple of hints... make sure you leave the burners and burner pans in overnight - trust me, you'll start to see the ammonia turning black in minutes, but let them soak overnight to get rid of the really cooked on stuff. Also - make sure you really rinse your burners after so your first cooking experience doesn't make your house smell funky (it wasn't a chemical smell - it was just... odd).

Do you have any pinterest ideas you've been itching to try, and haven't?

My 2012 is made... AGAIN!

2012-01-16T07:14:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned on a few occasions how my financial hero is Gail Vaz-Oxlade... so you can understand why this made me giddy.

I did dun good haven't I?

World Junior Hockey Championships... a Volunteer Recap

2012-01-15T01:14:00.000-07:00

11 shifts.

50 plus hours.

One amazing time.

I don't know if I can properly re-cap my volunteer experience at the World Junior Hockey Championships except to say it was awesome.

I split my time fairly equally between the Fan Information booths and selling 50/50 tickets. My original duties were for Fan Information, but the call went out late in the tournament that they were short 50/50 salespeople, and since I'd done the job before at the Saddledome, I jumped at the opportunity.

Especially when the pots for the 50/50 were expected to top $100,000. That's take home. $100,000 tax free to the winner (this is Canada... we don't pay takes on lottery winning up here... yet another reason y'all should move here).

My first couple of shifts were actually before the event officially started. The teams were starting to arrive in Alberta in the third week of December, and were centralized to either Edmonton or Calgary by the 23rd. My first two shifts were at one of the host hotels - and Team Slovakia was at my hotel (I can say that now that there aren't numerous puck ~~fucks~~ bunnies trying to track them down to spread their legs for the players... I'm dead serious. It was embarrassing.), and they were a good group of kids - and they REALLY liked Subway. I think they ate a combined 100 feet of subs just in the couple of days I saw them!

I worked Christmas day... mostly because I knew I wasn't going home to BC for the holidays because of the tournament, and I wanted something to do that day - but also to allow those volunteers with families the ability to stay home and enjoy the day with their loved ones. The bonus - the hotel allowed me to indulge (for free!) their normally $100 a plate Christmas brunch. It was mighty tasty!

My next few shifts were at the Saddledome. During the round robin play, I volunteered at the Fan Information booth on the concourse... we answered questions... I wowed men with my knowledge of the tournament (winners, where it has/will be held - that sort of stuff)... handed out pins... watched kids puke.

Yes... throughout the tournament I watched no less than four kids barf right by me. It's no wonder I caught the plague the day after the tournament was done and spent the better part of the day bowing to the porcelain god.

As soon as the medal round started, I pretty much focussed my attention on 50/50 ticket sales. I worked the Sweden/Finland semi-final game, and unfortunately the system couldn't keep up with the number of people wanting to buy tickets, and we had to shut the system down when we hit about a $120,000 pot (that's $240,000 in sales). Apparently the 50/50 coordinators weren't so happy with me carrying around $10,000 in cash myself (we didn't run into the same ticket limits as they did in Edmonton - check out Lisa's blog for her volunteer experience - so I just kept selling and selling) and I got the stink eye when I turned my money in. I never felt unsafe, so it didn't bother me in the least but I can see their issues. I made sure for the next games that I turned in my money regularly.

I may have used my accreditation to see the Canada/Russia game for "free" (as volunteers we weren't given tickets - or parking - and we really weren't supposed to be in the Saddledome unless we were working... oops!). I stood in the standing room only section with a couple of other volunteers, and honestly enjoyed watching that game (even though Canada lost in a heartbreaker) more than any other game I've watched live in my entire life. The three of us went through the lows (being down 6-1) and the highs (coming back to only lose 6-5) together. I think they gave me the best compliments ever (as a girl hockey fan sometimes they are few and far between) - I knew when to swear, when to cheer and when to jump around and hug people. We became friends for the last couple of days... they were a good couple of (older) guys.

They finally got the 50/50 system working better for the bronze and gold medal games. The pot for the bronze game (that Canada won!) was about $134,000 and smaller, but still ridiculously high for the gold medal game. As you stop selling 50/50 tickets at the end of the second intermission, I was able to watch the end of both games - and they were both excellent. The gold medal game went into overtime, with Sweden claiming the title. For them it was kind of like a home game with all the support (Canada lost to Russia in 2011 so there were few people cheering for them) and they thanked the fans over and over at the end of the game. I was proud for them.

I also watched a few games as a fan. The tournament website had this buy/sell ticket feature whereby people could buy tickets from those that had tournament passes (the tournament was technically sold out in advance). I picked up pairs of tickets to three games for less than $40 total. Yup... that's an average of $13 a game. And I also managed to pick up a set of tickets while I was volunteering at the booth from a guy that just couldn't make it. For free!

The tournament did not disappoint in the least - it was top-notch hockey, and every single player wore their hearts on their jersey sleeves every single night (even if I did think I was watching the Russian diving team and not their hockey team for awhile there). For many of the international players, this may be the highlight of their career - while many of the Canadians, Russians, and Americans will surely be at least drafted into the NHL, very few of players from Denmark, Latvia and Switzerland will ever see the big show in North America.

We had a volunteer appreciation party last night. I don't think I've ever been thanked so much for the work that I did as I have by the people organizing this tournament. Not only did I get a handwritten thank-you note from my coordinator, we were treated to an evening of food (although I did manage to lose my front tooth veneer eating some chicken... nothing like an emergency weekend trip to the dentist), an open bar, and numerous door prizes (even though I didn't win one). We were able to pick up some left-over souvenir merchandise at rock-bottom prices (and I mean totally rock-bottom - all the apparel for the tournament was by Nike), and by the end of the evening they were just giving stuff away free. We were also given a thank-you gift on the way out the door - a set of tournament coasters, an official microfibre cleaning cloth, program, and Edge Advantage band (one of those bands that is supposed to help you with your balance), a pair of tickets to either the Calgary Hitmen or Calgary Roughnecks (I chose the Roughnecks), and a bag of chips (yes... a bag of chips).

This really was the experience of a lifetime. If you ever have the chance to volunteer for something you love and are passionate about, I highly recommend it.

The memories are forever.

Appreciation goes a long way...

2012-01-12T21:18:00.000-07:00

Today the big boss came in my office to ask me a question.

Once we dealt with the issue at hand he asked if I was happy.

And if I was going to be sticking around for awhile, to which I assured him that I had no plans of leaving.

It feels good to know you're appreciated at work, and they want you to stick around.

...

I should've taken the opportunity to ask for a raise.

Blue Ivy

2012-01-10T20:14:00.001-07:00

Sheesh Beyonce...

Everyone knows ivy is green.

And we all also know you've given your daughter a stripper name.

Perhaps she'll become friends with Tallulah Belle.

Ugh.

Blogging Mojo?

2012-01-04T11:05:00.000-07:00

Wow... it looks like I've gotten some sort of blogging mojo back...

Perhaps it is all the comments I've gotten lately - thanks ladies (and Mom!)... I do appreciate it, and I am sincerely going to make an attempt to comment more on all of your blogs - I do read every single post. It's kind of weird to "know" you guys... even though in most cases we've never met.

I had to send a follow-up e-mail yesterday that I didn't enjoy sending and by sending I know I'll be perceived as a bitch by the receiver, but I need closure. I don't need to work on that persons timeline anymore - I'm working on my timeline... and if that makes me a bitch, than so be it. I can be the Queen of Bitches if I need to be to get things done.

This week has been great for the most part... I sold 50/50 tickets to an Olympic gold medalist, one of my dearest friends from University is in such a good place in her life (and I'm so happy for her), and I get to sleep in for two more days.

We won't talk about the Canada/Russia game I saw at the World Junior Hockey Championships tonight. It was a toughie.

Or the fact that I have to go back to work on Friday. The real world is gonna suck after two weeks off.

Ten on Tuesday

2012-01-03T08:20:00.000-07:00

Ten on Tuesday is hosted by Chelsea over at Roots and Rings - and this week we're using her questions!

1. What did you get for Christmas?
I'm 34. It isn't really about what I get for Christmas anymore... but I got some money from my mom (some of her casino winnings from the cruise that have been put in my travel fund), some awesome Aveda products from one of my BFFs, the best sign in the world from my buddy Steve (it'll be a whole post on it's own at a later date)... and lots of cards from friends with family pictures - which are awesome in themselves.

2. Have you taken down your Christmas decorations?
I only put up the Canucks tree - and since they are 9-3-1 since it went up, I'm not taking it down for awhile. If they lose three in a row I think it'll be the end of the tree.

3. What did you do for New Years Eve?
I had a volunteer shift at the World Junior Hockey Championships until 11ish and then I took the c-train to Olympic Plaza in downtown Calgary and watched the CityTV bash - saw live performances with George Canyon and Down with Webster. It was cold.

4. Do you like accents?
Hellz ya. I wish I could just pay a guy with a Scottish/Irish/Australian/New Zealand/South African accent to whisper sweet nothings to me all day long. Maybe when I win the lottery.

5. What kind of television do you have?
I actually have a 42" flatscreen in the living room, a 32" flatscreen in the bedroom and the 13" tube TV I got in high school from my mom in the spare room. I like my cable TV.

6. Did you make any changes at the beginning of 2012?
Well, I slept until after noon - I haven't done that in a long time.

7. What’s the last book you read and do you recommend it?
Some romance-y type novel by Debbie Macomber - she writes the best Christmas romance novels and I read two or three a year. Now that I have a Kobo I plan on reading far more often!

8. Do you stay current on celebrity gossip?
Only through Twitter. I really don't give a damn who's getting married/divorced/having babies/committing adultery/gaining weight/losing weight etc. I'd rather get caught up on hockey statistics.

9. Do you know the words to Bohemian Rhapsody? Gangstas Paradise? Fresh Prince of Bel-Air?
Yes. Yes... and yes. As a matter of fact I am now singing Fresh Prince in my head right now.

10. What is your favorite education television show?
I don't really watch education shows... but I do watch a fair number of HGTV - does that count. I have a *slight* crush on Scott MacGillivary of the show Income Property - he teaches me things... now if only I had a house that needed an income suite remodelled.

My 2012 is MADE!

2012-01-02T22:18:00.001-07:00

Well, so far anyways.

I sold 50/50 tickets to John Morris tonight at the World Junior Hockey Championships.

Of Team Martin curling fame. Brier Champion. World Champion.

Olympic gold medalist John Morris.

AND...

When I sold them to him he said "Thank you Carmen". To which I replied "You're welcome John".

Stroked his ego a little.

But HE SAID MY NAME!

(My accreditation tag was showing)

HE SAID MY NAME!

And I got to look into these eyes for a few seconds. Sigh.

I may be crazy...

2012-01-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

But I think my next big craft project will be cross stitching this...

It is 141,220 stitches.

There are 100 colours of floss involved.

I expect to be in my 80's by the time that it is done.

Or blind from seeing so many stitches.

I like to set my goals high.

2012

2012-01-01T01:32:00.001-07:00

I've only made one "resolution" for 2012.

It is to be myself. Don't change for anyone else. Be true to myself, my morals and my goals. Don't take "me" for granted.

I started this year with fresh clean sheets on my bed. I think that's a good start to what will be an awesome year.

And heck - I rang in the new year watching George Canyon and Down with Webster at Olympic plaza being told by a nice older gentleman that I'm better looking than Jill Belland (one of the hosts of Breakfast Television in Calgary). And he wasn't even drunk.

Ho Hum

2011-12-30T00:16:00.001-07:00

I'm feeling a little sorry for myself today.

I deserve nothing more than the best, but part of me thinks I'll never get or find the best.

I guess the thought of ringing in the new year alone is conjuring up these feelings. Last year (I thought) I was in a great relationship, only to find out months later that wasn't the case, and everything was just a giant farce.

I honestly don't know why I get these lonely feelings... because I genuinely enjoy my own company. And I don't need a man in my life to complete me.

But it sure is nice to have someone to share your time with.

Better luck to me in 2012.

Because I deserve it.

Hockey, hockey and more hockey

2011-12-28T00:59:00.001-07:00

I haven't posted in awhile. I didn't do a cruise update, I haven't posted anything about Christmas, and I'm currently too consumed with all things hockey to talk about much else. I know a couple of guys playing in the Spengler Cup so I'm watching those
games on TV, I'm volunteering at and watching the World Junior Hockey Championships and the Canucks are 7-2-1 since my Canucks Christmas tree went up.

I'm also seriously considering going to Russia next year to see the World Juniors - there's a tour that would work out to 15 days or so - a couple of days in St. Petersburg, a couple of days in Moscow and then the tournament in Ufa. It'll set me back about $5000 or so... then there's Malmo, Sweden in 2014. And we all know Sweden is NOT a cheap country to visit.

I guess I should get on buying 50/50 tickets at the hockey games I'm going to - last years record in Saskatoon as $330,000 for the gold medal game (winner gets half)... I could've even handled the $15,000 that was won tonight at a Latvia/Slovakia game!

It's either that or I need to find another source of income to fund my traveling addiction.

The "Meet" Market

2011-12-19T15:08:00.000-07:00

I'm kind of off my hiatus from online dating... that is to say that while I don't think there are any fish in the Plentyoffish sea for me, I still log on every once in awhile to see what wonders the internet has for me to look at.

One of the new features of Plentyoffish since the last time I was on the site a year and a half ago is the "meet me" button.

I've mentioned before, it's like the chat roulette of online dating.

I've decided that the feature really sucks. For one... I get kind of excited when someone wants to "meet" me, even though I know it was just the click of a button that sent the person my way.

Then I also look at the person and wonder if they even took the time to look at my profile before clicking "yes".

Cause I'm kind of wondering why truckers from northern Alberta who enjoy hunting (as seen in their profile picture of them posing with a dead animal), UFC and "finding a women's hot spot" (I can't make that shit up people) would think that we'd have anything in common.

I think I just attract weirdos.

Debt Update...

2011-12-14T09:03:00.000-07:00

People...

I owe less than $2000.

Remember I started with $8000 in debt at the end of August.

I am now down to less than $2000.

Damn this feels good.

Ten on Tuesday

2011-12-13T09:11:00.003-07:00

As always, hosted by Chelsea at Roots and Rings.

1. How do you eat your eggs?
Normally scrambled... but eggs are eggs and I'll kind of eat them however - as long as they aren't cooked so much they are rubbery.

2. Do you volunteer?
Yup - I'm donning my volunteer hat next for the World Junior Hockey Championships in a couple of weeks. It really is the event of the season.

3. What’s your favorite brand of jeans?
Gap and Old Navy. They're the only ones that are both in my price range and that come in my extra long inseam.

4. What was your child’s first word? Or what was your first word?
I can't remember that far back for me... and since I don't have kids I'd just imagine that their (completely fictitious) first word would be "hockey".

5. Can you french braid?
Only on myself... I can't get the tension right on other people.

6. Do you prefer wide rule, college rule, or blank paper?
What the heck is college rule?

7. Is there a specific treat do you always make during the holidays?
Nope... it just depends on what I feel like making.

8. Do you have a KitchenAid mixer? Do you want one?
Yes, and it was the best Boxing Day purchase ever.

9. What kind of computer do you use?
I have an iMac at home. I love it.

10. Favorite Christmas movie?
Love Actually. Not traditional, but I love it.

December Bullet Points...

2011-12-12T14:29:00.000-07:00

- accidentally had the ex come up on a POF search the other day... POF has this "meet me" thing (it's like the chat roulette of the dating world), where profiles just come up and there are "yes", "no", and "maybe" buttons. You have no control over who comes up... and BLAMO... there was the ex one day. Please note that I don't care if he is on the site (hey - I'm on it... and I'm not one for double standards), but I don't want him thinking I was looking for him. Ugh.
- as a side to that previous bullet point, I find it mildly humourous that I am using a profile picture on POF that the ex took and he is using one that I took. That said, I take better pictures as he is centered in his, and I am not.
- as another side to the first bullet point... I have disabled my online dating profile for awhile. Can't be bothered with the shit that goes along with e-mails, texts and really boys in general. Why give your number to someone, text them like you're interested, and then disappear off the face of the earth? Are my texts really that bad?
- I am trying to lose weight again. I had lost 35 pounds before the ex, got into the "comfortable" relationship mode, and gained 25 of it back. I am tracking what I eat on my Fat Secret app again, and I am down 5 pounds. Yeah - and I know I picked the worst time of year to try and lose weight - but if I can do it now, I can do it anytime.
- the World Junior Hockey Championships start in a couple of weeks... I went to volunteer training on the weekend as well as one of the selection camp games. Another couple of selection camp games to go, a pre-tournament game against Finland next week and then it's game on. And I have some pretty swanky volunteer clothing to go along with it... all provided by Nike so that's cool.
- tickets to the whole WJHC in Calgary (where Canada is not playing their round robin games, but is host to the entire medal round) were upwards of $1500 for 21 games. Per seat. Now, I know that the majority of that money is for the medal round - but there is no guarantee that Canada will even be in the medal round! So, I went online last night and picked up pairs of tickets to three round robin games featuring Sweden, Latvia and Switzerland... for less than $40 total. For six tickets! Hey - I'm a hockey fan, and while I want Canada to win, these other teams need fans too!! It should be a blast.
- I really need to clean my house. Anyone have any house cleaning fairies they want to lend me?

Ten on Tuesday... but really on Thursday...

2011-12-08T11:25:00.001-07:00

Ten on ~~Tuesday~~ Thursday, hosted by Roots and Rings. Good stuff from Sarah at Simply Sarah!

1. What are 3 things that are on your Christmas wishlist?
I don't really have a wishlist... I'm "that" person that if I want something, I just buy it - I don't wait until Christmas. My mom already gave me her gift - part of her $1000 slot machine win from the cruise!

2. What’s your favorite Christmas song?
Oh Holy Night. I even like it when Reba MacNeil sings it. Seriously.

3. Do you have a favorite band or singer that sings it especially awesome?
Josh Groban does a good job. So does Glee if you're into that. Really though... I like it sung by anyone.

4. Have you heard about the website goodreads?
I have heard about it, but I have no idea what it does. Probably just another fad.

5. What are 3 books you want to read?
The Hunger Games trilogy. I guess that's three books right there!

6. Do you hunt deer?
No. But it's not because I'm against it... I've just never done it (and honestly probably never will).

7. Have you started Christmas shopping? Are you completely finished?
Almost. My family only exchanges one gift for eachother... and in place of all the "other" gifts we used to buy we either donate time and/or money to the charity of our choice. I buy toys for Toy Mountain - I'll take a picture of what I've gotten and post that later on (I normally don't donate to the Salvation Army anymore because of their stance against gay marriage, but at Christmas I donate toys for the kids that really need it).

8. Did you shop on Black Friday? What was the best deal you got?
We don't do Black Friday in Canada (well, some places tried it this year but it's really an American thing). Instead we have Boxing Day up here... December 26 - look out!!

9. What’s one holiday tradition your family has?
When we were younger we were able to open one gift of our choice on Christmas Eve... that's about it!

10. How many blogs do you read? Do you subscribe/unsubscribe often or do you purge every once in a while?
Too many! I do go through them fairly regularly though and weed out the ones that no longer interest me... it's kind of amazing how much my tastes have changed since I started using Google Reader.