Xmas Eve Service 2011: Guilt trips NOT working!

When Eric picked me up, I was surprised to see Veronica in the car! Of course, I had to be polite (not that I wouldn't, but...) as we talked about Harmony's pregnancy / holiday doings / the parkade / hockey / Eric's cough and cold which he's had forever / online chatting / Kieran / potlucks / my family / TV shows like SURVIVOR and AMERICAN IDOL. At church, I said hi to Christon, Phil, and Harmony - Christon had run into some icy conditions up north in Chetwynd, but I'm not surprised! Talked to Christon for a while (about Bathroom Readers) after he gave me a Christmas card; I had his at home since I wasn't sure when he'd get back this time, oops! He said that Nathan wanted to do something at Jeremy's for New Year's Eve: sounds good to me! That games get-together is apparently at Vivian's on Tuesday if he can arrange things; meh. I said hi to Mark and his parents when they got in; I waved to Jeremy up front, of course!

When I sat next to Mark (and we were listening to Stanley play guitar), I heard Jon asking someone if they'd like to sit next to his sister. Of course, it HAD to be that IDIOT Paul - since I had respect for the setting, all I said was that it WASN'T a good idea right now! Jon thought I'd slammed the car door accidentally on purpose - believe what you like, since it's still not going to make me forgive him! When Paul tried making me feel guilty by saying we could hug and make up because it's what Jesus did for us, I simply tuned him out. Since Mark was sitting right there, I had to explain to him that I normally wasn't vindictive, but I wouldn't forgive insults in my own home! (along with a bunch of other stuff I'm sure he didn't need to know - but it's all good!) Then we talked about Jon and Harmony's moving, which he totally forgot about until Jeremy got home and asked where he'd been... oops!

I noticed Paul disrupting the appearance of the worship team after Communion by going up and praying near the cross - YOU CAN DO THAT LATER! Also, I smiled and waved to Helen K. when I saw her! After service, I made sure to say hi to Chris and Wes - they both liked my Santa hat, for sure! I told Wes that I had to indulge my inner child, dammit! It's true that there were children around; when I went into the fellowship hall later, little Cory surprised me by coming up to me and hugging my legs! Hahaha, that was the highlight of the night! I said hi to his older brother Nicholas while talking to his mom Helen K. about how she and her husband Danny had to do a better job of hiding presents if their kids are under the impression that Santa's come already! Cory said I could look like Santa, but not really - hahaha! We also discussed Harmony's pregnancy, heh. Of course I'm the auntie to a bunch of church kids already, and she knows it!

Had cheesecake and cookies while talking to Amanda, David, Hien, Quan, Silvester, Alan, Vicky (who thanked me for the care package), Tracy, Randal (who's going to Willingdon to keep in touch with Jen), Dylan (who also gave me a Christmas card), baby Declan (almost two months old now - he was WIDE AWAKE!), Deb, Mike K., and others. I should have had coffee if I'm going to stay up again, yikes. Hopefully, I'll get some sleep instead! On the way home, we discussed my parents' cruises / Veronica bumping into Steph and a friend (I'll assume Lisa) at Granville Island / tomorrow's plans / food preparation / losing a phone at one of Ron's concerts / doing dishes at church / swim club / sound duties. Good thing I've caught up on stuff already!

Hannah W. and Mike K. (dream) / Veronica / Holiday Spirit

I had a dream which involved Hannah W. and Mike K. having to be a crazy couple for an Awana play, only they couldn't think of anything! My family had somehow decided to see this play, but Jon / Steph / Mom were all involved in some way. They laughed because Dad and I would have to do something together for once (which would happen in real life), but I managed to find a way out of it by saying that since I was in the building, I might as well help with the kids! Vanessa H. showed up later to introduce us all to her friend, but the kids were too hyper to notice, hahaha. Not sure what sort of dream that was!

When I got up, I noticed that Eric had called, so I called him back. His mom Veronica answered the phone, but that was fine - MERRY CHRISTMAS was okay by me, heh. Turns out he called to see whether I was going to service tonight or church tomorrow; the only way the latter would be doable is if I stay up all night again, which really isn't tenable over the long term! Oh well, at least I can get all my Xmas wishes in my annual Facebook spam out of the way overnight IF it ends up happening! I didn't tell him that, but instead said "Ha ha ha." He asked if I meant "Ho Ho Ho" instead... I mean what I say, especially when I just got up! If he has to be there early since he's doing sound tonight, at least I have warning!

Your Holiday Spirit Comes From Childhood Memories

You approach the holidays with childlike wonder and innocence. Unlike most people, they haven't been ruined for you. The holidays are magical for you, and they bring you back to simple and happy times. You're in touch with your emotions and intuition. You possess a great, unmatched imagination - and an infinite memory. You live your life freely, without guilt or restrictions. You don't deny yourself, especially during this special time of year!

Where Does Your Holiday Spirit Come From?

Blogthings: If Quizzes Are Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Take Quizzes

3-1 losses / Curing Gordon Glitch

Listened to the Canucks lose 3-1 to the Flames; an empty-net goal with 35.8 seconds left certainly didn't help!


This isn't supposed to happen in FINAL FANTASY II; the character's name is GORDON, for one thing. (it's usually "GDcccc" for some reason) Plus, his hit points aren't supposed to be that high OR be in the red! At least I leveled up everyone else's Cure magic to 16 and MASTERY by taking advantage of the glitch!

2011 Yearly Survey: Shame, Embarrassment, Lies

1. Was 2011 a good year for you? Why? It was an okay year... good things happened, and bad things happened. Yeah, I could say that every year.

2. What was your favorite moment of the year? I've had a few of those, even in the last week! Just hanging around with a treasure is very interesting!

3. What was your least favorite moment of the year? I've had a few of those in the last two weeks, as well. Let's just say that things didn't work out the way I thought they would.

4. Where were you when 2011 began? At Jeremy's with a bunch of people - HOT POT NIGHT!

5. Who were you with? White Eric, Jon, Harmony, Jen, Jason, Dianne, Nathan, Raymond, Ray [a little person!], Isabel, Wesley, Christon, Jeremy, his brother Mark, and Trish.

6. Where will you be when 2011 ends? I have no idea... maybe out with friends? [stock answer]

7. Who will you be with when 2011 ends? Friends, most probably.

8. Did you keep your New Year's Resolutions of 2011? I didn't make any... easier not to break 'em that way. ;)

9. Do you have (a) New Year's Resolution(s) for 2012? NO MORE HOUSEGUESTS! FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY!

10. Did you fall in love in 2011? Perhaps, perhaps not. ;)

11. If yes, with who? A ghost. :P

12. If yes, do they know? Sure... that's why ghosts visit me in the night. :P

13. Are you still in love with them? Nah.. it's all too ethereal loving a ghostly being.

14. You regret it? You shouldn't regret love.

15. Did you break up with anyone in 2011? Kinda-sorta, with the ghost mentioned previously.

16. Did you make any new friends in 2011? Yes, and I love them for who they are.

17. Who are your favorite new friends? Matt A. and Siobhan!

18. What was your favorite month of 2011? August.

19. Did you travel outside of your country of residence in 2011? Nope. I is boring. :D

20. How many different states / provinces did you travel to in 2011? None.

21. Did you lose anybody close to you in 2011? Yes.

22. Did you miss anybody in the past year? Danielle, Krista, and Mandy!

23. What was your favorite movie that you saw in 2011? Not sure that I saw any!

24. What was your favorite song from 2011? No idea.. I don't get much into "new" music. Probably Matthew Good's ZERO ORCHESTRA!

25. What was your favorite record from 2011? No idea.

26. How many concerts did you see in 2011? None... I really need to get out to a band gig one of these days!

27. Did you have a favorite concert in 2011? I didn't go to any.

28. Did you drink a lot of alcohol in 2011? Nope - just your regular amount!

29. Did you do a lot of drugs in 2011? I don't do drugs.

30. How many people did you sleep with in 2011? None.

31. Did you do anything you are ashamed of this year? Possibly - hasn't everyone?

33. What was the worst lie someone told you in 2011? No comment.

34. Did you treat somebody badly in 2011? Depends on your perspective, doesn't it?

35. Did somebody treat you badly in 2011? Yes, but I won't get into details here.

36. How much money did you spend in 2011? Eh, the usual amount!

37. What was your proudest moment of 2011? Setting limits for myself as to what I will tolerate from people.

38. What was your most embarrassing moment of 2011? Not sure I have one, although I'm sure there are some...

39. If you could go back in time to any moment of 2011 and change something, what would it be? I could put something here, but the moments I'm thinking of all taught me something. So maybe not?

40. What are your plans for 2012? Ready for this? Not sure what my plans are, but I'll be ready with my SUPERPOWERS! MUHAHAHA!

The Dance Test / Rare IRON GOLEM

You Are Charming

You believe that almost anything is possible. And you consider yourself a very lucky person. You are very giving - so giving that you occasionally get taken advantage of. Mysterious and demure, you keep secrets about yourself to remain an enigma. You are fun-loving, sweet, and cute. You radiate happiness and pure joy.

The Dance Test

Blogthings: Take a Quiz. Annoy Your Friends.

I got a rare IRON GOLEM encounter!

Undershirts, pudding, and FLARE GIGAS!

Went out earlier to do some banking, but stupidly forgot my Royal bank card! At least I finally got some undershirts and panties from Sears, and a pudding bubble tea from Big Orange... now I have to go out in the insanity again tomorrow! Vanessa says she'll drop by then with the cookies or whatever - sounds good!


I finally got a rare Flare Gigas encounter in the lava rooms (of which there are only two) in Whisperwind Cove! Now I can go to the Chaos Shrine!

Yamatano Orochi in Whisperwind Cove / Mail delivery notices?!

Since I couldn't sleep at 4 AM, I turned on the computer and answered Mandy's emails instead. Good thing she got my card! When I actually did get up at 2:30, I found a mail delivery notice: YEAH, LIKE I HAVE TIME TO GO OVER TO BLUNDELL CENTRE THIS WEEKEND?! *unprintable language*

You Are a Comforting Hug

You're the type of person who has already learned a lot from living. You are ready and willing to help others now. You are naturally empathetic. You wouldn't know how to stop relating to people, even if you wanted to. You are truly caring. You show you care by dropping everything to help. In relationships, you are a loyal partner - but you also value your space. Absence makes your heart grow fonder.

What Kind of Hug Are You?

Blogthings: Discover the Parts of Your Personality that Have Been Hiding

Here's a picture of another rare enemy in FINAL FANTASY 1's Whisperwind Cove: the Yamatano Orochi, derived from Japanese mythology! I missed the chance for a screenshot earlier while spending an hour hunting for one on a floating castle floor. Since I had to go back in this place to get a Flood Gigas and Flare Gigas, I hoped I'd get one... lo and behold, I found two without even searching!

4-2 win over Detroit! / CHINESE ERIC! / Suitable gestures

The Canucks won 4-2 over the Wings tonight! Vanessa says she has something for me tomorrow, so that's great! Chinese Eric called at 10:35, saying he'd been out driving his mom and her friends from Hong Kong around town; NO WORRIES, man! Of course, I basically rehashed what I said in my email - he said he'd check it, but I definitely wanted to talk to him about that stuff! Discussed SERVANTS / websites / brochures, help with Jon / Harmony moving, finding a suitable GESTURE as a present for Monday's dinner, whether I needed a lift (he's so considerate like that - unlike others?!), Nathan, Ciel, Saturday / Sunday, communication avenues like email / Facebook / MSN, MissionsFest, watching good hockey games here (of COURSE!), and more.

Awesome people, thought colors, and DEATH MACHINE!

I think I missed a phone call from Chinese Eric today! Of course, "BLOCKED CALL" could be anyone as far as I know, but I associate it with Eric most of all. Hopefully, he got my email last night... and there is a game on today! :D

I got THREE Christmas cards in today's mail, too! Yay for Janina, Marie, Kelli, and Kitty! LJ has changed its comment fields again; the only thing I notice on the custom layer is that the comment boxes are bigger. I'm sure I'll notice more stuff soon, heh. Oh, wait - the time now automatically updates even in EDIT mode... interesting!

Your Thoughts Are Blue

You are empathetic and feeling. Your thoughts are always colored with emotion. You tend to be a positive and optimistic thinker. You don't dwell on what's going wrong. Your purpose in life is to make the world better. There's so much you want to change. You think more about what could happen than what is happening. Possibilities are what interest you most.

What Color Are Your Thoughts?

Blogthings: Cheaper Than a Therapist

I had MUCH better luck with the DEATH MACHINE quest in FINAL FANTASY 1's Whisperwind Cove! Only 15 minutes into it, as opposed to THREE OR FOUR HOURS with the TYRANNOSAUR! (and they're equally rare, I believe) Of course, all my characters are now Level 99...

RARE TYRANNOSAUR!

I FINALLY FOUND A RARE TYRANNOSAUR AFTER THREE HOURS OF FIGHTING! (now my characters are ridiculously overleveled...)

The Adventure Test / Amazing Kisses?

You Are Intuitive

You are a calm, soft-spoken person. You are well-mannered and classy. You're a very sensitive soul. You haven't grown that thick skin that most other adults have. Your friends rely on you to bring novelty and excitement to their lives. You don't accept apologies easily. Actions mean much more to you than words do.

The Adventure Test

Blogthings: Free Quizzes for Everyone

Your Kisses Are Agreeable

You are a perfectly nice kisser. It is a good experience to kiss you. You may not be the boldest with your kisses, but you always are appropriate and receptive. You may want to change up your kissing style a bit. Give your sweetie a surprise. You could stand to be a little more assertive when it comes to kissing. Stop waiting to be kissed, and start smooching!

Are Your Kisses Amazing?

Blogthings: If Quizzes Are Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Take Quizzes

I'm NOT free for games, unless they're on MY OWN TERMS!

Christon emailed the small group to see if anybody was free for a small group potluck and games night "to relax." Thank goodness I'm not free on Boxing Day? Hahaha... games are NOT for me unless they're online or whatever! Talked to Vanessa on MSN / James on YM about the whole Teunis SITUATION and personal stuff after the Canucks won 4-0 over the Wild, as well. Sara M. unfriended me for some reason, too!

What Does Your Home Mean to You?

Your Home Means Simplicity

You start every day fresh. You are optimistic about what's to come. You like your home to be functional, but not fussy. More stuff just means more cleaning. You believe in taking it easy. Whenever possible, you don't set yourself up for failure. You'd rather do less and have less because it means you'll be happier. You are a proud minimalist.

What Does Your Home Mean to You?

Blogthings: Waste Time at Work!

OBORIL is familiar... / Virtual purges!

Went to sleep at 5:15 and got up about four hours later; I guess that works for now. Also heard that Kim Jong Il is dead! Discovered that Jason Oboril wanted to add me to Facebook - the name sounds vaguely familiar from Palmer / McNair, but that's as far as it goes. NO ADDING FOR YOU! I did somewhat of a virtual purge (and some judicious editing), and found that Reebee wasn't on Facebook anymore - WTF?! Thank goodness you can view photos and notes of someone on their profile page!

Cutting off contact is reality?! / STUPID ASSES!

Stayed up all night since I couldn't sleep; probably not the best idea! I managed to cram all the Advent calendars, chocolate, candy, brandy beans, massive Reese's peanut butter cups, and candy canes for Jon / Steph / Lisa / Harmony / Julie C. / James / Brandon / Rachel / Jonathan / Ashley / Ramen / Mattias / Shira / David / Evelyn / Anastasia in my bag before I left, but it was pretty crammed! Turns out that only half of the children (Ramen / Shira / Anastasia / Ashley / Rachel / Jonathan / Ashley) were here today, along with new kids (cousins?) named Isabel / Wesley / Martin. Eric and I talked about last night, impersonating an annoying NPC named Navi from LINK, traffic, his family's presents to mine, my sleep issues, hockey, CLAYMATION CHRISTMAS, addresses, and more on the way to church.

I made him carry my (heavy) stuff inside because the ground was gross from the rain! At church, I immediately noticed Mr. Creep in the back row of the section next to me, so vowed not to look that way. Talked to Nathan W. for a bit about his book and peanut / hazelnut allergies, then Jon and I exchanged plastic bags of stuff. I got candy bats (which I'll probably give away), Reese's peanut butter cups, a colorful orange sweater, green pants (am I a PUMPKIN?!), and some other stuff. Eric gave me some Canucks mittens; SWEET! Gave Jeremy a Christmas card, of course!

After service, I said hi to baby Micah (who wanted to play the guitar and drums), Sam (back because of Winter Con and other things!), Sabrina (whose niece loved my bling sweater - she'll have a sibling soon?!), Calla, Gavin, Lily, Hannah L., Adam, Grace, Phil, Uncle Peter, and others. Couldn't find Julie, unfortunately! Dad said Mom was in the sound room, so I asked her if Chinese Eric could come to Boxing Day dinner; she said yes, so I'm going to tell him that later. PHEW! Since I was getting tired of dodging Paul all the time, I went upstairs early... excused myself to Jessie as "BUSY!" and talked to Lanie about awkward family dinners during the holidays. After Sunday School, Eric said that he was driving Paul to help Jon and Harmony move - the poor guy quickly found out why that was a bad idea, after he asked me why I only spoiled half the children today!

Paul thought I didn't KNOW that Eric was moving the car so I could get in: OF COURSE I KNEW THAT! Then he called me a bitch who put bleach on his clothing: for all I know, he did it himself! When he told me not to give him any more "lip," I lost it - HE BETTER NOT EVEN START WITH THE INSULTS! It was a tense and mostly silent car ride over to the old place, with his accusing me of banging his knee with my seat. I'm sure it might have bothered him, but it probably hurt less than what he might have gotten into in prison! Then he said that I closed the car door on his leg while I got out of the car: hey, it wouldn't have happened if Mr. Grade A Asshole had taken Eric's side to get out!

Steph answered the door; I quickly got away from Paul, and busied myself talking to Jeremy, Randal, and Nathan. We talked about Korean BBQ, Chinese Eric, bread, De Dutch Pannekoek House, menthol cigarettes, smoking, tagging in FB pictures, Twitter, spending too much time on social networking, how Nathan met Ciel ("a modern Internet love story"), my sleep issues, Ciel coming on the 23rd, brunch offers, FINAL FANTASY, the new place maybe being bigger, Gold Bond body lotion (the REAL source of the "menthol" status!), and more. Randal said I actually looked pretty alert; my response was that I didn't know how I was standing and talking to them in the kitchen! I helped move a few bags and the violin, which Jon said he appreciated. On the way home, Eric and I discussed what happened earlier with me and Paul, 2012 being the YEAR OF NO HOUSEGUESTS (even if Matt comes to Vancouver... WE ARE JUST ONLINE FRIENDS!), Saturday's Xmas Eve service, Friday's weekly tradition, and more.

A while later, he popped up on MSN to tell me to go to bed - yeah, but I had to blog it all out! He thought that I should be tired by now, and we both let past issues affect us... maybe, maybe not. I know I made a list of what to tell Chinese Eric, in case I forget! Then I found out that Teunis did what he threatened to do in the summer (cut off contact), because of harassment about the Jasmine thing - sigh. He hopes to hear from me again, but we'll see... I'll have to do the photo UNTAG thing later!