Tagging, location, Cypress, Whistler, tour guides, and active babies

Spent a lot of time earlier working on projects such as LJ tagging / location, and FB date changes and tagging. Good thing that Eric H. said hi on MSN after his long day at Cypress and Whistler! I'm sure he feels like a tour guide, but as long as he can rest afterwards, it'll be fine! (he needs a reprieve, which he'll get in a couple of days) He said that the Kings had won again (10-1), which I'd heard about earlier. Discussed fun research, the 2008 Pens (who lost to the Wings in the Final), NO BABY NEWS yet, innocent winking, trips, the active baby in utero (might be a boy?), and more. I also finished the FB date changes and tagging; no more constant notifications for my friends, I'm sure!

Long's Noodle House - 64th birthday goodness!

Steph called me at about 4 to tell me that Mom was going out for dinner in Vancouver for her 64th birthday; since almost everyone else except Harmony (who has exercise class at 7, and doesn't like Chinese food much anyway) was going, I guess I was in as well. Mom tried calling me, but I was busy trying to get an edit in, so I didn't pick up. When I called her back, I asked her where we were eating: Long's Noodle House! HAHAHAHA, I remember that place from Valentine's Day 2008 with Jon / Jeremy / Nathan / others! While I had her on the phone, I asked her about the hotel we were staying at in Vegas since Sheryll and Nyssa may want to meet me there: IMPERIAL PALACE. Jon's on a tight schedule, so I wasn't late at 5:40! Before I left, I bugged white Eric via MSN about his calling me at 9:30 AM yesterday, haha. (also left a message for Chinese Eric - YAY!)

I said hi to Grandma when I saw her in the car, and asked her what she did today: stayed home and knitted, apparently. Sounds about right to me! When we got to the restaurant, I busied myself by reading a bit of the newspaper until Steph and Lisa got there. Jon was later, as usual. We talked about SLB, this being another impromptu dinner, buns, jellyfish heads, Happy Family soup with dumplings, Chen's / PEACEFUL / Lin's, Shanghai noodles, Grandma cleaning her teeth right there at the table, pineapple cake from the cleaning lady, translating for Lisa, Vegas, the new money, salad, online friends, walking being good for labor, Mom not thinking she is Grandma's real daughter (DNA test!), SERVANTS, the upcoming baby, Mom thinking that the baby will wait till we go to Vegas to come out (I hope not!), Uncle Eric ALSO thinking that the baby was here, and more. My first words when Steph called me were, "BABY COMING?!" (and Uncle Eric said the same when Mom called him)

Dementia, Easter bunnies, stress in keeping up, and a 5-2 win!

Found myself still craving some Mexican food, so I went out to get some at Richmond Centre... turns out I forgot about the construction in the food court! DEMENTIA! Also got myself a 200g Easter bunny with rice crisps inside at Shoppers - I thought I'd done that yesterday, but it turned out I didn't. Since I was there, I got three packages (two dark chocolate, and one white chocolate) of unexpectedly on-sale Lindt chocolate eggs (today was the last day!) and some Smarties eggs. (I decided to give some to Chrystal later)

Overhearing a conversation between a clerk and a security officer, I heard about a major shoplifter in Richmond: apparently, his thing is to pick up receipts off the floor, see if he can get similar items from the shelves, and get away with stealing. He had six undercover cops trailing him from Lansdowne to Richmond Centre once, and does this at ALL the stores! Bought myself a banana bubble tea at Big Orange, too. I was home in plenty of time for my beloved weekly tradition and the hockey game, so that was a BONUS!

EARTH HOUR is tomorrow, and that always reminds me of my ex and Chilliwack's Cottonwood Mall in 2008. WHY IS MY ALMOND MILK ALL FROZEN AND SUCH?! I WAS GOING TO DRINK IT, TOO! NOW I HAVE TO GO OUT AND BUY SOME MORE! Went out to London Drugs, and was back just in time for the hockey game - got two almond milks and one Koala raspberry-guava drink. Since Scarlett added me to ANOTHER active hockey group without my permission, I had way too much to keep up with while the game was on - UGH, SO STRESSFUL! Some random person by the name of Charles Labree tried adding me to Facebook - I DON'T THINK SO! At least the game ended with Vancouver winning 5-2 against the Stars!

Like I said in my FB status: "I decided I can't keep up with two active hockey groups, two relatively active communities, an active weekly Friday post elsewhere, and my own FB feed during a game. WAY TOO MUCH STRESS. I've dropped the new hockey group. (not this one) The next person to add me to a group without my permission gets unfriended." I can just imagine trying to keep up with this shit when Eric comes over tomorrow... I don't want to know how stressed I'd have been if I had Trillian ON tonight!

Onloading and enjoining Fidela / HARRY POTTER wands / GIANT

High-scoring words of the night:

ONLOADED (112 points) - against Yvette B. [4W, 2W]
ENJOIN (150 points) - against Angela V. [5W, 2W]


Fidela's added me back on Facebook - cool stuff! But someone named Joe Guy tried adding me on there; I DON'T THINK SO! I also finished prepping 147 Christmas cards, ten Olympics postcards, and 101 Vancouver postcards; that's a LOT of writing with hand cramps, trust me! After that, I decided to make it a double accomplishment and do some laundry... the second floor is MUCH warmer than the first floor!


Facebook quiz taken from Jessica:

What is Your Harry Potter Wand? -- Hazel and Mermaid Hair. My Result: Hazel and Mermaid Hair. You are very intelligent and wise. You are a good writer, and have the spirit of a poet. You are very loyal to those you love, but can appear to be a bit of a snob or know-it-all. Your quirky characteristics (of which you have many) are endearing to your friends, but can be irritating to others. You excel at all subjects in school, particularly Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, Transfiguration, and Potions. You will be a member of Ravenclaw House. After leaving Hogwarts, you may seek a career in magical research, or may come back to teach at Hogwarts.


Trivia fact for Friday, Nov. 26: Which two 2008 Oscar-nominated movies were filmed in the same small town where the 1956 epic Giant was shot? There Will Be Blood and Best Movie winner No Country for Old Men. The town that provided the setting was Marfa, Texas.

New laptop settings changes, ClearType, large keys, gray art, Alcohol 120%

I used the new laptop for about half an hour to change settings such as the desktop picture (I'm not "Lorena" or a "pink Valentines" type of girl!), date, time, screensaver, and password. For some reason, I'm not connected to the Internet, but maybe this is what Eric was talking about with the international cable. Oh well, it's all good - I do appreciate that the laptop has really large keys, and something called ClearType which makes things REALLY legible! Dunno about this program called Alcohol 120% ...



Trivia fact for Thursday, Nov. 18: What American pop artist was celebrated at a 2008 exhibit that featured more than 130 of his paintings, sculptures, drawings, and prints - all done in gray? Jasper Johns. The exhibit, titled Gray, was seen at the Art Institute of Chicago and at New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Extra downtime ROCKS! / "Showers of Blessing" isn't relevant to Eric! / Yay for Victor!

Eric gave me an extra hour of downtime (he'd played WOW while I edited entries and started word games), which I definitely appreciated! That still meant that I had to go to the eminently-skippable program, but you can't have everything! Of course, I still asked him whether he were insane when he called, haha - it's my THING! When I got out of the building, I was cackling - he wanted to know how much medication I'd taken, and described me as "loopy." He was surprised when I gave him the box of Delecto chocolates more than two months early, haha! We talked about Riverview (what a detour for psychological help!), his being a literal backwards male, possible relationship deal-breakers, donating various game items, whether Teunis had bought STARCRAFT II yet (he seemed surprised that I didn't know - well, he doesn't live with me anymore!), dentist appointments, saving money, government benefits, feelings, DARKWING, Dave and distraction, Eric's being the Joker, marriage, increases, staying single, my being quiet during Fellowship, and more. and more. When we got to church, we met Cordia / Julie / Auntie Tonia / Margaret at the elevators.

We went into the fellowship hall, where we saw Stanley eating a LOT of noodles which he didn't have to pay for: he still complained that it wasn't to his liking, though! Maxine was feeding her kids Joshua and Keenan some sushi, and said that Stanley probably shouldn't say anything. Meh, at least he liked that it was free! I said hi to the kids, then talked to Vania and Jen about 10th / worship / Jason / Eggs Benedict / not waking up in time for breakfast. We noticed that the Powerpoint overhead was upside down: Joshua thought that it was funny, and told me so. Yup, I agree! Tim came in a while later, and wondered why his wife had bought so much sushi and udon - when he offered me five wings, I took them gladly! (Christon was also having some sushi of his own) Later, he said that he was thinking of going to South Africa for a cousin's wedding, but that they might be a distraction! If the new baby's a girl, Maxine can give the kids' clothes to baby Micah. However, they won't find that out till ten weeks from now! I also heard that Karen I. might get induced on the weekend or Tuesday - wow!

By the time I'd finished the wings, the program had already started. I grabbed my stuff and sat by Eric, Alan, and Tracy. Couldn't help but notice the affection that Tracy had for her husband, but tried NOT to focus on that. If things had turned out differently, maybe I'd have some too! Haha! The program as stated ("Sharing Christ With Your Parents") wasn't terribly relevant to me, but as Christon said later, it was interesting to learn more about the panelists' background! Uncle Hansel, Uncle Peter, and Wai-Mui did get $50 Bon Appetit gift cards from Safeway; when Eric's pen ran out of ink, I could see that he had trouble getting another blue pen, so I let him borrow mine. At one point, Alan was playing Solitaire or another card game on his phone! Apparently, buying fish is a good way to show care for your in-laws! (and respect with the ancestor worship can be achieved by just standing there) Not letting ministry interfere with your parental time is probably good advice for those who need it... luckily, I don't! Funny (if irrelevant) piece of advice from tonight: "If your non-Christian parents are sick in hospital, tell us! We'll come visit them! But if they don't like pastors, tell us anyway! We'll still visit them, but we won't tell them that we are pastors!"

I learned that Randal cannot miss Saturday dinner with his parents because his brother Roland (that reminds me of the time I actually DID call Randal "Roland," but thankfully not to his face!) isn't really talking to the family, and his sister-in-law is a nominal Catholic who badmouths her in-laws. He wants to step up his commitment to the parents, and show them that he and his brother are different. True, but you can't be SUPERMAN and drop EVERYTHING for them! Apparently, there's a Cantonese show called SHOWERS OF BLESSING which is on every Saturday night - his parents have looked forward to the show, especially the one on gambling! (apparently, his uncle has a severe gambling problem) Unfortunately, the stuff about the Cantonese Christian shows and the Chinese literature wasn't terribly relevant to Eric! Dianne and I suggested that he and his parents should learn to read Chinese, haha!

I was happy enough when the program ended: while we talked to Uncle Peter about life with a new baby in the house (Winnie and birth! Crying in a big house! Emergency C-sections! Two grandmothers! One great-grandmother! Endless recipes! Vinegar / egg / ginger!), Connie checked the hockey score on her phone. Yes, we beat Minnesota 5-1, and got revenge for the recent shellacking! I told Jon about Steph's email; yes, he and Harmony are pretty busy with chores and such since their friend is coming to town on Monday! When Christon seemed like he was going to tell Jon (who almost hijacked the discussion with the "generational gap conflict" comment) something personal ("I need a drink because of this!"), I respectfully stepped away to ostensibly look at the structural drawings on the chalkboard, AND to get Eric away from the wrong person in Raymond! After a bit, I went back to see what they were talking about: I missed who exactly didn't feel like doing an important duty, but that's fine. All I know is that worship leading cannot be fake, man!

When it looked like Dianne and Wesley were going to join them for drinks, Jon wanted to know if Eric could fix his laptop one of these days. They'd figure it out later, so Eric and I went to the elevator. He made a call while we were waiting, and I guess the "different" woman Teresa assumed we were free to talk to her! We held up our hands in the universal signal for LATER! While I wasn't talking on the phone or overly curious as to what Eric was discussing - I didn't care - I *did* know that he wouldn't be free to talk to her anyway! When he was done, Teresa asked whether we could give her a ride home - he guessed he could... more time having to appear normal for me, haha. There were a whole bunch of people in / getting on the elevator, including Victor and Ernest. Victor said hi to me by name, so I returned the greeting in kind, asking if he'd be going to tomorrow's conference. He said he would be, and asked if I were going. When I said no, he asked why - I might visit my grandma! (depending on bus schedules and such, but he doesn't need to know THAT!) As we passed everyone near the door when we all got in the car, Victor waved at me, so of course I waved back with a smile. Teresa thought he was waving at HER (um, no - he doesn't know you!), so waved and said BYE=BYE! Hahaha... oh well, we DO try to make allowances for her differences! Thankfully, it didn't take long to drop Teresa off, and we fielded inquiries about our weeks, driving schools (Trinity or Young Drivers in Richmond, NOT New Westminster!), and commuting from Richmond in the meantime.

After dropping Teresa off, we got gas even though he had almost half a tank left - I figured I was reading the wrong gauge again when I'd asked about it before! Eric decided to sing to me about my supposed alcohol consumption, and said that he'd accidentally drank wine earlier even if he said he didn't want any because he'd be driving. "You can ask my mother or my father!" Hahaha, that's fine! Then he thought that I could send someone an email: no, I think the time for that is well past! I would have LOVED it, but I was too caught up in appearances! We discussed STELLA'S turning into a beer bistro (Jon lives in the area!), Fat Burger, a gas smell, a Kirin near City Square, silliness, a brand-new Tim Horton's across the street from the Cuppa Joe coffee shop (Jeremy's not going to be too happy about THAT!), wool / hair / black sheep, the program not being relevant to ME personally (my uncle's family is NOT Christian, but we don't talk to them due to drama and cultural differences!), and other things. Interesting discussion, at any rate! Now I'm going to catch up on stuff, and I hopefully won't have to stay up till 5:30 AM to do so, unlike LAST week! (while I did have to restart the computer when I got home, at least I got home around 11 instead of 12:30 AM!)

Pastor John, Josiah, old disabled people, whiteboards, Zoe on FB, video game systems

High-scoring word of the afternoon:

WHAM (157 points) - against Valerie J. [2W, 5W, hook off REQUITALS to make AR / ME]


I had a weird dream which involved getting some personal info from Pastor John and his son Josiah, then congregating with a bunch of people on the stairs to the sanctuary in the old church building. Even some people in motorized scooters were able to do so for some reason, WITHOUT fear of falling! One such person had his arm tightly around me so *I* wouldn't fall, but then had to go somewhere. I then quickly went downstairs; a bunch of old people were there, and I found my grandma amongst them. We went to the church library, where we saw a bunch of kids drawing on the whiteboard. No idea why I had that one!

I've now found out that Zoe IS on Facebook, and she's just added me. Guess my weird dream in November 2008 was sorta bound to come true, at least in this respect!

You Are Nintendo DS

You could be described as curious and creative. You like all sorts of things, and are easily inspired. You are cute and sweet. You like playing video games, but you shy away from anything too intense. You are a natural introvert. You're more likely to want to concentrate on a game than play with a friend. You like to be in your own private world. You never know when you'll be up for a game, so you like to take your gaming on the go.

What Video Gaming System Are You?

Blogthings: Our Quizzes Weren't Written By Bored 12 Year Olds

Can I return sunscreen? / Two bridal showers on the same weekend / VOGUE

Decided to drop off my bus pass payment in the mailbox, then went to London Drugs to see if I could find spray-on sunscreen. I thought I did, but it turned out to be more like OFF spray - wonder if I can return it, hmm! Also got some pineapple / jackfruit / banana chips, four on-sale Uncle Ben's chicken fried rice packages (ONLY that type!), and ten spicy chicken ramen packages. Got home and consumed one of the fried rice things for dinner, and put money in a safe place. Yvonne also added me to Facebook - nice! I got another Evite (from Melia) to another bridal shower; this one is Calla's, and it's the day after Karen Chan's. Dude, if I went to those events, my weekend would be really busy! I don't think I can do that anymore, man!


Trivia fact for Thursday, Aug. 26: Who was the first male sports figure to appear on the cover of Vogue magazine? Basketball superstar LeBron James, in April 2008. In the cover photo, he was shown dribbling a basketball with his right hand while holding supermodel Gisele Bündchen around the waist with his left. Only two other men - Richard Gere (1992) and George Clooney (2000) - had preceded him on the magazine's cover.

WATCHMEN = Cleaver overkill murder? NICE!

High-scoring words of the night:

CONVEX (126 points) - against Rebecca R. [3W, 2W]


Discussed Skype, contacting people, family news (UNCLE and BIRTHDAYS!), light bulb deals, fun and silly songs, Batman, DARK KNIGHT theme with words, Krista liking songs, having a TON of emails (9000 moved, and 600 still to read and respond to?!), cults, danger, robes, DOCTOR WHO: MONSTER music videos, Swedish heavy metal, Thunderbird, lemon curd recipes, noodles, WOW, job applications, nails, endings, and more. Apparently, my not having seen WATCHMEN yet merits a reaction of EXTREME surprise! Hahaha...

Overkill murder by cleaver in the head, another murder by toilet and electric current, another one by pouring boiling oil over someone, and yet another by (I assume) dropping a toilet over a midget. I like THE WATCHMEN based on this alone. :D [Corey says the movie sucks - I guess it's a good thing that Teunis is planning to go to his storage locker tomorrow, and he can get me the comic so I can read it!]

We discussed DOCTOR WHO videos on Youtube, having enough of video games for now even if he did have reason to want to let go of stuff, crying / brutal stone angels, moths being attracted to light, fun Satanic Alice Cooper songs, and more.

Mike Bellamy's friend Shaun Lushai added me, just because (he says) he wants to meet new people. He asked if I were in the Army - nope, I just know Mike from the Blood Games of 2008!

Horrible DOCTOR WHO video

These ones are better: MONSTER, part 1, and MONSTER, part 2


Trivia fact for Tuesday, July 20: What nomadic land mammal travels as much as 3000 miles a year, farther than any other? The caribou. It goes on extensive spring and fall migrations, and can reach speeds of close to 50 miles an hour.

Postponed Canada Day BBQ - scorpions, cats, slaughter, and the rain defeating us

Sam and Jeremy picked me up later in the afternoon, and we were off - discussed singing, warming up one's vocal cords, a certain song that Christon led for the first time a while back, poor drivers, sports, and more. When we got to the park, there were already a few people helping to set up and such, with more coming later. I interacted with Billy, Stella, their sons Benjamin and Noah (toys and the maple leaf!), Alan and Tracy, Alan's nephews Noah and Everett, Tim, Maxine (soon off to do wedding dress fitting with Karen Chan), Joshua, Keenan, Christon, Jeremy, Jen, Citrus in his uniform, Darren (hot dogs!), Jessica Leung, Auntie Rebecca, Auntie Catherine, Auntie Susan, Vivian (Montreal AND Cuba!), Randal, Margaret, Mark, William, Mary, Sarah, Reigan, Jinny, Cindy, Ivan, Lesley, Connie, Phil, Grace, Emily / Nina / Gerard, Joey (on crutches AGAIN!), Emily Lam, Eric / Matthew, Katie, Quan, Amy, some other friends of Darren's, Jeremy J., new people (Awana / Fellowships / VBS info), and others. Apparently, Benjamin told Jessica that his name was George! Hahaha, so cute! When Noah left, he waved bye to us! Thank goodness a certain person (or should that be certain people?) did NOT show up!

Jeremy said that one of their goals during the Portland trip was to go where the black people were, but they only had sporadic sightings of those! They were going to go to a fried chicken place, but then got steered to another one - there was nobody in the second one because the people who suggested it to them had just left! (so funny!) Christon said that when they crossed the border back into Canada, the crossing was ALMOST textbook... that is, until they told the border guards that they had purchased $200 worth of alcohol (72 bottles' worth) and $150 worth of books. Randal had to wonder whether beer usually came in bottles down there - maybe if you do what the guys did, and stick to microbrews! At any rate, Jeremy's beer cellar is now stocked for at least another few months or so!

Talked about the Maritimes, Nathan stopping by to convince them to go to Dragon Ball last night, strange stuff tasting like chicken, lobster, scorpions, bugs on pizza, Jen and Viv's upcoming Cuba trip (plenty of water for hydration / the intense heat / sunscreen / Telus training as a conflict), animals KNOWING when you're going to slaughter them, going to SERVANTS for the movie screening / the Richmond or Chinatown Night Markets afterward, not being in the mood to just sit or stand around, my mom eating cat once (of course Jeremy knew the story), and more. Jen asked me whether I'd received the email about Randal's surprise - yes, but we're not CLOSE at all, and it would have been kind of awkward. I told her that we weren't really FRIENDS, but she reminded me to be respectful - I can't speak for him, but I think we've reached the stage where we can at least be civil and polite. No insults here!

Later, the girls were discussing SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE All-Stars... even I recognized a few of the names (Comfort / Twit / Katie), thanks to summer 2008 and The Evil One. Then they were discussing cleavage (almost) falling out of tops - the guys were playing football / volleyball, but Mike chose this inopportune time to come over to see what we were talking about. Quan, Amy, and Katie (wrapped in blankets) all told him that he did NOT want to know! Isabel said that she feels like she has to repeat / go along with the bakery customers' mispronunciation of such things as "pecan" and "scone" - NO!!!! Jonathan then said (jokingly?) that cleaning up was a woman's job, so he earned himself two smacks on the head from me and Margaret for THAT! It was a pretty good time, although of course there would have been more turnout if we didn't have to postpone the event! Sam said that the rain defeated us (in terms of doing stuff later) even though we live in Vancouver... it's so true that the weather can make you depressed!

Slow pique and relaxing padlocks / GOLDEN computer! / Good hold timing!

High-scoring words of the afternoon:

JOIST (383 points) - against Lynn B. [two 5W, hook off YA to make YO / AI]
CONCEPT (240 points) - against Lisa T. [5W, 3W]
COMITY (136 points) - against Janice C. [2W, 4W] {a good deficit-erasing word!}
SPEISE (265 points) - against Anjali R. [4W, 5W]
TWIXT (189 points) - against Anne C. [two 3W - one used twice, hook off EDIT to make ET] {a good deficit-erasing word!}
SLOWISH (156 points) - against Mike A. [4W, 5L on H]
PIQUANT (315 points; 4W, 3W, hook off WOOD to make AW / NO / TO), PLAYGOER (104 points; 4W), CROSS (235 points; two 5W, hook off DOVE for a plural), FARMS (385 points; two 5W, hook off PINY to make SPINY) - against Angie M.
SIC (111 points) - against Elise A. [4W, 3W, hook off WAX / GOOF to make FAS / XI] {a good deficit-erasing word!}
THORAX (100 points) - against Kimberly N. [5W]
DAPS (204 points) - against Eve G. [5W, 4W, hook off YIN to make PYIN]
PADLOCKS (120 points) - against Janet M. [4W]
RELAXANT (440 points) - against Michelle M. [5W, two 2W]
SCURF (120 points) - against Sue C. [5W, 2W] {a good deficit-erasing word!}
TOSTADA (845 points) - against Joan P. [5W, two 4W, hook off REAR for a plural]
ENDOW (200 points; 5W, 4W), AXES (195 points; 5W, 3W) - against Mary Lou B.


I'm almost certain I can hear someone crying in this computer room! But I am on the GOLDEN computer - yes, that's the name pasted on the machine! Yet another instance of good timing: my hold of But I Trusted You: Ann Rule's Crime Files #14 (Ann Rule) is ready to be picked up when I'm at the library already. YES! And I think LJ is unblocked from 3-6, or something. I better hurry before I'm off to Erin's to see her and Ben, with cheese bread! At least I won't come home to barf, excuses, a disrespectful person, false love declarations, and other such things unlike the LAST time I went over there in summer 2008!

Lime mojitos, BBQ chicken pizza, and being accommodating to old ladies

Steph came to the house early, so used the computer to check her email and other things while Grandma was in the shower. She checked the valve under the sink to water the plants - Jon had forgotten where it was, so she verified that it was the red thing. After trying to accommodate Grandma's dietary preferences, we were off to Ironwood. Steph almost settled on Danny's Wonton House until she remembered that I'd had BBQ food earlier for lunch. Of course, Grandma forgot already, and it had just been at 1 PM! We decided to try Brown's Social House, AKA the place that wouldn't take my party on my birthday in 2008. Steph asked if Grandma wanted sushi at Kisha Poppo next door - knowing she'd say NO - and got this response: "No! NO NEED FOR SUSHI!" It's plain to see that she still doesn't like the Japanese!

They were actually accommodating to a 90-year-old's requests, and didn't end up changing us extra to substitute cooked vegetables for a salad, which she doesn't really eat anyway. We had halibut, spicy capicollo pizza, BBQ chicken pizza (the pizzas were only $9), a lager, and a lime mojito. Discussed Vivian's wedding (June 10), Andrea and Chuck's wedding, Grandma hijacking Eric and not recognizing Jeremy, getting drunk, water, Grandma being forgetful, packing, Grandma just people-watching (finding the skanky waitresses and high heels bad), Pei Lyn's quitting a job over being asked to skank it up, text messages, and more. Grandma seemed happy to be out with us, and even initiated a toast! Got home to find out that Benito Camelas had added me on Facebook - no way, I don't know you! Steph also discovered that Grandma's TV actually worked now for some reason. It was a good time - not sure if I'll take Steph's suggestion to drink more because it'll be free. Hahaha, nice! Grandma also wanted us to get milk at Super Grocer, so we humored her paranoia. (1% it is!)

Remaining Kate's bookie with a neural oration / Repairs to kitchen walls

Bingo of the afternoon:

UNDERARMS (105 points) - against Rose-Marie P.

High-scoring words of the afternoon so far:

ORATION (1800 points; two 5W, two 3W), UNIFACE (224 points; two 4W) - against Carole K.
NEURAL (150 points) - against Margaret D. [two 5W]
FAIRED (200 points) - against Shelley R.-B. [5W, 4W]
ZAX (115 points) - against Lisa K. [5W]
SUETY (132 points) - against Toni S. [3W, 4W] {a good deficit-erasing word!}
REMAIN (235 points) - against Janice L. [two 5W, hook off VOTE to make VOTER]
CATE (120 points) - against Maureen W. [3W, 4W]
BOOKIE (425 points; two 5W), CABIN (176 points; two 4W) - against Ina H.
UNDERARMS (105 points) - against Rose-Marie P. [bingo, 4W]
SEAMEN (537 points) - against Ben L. [two 5W, hook off COVE for a plural]


The handyman came back around 2, and had a cool mini-camera to see into the hole that he knocked or punched out of the wall. Said that he and the plumber would get back to me on Friday or Monday, since it was an emergency because of the leak / insulation / cabinets / pipe. Okay, then. Finally was able to get to the library and return my book - the C94 came when scheduled, at least. I also renamed one tag on the faster connection, so that's good. Time to log in under another card number here at the library... ah, the old tricks of summer 2008... ;)

Thank goodness for Caller ID on my phone! / Clowns

High-scoring words of the afternoon so far:

EXAMINER (160 points) - against Jeff P. [5W]
GLANCED (144 points) - against Cherie P. [3W, 4W]
FOAMS (181 points) - against Alice P. [two 4W]


I found an old wedding invitation in my room, for Korey from his friends Jeremy and Jill. No, I don't remember if he told me that they were bad or what, but that invitation is now in the trash! Also, thank goodness for Caller ID... it's been eight weeks, but now my mom's actually tried to call me. If she thinks that I am taking her calls, she is even more insane than I thought!

Your Clown Name is Freckles Heckles the Clown

Cute, but also creepy!

What's Your Clown Name?

Blogthings: We Have a Quiz for Almost Everything

Punches / Dream of being trapped in a black marriage?! / Gold! / Cherry

Facebook FAIL - Group Lists Reasons for Punching Women in the Face ... no words at all. People like my stupid ex would probably join such a group! I'm not going to reproduce the list here, since it's at the source.

I finally was able to sleep at 6:10 AM - stupid upstairs neighbors showering at 4-5 AM! For some reason, I had a dream that I was trapped in a marriage with a black man, and he wanted me to do something for him. He mentioned that he was horny, but when I refused to even help him with that, he said "Okay, fine. I'm not letting you do that for me today!" as if I would magically cave. Eric came in and wrote something in a book, so I looked at it later in private: "He's bad for you, and manipulative!" Jeremy came in the room and wanted to take me out, so of course I let him, after hugging him first... my "husband" wasn't too impressed, haha. Wonder if my subconscious is still processing the events of 2008... yikes!

TWO MORE GOLD MEDALS as of yesterday and today - GO CANADA GO! It's raining today, so no going out... the Canada-Germany hockey game starts in a bit, anyhow. Trevor is back on Facebook, too!

You Should Smell Like a Cherry

You are not as you seem. Most people think that you're sweeter and more innocent than you actually are. In truth, you are a total wild child. You just keep it all on the down low for appearance's sake. You are happiest when you're plotting and scheming a bit. You can't help it, you have a devious mind! You are good at charming people and getting what you want. You are naturally popular, and people just always seem to love you.

What Fruit Should You Smell Like?

Blogthings: Take a Quiz. Annoy Your Friends.

Debbie, possibly needing a new microwave (research!), Chrystal, presents, and deliveries

Someone named Debbie Farrington added me on Facebook. I don't know her, so I'll mark the request as just that, haha. I'm also researching microwaves, since I'm almost certain that my current one is losing power. The bowls of soup that I've heated up recently take three minutes instead of two to get up to a good heat level, and even then, it's not holding in the heat as well as I'd like. The pot pie I heated up SHOULD be all over the plate if I heat it up for three minutes, but it's not! Definitely going for a known brand, and one that's at least 1000 kW for sure! Although I should note that it successfully heated up another pot pie, but I'm not sure if it's because I defrosted it for seven minutes instead of six beforehand.

Called Auntie Ying, who appreciated it. She shared her concern for Chrystal with me: seems she wants me to pray for her sister-in-law and husband, along with Chrystal. I told her that Chrystal's disorder isn't something you just recover from, like my cold this week. If only she had access to online forum support! She doesn't know how to use a computer, though. She felt bad that she was doing all the talking, but I grew used to that with someone else, haha. I brought up the idea of buying birthday cards and gifts for the kids, since I know Amanda's birthday is coming up soon. She was amenable to that idea, and will pay me back for Amanda's gift - now, what to buy for a six-year-old girl that likes drawing?! Hmm. At least she said that she'll bring a handheld mirror - I need to get one of those, since mine from Grandma got STOLEN! (plus a new comb or two) Ended the call at midnight - woohoo!

What Kind Of Cupcake Are You? Monster You so crazy! People may not know what to think of you when they first see you, but as soon as they understand just what an individual you truly are, they come to appreciate you twofold! Myspace Quizzes

Trivia fact for Friday, Jan. 15: What future movie star's delivery in an Atlanta, Georgia, hospital was paid for by Coretta Scott King, the wife of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.? Julia Roberts, in October 1967. Mrs. King took care of the hospital bill as thanks for the drama lessons Julia's mom, Betty Lou Roberts, had given the King children.

Braised beef with egg noodles tastes OFF! / Idiots / Cancer / The Elks

I should never get the JOY OF COOKING braised beef with egg noodles again. It just tastes a bit odd... I think it's the pearl onions, and not the mushrooms as Corey was saying! Also, I think my microwave is losing power - I know it worked fine in summer 2008, and probably up until recently too. No idea how old it really is, of course. Talked to Kenny today, which was cool. :D

Please put this on your blog if you know someone (or are related to someone) who is an idiot. Idiots affect the lives of many. There is still no known cure for stupidity, but we can raise awareness. 93% won't copy and paste this, mainly because they're too stupid to know how to copy and paste. Will YOU make this your most recent blog entry for at least one hour?

In memory of family and friends who have lost the battle with cancer; and in support of the ones who continue to conquer it! Post this on your blog if you know someone who has or had cancer. 93% won't copy and paste this. Will you?

IN LOVING MEMORY OF ALL THOSE BABIES BORN SLEEPING OR WE NEVER GOT TO MEET! Put this as your status if you or somebody you know has suffered a BABY LOSS ♥♥♥ the majority won't put it on, because unlike cancer, baby loss is a taboo ♥♥♥ break the silence ♥♥♥ In Memory of all the ~Angel~ Babies Gone- too soon, but never forgotten,...

Trivia fact for Thursday, Jan. 14: What organization, started in 1867, was originally known as the Jolly Corks? The Elks - officially the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Its original name was based on a bar trick involving corks that was introduced to the group by one of its founders, Charles A. Vivian.

Kadri's Christmas card, scoopers, backscratchers, and toothbrush cases

Got a Christmas card from Kadri (bad_habit) in the mail - thanks! Went out and wasted time looking around at T&T and Sears, but I did find what I was looking for at Daiso, along with a backscratcher (to finally replace the one which was stolen in summer 2008) and four toothbrush cases. Maybe I'll hit Lansdowne tomorrow... at least 24 is back on next week! :D


Facebook quiz taken from Michael M.:

Leslie took the "Which US President are you?" quiz and the result is Harry Truman. You are the epitome of a natural-born leader. You likely come from simple beginnings, and although you have excelled at most things you put your hand to, you have not forgotten your beginnings. You are a mature individual, enjoy the arts, appreciate family, and are comfortable in your own skin. You're never afraid to say: "the buck stops here!"

You Are Vanilla Hot Chocolate

Vanilla hot chocolate may seem like a bit of a contradiction, but you are full of contradictions. You're funny but serious. Outgoing but thoughtful. Wild but traditional. No one can quite figure you out. You're the type most likely to handcraft the perfect hot chocolate at home. Your friends are blown away by your drink-making skills. The truth is that you're a complex person with complex tastes. And you know that a little vanilla makes chocolate taste better.

What Flavor Hot Chocolate Are You?

Blogthings: Waste Time at Work!

Hmm... take transit or get dropped off? / Lindsay Lohan posing nude

I was just the unfortunate recipient of a certain sort of email, so of course I forwarded it to Janina. Dad emailed Steph to say that I'd been shocked that there was a dinner this Saturday - well, I wouldn't have been if I wasn't left OFF the email chain! Their excuse is that I'm less busy than the rest of them, so therefore it doesn't matter - YES, IT DOES! I DEMAND TO BE INFORMED! Jon cited swing dance and a movie as excuses why he couldn't make certain dates for dinner, haha. Steph wanted me to check Translink or Google Maps to see if transit would be easier in getting to her place than waiting for Jon and Harmony to pick me if they're driving. I guess if it's a family dinner, I have to go - and she has a dishwasher, so it's not like there are going to be many dishes, haha.

It appears to be relatively easy to take the 27 and the 26 from Joyce Skytrain station, and it'll get me there in about 25 minutes or so. Steph thinks I should take Grandma to church with me in the afternoon - that would be a hard one to explain to Henry, so I don't think I'll do that. Maybe I can get John to drop me off at the closest intersection to Steph's place, since I still remember how to walk there from that location! We'll see, haha - that'll make me be extra early if dinner is scheduled around 6:30 or so, but it shouldn't be TOO much of a problem! I'm hungry, so I'll eat a couple of Almond and Berry granola bars.


Trivia fact for Monday, Jan. 11: What child-model-turned-actress donned a blond wig and posed nude to recreate Marilyn Monroe's famous 1962 Vogue magazine photo spread? Lindsay Lohan, in 2008. The bombshell photos, which appeared in New York magazine, were taken by the same photographer (Bert Stern) and in the same setting (the Hotel Bel-Air in Beverly Hills, California) as those of Monroe.

Liu's Taiwanese Restaurant with Billie, PANTIES ON HOOPS and Myspace, disgusting Myspace messages

This thing just restarted AGAIN! Had to wait forever for the buses to take me to the Richmond Sushi plaza (more properly called Union Square), but I got there eventually! Billie had been waiting for an hour, but she'd brought reading material and things along, so I definitely did not feel guilty over that! We were disappointed that Richmond Sushi was CLOSED, so we noted the hours - 11 to 2:30 for lunch, and 5:30 to 11:30 for dinner. Then we decided to try Liu's Taiwanese Restaurant next door since I was hungrier than I thought. I ordered beef satay chow mein, hot and sour soup, and pudding bubble tea (SO NOT UP TO STANDARDS!) - Billie ordered a combo with strawberry bubble tea.

After that, we went to Richmond Centre and looked around in Coles before sitting down in comfy chairs to talk some more. Discussed "sauce" rendered as "source" on the menu in several places, parents, venting, parties, cultures, misguided notions, her friends Austin and Rodrigo, exes, Patrick, plans, moving out, Persian people, places you don't want to go, awkward people, perverts, people who think you need professional help, Ryan, Jeremy, and many other subjects. Hugged her goodbye at the bus stop - we'll make August sleepover plans for sure!

When I got home and talked to Corey about Rock Band with country songs / sudden scratches on his neck, I saw that I had two unread Myspace messages (I'd only logged in earlier to check something), so I decided to check them out. While I was doing that, I saw that Panties on Hoops had added me as a friend - HAHAHAHAHAHA! Yay for joke bands started by my brother and Nathan! I also asked Jeremy S. if he has Facebook, then I got to the messages. Perhaps I should have left well enough alone... they were creepy and GROSS!


Leslie's just got their True Blood Character Name from Name Generators. I just got my True Blood Character Name. It's Maryann Forrester.

Leslie's just got their Rapper Name from Name Generators. I just got my Rapper Name. It's MC. Boo-yaa.

Facebook quizzes taken from Darren:

Leslie took the Which Pokemon are you? quiz and the result is #6 - Charizard. Tough, fierce, and having a fiery appetite for destruction! Your friends feel protected around you, but they wouldn't wanna cross you on a bad day!

Leslie just took the "Which weapon is the best for you?" quiz and the result is A Minigun. WOW! When this weapon fucks em' off, you'll only see body parts in the air! This weapon aims REALLY badly, so you must get real close to the fuckers!