Forecast.

Can you see that? Is it too little? That's FIVE DAYS OF RAIN right there! There better be some serious May flowers blooming after this... I hate rain! Especially when I broke the bank with this big move and I have no choice but to take the bus. Come on Friday, come onnnnn...

My New Office!

 Our building and the sign I put together this morning. I wanted to write 'therapist' rather than 'therapy' but it wouldn't fit. Did you ever notice that 'therapist' is the words 'the' and 'rapist' squished together? I did, and it disturbs me. 

The sign faces Dutch Village Road and thousands of cars drive by there every morning and evening so I'm hoping to grab their attention without causing any accidents! But let's say they did get in an accident.. ya think they'll remember that sign?! Haha, I kid, I kid.

 This picture makes the room look small but it's surprisingly difficult to get an entire room in one shot. The room should look a little warmer once my wall hangings are up.

I start tomorrow morning and I think I basically have my shit together. If I don't it'll be OK, my only two clients tomorrow are my two most frequent regulars and they are lovely, patient people who give me even more credit than I deserve. I couldn't ask for a better start.

Remember me saying that my first client at the old place was my last client there? Well he's my first client at the new place too! Ha. Whatta guy.

So wish me luck! I'll let you all know how it goes! :)

These sneakers were made for workin' and that's just what they'll do...

Two 6 day work weeks in a row is stupid - even if there's an intelligent reason to do it. It's 10:40pm and I'm in bed but I felt like going to bed more than an hour ago. Usually I can't manage to get into bed before midnight, if I'm lucky. I think it works that way because when I overdo it (work wise) my immune system plummets - a defense mechanism of sorts. If I get my sleep, and a little extra B12 for good measure, I should be fine.

Work itself isn't too bad, I just have a lot of take-home work to do to make the job transition as easy and painless as possible. At the moment I'm working on forms, letters of notification, label-making, taxes, supply orders and lists, lots of lists.

After Saturday afternoon passes by, my last week starts and though there will be some anxiety, it should be fun. I took Monday off in exchange for the last two Saturdays that I've worked and Friday (my last day) has only 1 appointment. So it's a really short week that ends with ME getting a massage, just the way it should end!

You know what's funny? On Friday (my last day) the only client I have (so, my last client ever at the clinic) is the very first client I treated at the clinic (way back in Sept '07)!! I thought that was neat - all wrapped up in a neat little package!

Anyway, work aside, did you happen to get a look at this weekend's forecast for Halifax?? 19 degrees and sunny for Saturday and Sunday! We just need to get through the next day and a half filled with 30-50mm of rain and then - BAM! Patio weather!! :)

Alana: hope you enjoyed the Joel Plaskett show last night!

Laura: hope your annual is everything you hoped and that you're enjoying it and getting lots out of it!

Johnston: I'll post all about my hair another time, this work/weather post will have to do for now!

If there's actually anyone else who still reads this boring corner of the web - show yourselves!!!!

xoajs

Sent from my BlackBerry device on the Rogers Wireless Network

This might help me be a little more active in the blog posting department. You can now blog directly from your cell! I can't promise anything... But instant posting ability sounds promising!
Sent from my BlackBerry device on the Rogers Wireless Network

bLinks 4 jYou

All right Alana, this is for you.

A couple things going on in the internet section of my brain. If you check my facebook regularly then you probably have already seen these, or some of them. I just don't have anything else to talk about. Work, gym, work, eat bad food, work, don't go to the gym, work, try to get some sleep, work, forget that you don't drink caffeine, don't sleep, work, sleep... and so fourth. 

Anyway... without further adieu: some things to waste time on

1. A surprising place to find new music and a loyal new music friend

Gossip Girl Music

CBC Radio 3

2. Something dumb, or funny... depending on the day
Today's Big Thing

3. Yay! More live music in Halifax!
Marquee Becomes the Paragon

4. Best place to waste half an hour every month
Astrology Zone Monthy Forecast

5. The best place to get movie info (useful when downloading)
imdb

6. Woo hoo! New and exciting tax laws! (Boo... not until next year)

Tax Law Changes

7. Absolutely f@#king useless... but I can't stop myself.

Library Thing

8. Hahaha, people that I know in a website that no one knows!

Haligonia.ca

9. This guy did one picture (self-portrait or one taken by a friend) every day for 10 years. TEN YEARS!

jeffharris.org

10. My new favorite thing

BookMooch

February is really a blah time, huh?! Everything is going great but it still has a way of feeling bleak! I'm doing my best to beat it by getting lots of rest and getting to the gym but I am a little low on sunshine as I haven't been spending much time outside. Maybe I'll walk to work today to take some in - that would beat going to the gym since my butt is still sore from my last workout!

I watched Revolutionary Road yesterday - boooooring. I kept thinking it was going to pick up but it didn't. I think that one was over-glorified. Sure, it was dramatic and the ending was stark and real and unhappy which is the new happy ending but it was tired and I was left feeling that they didn't really tell me much of a story.

I also watched The Great Debaters. That was better. It was slow getting started and I really expected it to be the same old group-of-black-teens-overcome-adversity-in-1930s(and very racist)-America(Texas), and don't get me wrong, it totally was, but it was inspiring and gave a big tug on my heart strings. And ohmygod, Denzel Whitaker was great. I think it's funny that that's his name and two of the other actors in the movie are Denzel Washington and Forest Whitaker - and he isn't related to either. My guess is that his parent's named him that so that our subconscious would tally up all the good acting that Big Denzel and Forest did and assume for us that he's a good actor too, tricky buggers. Apparently his parents named him after Denzel Washington (bet that was a little embarrassing when he met Big Denzel) and his last name just happens to be Whitaker (hmm...). 

"In Texas they lynch Negroes. My teammates and I saw a man strung up by his neck and set on fire. We drove through a lynch mob, pressed our faces against the floorboard. I looked at my teammates. I saw the fear in their eyes and, worse, the shame. What was this Negro's crime that he should be hung without trial in a dark forest filled with fog. Was he a thief? Was he a killer? Or just a Negro? Was he a sharecropper? A preacher? Were his children waiting up for him? And who are we to just lie there and do nothing. No matter what he did, the mob was the criminal. But the law did nothing. Just left us wondering, "Why?" My opponent says nothing that erodes the rule of law can be moral. But there is no rule of law in the Jim Crow south. Not when Negroes are denied housing. Turned away from schools, hospitals. And not when we are lynched. St Augustine said, "An unjust law in no law at all.' Which means I have a right, even a duty to resist. With violence or civil disobedience. You should pray I choose the latter."  

The winning argument by James Farmer Jr. against the Harvard debate team in 1935 (Denzel Whitaker's character in the screenplay)

Aaaaanyway.

I have recently rekindled something a decade old and I'm pretty excited about it. I have to be vague about it here but I can say that it's surprising and it makes me happy and I'm excited to see where it takes me. You just really never know what can happen, even when you think that a chance has long been lost. Good times to come...

xoajs

Ok, stupid hump day is over and I feel better! I've rearranged my work schedule so that I take a few extra clients but trimmed the fat on the annoying days and put a 2 hour break in the middle of 6 client Thursdays so that I can get out of there for a bit and go to the gym. If I break up the long days it's not so tiring.

Last night sucked. however. I went to bed around midnight and woke up at 4am with a super bad headache. Which never happens. But, it was really windy and in my apartment the wind is really noisy. I don't know if it's because I'm up on the 4th floor or if it's because of the kind of windows I have or what but it's awful! I had to get up, take an Advil, massage my head, put on my ipod with massage music on and put my head under the covers and wait about an hour to be able to sleep again. First purchase today - ear plugs.

Annnnyway, almost the weekend again. Thankfully.

Hump day. The kind of hump I'd like to get over. This week has been so boring that I could scream! Work is busy but life is slow. I need something other than work, other than the gym to do. I need a hobby. When people ask me what I do in my spare time I say, and mean, nothing. That's pathetic!

Ugh.

Stupid week, just end already.

:)

3rd Person

Whenever I come to Blogger to write something my brain automatically starts with "Amy is...". Fack. Facebook. Arg.

Amy wants a cigarette.
Amy quit today.
Amy wants to cry like a little baby over it.
Amy slammed her phone down twice (which she never does, she loves her phone).
Amy has a tension headache.
Amy thinks quitting smoking is fun.
Amy actually thinks that smoking would be pretty cool right about now.
Amy wonders how cold -18c with a -26c windchill really is...
Amy wonders how long it would take her to get dressed and walk/speed-walk/run to the store.
Amy wonders if she's losing her mind.
Amy also wonders if these pills aren't actually supposed to do anything.
Amy wishes that the "convenience" store delivered.
Amy wishes she had saved an emergency smoke or two.
Amy thinks she might feel better tomorrow but is also mad about that.
Amy contemplates the similarities between heroin and nicotine.
Amy thinks she would get over cigarettes with some heroin.
Amy thinks that would only work until she started to come down and realized she had no cigarettes and she spent all her money on heroin.

Another boring Saturday night waiting for a Sunday party... looks like the storm is going to hold off this week, thankfully. However, it's really hard to stay in Friday and Saturday two weeks in a row. A girl could stay single forever like that. This is where I'm at right now... 2.5 glasses of wine, cabin fever, good music... I think I need people. So, I could expend some energy in the hopes of exciting something to happen once I get into town or I could just stay put. Thing is, I think the 2.5 has gone straight to my head, I haven't been drinking and I'm taking those pills so... maybe I would just act a fool if I met up with me people. Oh, woe is me. ;)

To go or not to go, that is the question.

In the meantime, just for fun, here are a sampling of some of my favorite song lyrics (in random order):
Kudos to anyone who can guess the song and/or artist(s)

A prize to anyone who can name them all! (No cheating - copying and pasting in searches...)


1. How come no one ever told me
That all throughout history
The loneliest people
Were the ones who always spoke the truth
The ones who made a difference
By withstanding indifference
I guess it's up to me now
Should I take that risk or just smile
Whattya know, it happened again
Whattya know...


2. And I've got
No illusions about you
And guess what?
I never did
And when I said
When I said I'll take it
I meant,
I meant as is


3. But your memory is here and I'd like it to stay
Warm light on a winter day.


4. If Heaven and Hell decide
That they both are satisfied
Illuminate the NOs on their vacancy signs

If there's no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark


5. Just A Perfect Day,
Problems All Left Alone,
Weekenders On Our Own.
It's Such Fun.
Just A Perfect Day,
You Made Me Forget Myself.
I Thought I Was Someone Else,
Someone Good.

6. I ain't about to go straight
It's too late
I found myself face down in a ditch
Booze in my hair
Blood in my lips
A picture of you holding a picture of me
In the pocket of my blue jeans
Still don't know what love means


7. So I'll lose some sales and my boss won't be happy,
But there's only one thing on my mind
Searching boxes underneath the counter,
On a chance that on a tape I'd find...
A song for someone who needs somewhere to long for.

Homesick.
Because I no longer know where home is.


8. The catcher hits for .318 and catches every day
The pitcher puts religion first and rests on holidays
He goes into cathedrals and lies prostrate on the floor
He knows the drink affects his speed, he’s praying for
a doorway
Back into the life he wants and the confession of the bench
Life outside the diamond is a wrench


9. I got married in a rush to save a kid from being deported
Now shes in love
I was so touched, I was moved to kick the crutches
From my crippled friend
She was not impressed that I cured her on the sabbath
So I went to confess
When she saw the funny side, we introduced my child bride
To whisky and gin


10. Yeah you're worth the trouble and you're worth the pain
And you're worth the worry, I would do the same
If we all went back to another time
I will love you over
I will love you


I was going to do 10 but now I'm going to do 15 cause I still haven't decided if I should go out or not...


11. If I could do just one near perfect thing I'd be happy
They'd write it on my grave, or when they scattered my ashes
On second thoughts I'd rather hang about and be there with my best friend
If she wants me


12. So you wanted
to take a break
Slow it down some and
have some space
Well fuck you too
Give me my money back
Give me my money back
you bitch
I want my money back
(And don't forget to give
me back my black T-Shirt)


13. There is a girl in New York City,
Who calls herself the human trampoline,
And sometimes when I'm falling flying
Or tumbling in turmoil I say
Whoa so this is what she means,
She means we're bouncing into Graceland,
And I see losing love
Is like a window in your heart,
Everybody sees you're blown apart,
Everybody feels the wind blow


14. Oh, I'm not aware of too many things
I know what I know, if you know what I mean
Philosophy is a walk on the slippery rocks
Religion is a light in the fog
I'm not aware of too many things
I know what I know, if you know what I mean


15. Well, its a marvelous night for a moondance
With the stars up above in your eyes
A fantabulous night to make romance
neath the cover of October skies
And all the leaves on the trees are falling
To the sound of the breezes that blow
And I'm trying to please to the calling
Of your heart-strings that play soft and low
And all the nights magic seems to whisper and hush
And all the soft moonlight seems to shine in your blush



Still not sure it I'm going to go out. In cahoots now...
Hope you're having a fun Saturday night.
For everyone who went to the 99 Birthday Masquerade - Hope you had a blast, wish I could've been there with you!

xoajs

Oh! I'm going out!

I'm taking pills to help me quit smoking, so far noneffective, and I'm not sure if it's them or stress or what but my sleep has been terrible lately. Vivid bad dreams, hot cold hot cold hot cold, wake up go back to sleep wake up go back to sleep. It's taking a tole. I've started to not really crave cigarettes as much but I'm still smoking. I just want some really good sleep. Just 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep would be amazing. Ugh...

Also, one month until my most favorite holiday, St. Fuck Being Single Day. Yay.

A Couple O' Beefs.

Boeuf Une: My downstairs neighbours.
These people amaze me. I won't hear one single peep out of them for two weeks and then all of a sudden I'll be sitting on the couch one day and "UNST UNST UNST UNST", fricken bass city downstairs. "BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM". And then there's their sex days. "UGH AH UGH AH AW AHHHH AHHHHHH AHHH AHHH" + "UNST UNST UNST UNST" = I'm losing my damn mind up here. I went down there once, on a Sunday afternoon no less, and it was like a concert even from the stairwell. I couldn't believe that their neighbours on that floor hadn't already told them to shut-the-fuck-up. I'm not being old and cranky about it, it was really just that loud. The loudest I've ever heard in an apartment building at least. If their place was a club no one would be asking for the music to be turned up. My floor almost shakes during the more exciting songs and the cats get all batty. I'm ranting about this because it's happening right now and it's almost midnight. Like, go out! Go to a bar. Get loud and stupid like all the other stupid loud people. Jesus.

Boeuf Deux: Cabs

Scenario One

5:46pm

"Hi, cab at 555 fakename St. please"
5:46pm

Put on my shoes and jacket and grab my purse
5:49pm

In the lobby waiting
6:06pm

"Hi, is there still a cab coming at 555 fakename St.?"            
"Yeah, says here it was a no show..."

"Well, I called and then came immediately downstairs and waited here for at least 15 minutes"
"Ok, we'll send another one"
6:18pm

"Hi, cancel the cab for 555 fakename St. please"

I was trying to get to the gym that closes at 7pm. If I call a cab before 6pm on an ordinary Saturday, should I not expect it in less than half an hour? Also, if they arrive before even 5 minutes have passed should they not wait a minute? It takes at least a minute just to get the elevator down. Was he parked in my driveway when he got the call? Then what about the times when they take half an hour? They expect you to be waiting at the door in 3 minutes or less but they don't even notify you when it's going to be 30 minutes. What if I didn't have a cell phone and I HAD to call from upstairs where I couldn't wear my shoes inside. I'd have to call, put on my shoes or boots which could take a minute, then the elevator from hell takes forever... If you're parked close enough that I couldn't tie my shoes before you get here then wouldn't you wait a second? So no gym, no cab. I took the bus to my second destination.

Scenario Two

Cabs that stink. Like a thick, get-into-your-clothes kind of stink. Where you want to open the window but you know they'll know what you're doing because it's -24c and a blizzard outside so you're probably not too warm. It smells like indian food odor in an old man's sweater vest that's been rubbing on his hairy back which was recently warmed by canoodling the sweaty bosom of his overweight wife kind of stink. That stuff sticks to your person like cheesecake to your ribs. CLEAN YOUR CAB. Or at least open the window or get a deodorizer or something. Fack.

Scenario Three

We're half way to my house and the guys says, "I'm really low on change ma'am". And so I say "Huh, well, maybe you should have told me that before we left?". And then he says "Oh, well I have fives, just no change". So I say "Well let's hope we make it there before ten cause all I have is twenties". Come on. If you have the right change then you get a better tip but if I can't get enough change back only because you suck at your job and don't have any then fuck it. It's not my responsibility. I don't want to tip you $6 for a $9 cab ride because you're too dumb to carry a float. So I'm paying him at the end and it ends up being $8 so I ask for a ten back because I'm definitely not tipping him $7 and the dude has no coins. So he says "Sorry, I only have five", he meant he only has five(s) I guess because he had a lot of them and as he passes them to me I see at least one ten dollar bill in his pile. Ok, I don't care if you give me two fives instead of a ten, what difference right?! But why would you say you had no tens if you so obviously do. And lie about it while I can see them no less. Be prepared for your job. Imagine if someone showed up and I said "Well, get on the table" and then I come in afterward and say "Sorry, I have no lotion". 

Scenario Four

Client needs to use debit. I see why they don't like it but I take a shit load of cabs and I don't always know I'm going to take one and I don't always carry cash. So sometimes I need to use debit. I always specify to the dispatch but I guess they don't give a fuck because they never tell the assholes that hate debit. I've had at least 3 cabs refuse me service because I needed debit. I even had one guy lie to me and tell me that the machines were down and made me stop at a bank machine to get money to pay him. I called the cab company after I got out and they said there was no problem with the machines. Ok, so you don't get cash for $10 of your day, get over it. If $10 is that important to you than you have bigger problems. If you offer a service than you have to allow your customer to take advantage of that service. That's what it's there for.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oh man, I could go on all day about cabs. When I call from the Superstore across from my work I have to say "no bags" in order to get someone within a normal amount of time. If they think that you have to use the trunk and they might have to get out of the cab to help you (god forbid) they are less likely to accept the call. A cab driver told me that so I say it even if I do have bags. Fuck 'em. Lazy arseholes. All they do is sit down all day long. Sit and move their arms a little. I might feel a little more respect for you if you cleaned your cab (and yourself in some cases), showed up on time with an ounce of patience and allowed me to use debit with a smile on your face.

I shouldn't end this post without mentioning that there are a ton of great cabbies in this city. I see that. I talk to them. I generally enjoy the ride. To them I am thankful for the service.

And also, the neighbours have dissolved into quiet as I was writing this post so I shall sleep without a tension headache (caused by forgetting to buy earplugs) tonight. 

Hope you're out on this Saturday night with more fun things to do than rant about bad neighbours and cabbies. 

xoajs