Harvest Time

This weekend was very productive. Wonderful music, friends & food.

1 SPCA doggie vetted for adoption
2 whole chickens cooked and soup stock made
3 friends visited to help roof
4 hours driving to Old Hometown for a concert, the market and some sushi
5 L of berries picked by the ocean

I slept like a log last night for the first time in three weeks.

Success on a Friday Afternoon:

Is finding one brilliant program to handle all the data you struggled for several hours on Thursday evening to amalgamate using four piss-poor programs/demos.

Also, getting a first author paper accepted for publication pending very minor reviews, and hearing a wholly positive update on that failed project and its chances for future publication.

AND getting a shipment notification saying my new eyeglasses are on their way. 2 pairs. Snazzy.

Proof the "recession money" has filtered down to us pleebs working at the university: Quilted, double ply TP in the washrooms. I'm not even joking.

welcome welcome

Since the students arrived on Thursday of the last week, I've had multiple queries for directions. I've started to keep track on the blackboard: 23 students. That includes the one who was looking for my boss but couldn't remember her name ("uhh...could you help me find, uh...Mc..Ca...I don't remember her name. But she's the biochemistry professor...?") and the one with wide-eyes that asked me where "Intro to English - I can't remember the class number" was. I asked her what room it was in, but she just stared. Deer in headlights. I may have seen the beginning of a quivering lip. So I lead her to my computer, where she was able to check her class schedule on line, tell me which room it was and get on her way.

There are only ~2300 students at the school. That means about 1% of the student population has asked me where their class is this week.

Thats why they pay me the big bucks.

yesterday I spent an entire months paycheck on roofing supplies, and then found a mouse eating my left-overs at the temporary dining area we set up in the house. At least he was cute.

The music gods, they love me.

Proof #1: this weekend, Hey Rosetta plays a free show.

Proof #2: next week Hawksley Workman with Jenn Grant opening (!)

Proof #3: just heard on the radio today that in December, Mother Mother opens for Matt Good (!!).

Thankyouthabkyouthankyouthankyou.

Feminity in a dress

New York Fashion Week, Jill Stuart collection.

What. The. Fuck. ?



All of them look like this. What is the world trying to tell me here? That I must not worry about those ten pounds I've re-acquired? Gah. Puke. Gross.

Aspirations

Me: Guilty of online shopping while at work.

Smart Set: Guilty of picking the most BORING person ever for a pick-a-reader-"IT"-girl-makeover contest that I didn't know was happening until I got to their homepage.



If I ever start bleaching my hair, publicly announcing my love for Jennifer Aniston without sarcasm and sprouting made-up words like "resto-bar", come over here and hit me. Bitch please, the best thing about LIFE is undoubtedly fishnet stockings. Glad to know the store where I buy my clothes has their target-market so down-pat. *eyeroll*

By the Belt

Today I put feathers in my hair and shivered in the sun. I dug out four splinters from the palm of my right hand, lodged there since yesterday's roof stripping session where I removed old cedar shingles from a formidably slanted roof (13/12 if anyone is keeping track). I like suspended disbelief, and would rather be spending my day in bed. My lab book is two weeks behind, my pay sheet only one. I've booked my trip to San Diego for October, and decided my teeth were yellowing unflatteringly. Found out the Hey Rosetta show on Friday is free, and ate an entire bag of Rice Crisps. So it goes, this Monday afternoon.

weekend warrior and waning enthusiasms

The long weekend got off to a great start: we hosted a BBQ for colleagues, family and friends. I was nervous about the odd mismatch of guests. But the mosquitoes targeted everyone equally and thus all was well. The bonfire stayed lit until 2 am, when we stumbled to our tent (set up in the front yard). I had lovely dreams starring a dashing Don Draper - must have been the wine. But as the last of the summer sun beat down on us this weekend, it got more and more difficult to cross off the list of things we wanted to do: strip the vinyl cladding around the foundation of the house, remove the remnant linoleum in the upstairs bedrooms and remove shingles. We realized it was so lovely there that all we wanted to do was "hang out". So that's what we did: as of now, I have neither the available funds or burning desire to work ourselves as hard as we did last time around. Take it easy, we have forever. I'll be bitching and complaining come February and we still don't have appliances, but for right now sleeping on the bare floor in sleeping bags and hunting mushrooms in the forest is way more fun.

Aside: classes have started. I've given directions to 7 students in the last two days (keeping score on the blackboard in my lab). Last night, I dreamt of returning to class, arriving at the right classroom at the wrong time. The teacher singled me out, pointed out I was daft for arriving ten minutes early and asked me if I could tell time. Instead of being embarrassed, I was pissed, and didn't go anywhere. Wonder what that means.

PS: A nosy neighbour called the cops regarding an "empty vehicle left at a vacant lot". Too bad it was our extra car in our driveway. I called the selling agent to not-so-politely inform her the two-week old realty sign left out at the end of the road (sans SOLD! sign) was leading to confusion among our neighbours. It was gone later that day.

Sex sells

Even mini-prep kits, apparently:

all scientists look just like this.

(For the full effect, flip through all three pictures.)