December 30

here's picture since i've been so neglectful.

It's almost 1am in the morning and I can't sleep. I'm staying at my aunt and uncle's house in Abbotsford visiting with them, my grandmother and my parents who came all the way from Halifax for a Christmas visit. Matt and Tom are back in Vancouver, and I'm left tossing and turning without them.

I figure since I can't sleep I'll give you a run down of the past few weeks. So here it goes....

Ok. So true story, I got a new job. The twist of this tale is that it is not the job that I blogged about a few weeks ago (the one that I got the email about). Although, I was pretty sure I was going to get that job, which would have been a lousy reception position that paid handsomely, I ended up being offered a position at a non-profit charity organization called Nidus. To make a long story short I accepted the position despite the fact that I wouldn't make as much as I would waiting on a bunch of pompus architects. Needless to say I am so happy and proud of myself for making the decision that I did. I know this job will provide room to grow within the organization as well as invaluable career experience. So as of January the 5th I will be working a real life adult job with a real life adult title, Information Coordinator. AWESOME!

As for Christmas, it's been pretty rockin'. Matt, Tom and I spent Christmas here in Abbotsford with the family. I scored some pretty great gifts, particularly the jamjams that my grandmother made for me. I also got a hand made scarf from Matt's mom, which I am totally in love with and inspired by to take up knitting again (scarves for everyone!). Really though, getting to see my parents and spend some time with them has been the greatest.

Um, besides that nothing else to report. The room mates and I had a pot luck on Saturday. There was so much food, it was absurd. Once we realized how much food there really was we instated a rule that said guests were only allowed to leave once they had gained ten pounds. Oddly enough, that still didn't put a dent in the food. But everyone had a good time and left with big bellies and even bigger smiles. I got to meet some new people and hopefully made a couple of friends out of them.

As for New Years, I think we'll be having a few people over. Nothing big, nothing too exciting. Just a few good friends, some good music and lots of delicious food. I'm sure there will also be a good amount of liquor consumed and probably a certain amount of illicit drug use as well. I'll probably end up dancing by myself, like I do at every party, but I'm looking forward to it. It's not a party until Charity makes a boob of her self, right?!?

Anyway, I'm going to pop in a movie and see if that doesn't help me fall asleep. I probably won't be around until after the new year (in which I promise to blog more consitently and frequently) so I hope everyone has had a great 2008 and I miss you all like mad.

xoxox

December 20

I'm sorry, but all I can do is read books. There's just something about winter and snow and being cold that forces me under the covers with a glass of wine and a few of Poe's best.

You understand, right?

December 13

I got a new job.

I would tell you more but I can't stop the snot from rolling down my upper lip long enough to type a couple of letters (it's taken me thirty minutes to type this much) and I'm super high from all the cold medication I've been taking so you're all just going to have to wait a couple of more days to hear the news.

Or you could just call me. Which you know, would be pretty awesome.

Hearts and hugs and gum drop cake.
xoxoxoxxoxoxox

December 9

All I'm going to say is this, I had a job interview on Monday that I got through a placement agency. I thought it went pretty well but really had no idea what they thought.

Anyway, I just got this email from the placement agency:

Hi Charity,

Of the people she has met thus far, you are her favorite. I’ll let you know when I have some more info for you.

Thanks

I know the company is planning on having a second interview with the people they like, so this isn't over yet. But so far, so good, I guess.

I'm probably cursing myself by being a loudmouth.

December 3

It's only Wednesday but already this week has blown massive hunks of vomit. Yea. Giant, florescent pink chunks of nearly digested Froot Loops. So guess what, week of December 1-6, you are dead to me. Dead.

Screw you terrible week!

November 29

A typical Saturday night for me includes:

• Putting on make-up
• Drinking beer
  
• And lip synching to Nick Cave.

It may or may not be crucial to add that I'm usually doing this alone in my bedroom.

On a completely different note, I've never been able to figure this one out but I've been in love with this man since I was 15.

i know, right?

November 22

Today was the most exhausting day ever. Who knew hand stitching for eight hours straight could be so tiresome? I didn't. I've watched my grandmother hand stitch a quilt while taking care of my sick grandfather AND making supper all at the same time without even blinking an eye!! Oh, how I dream of being equally fabulous...

On the up side - the Rape Relief project is done. C'est fini! And I'm so happy I got to be a part of the project. Now something that I pored my blood (literally), sweat (also meant in a very literal sense), and tears (which, thankfully were not shed) will be displayed at the Vancouver Art Gallery. Go me.

Now I'm going to try and watch the Marriage of Maria Braun by Fassbinder but I'm pretty sure I'll be fast asleep within fifteen minutes. Fassbinder is one of my top ten favorite directors, so here's hoping I make it through at least an hour of the film.

Goodnight...

November 18

I think my brain has gone on strike. I've been so busy the last few days and I see no hope of things slowing down anytime soon. Not that I want them to, I like being busy, but dear God I am tired. So, apologies in advanced if this particular blog makes no sense.

Ok. So firstly and most importantly, I got my ticket for the Yeasayer show tomorrow. My sweet little boss ladies at the Raging Bean gave me the ticket, which was a nice little treat. I haven't quite figured out why they decided to help out a little music fanatic like me but I'm assuming it's because I'm so damn awesome. I could be wrong about that though.

In other exciting news, I got to visit with one of my favorite people on Sunday. Zach, who I worked with for years at Dharma Sushi, was in Vancouver for the weekend getting ready to head back to the Maritimes. He'd been traveling the world and was recently living up in Nanimo working at a SCUBA resort. Matt and I met up with him and another good friend from Dharma, who now lives in Vancouver as well, at this little dinner downtown. We ended up going back to Zach's friend's place to drink beer and listen to, of all things, Celtic music. The crappy choice of music aside, it was so great to see Zach and get a little dose of Dharma family love.

What else...

Oh. I've been doing a lot of work at Vancouver Rape Relief lately. I signed on to help out one of my fellow ladies with this art project that will eventually be a part of a bigger art exhibit. So, I've been spending the last few days doing a little sewing, a little painting and a lot of creative thinking. It's so ridiculous how happy being crafty makes me but it's even more thrilling to be involved in something that will eventually hang in the Vancouver Art Gallery. Hells yea.

I'm also working on organizing a cinema night at the cafe I work at. I approached my boss ladies with this idea of letting me keep the cafe open later on Friday nights so I could share my love of film with the world. The cafe is already set up with a projector and a pretty decent sound system and I thought it might be a good opportunity to try and generate more business for the cafe. Anyway, they both liked the idea so now it's just a matter of working out a few minor logistics. I'm thinking of having a different theme every month, like December will be Film Noir Fridays and I'll show movies like the Big Combo and the Maltese Flacon. Then January will be like, oh I don't know... how about Lattes with Lynch? Ok, well I probably won't be showing too many David Lynch films given he loves his films full of gratuitous nudity, but either way, you get the idea.

Ok. Enough blogging. I'm off to watch Robert Frank shorts with Tom.

Love yous!
xoxox

November 17

i spend about 86% of my waking life worshiping patti smith.

November 8

i compute with such intensity

Here are some things that are sending me into various stages of elation:

• I'm going to see Dream of Life tomorrow.
• The Breeders show this week is canceled but Yeasayer is playing next week. So, in either case I still need to spend money I don't really have. Ugh. I've got to do something about my love of music, it's starting to become an expensive addiction.
• I'm going to see one of the women who wrote the screenplay to one of my all time favorite films speak at Simon Fraser University this Wednesday.
• This song is currently rocking my world.
• Long email conversations between friends.

Ok. It's time for bed.
Sweet dreams...

November 7

i just wanted to take this opportunity to post one of my absolute most favorite photos ever taken in all of history.

November 2

sometimes things can get a little out of hand

The Sunday has been taken with rain and I'm feeling quiescent. Matt, Tom and I just got back from a walk to the grocery store and now Matt's in the kitchen making Sheppard's Pie. Maybe it's the ginger tea I'm drinking, or the fact that I don't have to make supper but I feel that it's been a very successful, reposeful Sunday. And after the craziness of these past few weeks, I couldn't be happier.

So what have I been up to, you ask? Well, a few things. I went and saw Lykke Li on Tuesday while simultaneously celebrating Cynthia's birthday. It was an amazing show and a super fun night. Erin, Janina, Nathalie, Cynthia and I all put on our best faces and got a little crazy. We danced, we drank whiskey and mouthed off more than we probably should have. I also purchased what is now one of my most cherished articles of clothing at the show.

Halloween was fun. Nick, Cynthia and I all carved our pumpkins with great pride and transformed the house into a haunted mansion James Whale would have been proud of. I dressed up like a zombie. There were a few plot holes in my costume, like how I got the screw stuck in my head backwards, but I figure people would be too busy running in terror from me to even wonder in the first place. I spent most of the night hiding in the bush in front of our house, ravenous for unsuspecting little kid brains. Cynthia, in her Mistress of Death costume, handed out candy. I think overall we put on a pretty good show. Like I said before, we made two kids cry and one scrawny little coward run away. Unfortunately we didn't get as many kids as we thought we would and now we are living off a large supply of Tootsie Rolls and Satrburst candies.

Last night we went glow in the dark bowling for Cynthia's post-birthday celebration, which was super fun. My butt muscles hurt like a mother today but it's worth it. I forgot how much fun bowling can be. We also went out for Mexican food, which was unfortunately a little less spectacular than the bowling but we had a pretty nice group of people so it was good to get out and see people we don't normally see on a regualr basis.

Other than those big things my days have been filled with many little things, like working, going to the library and walking Tom around Trout Lake. I'm sure there are some things that I'm missing but I want to go and make a playlist in iTunes that reminds me of quaint winter cottages, snow and curling up in front of the fireplace with a hot mug of rooibos tea (in celebration of November).

Some asides:

• the Breeders are playing here in a few days. Should I spend money I don't really have to go see them?
• I got a book out from the library called 'Bukowski in Pictures', which I look at at least five times a day.
• Going to see Let the Right One In tomorrow. Very excited about this film.
• I also need to see this movie.
  
• My parents booked tickets for their west coast Christmas visit. Woo!
• I've been listening to a lot of Sarah Vaughn. She gets me in the mood for winter.
  

Ok. Love you guys!

October 31

tonight, i made two kids cry and one kid run away in terror.
happy halloween!

October 26

today, matt made an apple pie.

October 25

I went over to my friend Alberto's last night to eat paella and drink wine with him and his friend Brandy. I brought the bottle of pinot noir I got from the Red Rooster Winery when I was in Penticton a couple of weeks ago. It was really good. The paella was also really good. What wasn't very good was the three of us polishing off three bottles of wine and a good deal of gin.

I feel gross today. Hopefully a coffee and a long shower will help me prepare for my shift at Rape Relief.

Ugh.

October 11

Leaving for Penticton now. I'll be back on Monday.

Happy turkey day!!!
xoxoxox

October 6

Hey dudes!

I was going to try and update today because it's my birthday (and because a lot has changed since the last time) but I've been kinda busy opening presents and eating birthday chilli and apple pie.

Thanks to everyone for all the birthday love. You'll all be hearing from me individually once I get a second.

Love you lots!!!
xoxoxox

ps - our thanksgiving trip to penticton is still on! wooooooooo!

October 1

Some things that are shitty:

• The left rear tire of the Trooper was murdered. Yup, stabbed mercilessly and left to die. So, the Trooper is temporarily out of commission. Don't ask who or why because we don't know.
  
• Matt has to work Thanksgiving weekend, which puts a giant kink in our excursion to Penticton. Hopefully we can work around his schedule and if not, I'll be taking the bus out. I need some time out of the city.
• I keep coming across giant piles of human poopy on my way to work. I find those discoveries really disconcerting, especially when I almost step in it. Yuck.
• I have a parking ticket from August that I still haven't paid.
  
• I'm sad and I just can't seem to shake it.
  

Some things that are awesome:

• I'm meeting up with my best friend from Grade 6 tonight. I haven't seen her since then and she's in town for a week so I couldn't possibly pass this opportunity up.Vanessa and I were glued together in Cold Lake. We also loved line dancing and Madonna.
• I've saved up my tip money and I'm going to buy my Lykke Li tickets tomorrow. That makes me happy.
• My birthday is in 5 days! Woooo!

Ok. I'm off to have a nap so I can be well rested for my visit with Vanessa tonight.

Loves and hugs!
xoxoxox

September 27

Dead Ringers sucked. Never rent it.

September 26

It's Friday and I'm exhausted. However, I've downed a couple of brewskies and I'm feeling pretty good. Unfortunately, my blood alcohol level prevents me from writing in anything but point form. So here it goes:

• Evelyn Lau was magical. My writers are everyone else's celebrities, I get ridiculous around them. It was like when I met Heather O'Neil. I completely froze and stared in wonder, forced out some awkward conversation and asked her to sign my book. I can't help but revere writers, I just think what they do and how they do it is so fascinating. Anyway, the point is Evelyn was amazing and I have another signed book to add to my awesome collection. Go me.
• I'm working at Rape Relief tomorrow.
• Vancouver Internation Film Festival + Two free passes for any of the films = What movies will I decided to go to?!
• One day I'll have money and I'll buy tickets to see Lykke Li at the end of October.
• I'm looking forward to drinking another beer and watching Dead Ringers, which I'm going to go do now.

Loves you!
xoxox

September 24

I'm going to see Evelyn Lau read from her new book of poetry tonight at the library. Êtes-vous jaloux?

September 18

Tom is following me around the house, begging me for a walk. This is the downside to falling into routine. When you break it, guys like Tom end up annoying the crap out of you because you're not taking them for a walk like you usually do. Maybe I should just suck it up and walk him.

But... somehow I don't think that's going to happen. Tonight is a beer, book, and blanket night. It was cold today. And gray. But it matched my mood. All I could think about was crawling into bed and finishing my book while eating a triangle of brie like it's a sandwich and drinking my beer. So that's what I'm going to do.

So I watched the NFB film 'Scream from Silence' last night. It's this really intense French Canadian film about rape and power and guilt. I think everyone should watch this film and think about the fact that 1 in every 4 women are raped or sexually assaulted. I think it's a really important movie for everyone to watch because the social attitudes surrounding male violence are complacent and often skeptical. The movie closely examines how people under appreciate the frequency and seriousness in which sexual assaults occur and the guilt that the women often experience as a result of those social attitudes. So, I guess what I'm saying is, it was a great movie. And it's Canadian, which I find irresistible. Really though, I have impeccable taste in movies so you should just watch it, ok?

With that being said. My birthday is coming up.

I know, what does male violence against women have to do with me being alive and like, awesome?

Well, I was thinking... that if anyone wanted to do anything nice for me for my birthday... that maybe they should... oh, I don't know... donate some money to Vancouver Rape Relief and Women's Shelter. But, you know. It's just a thought.

Alright, I'm off. Beer and books await.

xoxoxox

ps - i was hoping to catch janeane garofalo during the comedy fest here but i totally realized today that her show was yesterday. damn.

September 17

Hey kids. Sorry I had to delete the picture of my new haircut. Every time I looked at it all I could see was Spock from Star Trek.

So the only thing I have to say is that there are not nearly enough hours in the day, which I'm finding incredibly frustrating. And I'm currently suffering from premenstrual syndrome, which has turned me into an uber anal bitch. Yea, everything is annoying me. Like, a lot. So I'm locking myself in my room to do yoga, read my library books and watch foreign films until my rage and anger subsides.

So here I go. If you don't hear from me in a while it's because I've murdered someone for not putting a new role of toilet paper on the toilet paper roll or something mundane and insignificant like that. But hopefully it won't come to that.

September 11

giant bowl of organic fruits anyone?

The only reason I'm blogging is to brag to everyone about the DELICIOUS pears and apples that Matt and Nic picked in our backyard. No joke. Our very own fruit orchard in our backyard. I actually should have also bragged about the millions of blackberries that Cynthia picked from our giant blackberry bush this summer, but you know I've got to be humble about some things. In any case, our freezer is still full of blackberries and I think there's talk of making some blackberry-pear jam. Yum!

Ok. Tom and I are off to the Japanese grocery to buy some supper. Love you!!!

xoxoxox

September 8

here's cynthia and i preforming in our metal band

No phone call from the Y today. Maybe tomorrow?

House warming party here on Saturday was awesome. I don't know about anyone else but I had a blast. My friend Janina got some great shots of Cynthia and I playing out our dream of starting the world's greatest metal band. Also, I may or may not have been the loudest one at the party. But you guys know me, I wouldn't act like anything but a lady.

And.

I've been reading Heartbreak by Andrea Dworkin. I can only say, I wish I had discovered her writing ten years ago. She's an amazing woman.

Kisses

September 4

i'm sooooOooooo serious

Yea, that's right. I'm blogging. Twice in one week. It's like I'm on fire or something

I don't really have anything interesting to report but I thought I'd say hello and share a few things with you.

First off, I applied for this Executive Admin. job at the YMCA today, which I would probably consider killing kittens for. Don't get me wrong, I love kittens and wouldn't normally feel any need to harm or maim them, but I want to work at the YMCA. That's so random, I know, but I really feel good about what the YMCA does for the community and I'm really interested in their policies on healthy living and its effects on the community. Also, I'm thinking there's a gym membership in there amongst all the philanthropy, so that would be cool. Anyway, the deadline was today, so here's hoping I get an interview (at the very least).

Secondly, working at the women's shelter and crisis line on Saturday was great. It was a really quiet day (which is good, when you think about it). I got to hang out all day with this incredible woman who has an immense amount of knowledge to share and is quite possibly one of the funniest women I've met in Vancouver. I'm basically just doing orientation so I don't get to do any of the dirty work yet but it's great just to be there and meet the women who live at the house.

Ummm... what else?

Everyone at the house is doing great. Matt loves his new job and he's been working like a madman, which is super since I haven't been. He's also been slaving away around the house, installing dishwashers, rebuilding rotting patios and painting, among a million other things. I get exhausted just watching him.

Tom is also good and fuzzy. His new favorite sleeping spot is on the leather couch we inherited from Nic's sister. I don't know why he loves it so much but it's next to impossible to get him off. Although, the old collar and leash trick works well to get that wad of stink moving. I love taking him for walks up Commercial Drive, we get so many smiles and comments about what a nice dog he is. And they're right, he's so sweet.

Also. I've been eating a lot of almonds lately, which is weird.

Alright, I'm going to read now or nap. I haven't decided which.

Kisses and hugs!
xoxoxox

August 29

It's a sunny end to a rainy Friday here in Vancouver. The sky has opened and cleared long enough for me to slip out and sit on my front step with a glass of wine and my laptop. I've been meaning to post for a while but every time I opened my computer I would sit and stare at the screen, completely stunned. I can't tell if I'm just so busy and exhausted when I finally find time to write or if I'm just completely overwhelmed by the task of having to write about all the cool things I'm doing.

I know. I'm making you all sick, right? I'm so painfully lame.

Anyway...

I started this part time cafe job last week. It's been fun and the lady who owns the cafe and whom I share my working hours with, is fantastic. I like talking to her about her business and trying to help her come up with ways to bring in more business. I'm currently hoping to help her find some local artists who would like to show their work in her cafe, which I think could be a good start. I've also been bringing in some old black and white films that she projects on the one wall, which has been fun and brings a lot of life to the cafe. There is nothing better than a little Fassbinder on a rainy day. In any case, my time spent at the cafe is helping me stay motivated to find a good full time job that has me doing work that makes me happy, because working in a cafe is fun but it doesn't exactly make me happy. You know?

The biggest highlight of my last few weeks was my visit from Shali and Steve from Halifax. It was a super short visit but it was so great and we really crammed a lot of excitement into the few hours we had. In about eight hours we: met for lunch, drank a beer, went to my place, drank a bottle of wine, watched My So-Called Life, chatted, went for Indian food with a friend of Shali's and saw Vicky Cristina Barcelona (which was really good and now has me completely obsessed with everything Spanish). It was really surreal having my East coast life meet up with my West coast life and it REALLY made me miss my ladies in Halifax but it also made me excited for any visitors I might have in the future (hint hint nudge nudge).

I also got my library card last week, which might not sound all that exciting to most of you but if you've ever seen the Vancouver Central Library you would understand. Seriously, every book you could ever imagine is probably there and it's by far the biggest library I've ever been in. I've been borrowing poetry books and art books and old foreign films constantly since I got my card. To be honest, it's the library that has been the source of a lot of my pleasure lately. I love going there after work and eating my lunch in the courtyard, then spending an hour or two roaming the isles for great reads. I think about my dear Ms. Slater a lot when I'm there. She would love it.

Some other cool things:

• I talked to a dance studio about volunteering a few hours a month in exchange for dance classes
• The Mirah show last week was awesome. Simply awesome.
  
• I work at the women's shelter tomorrow, which is exciting since I haven't actually been there yet. (training is held at a different location)
• I've watched the following wicked films: Veronika Voss, the Elephant Man, 8 1/2, Funny Face, and the Silence.
• We're painting the kitchen and the bathroom this weekend. And we will finally have a sink in our bathroom
• I'm going out for Caribbean food tonight with my cousin Jolene and her husband, Justin.
  

Ok. I'm done. I'm going. I promise I'll write more frequently and try to avoid being as lame as I have been.

Loves and hugs.
xoxoxox

August 20

I'm a day late for this announcement but I'm going to make the announcement nonetheless:

HAPPY 26th BIRTHDAY MATTHEW!

August 17

So much happened this week but I have no idea where to begin. It's also incredibly hot in Vancouver and the heat has melted my brain into a viscous pile of brain slime that is currently dripping out of my nose, making thinking and typing very difficult. However, I must persevere.

Ok, I guess I'll start at the part where I get the phone call from Studio B telling me I regretfully didn't get the reception position. I really wasn't surprised though, nor was I overly disappointed. Everyone in that office was ridiculously beautiful and stylish, I never would have fit it nor would I have wanted to try. Unfortunately though this means another week of unemployment.

Later that day I went to my crisis line training for Rape Relief but when I got there I found out that we'd be going to Simon Fraser University to hear Robert Jensen give a talk about violence against women in pornography. It was the most nauseating thing I had ever heard. The stats he had and the specific type of pornography that his research focused on was incredibly sad and shocking. Anyone who doesn't think there is anything wrong with the porn industry should do a little reading about ATM, then tell me that there's nothing demoralizing and degrading about the industry. Don't get me wrong, I love porn as much as the next person but anyone who finds this specific type of porn hot has some serious misconceptions about how women should be treated. In any case, his talk was really enlightening and it made me miss being at school so badly. I guess you could say that hearing a guy talk about porn made me dream of one day doing my Masters. Weird.

Ok. Moving on.

On Thursday I put on my favorite sun dress and a few bracelets and headed down to Main Street to hang out and do some window shopping. I did in fact have of a purpose for going down there but I recently had an epiphany about embracing my unemployment and start using all my free time doing fun things instead of spending it stressed out that I wasn't working.

I found the greatest little record store called Red Cat Records. It's an artist run shop and has a selection of records that really couldn't be more all encompassing. If I had a record player and still bought records I could easily see myself spending a lot of money there. Actually, when I think about it now, I did spend a lot of money there. I bought four tickets to see Mirah, which I am so excited about. I mean, half the reason why Matt and I moved to Vancouver was so we could go to shows we actually wanted to see, and I have wanted to see Mirah for a long time, she is by far one of my most favorite musicians. So, next Saturday evening I will be going to the Biltmore Cabaret with Cynthia, Erin and Erin's friend who will be visiting from Germany to see Mirah! Woot!

I also decided on Thursday that I would send out a few resumes to some restaurants and cafes just to find something that could tide me over for a little while. I sent a resume via email to a cafe called the Raging Bean Cafe and got a call a few minutes later from a woman named Alberta. She asked if I would like to come in a talk about the job with her so I set up an appointment with her for Friday morning.

To make a long story short I went and met with her and her mother, who owns and runs the cafe and I got hired. I really liked them both and the cafe is a really cute little cafe in Yaletown that makes the best latte I've had since being here in Vancouver. The cafe also projects films onto the wall all day, which I think is a really neat idea. I also talked them into paying me what I asked for (which is a lot more than minimum wage), plus tips. I will only be working part time for now but at least it gives me time for volunteering at Rape Relief and looking for the perfect job that is waiting for me somewhere in Vancouver. I've also wondered if I shouldn't use this opportunity to start thinking about seriously applying to do my Masters. It really is excellent, with lots of time to study for the GRE's and I could take up another volunteer position somewhere. Potentially I could be ready to apply next year. Anyway, that's an idea. We'll see what actually happens though.

So to celebrate my new job I went and bought an awesome T. Rex band shirt. I couldn't help it, it's this store downtown that is all cool shirts, all the time. It's also where I got my Texas Chainsaw Massacre shirt. I swear, it's impossible to leave that store empty handed and the cafe I work at is pretty damn close. I have a feeling I know where all my tip money will be going.

And now that brings us to this weekend.

I spent all day yesterday (9am - 5pm) volunteering for Rape Relief. We were doing what they call Tin-Can, which is a fund raising activity where they send out groups of two with some pamphlets and some tin cans and we ask people on the streets to make a donation to the crisis line and women's shelter. It was about thirty five degrees celsius yesterday and we were in the sun the whole time (don't worry I had lots of sunscreen). Beside the sweltering heat it was actually pretty fun. I got to talk to lots of people and take in Vancouver in a very different way. Most people were pretty nice and there were a few who weren't but that just made the day a little more interesting. I would definitely do it again.

When I got home I got ready for supper since we were all meeting up with Erin to go eat somewhere. We ended up at the Main, which is half Greek, half Italian. The food was good but the service was awful. It was so bad we decided to leave before dessert and headed down the street to Sweet Revenge, which ended up being amazing. It was such a neat place, with it's red vintage wall paper and intimate seating. We all indulged in some absurdly delicious desserts and the best coffee within a fifteen kilometer radius. I can't even describe this place appropriately but let's just say that anyone who comes to visit me in Vancouver will be brought to Sweet Revenge. Such a gem!

Alright, I guess that about sums up the week. Stay tuned because this week Shali and Steve come for a visit!!!

Loves and hugs and penguins for everyone!
xoxox

August 8

Things I am grateful for today:

• doing yoga and failing
• the kindness and generosity Matt and I have received from the few people we know in Vancouver
• Commercial Drive
  
• My walk through Yaletown with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (I've been listening to the song More News from Nowhere on repeat).
• the Skytrain
• My new and cheap The Texas Chainsaw Massacre t-shirt.
  

So those are the little sundries of my day that made me smile. There's really lots of other things that made me happy today when I think about it.

I'm trying to think about those things more.

In other news:

• I started training for the crisis line at the Vancouver Rape Relief Centre and Women's Shelter. It's pretty awesome. My first Tuesday was a giant spoonful of delicious feminist sugar. It made me really miss my ladies back in Halifax.
• I still haven't found a job. Poopy, yes. But I still haven't given up hope. I'm holding the recent turn in the Canadian economy responsible.
  
• Matt got a job. Woot! It's an audio-visual job. Basically, Matt gets to geek out all day about soldering, Plasma TV's and digital projectors.
  
• Tom took a shit on our walk today. There was a wrapper in his... ahem, discharged waste. I didn't get a good look at it but I'm pretty sure it was a granola bar wrapper.

I'm sorry. This was the best I could do for a blog. I'll have something a little more proper for you guys next time.

Special blog-o-loves for those who commented on the last entry and a HUGE blog-o-love to Shali and Steve who are getting married tomorrow. I don't normally get this excited about weddings but the idea of these two cats getting married makes all giggly and weird, like when I see a puppy.

Hugs and kisses for everyone!
xoxoxox

August 2

I had been conjuring up a great blog in my head for the past week but each time I tried to bring it to life it fell flat on its face like a baby learning to walk. So fuck it. It's been over a week since the last blog and I can't keep my adoring fans waiting, now can I?

So let me set the scene for you. It's Saturday afternoon and I haven't brushed my teeth yet. The sky is grey and leaning towards rain. I've got the Fleetwood Mac rockin' my headphones and a big mug of fresh coffee awaking the senses. For everyone else it's the weekend, for me it's just another day of being unemployed. Not that I'm complaining. I'm enjoying this time to myself as much as I possibly can because I'm aware that soon I will be robbed of all this free time and I will once again be a slave to the Man.

Despite being an unemployed bum I've actually accomplished a lot this week and I'm feeling pretty good about life in Vancouver. For instance, on Tuesday I went for my volunteer interview at the Vancouver Rape Relief and Women's Shelter and I start training next week. After my training is finished I will be working a five hour shift once a week on the crisis line. I'm still not entirely sure of what that involves but I am very excited about getting involved with this organization and meeting some of the other women who are involved at the centre.

I also signed up at a job placement agency on Tuesday. I had to go in and do some typing tests, spelling and grammar tests and a Windows test. All of which I apparently did well on. I lend my success to the hours upon hours I spend geeking out on the computer. Never did I really think that being a reclusive computer geek would get me anywhere in life but it seemed to help. I also did a quick interview with one of the headhunters. The interview was pretty straight forward. They just wanted to know what kind of position I was looking for, what kind of salary I was interested in and what kind of person I am. I'm pretty sure I charmed the pants off them, as I usually do.

I also spoke with the Human Resources Director at Studio B Productions, which is an animation studio that is owned by the company I worked for in Halifax, DHX Media. I had sent her my resume when we first got here but they didn't have anything available for me at the time. However, when a position did open the Director was kind enough to email me and let me know that she was interested in meeting with me. So I wrote her back and told her that I was available anytime for an interview. She called me the next day and we had a quick, informal interview over the phone. To make a long story short, she asked me to come in next Tuesday for an interview! Wooooo!

I think I would really like this job. It's in a beautiful building in downtown Vancouver, which also means that it's about a ten minute Skytrain ride. I could also bike there in about 20 minutes on nice days. It's a receptionist position, which means little responsibility outside of office hours. That translates into time for volunteering and dance classes. The pay is nothing to complain about at $15/hour. In any case, I'm pretty stoked to have an interview and I hope everyone will send out good thoughts for me on Tuesday.

So on top of securing a volunteer position, signing with a job placement agency and scheduling a job interview, I've also put in three hours of yoga this week, which is unheard of for me. For anyone who hasn't tried out the Yoga Today website, I highly recommend it. It has a variety of skill levels, the instructions are easy to follow and the hour long videos move at a nice slow pace for the yoga retarded. I'm definitely feeling the three hours of yoga in my body today but despite the pain it also feels really great. I am suddenly aware of muscles in my body that I didn't even know I had. I'm also pretty sure I've grown an inch since I started doing my yoga regularly.

Oh! And I've finished two books this week and started on another, which I'm going to go read now.

I hope all of you are well. Also, I would like you to all do me a little favor. If you look just below this entry there's a little link that says comments, click it and leave me a comment, let me know how you're doing and who's reading this, ok?!

A million hugs and kisses to everyone!
xoxoxox

July 27

So much can happen in a week.

One minute I was hired and the next I was telling my new boss, I won't be coming to the office on Monday.

Yeah, not one of my prouder moments. I don't particularly like fucking people over like that. But I did and I would do it again if I had to. I got a gut feeling and I went with it.

It was Wednesday when I realized that I already hated the job and that I wasn't cut out to do the work. It was Thursday when I got a taste of what the job is really like. Friday, I quit. I think it's reasonable to say that, I not only set light to a bridge, but I firebombed it. I probably will never want to run into any of the people I met in that office ever again. I should just hope Vancouver is big enough.

See, I wasn't fully aware when I took the job of how much free, personal time I was going to have to sacrifice during my first summer in Vancouver. I tried to stay positive when the guy who was training me talked about how stressful and crazy the job can get. I mean, in the week and a half that I was with the company there were at least three instances when the agent was required to work beyond the designated office hours. Suddenly $31 000 doesn't sound like much when you're expected to be available for any possible movie crisis at any possible time.

And trust me, I know that sounds like a spoiled little girl thing to say but, the job just wasn't right for me. For instance, I'd have to use stern, authoritative voices when trying to convince people to take a backgound job when they'd really rather go wake boarding with their friends. I can't do that. I'm way more of a , ok, whatever kinda of girl.

Oh, and the office is in North Vancouver. So I would either have to spend two hours on a bus everyday or buy a car. Neither of which I particularly want to do.

Anyway, that's the story. So now I'm back to the drawing board. I'm going to give the temp/job placement agency a try this week. After the week I had I'd love to take a job photocopying documents for $17/hour. I want as little responsibility as possible so I can save my energy going to art galleries and volunteering at a women's shelter. I want to earn enough so I can take a dance class and actually have time to go. These are the things that are important to me.

On a completely different note my weekend was pretty rad.

Cynthia's friend, Melissa, was visiting from Halifax. I love meeting people who are as sick and twisted as I am. Only people I hang out with would consider making faux vomit noises (all weekend long) hilarious.

Melissa, Cynthia and I spent the weekend shopping. I know, that doesn't sound like something a girl who just quit her job should be doing, but I was really good. My Visa only took about three hits and they were all good investments. Oh! And the shopping was therapeutic. All so justifiable. Either way the shopping extravaganza is done for a while, a very long while.

The best part of the weekend was the Richmond Night Market, where a nice group of East coasters and one Vancouverite spent the night shoving delicious Asian food in their mouths. Can anyone say, takoyaki? How about, BBQ'd squid? Lychee bubble tea with pearls and coconut jelly? Everything was so good, it was ridiculous.

Unfortunately Melissa left for Nova Scotia just a few hours ago and now I'm in my pajama's, ready for bed. I think tomorrow, Cynthia and I are going to the Portebello Market, a fashion and art market here in Vancouver. Except, I'm not going to buy anything. Unless it's awesome and less than five bucks.

That reminds me, I accept donations. (I'm not to proud to ask for handouts.)

Love yous!
xoxox

July 19

Alright. I suppose since it's 1030pm on a Saturday night and I'm interneting all over myself anyway, I might as well write a real update.

So here's the story.

On Monday I decide I'm going to explore a new and different avenue of job searching. Fuck Service Canada's Job Bank, I tell myself, ten resumes and not one call. So I decide to give Craigslist a go.

I'm browsing the jobs and I come across a listing under film/television that says something like, "Booking Agent for Talent Agency Required." I click the link and read the specifics. Organized, previous experience in the film industry, administrative experience, etc. Hey! That's me they're describing! So, I send my cover letter and resume via email and about 20 minutes later I get a call asking me if I would be interested in an interview.

The next day I show up at this little office in North Vancouver and what should have been a quick little job interview turns into an hour long conversation about the military, SCUBA diving, doggles (goggles for dogs) and, of course, the film industry.

As it turns out, the agency is run by a decorated US Army Veteran who supplies the film industry with background and principal performers who are specially trained in firearms, automatic weapons, and emergency response among other things.

Anyway, about two hours later, I'm out walking Tom and the booking agent that had called me for the interview calls me again to see if I had anymore questions that I'd like to ask and I told him that I forgot to ask what the salary for the position would be. He told me he was unsure but would get the owner to give me a call back to let me know. And BAM! When the guy called back he offered me the job. So I asked him when I could start and he asked me when I would be available to start and I told him tomorrow. See you then, he told me and hung up the phone.

So to make a long story not really that short, I went to work on Wednesday and have been going back every day since then. From what I can tell, it's going to be a fun and challenging job. I'm responsible for the schedules and bookings of almost 100 performers. I also have to be ready for anything at anytime. And the best part, I get to work with some very handsome and buff men and women!

To say the least, I'm very excited about this opportunity!!

With all that said, I'm off to be a little more social than I have been all Saturday night, which essentially means I'm going downstairs to hang out with Nic, Cynthia and Matt. I hope my blog finds everyone well and I miss every inch of everyone of you!!!!

xoxoxox

PS-I'm sending out a special blog 'o love to Shali who was kind enough to supply me with an excellent reference. Love you tonnes lady!!!!

July 15

So as it turns out, despite what I had thought, I am totally employable.

I like to watch you all squirm so I'm leaving it at that for now. I'm sure you'll find out the juicy details in good time but right now I'm a little busy doing happy dances around the house.

Love yous!
xoxox

July 12

creepy polaroid we found in the basement

Today we got a free organ off Carigslist. Not like a heart or a lung but like, a Yamaha organ. We're all pretty excited and there's talk of starting a gospel band.

We opened up the back of the organ to look at the tubes inside and found a picture of a little Korean girl circa 1980's. It's weird because since we've moved into this place we've come across a few other weird and random photos. For example, we found an old Polaroid of this guy dressed in this cheap Santa Claus costume holding a puppy rottweiler with a huge German Shepard sitting beside them. Strange.

Other cool things:

• Cynthia and I found a sweet short cut to my favorite grocery store
• We went to the Trout Lake farmers market, which is just a few blocks from our place, and bought cherries, eggs and onions. There's also a guy who sells Thai stir-fry sauce that is quite possibly the most delicious thing I've ever tasted. Cynthia bought the peanut sauce. I was going to buy the yellow curry but I spent all my money on cherries. Sad face.
  
• Tomorrow is the annual Dunfries Street block party. Cynthia, Matt and I are going to make cookies tonight for the event.
  

Ok. So I'm going to eat lunch and then I think we are going to the beach!!! I've been wearing my bathing suit for two weeks straight in anticipation of going to the beach and finally the day is here!

Hugs and kisses.
xoxox

July 11

The novelty of unemployment is wearing thin.

July 9

So I wrote Heather Mallick a psychotic email the other day telling her how much I love her. To my surprise I got an email response from her today. This has made my year (I know that is sad, but I really do love this woman. She is an amazing writer). Anyway, for your enjoyment:

hello, lovely woman

Your email cheered me up enormously. A young woman loves my work? I get so much hate mail, mainly from middle-aged men, that I just assumed your email would be full of hate too. And this way misanthropy lies.

I am honoured that you read my work, because the only thing I really care about is making life better for young people. I am thrilled that my writing resonates with you.

Thank you so much for taking the time to tell me that you like my writing. Feel free to email me again. Trust me, your words matter to me, just as mine do to you.

Cheers,

Heather (yes, we are now on a first-name basis)

P.S. Do you read David Sedaris? Buy Me Talk Pretty One Day. I love his essays. Anyway I leave you with that, an irritating piece of advice. I'll just shut up now.

July 8

a thrilling picture of me and my backyard
(don't worry, i didn't have a stroke. i'm trying to look nonchalant.)

So I wrote up a resume today that I'm quite pleased with. I also applied for a job at a women's shelter that I would love to get but am not holding my breath for. I am thinking good thoughts though. Hopefully my awesome resume will impress them enough for an interview, in which I would proceed to charm the pants off of my interviewers. Either way, I'm back at it tomorrow sending out resumes left, right and centre.

Aside from that not much to report. I'm sleepy and tired of sitting at my computer (although I do enjoy sitting at my new $16 desk that I made out of random Ikea parts), so I don't really have the motivation to think of clever and witty ways of describing my days here in Vancouver. Thus, I'm going to do a quick update in point form. Enjoy:

• Almost got peed on yesterday by a crackhead in Chinatown.
• Cleaned up the front yard this weekend. I'm pretty sure my arm and back muscles have doubled in size since moving into the new house.
  
• Discovered that the Army Navy Surplus store has the biggest and most colorful selection of women's shoes I've ever seen in any store before in my whole life.
  
• I got to talk to my Mom, Shali and Natalie all within 24 hours. Le sigh...
  
• Found a grocery store that has the nicest staff. Ever.
• Started reading a really good book called the Book of Negroes by Lawerence Hill, which I am going to go read now.

Love you guys!
xoxox

July 6

It doesn't matter what side of the country you're on, people are stupid.

July 4

Ok. Time for a real update.

So we are settled into the new place. The bathroom is finished and looks fabulous. We still need a vanity and some paint for the bathroom but that's small potatoes compared to the other stuff Matt and Nic did to it. Somehow we managed to make the 1950's style teal bathtub and toilet look way less ugly, some might say they actually look great now. Go us!

We finally got the living room sort of looking like a living room and we ate our first meal in the dining room the other night. We still need to assemble the entertainment unit we got for free on Craigslist and do some more painting but the house is definitely starting to feel like a home.

This weekend we are planning on tackling the front and backyards. Our (sexy, older) neighbor, John, is a landscaper and he volunteered to come over and give us a hand. We have a lot of nice plants in our backyard, like citronella, mint and fennel, but there are lots of greens back there that are difficult to identify so he will be able to point out what should stay and what should go. (I'll probably just spend most of my time oogling him though. He does yoga and it shows.)

Aside from that, Cynthia and I went and split a membership at Costco. I told her I officially feel like an adult now. I also bought the largest quantity of meat I've ever bought in one shot before in my life. Coming home and wrapping all those nice little chicken titties separately then freezing them also made me feel more mature and responsible somehow. Vancouver is making an adult of me, and a responsible one at that. Who woulda thought?!

Tonight I'm going out for my first girls night. Cynthia, Erin, AJ, and I are going to see the Sex and the City movie (I know, but it's better than staying home and hanging out with Matt and Nic), then going out for a drink. I haven't really had a chance to see what the Vancouver nightlife is like so I'm excited to see what it has to offer.

Anyway, I'm off the start working on my resume. Next week is going to be all job searching all the time. Can't wait!

Love yous!
xoxox

July 1

A lot of people hate and misunderstand her but I love Heather Mallick.

June 30

The other night I had a strange dream. You know, one of those dreams that lingers in your mind for days. I've decided to exercise it from my brain by sharing it with you. Feel free to draw whatever conclusions you might have about me and my subconscious.

For whatever reason I am at my previous place of employment. An office. It's different from what I remember, there are few people I recognize and more employees than before. I decide they are students, suckers for the summer, working quietly away barely noticing me. As I make my way through the desks and computers I see someone I think I know, the legal assistant. Her back is to me and as I reach down to touch her shoulder I realize it's not who I thought. The girl turns towards me, confused.

"Charity!"

I turn quickly, relieved by the distraction.

There's the CFO of the company, in a small room on the floor, leading a yoga class. Wow, this place has really progressed since I left, I think to myself.

"What are you doing here?" he asks.

I blink a moment, forgetting exactly why I'm here. "I came to see Nadine," I said, knowing it was a lie but unsure of anything more appropriate to say.

"Nadine doesn't work here anymore," he tells me as he pulls his left leg close to his face. The others in the room, more people I don't recognize, follow his lead. I nod and leave, embarrassed by all the spandex.

Suddenly I'm downstairs. I quickly say hello to the president of the company as he walks through the lobby, pretending to have important things to do. I know better but am relieved I don't have to try and explain why I'm back at the office, which is still a mystery to me.

Then my nose starts to run. This is normal. My nose is always runny. I keep wiping it with my hand, as I usually do. I realize after the third or fourth swipe my hand is covered with thick, creamy snot. I notice then it's also all over my shirt. I run to the washroom wondering how long I've been walking around covered in my own slime.

As I look in the mirror, preparing to take care of business, I realize that my nose has swollen up with snot. Not like regular snot or even head-cold snot but snot that's thick and whipped like butter. I tilt my head up to get a better look. Yup, looks exactly like butter, nostrils full to the brim. As I tilt my head back down I realize my nose and upper lip have grown and enlarged, swollen and grotesque. I lift my upper lip up to assess the situation further and there's a lump the size of a golf ball surrounded by a mess of tiny blood vessels, a little blood-red octopus with a thousand miniture tentacles.

This is bad.

As I leave the bathroom, deciding I can make my way to the walk-in clinic, I can feel my little cephalopod bounce and squirm with each step. This feeling makes me nauseas and sends panic up my throat, closing it over. I try to stay calm, pretending this weird lump is nothing serious. But I can't breathe and the clinic is in Dartmouth. Just stay calm, I think. Everything is going to be ok.

Then I wake.

(I think it's a sign from my subconscious telling me that I am allergic to work).

June 27

Today, I trimmed my bangs, ran over my sunglasses with the Trooper and put Tom in the shopping cart at Home Depot.

Yea, you read that right. It was cute at first and I was just trying to be efficient but then Matt got mad at me for being so ridiculous. See, dogs are allowed in Home Depot here and the first few trips with Tom were fun and he's always so good but this particular trip we were purchasing an entire house worth of supplies and it ended up being a giant clusterfuck. So to say the least Tom won't be coming on any trips to Home Depot for a while.

Anyway, today was another busy day. I finished cleaning the kitchen (finally) and now it just needs a couple of coats of pretty red paint. We also tore the bile colored plastic tiles off the wall in the bathroom and Matt and Nic started to lay the new white tile. The first coat of paint went up on my bedroom walls today. Tomorrow the second coat will finish it off and I'll be able to put together my bed.

Now besides finishing the bathroom and painting our bedrooms, the only thing left to do is sweep and mop the floors. There's other small things that need to be done and more walls that need to be painted but that can all wait until we are settled in. Now we just have to get the rest Nic and Cynthia's stuff moved from their little apartment and we'll be pretty much set.

Oh yea, and one of these days I have to start looking for a job. Feck.

Well, I'm off to drain the juice out of my blisters. I'm planning on saving all my blister juice in jar for Natalie. She likes that sorta thing.

Please send us lots of luck and love while we try to finish this stuff off!

Hugs and kisses.
xoxox

June 26

Two days of straight cleaning and I'm not even finished the kitchen yet. So far I have encountered about 60 years of dirt and grime, a bit of mouse shit, and a newfound love of Scotch-brite pads. I can also feel my right arm quickly growing larger from all of the scrubbing I've been doing. My scrubbing muscles would make my momma proud.

I'm a little worried about getting all this cleaning done in a reasonable amount of time and so far my bedroom is the last on the list of things to do. Considering, as of July 1st, I will have nowhere else to sleep I would like to have my bedroom put together. Or at least the bed. But I still have to finish the kitchen and start the bathroom, find some place to put all of the crap that's presently in my bedroom and paint my bedroom walls. It's discouraging because every project that we start opens up a whole new can of worms and a job that should only have taken an hour takes a day.

Oh well, I guess that's what we get for wanting a fixer-upper.

Anyway, my finger tips are sore from all of my cleaning and each button I press causes little sharp pains to shoot up my hand. So I'm going to stop typing.

Love you all, etc., etc.
xoxo

June 22

this is the chinatown night market. i stole this picture from the internet because i dropped my camera and broke it. someone please buy me a new one so i can take pictures of all my adventures for you guys. pretty please?

I'm thinking about changing the name of my blog to What Charity is Eating in Vancouver because I have been eating so much good food since I've been here. Let's see now. I've had cheap and yummy Japanese, and a couple of Middle Eastern chicken shawarmas. I went to the Chinatown Night Market and ate some grilled squid, pork dumplings and Korean style BBQ corn. Oh. And passion calpis bubble tea. I've also gone for supper at a very authentic Italian resturant where I had pasta with sauteed mushrooms, olives and capers in a creamy tomato sauce which I topped off with Nutella flavored gelato from a gelato shop that has 218 flavors of gelato. My favorite so far is the steamed buns with vegetables from New Town Market in Chinatown. So doughy and delicious. I know I've eaten more but I can't recall what else. See, all the food in my belly slows down my brain and makes thinking difficult.

Anyway, that's all I've really been doing lately is eating and getting ready for the move. We went to Home Depot today (where I promptly started to miss my Mom) and bought some cleaning supplies, a new toilet seat and lots of cocking. Yes, many cock jokes ensued while buying the cocking. I know you wouldn't expect any less from me.

Nic and Cynthia are just about packed up and Matt and I are heading to Penticton tomorrow to pick up the rest of our stuff. We'll only being staying one night, which is unfortunate but we have so much to do when we get back.

So that's about it for now. I miss everyone and we'll be chatting again before you know it.
xoxox

June 20

checking out the place

Ten more days and we'll be in our new place!

Nick and Cynthia have begun packing up their apartment and we've all been doing a lot of thinking about where things will be going and what rooms will be designated what. The place needs a lot of love and we'll all have a busy summer taming the jungle that is currently our backyard, painting and general repairs but we're all pretty stoked to have found a place that gives us the option to do that. Our landlord is also really sweet and has agreed to let us do the work and he'll reimburse us for all the things here and there that we decide to do. I think he's pretty happy that he found a group of suckers happy to do the work for free.

Anyway, we have lots of stuff to do (like go to Ikea) so I've got to run. Here are the pictures of our new house. It might look like a dump now but I guarantee in six months it will be our little sanctuary in the middle of the city.

Love you guys!
xoxox

Up next: Finding a job...

June 18

so sleepy

So you will all be happy to hear that I've checked two goals off my list. After a minor rigamaroll I got my cell number changed over to a B.C. number. I also got a good taste of the famous Vancouver-style customer service that my friends here have been raving about. I personally love it when the customer service representative uses the word retarded in reference to one of her co-workers in front of customers. Very professional.

Matt and I spent all day Monday zipping about on our bikes looking for houses for rent. Oddly enough we didn't come across a single for rent sign. However, when we got home Matt found a house for rent on Craigslist that had only been posted for about thirty minutes. When he called the guy told him he could go take a look at it at anytime since there was no one living there and that if we wanted we could meet with him the next day to talk about the place. When Nick and Cynthia got home we hopped in the truck and took a drive over to look at the place. We all did our best not to look creepy and suspicious snooping around the empty house. The four of us all got pretty excited about it. It has a huge backyard and a garage, a driveway and a very authentic retro look.

The next day Matt called the guy and asked if we could meet with him earlier than planned and he agreed. Matt, Cynthia and I met up and rummaged up some money for a damage deposit and went to meet our potential landlord. To make a long story short we all fell in love instantly. The place was exactly what we were looking for. It has a huge basement for Matt and Nick to jam and store tools and just do general man stuff. The upstairs has two bedrooms of fairly equal size and the cutest little kitchen with these great retro style metal kitchen cabinets. The back yard was the big seller, it has so much potential and is HUGE in terms of backyards in Vancouver.

Anyway, we all put the charm on and told the guy we'd be willing to do some work on the place. We bragged about Nick's knack for painting and drywalling and Matt's talent for carpentry. We also told him we were all East Coasters and he seemed genuinely excited about that. He said we seemed like great people and then offered the place to us! So July 1st we'll be moving in.

The house is a little more expensive than we were planning on paying but with the rental market being as competitive as it is in Vancouver we had to take it. The place was also just within the area we wanted to stay in and it's on a nice quiet little tree lined street which will be such a change from the place we are at now. I'm really tired of being woken up every night by hollering hookers and trucks busting by. My eyeballs hurt from being kept up all night.

Anyway, Matt and I are planning on going for a bike ride along the seawall and maybe heading over to Granville Island for the day, so I should get my little white ass out of bed and get ready.

Love you all and talk to you soon!
xoxox

June 15

Today I bought a $3 bracelet made of wood and shells, made fun of hippies and ate a Caribbean veggie patty that I washed down with a drink called Ting. I also said 'that's hilarious' about 468 times, looked at the cutest little apartment and went to a birthday dinner at a Malaysian restaurant. And I may or may not have wished that a certain landlord who only wants to rent his house to a maximum of three adults because of hot water issues choke on his own tongue.

I've had a busy day.

So now that the weekend is over it's time to get to work. Here are some things I'm hoping to do this week:

1. Bike around the Eastside with Matt looking for houses for rent
2. Get a new phone number
3. Look into volunteering at Women Against Violence Against Women or the Vancouver Rape Relief & Women's Shelter
4. Meet up with a friend I haven't seen in 12 years
5. Go see the Happening
6. Polish up the resume

Now that my goals for the week have been put out there I'm leaving it up to all of you to harass me and make me feel guilty if I don't accomplish these. Hopefully if I'm not lazy, which I tend to be, I'll be updating regularly on the status of my goals and accomplishments.

Here's to making the most out of my days here in Vancouver.
xoxox

Also.
Huge hugs and kisses to my dad and two brothers on Father's Day.
Love you fart faces!

June 14

It's a beautiful Saturday afternoon. I'm sitting in the living room of my new Vancouver apartment on the corner of Broadway and Fraser. I can hear the city sounds bouncing around the streets, cars honking, people talking, bicycles zipping by. It's a busy little corner with a video store across the street and laundry service that folds your underwear into tight little squares. There's also, what seems to be an infinite number of restaurants and cafes in this neighborhood.

And I can't stop smiling.

Matt and I got into Vancouver yesterday afternoon and we've already been to Gastown, Stanley Park, East Hastings and Robson Street. We've seen Chinatown and bought groceries in the East Indian district. I've eaten a Kitsilano cookie from a cafe called Death by Chocolate and the most delicious chicken shawarma I've ever consumed from this little Middle Eastern joint just a few blocks away. And there's still so much to see and eat. I'm going to become the fattest little lady you ever laid eyes on.

Both Matt and I are so happy to finally be here. After a year of planning and saving and maybe even a little fighting, we are finally here and ready to start our life in a new city.

Tom seems a little confused and I think he misses his grandparents out east. There's also two cats that he has to learn to live with. But I'm hoping that he'll learn to adjust and enjoy his new home in Vancouver. It's been a long two weeks for our little fuzz man but I'm sure once we all get into a routine he'll be as happy as a pig in shit...or dog... or whatever.

Anyway, I just want to quickly thank everyone we stayed with along the way and everyone at home who helped us get out here. Everything that you've contributed, big or small, has helped in enormous ways and Matt, Tom and I are eternally grateful for everyone's love and support.

And don't worry. I'll keep updating.

Love you guys and we will be chatting very soon!
xoxox

June 11

tom's bath

Well, I suppose some of you are probably anxious to hear how the last few days of the trip have been. Unfortunately, I’ve been busy unwinding from life on the road and have been unable to conjure up that magical blogging mojo you all know so well. So tonight, as I sit in my grandmother’s living room, I have mustered up what I can and will try my best to fill you all in.

So the last time we spoke, the Skingerts were in Edmonton getting ready to set out on the road once again. The drive to Calgary was uneventful. It was your run of the mill three hour drive through cowboy country.

We stopped in Calgary for a quick visit with some of my family. What I had originally thought would be a short afternoon with my Aunt Jen and Uncle George actually turned out to be somewhat of a small family reunion. Aunt Jen, knowing that I would be showing up (later than she expected unfortunately), had invited over her daughter Laurie and Laurie’s two sons Benjamin and Nathaniel, as well as my dear cousin Jolene and her husband Justin. It was such a great visit because it had been easily at least ten years since I had seen Laurie and her family and probably about seven years since I had last seen Jolene. It was particularly nice to visit with Jolene because when we both lived in P.E.I. many moons ago we used to spend a good deal of time together. It was also wonderful to see my Aunt Jen. Unfortunately, my Uncle George, who is one of my most favorite people on earth had left for P.E.I. the day before we got there, so I had missed him by one day.

So after a visit that was much too short we left and decided that we would head towards Banff and stay at one of the campsites there. Once we got to Banff, however, we realized we still had a good hour or so of driving left in us so we wound up driving to Lake Louise and spent the night there.

Lake Louise was not what I had hoped it would be. Although staying overnight in the Rockies was amazing. To be surrounded by such wonders of nature is indescribable. Unfortunately, it was rainy and freezing and all but one of the campsite’s washrooms were closed so it was at least a ten minute walk to take a shit. We had kind of been discussing the possibility of staying in the Rockies one more night but the weather and lack of facilities inspired us to make the push to Penticton.

So about six hours after leaving Lake Louise on Monday morning we were in Penticton hanging out with my grandmother.

The drive here was amazing and the truck handled the tightly wound roads and steep hills better than we had hoped. Actually, I had remembered the drive through the mountains as being more treacherous but the roads were probably some of the best roads we traveled on in all of Canada. We were also lucky because the weather was nice and we got a pretty clear view of the mountains as we drove through.

So far our stay in Penticton has been incredible, in a relaxing and rejuvenating way. Matt and I have spent most of our time chatting with Oma and being fed delicious meals, like roasts and lamb chops and home-made sausages. Matt has also been spending a lot of time helping Oma with her computer. She had a few viruses and what not but Matt has stepped in and exterminated them in his very thorough and diligent way.

Matt and I were also lucky enough to go for a long bike ride on the Trans Canada Trail through the mountains towards Naramata. It’s a beautiful trail through vineyards and orchards with a breath taking view of the mountains and Okanagan Lake. It was also an incredibly hot day with short bursts of rain, so just when you thought you couldn’t bike any further the sky opened up and unleashed a few moments of rain just long enough to cool you off again. It’s moments like these that make me so excited to be living in B.C.

Tom is also enjoying his stay here, visiting with his great grandmother. She really won him over when she sacrificed one of her small rugs for him to lay on and cover with fur. Unfortunately, Tom has acquired a taste for west coast grass and to his embarrassment, his over indulgence resulted in a small puke fest in the living room. So, Matt, Oma and I entertained ourselves while he was bathed in the wash basin in the back yard. I have to say, there is nothing funnier than Tom being bathed.

Well, that’s about the long short of it I suppose. I’m sure I’m lacking a few details you would all enjoy reading about but tough shit. You get what I give you.

Kidding.

Love you guys and I will talk to each and everyone of you soon.

xoxox

June 10

In Penticton!

June 8

Well, I should be getting ready to get back on the road but sometimes blogging takes precedence.

Matt, Tom and I are leaving Edmonton today. We'll be heading to Calgary for a quick visit with my Uncle George. We are hoping to get to Banff National Park tonight.

I think we'll stop one more night before we get to Penticton, where my grandmother lives. Then we only have about five hours left to go before we get to Vancouver.

So, I'm sure once we get to Penticton I'll have another update and some pictures.

Take care everyone and we'll be talking to you soon.
xoxox

June 7

Edmonton. Makes me feel dirty. Maybe it's because I haven't been showering regularly since we've been on the road or maybe it's the weird smell in the air here, the smell of money and germs. You know, like when you've been holding a handful of coins and your palm gets all sweaty and the coins become warm. Edmonton smells like that.

On the other hand, it's crazy to think that Matt, Tom and I have made it this far. Edmonton may suck but at least we're here.

Our last two days on the road were pretty intensive. After we left Kakabeka Falls in Ontario we devoted ourselves to the road and made it to Riding Mountain National Park in Manitoba. It took us about ten hours but the drive was worth it. Riding Mountain is a beautiful park and if we might of had more time I would have loved to have stayed longer. The park is huge and offers a huge selection of different outdoor activities for every skill level and an authentic sense of being a part of the wilderness. I mean, we were in the camper area of the park and we had a white tail deer run right down the road by our campsite. So just imagine what it would be like to do some backcounty hiking or biking there. If I ever make it back I'll be bringing a sturdy set of leg muscles and some bear spray.

So we spent our night there and were off on the roads by around 9 am. We had decided the night before that it might not be that difficult for us to drive to Edmonton, where Matt's cousin lives. It's about 900 km and most of it is in a straight line so we decided to give it a go and arrived here around 1030 pm.

kakabeka falls

It was great to crawl into bed after being on the road for so long. Matt and I must have been exhausted because neither of us noticed that the air mattress we were sleeping on had deflated. We woke the next morning with nothing left of the air mattress except a giant piece of plastic. Tonight we'll remember to put the cap to the air valve on.

As for today. Well, we did what any Edmontonian would do on a Saturday, we went to West Edmonton Mall and had lunch at Hooters. I love that place. The wings, the sleazy guys and the giant, white slouch socks. It's all just so good. My favorite is when parents bring their children there to eat. There were a tonne of families with kids there today. Seriously, do you really consider Hooters family dining?

Anyway, Edmonton is creepy and West Edmonton Mall doesn't help. It was probably my second time there since I was about nine. I remember it then as being this awesome mecca of fun with a rink that the Oilers would occasionally practice on and a pirate ship and wave pool that I was never allowed to go in, but now it just reminded me of how awful I am and what a naive and oblivious society we live in. There were so many people there, all mindlessly spending their hard earned money on things that will only give them a temporary sense of euphoria. I don't know, I just wish people had different priorities. I wish I had different priorities.

To say the least I really didn't like being there. Being at that mall felt like when your watching a show on TV, and when the commercials come on they are ten times louder then the program you were watching. Only, at West Edmonton Mall you can't turn the volume down.

But enough shitting on Edmonton. It's not all bad. It has Ian, Matt's cousin, who has been an awesome host. And has been kind enough to let the Skingert family infiltrate his house for a couple of days.

Right. Well this has far reached it's quantity quota so I'll go. Be warned, Matt and I are on the road again tomorrow and I won't have access to internet until we get to Penticton in a couple of days. So hang in there. We'll be talking soon.

xoxox

NEW! Official Wildlife Count

Trucker bombs - lost count (sometimes it's had to tell if it's ice tea or urine)
Moose - 3
Dear - 7
Bear - 3
Wild Turkey - 1
Turtle - 1
Falcon - 2
Llamas - a lot
Wolf - 1

June 5

driving machine

So Matt, Tom and I are on the road again. We are happily leaving Ontario and heading towards Winnipeg. We stayed at this really nice capmground last night in Kakabecka Falls which is just outside Thunder Bay.

Yesterday’s weather was rainy and grey but we did manage to get out for a walk in the park and make supper outside. It was actually really fun despite the cold, damp weather with Matt, Tom and I all huddled together under a tarp, sitting at the pcinic table heating up our canned soup and munching on veggies and hummus. Once it started to get dark, the three of us all crawled into the warm, dry truck to watch some episodes of News Radio on my computer.

It was a great end to a rather uncomfortable day. The driving itself wasn’t bad but the mopey weather and the horrible night’s sleep we all got the night before made it a very long day. Matt and I were both exhausted after being tormented all night by mosquitoes buzzing around our heads and a sweet but rather pudgey dog who thinks he’s entitled to half the bed. So it was nice to finally get to our campsite, make some supper and not think about driving for a little while. Also, Matt made a special bed in the front seat for Tom to sleep on. Although he was initially a little insulted that we didn’t want him to sleep with us he settled in and we all had a great night’s sleep.

So here we are on the road again. It’s officially been a week since Matt and I left Nova Scotia and we’ve got about 3500 km under our belt. Matt and I keep busy on the road by looking for trucker bombs and wildlife. Here’s the official count so far:

• Trucker bombs – 5
• Moose – 3
• Deer – 3
• Bear – 1 Mama and her 2 cubs
• Wild Turkey – 1

I haven’t decided yet which has been my favorite, it’s a toss up between the bears and the wild turkey. I’ve also developed this uncontrollable compulsion to wave at the animals when I see them. I know how ridiculous this is but I can’t help it, I’m so excited to see them.

Anyway, I’m currently neglecting my co-pilot duties so I should go. Matt, Tom and I love you all and hope that everything is well for you guys. We will be talking to you soon.

xoxo