October 10, 2006
I've now opened up a new site at Vox. This site is for my Blogger archives from 2000-2006.
My new site is here.
I like Blogger and it has been very good to me. However it seems that with the new beta, they are moving away from people using Blogger on remotely hosted sites which made using it with my searchingforhappy.net domain a pain. I am also sick of spending money on a domain that I'm barely using, when I can barely use a personal website from a multitude of free sources. :)
I plan to keep these archives up indefinitely. I don't think anyone else really cares that they're here, but taking them down made me feel like I was hiding my past, or ashamed of it, and I am not.
Happy web publishing to all - no matter what medium you use!
My new site is here.
I like Blogger and it has been very good to me. However it seems that with the new beta, they are moving away from people using Blogger on remotely hosted sites which made using it with my searchingforhappy.net domain a pain. I am also sick of spending money on a domain that I'm barely using, when I can barely use a personal website from a multitude of free sources. :)
I plan to keep these archives up indefinitely. I don't think anyone else really cares that they're here, but taking them down made me feel like I was hiding my past, or ashamed of it, and I am not.
Happy web publishing to all - no matter what medium you use!
September 21, 2006
Every year at about this time, I decide that it is time to get a new purse. The current purse is usually fine (1), but with the change of seasons and new things in stores, the desire for a new purse becomes all-consuming. This year was no different.
I spent three days searching for a purse I liked. I had birthday money from my aunt and uncle so my budget was more than it has been in previous years, so that wasn't the issue. I went to over twenty stores and scoured Ebay and various purse websites several times a day. I could hardly concentrate on work or anything else I was doing. But I still couldn't find anything I liked and was willing to spend my money on!
I was starting to make my coworkers crazy by telling them about my search as it progressed, but several gave me good tips for places to check out. Even Sean was telling his coworkers about it (I was making him crazy too, so I think he was making fun of me a little), and one of his female coworkers told him about a spot near my work that I should go to. Yesterday, after my third fruitless lunch hour, I was starting to get discouraged and thought I should just give up for awhile - maybe look closer to sale time. But since I had some time to kill between work and my dentist appointment (2) last night, I would give the purse hunt one more chance by going to a different area of town that was on the way to the dentist.
I got off the subway and began to wander. I looked across the street and saw a store that looked like it had purses. I crossed and discovered that the store had many purses (3). Including one I really liked. However, even after looking so long, I still hemmed and hawed. What if it wasn't the purse I truly wanted? What if I saw something better right after I bought it. I wandered the store (which was not very big), but kept returning to this purse and picking it up, opening the zippers and trying it on to see how it looked. Finally, after some more indecision, I said to myself "Fuck it, I'm buying it."
I couldn't believe the sense of relief I had once I left the store and realized that I had finally completed my quest. I didn't have to look anymore - I had captured my bounty. This morning when I came into work, I wondered if I should even show people my purchase because I was afraid their first thought would be "She searched for three days, made all of us crazy with her histrionics and she ended up buying that?" However, I figured that after hearing about it for so long, closure may be necessary. (4)
I took this picture to send to my aunt and uncle to show them what I spent my birthday money on (5). I've also posted it here so you will have closure. And now I will do my best not to talk about purses until this time next year.
(1) I actually got two compliments about my old purse yesterday after I bought the new one - one at the store, and one at the dentist office. It almost made me question buying the new one. Then I remembered that if I wanted to, I could switch purses if I needed a fix of an old one, even if I don't normally bother with that.
(2) My dentist appointment went okay, although my cleaning was a little rough. I did have to get new x-rays and the dentist says I have pre-cavities forming between a few of my teeth, so keep up with my flossing. After being cavity-free until a few months ago when I had two other pre-cavities filled, this ticks me off.
(3) If you want to know where I got this purse, email me and I will tell you. A hint, - it was in Greektown here in Toronto.
(4) Yup, that was really self-absorbed - I really do know that everything is not all about me, and that likely, no one really cared much beyond making polite conversation. But no one made fun of my purchase - at least not to my face, but that's enough as far as I'm concerned.
(5) Thank you Aunt Helen and Uncle Jerry. You made this excursion go much easier cuz I had more money to play with, which really opened up my options.
I spent three days searching for a purse I liked. I had birthday money from my aunt and uncle so my budget was more than it has been in previous years, so that wasn't the issue. I went to over twenty stores and scoured Ebay and various purse websites several times a day. I could hardly concentrate on work or anything else I was doing. But I still couldn't find anything I liked and was willing to spend my money on!
I was starting to make my coworkers crazy by telling them about my search as it progressed, but several gave me good tips for places to check out. Even Sean was telling his coworkers about it (I was making him crazy too, so I think he was making fun of me a little), and one of his female coworkers told him about a spot near my work that I should go to. Yesterday, after my third fruitless lunch hour, I was starting to get discouraged and thought I should just give up for awhile - maybe look closer to sale time. But since I had some time to kill between work and my dentist appointment (2) last night, I would give the purse hunt one more chance by going to a different area of town that was on the way to the dentist.
I got off the subway and began to wander. I looked across the street and saw a store that looked like it had purses. I crossed and discovered that the store had many purses (3). Including one I really liked. However, even after looking so long, I still hemmed and hawed. What if it wasn't the purse I truly wanted? What if I saw something better right after I bought it. I wandered the store (which was not very big), but kept returning to this purse and picking it up, opening the zippers and trying it on to see how it looked. Finally, after some more indecision, I said to myself "Fuck it, I'm buying it."
I couldn't believe the sense of relief I had once I left the store and realized that I had finally completed my quest. I didn't have to look anymore - I had captured my bounty. This morning when I came into work, I wondered if I should even show people my purchase because I was afraid their first thought would be "She searched for three days, made all of us crazy with her histrionics and she ended up buying that?" However, I figured that after hearing about it for so long, closure may be necessary. (4)
I took this picture to send to my aunt and uncle to show them what I spent my birthday money on (5). I've also posted it here so you will have closure. And now I will do my best not to talk about purses until this time next year.
(1) I actually got two compliments about my old purse yesterday after I bought the new one - one at the store, and one at the dentist office. It almost made me question buying the new one. Then I remembered that if I wanted to, I could switch purses if I needed a fix of an old one, even if I don't normally bother with that.
(2) My dentist appointment went okay, although my cleaning was a little rough. I did have to get new x-rays and the dentist says I have pre-cavities forming between a few of my teeth, so keep up with my flossing. After being cavity-free until a few months ago when I had two other pre-cavities filled, this ticks me off.
(3) If you want to know where I got this purse, email me and I will tell you. A hint, - it was in Greektown here in Toronto.
(4) Yup, that was really self-absorbed - I really do know that everything is not all about me, and that likely, no one really cared much beyond making polite conversation. But no one made fun of my purchase - at least not to my face, but that's enough as far as I'm concerned.
(5) Thank you Aunt Helen and Uncle Jerry. You made this excursion go much easier cuz I had more money to play with, which really opened up my options.
August 31, 2006
Today is my 28th birthday - happy birthday to me! I'm still on vacation so the best present is that I don't have to work today!
August 19, 2006
I am on vacation for the next two weeks, which means that I don't have to go back to work until after Labour Day. I love it when my vacation ends in a long weekend so I can take that much more time off. Sean and I are both off next week then I am off by myself the week after. We don't have any earth-shaking plans - just visiting the inlaws 'n' outlaws (we're not sure who's who) next weekend, and going to see the Foo Fighters on Wednesday. We are also hoping to paint the deck (Sean's job) and the basement stairs (my job). Fun times for all. Hopefully we'll fit some other stuff in, but just relaxing at home will be good too - it's definitely needed.
July 03, 2006
I just went out to take pictures of my clematis plant that finally got some flowers on it. What I didn't know was that all the blooms had died off and I missed my chance! I'm hoping it's going to bloom again this summer, but I'm not sure if it will or not. It will be a healthier plant next year, but what a heartbreaker to miss capturing it's first blooms in pictures. They were so pretty!
I'm a little disappointed in my garden this year. A lot of the flowers just aren't blooming like they should be. I have a flower garden along the west side of my house that is very shady due to a tree being there as well. Everyone I've talked to tells me to put in hostas and impatiens and I do. Then they don't do much of anything. The hostas are just so slow!
I should probably admit that I probably haven't been giving my garden as much care as it needs. I've been way too busy at work lately to give much thought to the garden when I get home. I've had to water the plants in the dark a few times, so it's hard to see progress then. I haven't fertilized it once this year (discovered I was out of Miracle-Gro and haven't picked up more yet). I've weeded a couple of times but the weeds keep coming back. (Why is it that the weeds can flourish quite happily and the stuff I want just plods along?)
On a good note, thanks to all the rain we've had, I haven't had to water a whole lot lately and my tomatoes and pepper plants are looking healthy. My coneflowers out front are starting to bloom, and they are really tall and bushy. I'm hoping that once I get some fertilizer and do a good weed job, the plants will look better. The season is far from over. When things perk up then I'll take some pictures.
I'm a little disappointed in my garden this year. A lot of the flowers just aren't blooming like they should be. I have a flower garden along the west side of my house that is very shady due to a tree being there as well. Everyone I've talked to tells me to put in hostas and impatiens and I do. Then they don't do much of anything. The hostas are just so slow!
I should probably admit that I probably haven't been giving my garden as much care as it needs. I've been way too busy at work lately to give much thought to the garden when I get home. I've had to water the plants in the dark a few times, so it's hard to see progress then. I haven't fertilized it once this year (discovered I was out of Miracle-Gro and haven't picked up more yet). I've weeded a couple of times but the weeds keep coming back. (Why is it that the weeds can flourish quite happily and the stuff I want just plods along?)
On a good note, thanks to all the rain we've had, I haven't had to water a whole lot lately and my tomatoes and pepper plants are looking healthy. My coneflowers out front are starting to bloom, and they are really tall and bushy. I'm hoping that once I get some fertilizer and do a good weed job, the plants will look better. The season is far from over. When things perk up then I'll take some pictures.
June 11, 2006
I wish I was perfect. Not in an annoying, know-it-all sort of way, but in a graceful way. I wish I always knew exactly what to do, or say, or think in any situation. And more importantly to actually always act on on those actions, words or thoughts.
Is wanting something I can never have a self-fulfilling prophecy for failure or a catalyst for personal growth?
Is wanting something I can never have a self-fulfilling prophecy for failure or a catalyst for personal growth?
April 22, 2006
It hasn't stopped raining here all today today, and it's making the house cold.
It's also making my flowers grow which is a much more positive thing. Most of the perennials I put in last year seem to be coming back. I still can't find my hostas though. Maybe it's too early for them, but I lost some last year, so I'm not so sure about the "hostas grow well in shade" concept. Maybe this year they will perk up.
I'm not sure but I think my clematis came back. This is really unexpected as it did next to nothing last year - very little growth and no flowers to speak of. However, I was out there last weekend and it looks like something is growing where it was planted last year. I just can't remember if I threw a bulb in the same spot last year, but it doesn't look like a bulb plant so it's clematis as far as I'm concerned. I just went looking on Google images for "clematis growth" and the pictures I saw looked like my plant so I may have pretty purple flowers on my trellis this year! Hooray!
I never thought I'd be into gardening when I was growing up. I used to help my mom water plants when I was a kid, but I always found it boring. Now, I look forward to every bloom. Maybe that's because it's *my* garden in *my* house.
Just a few more weeks till I can fill in the rest of the garden with more annuals, and get my herb and tomato garden started! Flowers are pretty but plants you can eat are even better!
It's also making my flowers grow which is a much more positive thing. Most of the perennials I put in last year seem to be coming back. I still can't find my hostas though. Maybe it's too early for them, but I lost some last year, so I'm not so sure about the "hostas grow well in shade" concept. Maybe this year they will perk up.
I'm not sure but I think my clematis came back. This is really unexpected as it did next to nothing last year - very little growth and no flowers to speak of. However, I was out there last weekend and it looks like something is growing where it was planted last year. I just can't remember if I threw a bulb in the same spot last year, but it doesn't look like a bulb plant so it's clematis as far as I'm concerned. I just went looking on Google images for "clematis growth" and the pictures I saw looked like my plant so I may have pretty purple flowers on my trellis this year! Hooray!
I never thought I'd be into gardening when I was growing up. I used to help my mom water plants when I was a kid, but I always found it boring. Now, I look forward to every bloom. Maybe that's because it's *my* garden in *my* house.
Just a few more weeks till I can fill in the rest of the garden with more annuals, and get my herb and tomato garden started! Flowers are pretty but plants you can eat are even better!
April 13, 2006
I want to do more creative things in my life. However, I'm having a hard time getting started. I don't feel like I can sit down to do something creative until I feel settled. Then once I feel settled enough to do something, I start interrupting myself to do other, more mundane things of varying usefulness. Just, while writing these few sentences, I got up from the computer twice and opened up several new tabs in Firefox to do and look for other things. I didn't really need to any of those things at any of those moments.
I want to take a creative writing class, but I just can't afford it right now. I also need to produce something of a creative nature (be it writing, soap or whatever) that I am happy with so I can feel like I am actually capable of doing creative things.
I can't even admit out loud that I am interested in creative writing. (It was hard to type too.) I want to write, but I am afraid. I'm not sure if I am afraid of the writing itself or the material that would come out of it. Or whether it is something else completely.
I've always said that I wanted to write a book before I am dead. The problem is, I have to actually write a book before I am dead.
I want to take a creative writing class, but I just can't afford it right now. I also need to produce something of a creative nature (be it writing, soap or whatever) that I am happy with so I can feel like I am actually capable of doing creative things.
I can't even admit out loud that I am interested in creative writing. (It was hard to type too.) I want to write, but I am afraid. I'm not sure if I am afraid of the writing itself or the material that would come out of it. Or whether it is something else completely.
I've always said that I wanted to write a book before I am dead. The problem is, I have to actually write a book before I am dead.
