A Skewed View

One of the biggest changes I’ve experienced moving to Toronto was my new winged neighbours. I never had any problems with pigeons on my balconies in any of the places I’ve lived in Edmonton. But for some reason, the word got out of my relocation and I had a plethora of pigeons strutting around my balcony and leaving me little welcome gifts by time I had arrived. Of all the things I regretted leaving behind at the wildlife shelter, scraping poo was definitely not one of them. I was not about to embrace that task in my new life if it did not come hand in hand with the occasional opportunity to hand feed (okay, cuddle) baby flying squirrels. Now, you know that I endeavour to adopt a live and let live attitude with creatures lower down on the food chain than myself. I’ll try to capture and release spiders or flies rather than kill them just because they are in my home. They don’t want to be there anymore than I want to see them there. But I have limits. If they try to take me on, I...

... sort of. I went to a singles event Thursday night to meet new people. Pretty much from the get go I crossed paths with a woman who was just as uncertain what the evening would hold as I was. So we stuck to one another's side, making fun of the other people at the bar. Perhaps not completely conducive to meeting people, but it was pretty clear the bar scene was not either of our scenes. I'll meet new people some other way. People mingling and drink are just ... well, begging to be made fun of. I never fully caught the woman's name though. It was too loud and her name was too unique. But I gave her my card with my name and number on it so we can reconnect in a quieter environment. So far, I still do not feel like I live in Toronto. I don't feel different at all. Except for physically. I have already begun pricing out dehumidifiers. My apartment is fine temperature-wise. Apparently Toronto has been experiencing unseasonably cool weather. Only low to mid 20s. Still, the...

My last night in my Edmonton apartment was an uncomfortable one. I had loaded up close to everything from my apartment into the Uhaul (okay, Kent loaded it for me -- thanks Kent!), and was left with only a sleeping bag, pillow and clock radio. Not one single solitary soft thing. I ended up scrunching up my bathrobe (which I had, luckily, forgotten behind my bathroom door when I packed) and putting it under the sleeping bag in an ill-fated attempt to make my carpeted floor a bit more comfy. The next day I spent SIX hours cleaning my apartment. I hadn't intended to spend that much time. I certainly hadn't thought I had six hours worth of cleaning to do. But I did. When the manager came for the walk through, he opened my oven door, and peeked into the bathroom, said "this looks wonderful" and handed me back my damage deposit. Go figure. I don't really have many pics of my drive to Toronto. Truth be told (and Cal, my travelling companion can attest), I was in a poor m...

I can explain! I've been busy! I'm moving to Toronto - I had things to do! Talking about it kind of stressed me out more, so committing it to the written word would have made me quite woozy, I'm certain. So ... the move is on. Notice at work? Check. Notice at the apartment? Check. Sell pretty much everything that can not be boxed up? After 2nd garage sale tomorrow, pretty sure that'll be a: Check. I think I'll see a movie tomorrow after the garage sale. The only thing I've neglected worse than this blog is my movie reviewing blog.

So, at 5:00 p.m., I was out the door after work, down the stairs, and into KITT: Then it was off to curves. After a quick work out, I was back on the road: To buy tickets for a movie: By then, of course, I was hungry. So back on the road, to Subway for a sandwich and a drink: By then it was time to head back to the theatre. To watch Fast and Furious : But the night wasn't over ...I had some grocery shopping at Walmart to do: (work was really slow on Friday. I had time to plan my night out in pictorial:)

So, if you're the receptionist at a walk-in business, and you have sat dutifully at your desk for about 95 minutes without a phone ring or in-person visit, what would you do: (keep in mind: your desk is positioned in such a manner as no coworker/boss can "sneak up" on you from behind, and any incoming clients have to open two doors to enter the office, so you can hear them in adequate time to return to proper work posture before they see you) A: Continue staring at your online appointment calendar like it is going to break out into an interpretive dance to entertain you as long as it is definitively convinced that it has your complete and undivided attention; B: Minimize the online calendar and pull up some online video games to play with the sound muted; C: Read a magazine discreetly; D: Read a novel discreetly; E: Close your eyes, watch your inner eye paramecium swim around your eyeballs, and relax. See, there are merits to each: A: If anyone peeks into your office, you...

The other day, my poor little heart had its first cardiac event. I was in the dollar store looking for something when I came across a cute little knick knack that one of my young coworkers would enjoy. While I figured I could easily pick it up as a random gift for her, I thought "maybe that would seem too creepy. A girl I barely know. A girl many years younger than me. A girl who was ... the same age ... as my best friend's first born ... oh my god I'm old enough to be MY COWORKER'S MOTHER!" My heart folded in upon itself with an audible crunch, and I think I did stop in the aisle to put my hand to my chest. Then I shuffled along the rest of the way down the aisle, with a bit of a hunch and just a touch of the arthritis. I would have thought I was too young to be this old ...