The Fallible Narrator

I am the queen of CLMs

2009-11-05T01:11:45Z

Today there was a 9:00 a.m. meeting at my place of employment. The meeting was to recognize employees' years of service.

Despite the fact that it was in my Outlook calendar and noted in my paper calendar that I always carry with me, I forgot about the meeting.

In my absence, I was presented with my first year pin.

The Senior Director who was making the presentations (who is not all that friendly to me to begin with) expressed her annoyance at the absence of a few people who had their anniversaries recognized.

Oh shit!! There are some days when I should just stay in bed.

...hopefully the journalists are alive and kicking too!

2009-10-22T00:39:39Z

Ripped from the front page of today's Metro News Toronto edition...

Somebody get these fools an editor - quickly!

Inquiring minds want to know

2009-06-09T23:41:34Z

Just because you can floss your teeth with the wires from your iPod headset (on the subway no less), should you?

The third anniversary of a very special gift

2009-06-02T01:43:37Z

This past Saturday was the third anniversary of DP giving me Jordan. I cannot believe that three years have passed so quickly.

I thanked DP all over again, as I have done off and on over the years.

Sometimes when I'm getting the J-Boy all groomed or tacked up, I step back and mentally pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming (although it would be a pretty awesome dream). Both he and I have come a long way since that day. I am definitely a better horsewoman and he is a better (behaved) horse.

I am so grateful for my good fortune. I love and am loved in return; my critters are the best; I have a great home and I love my job and career. As the song goes, "I guess I'm just a lucky so and so!"

An interesting article, but as for the study's accuracy...

2009-04-03T02:16:18Z

...I'll reserve my opinion.

Last week in the Globe and Mail, there was an article describing a study that links obesity with ADHD. I read it with interest, as I do all information about ADHD that I come across. Being a sufferer of the condition - I was diagnosed a few years ago - I like to be up on all the latest findings.

After a few day's reflection, I'm not sure that I'll be accepting the results of the study until there is some more data with which to corroborate the findings. The article quotes one of the authors (Dr. Lance Levy) of the study : Obese people with ADHD cannot respond to the signals in their brains that tell them when they are hungry and when they are full. Being an ADHD-er and obese I beg to differ. I know that I am not hungry when I'm over-consuming, because I don't feel hungry; however, I over-consume because it satisfies something other than hunger.

Snacking, usually on candy, helps me focus on other things. When I was in high school, whenever I had to get an essay written, or a particularly onerous homework assignment done, I would buy a bag of scotch mints and eat them until I had completed the task. Sometimes I would finish the bag. When I got older and took up smoking, cigarettes took the place of mints. I could smoke a large pack of cigarettes in one evening while studying or writing essays. Through all the years of this behaviour, I never knew why the candy or cigarettes helped me concentrate, I just knew that they did. It was and is the need I have for hyper-stimulation.

Having been an ex-smoker for over a decade, I have gone back to the mints and other hard candy to help my concentration during work hours and so on. I know it's not the healthiest habit, but until I unlock the secret of this compulsion, I'll have to live with it. "ADHD is a primary cause of failing to lose weight for tens of thousands of people" says Dr. Levy. Now that statement I'll agree with, but strictly on a personal level. I'll wait and see what further studies show.

I should have known the day wasn't going to be great...

2009-03-20T02:48:38Z

...when the baking potato that I was going to take to the office for lunch turned out to be filled with insect larvae.

It had a hole in it which I had not noticed until I went to wash it, so I kind of flexed it in my hands to see how deep the hole went and that's when it cracked open and deposited gross dirt-coloured larvae all over the kitchen counter. Being the rational, middle-aged adult that I am, I promptly screamed "Ew! Ew! Ew!" until I could figure out what to do.

I did get things cleaned up - with multiple sprayings of bleach on the counter. Needless to say I thoroughly examined every single fork full of another potato I took for my lunch before putting it in my mouth!

Books and stuff

2009-03-18T23:27:56Z

Began reading Heave by Christie Ann Conlin yesterday. Years ago my friend Colleen, who founded the book club I belonged to, recommended it to me, but I never got around to borrowing it from the library. Then, just before Christmas, my friend Margaret loaned me the book. Actually, she wouldn't let me leave her house without taking it! I'm glad she was so persistent.

I'm completely engrossed already. Today I almost missed my subway stop going to and coming home from work (for me, the definitive sign of a good book!) Although I like the main character, Serrie - Seraphina - I've fallen in love with blunt, foul-mouthed Dearie who is "...great at making lists but not so great at putting on her dancing shoes..."

I'm trying to get back into reading for pleasure. Ever since I began tech writing for a living, I've found it difficult to read outside of what I need to for my job. I even paid off my library fines and got myself a new library card (the old one disappeared months ago), so hopefully I'm well on my way!

Writer's Block: Dream Job

2009-02-13T00:51:44Z

If you could have any job in the world, what would it be?

View 501 Answers

I would be a horse breaker / trainer. Working with horses has got to be better that putting up with humans all day long!

crazyliza @ 2009-01-23T01:30:00

2009-01-23T06:33:01Z

Happy Birthday ruralrob

crazyliza @ 2009-01-21T00:02:00

2009-01-21T05:07:18Z

one word meme (stolen from sare)

Only.
Type.
One.
Word.
(it's harder than it looks)
*****

1. Where is your cell phone? purse
2. Your significant other? cottage
3. Your hair? messy
4. Your mother? aged
5. Your father? dead
6. Your favorite thing? computer
7. Your dream last night? didn't
8. Your favorite drink? tea
9. Your dream/goal? Warkworth
10. The room you're in? kitchen
11. Your ex? huh?
12. Your fear? drowning
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Warkworth
14. Where were you last night? Starbucks
15. What you're not? stupid
16. Muffins? corn
17. One of your wish list items? laptop
18. Where you grew up? Toronto
19. The last thing you did? wrote
20. What are you wearing? fleece
21. Your TV? off
22. Your pet(s)? absent
23. Your computer? dying
24. Your life? chaotic
25. Your mood? tired
26. Missing someone? David
27. Your car? none
28. Something you're not wearing? slippers
29. Favorite Store? Greenhawk
30. Your summer? cottage
31. Love someone? David
32. Your favorite color? red
33. When is the last time you laughed? today
34. Last time you cried? Sunday
35. Who will/would repost? nobody.

Why and how I make myself crazy...

2008-11-26T02:49:39Z

I have a 15-minute presentation on User Centred Design (UCD) to give tomorrow to my fellow tech. writers at the office. I've had a month to put it together, but true to nature, I am sitting here - the night before it's due - trying to pull it togther. Since getting home this evening, I spend 1.5 hours playing Scramble on Facebook, and have just spent the last 45 minutes getting caught up on LJ. My presentation now totals four sentences... Arggghhhh!

Now where was I?

2008-10-28T03:20:53Z

I've been away from blogging for so long, I don't know where to begin. I suppose I'll start where I left off: the new job.

I am nearing the three-month mark, and not only have I survived, I've thrived. Had an unofficial year-end performance review on Friday and both my old and new managers(yes, I'm on my second manager in less than three months)gave me favourable ratings. One thing that I must improve upon is becoming a nine-to-fiver.

I've never been particularly punctual at arriving at the office, although with this job I'm being much better than I have been - but now I have to be punctual at leaving too! This is a cultural adjustment I've never had to make before.

National Poetry Month - Day 7: The Most of It by Robert Frost

2008-04-08T02:41:50Z

The Most of It

He thought he kept the universe alone;
For all the voice in answer he could wake
Was but the mocking echo of his own
From some tree-hidden cliff across the lake.
Some morning from the boulder-broken beach
He would cry out on life, that what it wants
Is not its own love back in copy speech,
But counter-love, original response.
And nothing ever came of what he cried
Unless it was the embodiment that crashed
In the cliff's talus on the other side,
And then in the far-distant water splashed,
But after a time allowed for it to swim,
Instead of proving human when it neared
And someone else additional to him,
As a great buck it powerfully appeared,
Pushing the crumpled water up ahead,
And landed pouring like a waterfall,
And stumbled through the rocks with horny tread,
And forced the underbrush--and that was all.

National Poetry Month - Day 6: Poem by Leonard Cohen

2008-04-07T03:06:48Z

I am a great admirer of Leonard Cohen's talent as a poet. In fact, I could post poems of his for all 30 days of National Poetry Month. But I won't.

Poem

I heard of a man
who says words so beautifully
that if he only speaks their name
women give themselves to him.

If I am dumb beside your body
while silence blossoms like tumours on our lips
it is because I hear a man climb the stairs
and clear his throat outside our door

National Poetry Month - Day 5: Hold by Ronna Bloom

2008-04-05T12:13:30Z

I encountered the poetry of Ronna Bloom a few years ago at The Scream in High Park. Although I don't remember which poems she recited there, "Hold" is from the collection she was reading from that year.

Hold

The things I cannot hold go into a small black box
are flattened in a book
for others to open.

The dead are on the phone between me and
you is a picture I could not take,

but there's a space reserved for it, in the book.

National Poetry Month - Day 4: The Guitar by Federico Garcia Lorca

2008-04-04T17:55:57Z

Okay, I did not come across this poem, or poet in high school. It took me 30-some-odd years on this earth before I even heard of him, via Leonard Cohen. I'm glad I found him because even in translation, his poems are like luscious fruit, the flavours of which are waiting to be rolled over the tongue.

The Guitar

The weeping of the guitar
begins.
The goblets of dawn
are smashed.
The weeping of the guitar
begins.
Useless
to silence it.
Impossible
to silence it.
It weeps monotonously
as water weeps
as the wind weeps
over snowfields.
Impossible
to silence it.
It weeps for distant
things.
Hot southern sands
yearning for white camellias.
Weeps arrow without target
evening without morning
and the first dead bird
on the branch.
Oh, guitar!
Heart mortally wounded
by five swords.

National Poetry Month - Day 3: Sonnet 29 by William Shakespeare

2008-04-04T03:22:42Z

Malvern Collegiate is the culprit again. I had to memorize and recite this one in grade nine or ten. Miraculously I still enjoy it (and can still recite it perfectly to this day).

Sonnet 29

When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries
And look upon myself and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possess'd,
Desiring this man's art and that man's scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;

For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

My final appointment

2008-03-31T15:59:48Z

I had my final appointment with my oncologist / surgeon this morning. She jettisoned me off into the land of cancer-free-ness.

I am extremely grateful and happy to be able to continue with my "regularly scheduled life"; I am also extremely cognizant of the fact that I am one of the lucky ones to be able to do so.

Happy Birthday Eddie!

2008-03-05T15:46:41Z

Have a fantastic day peregrinus236 , and an even better year!

I want, I want, I want

2008-02-25T19:33:29Z

Every time I open her posts - which usually have images of her latest creations, I silently say to myself "I want one of her pieces of art". Well, now I'm saying it out loud: I'm saving up my pennies, because I want one of meadowood 's pieces of art!!

Bye-bye Song Bird

2008-02-20T22:12:58Z

I was crushed this past weekend when I read that Song Bird Music closed, and I felt guilty because I didn't even know until I saw the article.
Although I'd not been there in years ( I suppose there were too many customers like me), I always remembered that's where DP took me to buy my beautiful, red, Ibanez Strat-knock-off. It was also a place I always planned on returning to, once I bought all of the horse-related stuff I need.

One of the reasons cited for the store's closure was the availability of used musical instruments via the Internet. Well, that may be true, but I loved the fact that you could go into Song Bird and touch and feel and try out those used instruments before you bought them. That sure beats discovering that what you purchased on the 'net isn't exactly "as advertised".

A Moleskine Laptop

2008-01-24T18:19:59Z

This photo made me giggle. I found it at: http://www.leftloft.com/portfolio/lavori/moleskine/images/19.jpg

In other news, I hope one day to have a life and to actually find the time to post more entries here...

Feeling old

2007-12-19T17:55:01Z

Feeling old at the moment. I wrenched my knee last night while getting into bed and as a result, it's been throbbing all day.

Crikey - I'm not even 50 yet!

LJ sold to SUP

2007-12-04T18:57:10Z

Just got a fright by reading that LJ was sold to SUP yesterday. My initial thoughts are pessimistic, but I'll try and develop a "wait and see" attitude about the whole thing and not fly off the handle.

Cats and tech writing

2007-12-04T18:40:34Z

Finally, a book that deals with two of my favourite interests: cats and technical communication. The Cat Owners' Manual looks to be not only informative, but fun to read too!