Why am I even telling you this?

For some inexplicable reason, I've been embarrassing myself more than usual lately. Here are three examples:

On Tuesday, Sam and I were about to leave my house for Higher Ground Coffee House and I decided that I needed to wear a belt. I was trying to put my belt on, but it wasn't going through the loops very easily. Then Sam informed me that I was already wearing a belt.

Yesterday at dinner I went to put some salad dressing on my plate, but there was no salad there.

On my way to youth yesterday (I'm a youth leader with my church these days, by the way), I needed to get off the train so that I could transfer to the bus. I was getting rather frustrated because the button to open the door was not doing anything. That's because I was trying to get off on the wrong side.

There's another story involving a cake at Co-op, but I think three is enough.

Danish, Bobby!

I got a hot chocolate and a sandwich at Tim's today and the dude asked me if I'd like to make it a combo. I thought, "ooooh, chocolate danish." (Then I remembered all the danish jokes from all those Creepends, but that's not the point.)

I wasn't hungry enough for a sandwich AND a danish, but I got it anyways. Then later on, just a minute ago actually, I went to get a book out of my bag and I found it, so now it's time for super snack!!! Yum yum yum. It looks just like that picture. But I'm not gonna eat it with a fork.

We also used the buy 2 get 1 free Subway coupon.

Cooper came to town and we went to the zoo! In case you are unaware, the zoo is one of the best parts of Calgary.

You be the judge... Who does the best job of impersonating the animal they are posing with?

(fyi: there are lions behind that glass)

I can't believe I'm about to say this...

Hey guys, Starbucks isn't so bad. Read up!

Starbucks signs historic agreement with Ethiopia.

That's awesome.

I'm not going to change my coffee drinking habits or anything, but I might go have some sort of nasty, way too sweet Starbucks Christmas-y latte to celebrate.

UPDATE: My egg nog latte was absolutely DISGUSTING.

My Side of the Story

You may have heard a bit of this hoopla about me being a stalker. Well, let me tell you, it is 100% true and you haven't even seen the best part.

I made Sam a cake because when she found out she passed her EMT exam, I said, "Wahooee! I'm going to make you a cake!" I asked her what she was up to yesterday/today to see when I could deliver. Well, she was busy yesterday night and today during the daytime. And I am at home with the kids tonight (don't worry, I'm not being neglectful, they are already asleep). So I would have had to wait 2 days to deliver this cake. We all know that a zero day old cake is better than a 2 day old cake.

So, yesterday I decided that I would stalk my friend. I've only ever done such a thing once before, and it was quite enjoyable, so I just went for it.

I knew that Sam would be teaching at SAIT from 4-11. Sam hates parking at SAIT, so I figured she would take the train. The Canyon Meadows station is the one closest to Sam's house, but the parking lot gets full early in the morning and stays that way until all the people come back from work. So, I figured she would have to park at the Anderson station. Luckily, all of my figurings were correct. It was all really quite easy. There were maybe 5 cars in the Anderson Station parking lot when I got there at 10:45pm, so finding a silver CRV and putting my package on the windshield was... a piece of cake! Ha.

Are you ready for the best part?

That's the picture I took of Sam leaving the Anderson Station parking lot at 11:16pm, minutes after she discovered the cake that I put on her windshield. Where was I? Just sitting by myself on the giant wheelchair ramp, reading a graphic novel (yeah, I'm cool... what?!), waiting for my stalkee to exit the train and get in the car. She didn't see me or even know I was there until I talked to her this evening.

Problem Averted

Every time I need to cut an onion to make dinner, I start weeping and 5-year-old Duncan laughs at me.

But today I solved the problem, and he laughed at me for a different reason...

(photograph courtesy of Duncan.)

Confession

Adam, you were right, Dennis Kucinich is the man. I don't know why it took me so long. I'd also tell you to stop watching Lost while you still can, but it seems that I am too late.

The Comprehensive Report on Tourism in Calgary

Would you like to know about our Tourist Saturday?
Well, let me tell you how it went down...

We didn't do anything touristy.

Actually, we didn't really do anything at all.

But it was still a good day - we spent all of it in our pajamas and did not even go outside for anything (now that Sammy no longer needs to check the mail twice daily). Sam's parents also stayed inside all day. More importantly, we almost got through an entire world of Donkey Kong. Now we just have to kill some baby crows and the big daddy crow, then we will be on to the next world.

Whate'er!

I love this video. Hene showed it to me for the first time while I was living in Ghana. It was one of those many instances where he was way ahead of me on American pop culture. I had also never heard of Naruto at that time, and I've still never watched the show. But I think it's hilarious the way they use it in this video. Plus the song is just funny.

The business of residency.

This is what I do with the money I'm making as a nanny in Canada: I send it to my American bank account to pay off federal student loans. So, I basically get a raise every time the loonie increases relative to the dollar. It's really going quite well right now.

Bummer?

I tend to go with the flow. I typically don't mind inconvenience. In fact, I kind of enjoy it. I usually like it when things don't work out as planned (better story). I also don't get homesick.

For about a month I have been planning to use my Alaska Airlines guest passes to go to Seattle with Sam for Remembrance Day weekend. Unfortunately, all the Alaska flights from Calgary to Seattle for next weekend are oversold.

So, I don't get to hang with my Villa kids.






Sam and I don't get to watch African Children's Choir and stalk Uncle David.




We don't get to laugh our pants off with Megan Jones Hazelton or be enlightened by Rob Bell.



Not to mention not being able to see some of the Seattle peeps and causing some ruckus at the old stompin' grounds.

This particular circumstance caused me to be quite bummed out from the time I talked to the Alaska man until the time I talked to Sam (approximately 8 hours of moping about). But then we made grandiose plans to have a "tourist weekend" in Calgary and it is going to be a lot of fun. So, after 8 wasted hours, I am back to being myself. That is, enjoying inconvenience and embracing things that do not work out as planned. Thanks, woman!