Figuring It Out, One Day At A Time

I hope you haven't given up on me entirely. For someone who likes writing, I am not doing a very good job at it. I haven't been busy. I haven't been on holidays. I have just been plain lazy. I know, I know, I apologized for this very thing last week. But I just can't get very motivated for anything these days. I hope you understand. I will dig very deep next week and force myself to bang out some entertaining commentary for all of you.

So, yup, because my life is oh so fascinating, how about another question and answer period?

What is your salad dressing of choice? Yes, I know 1990 called, but I still like Ranch dressing.

What is your favorite sit-down restaurant? Who knows now that Mocha Cabana has changed, and not for the better.

What food could you eat for 2 weeks straight and not get sick of? Macaroni and Cheese

What are your pizza toppings of choice? Pineapple. Always pineapple.

What do you like to put on your toast? I don't eat toast.

How many televisions are in your house? One. Look at us being old school.

What color cell phone do you have? Black. Much to sleek for me.

What does the first text message in your inbox say and who sent it? A guy in my ward who just got his mission call.

Who was the last person to call you? My dear Jenny.

Are you right-handed or left-handed? Right handed.

Have you ever had anything removed from your body? Tonsils and a frightening looking mole.

What is the last heavy item you lifted? I try to avoid heavy lifting.

If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? Sure.

If you could change your name, what would you change it to? I would just choose to have one name, like Madonna or Cher.

Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000? I would probably do it for $10.

How many pairs of flip flops do you own? Zero. Flip flops are not real shoes.

Last time you had a run-in with the cops? June. The day we moved.

Last person you talked to in person: Jenny.

Favorite Month: September

Missing someone? Only Elder Garner.

Mood? Apathetic

What are you listening to? Just the loud fan of the computer.

Watching? Nothing.

Worrying about? Finishing this before the laptop battery runs out. I'm too lazy to plug it in.

What’s the last movie you watched? High School Musical 3 (Don't judge me.)

Do you smile often? Depending on where I am.

Do you always answer your phone? I NEVER answer my phone.

It’s four in the morning and you get a text message, who is it? Flick or Braden.

If you could change your eye color what would it be? I would just leave it the way it is.

Do you own a digital camera? Yes, but I always forget to take it with me. Plus, I need to get some new batteries.

Have you ever had a pet fish? Yup, thanks to the Aquarium Club. Me and Jenny are sort of in the process of getting our own fish.

Favorite Christmas song? I think I hate Christmas songs even more than I hate Christmas.

What’s your wish list for your birthday? New car? World peace? A high-five?

Can you do push ups? Maybe, but who cares if I can do a push up?

Does the future make you more nervous or excited? As Motion City Soundtrack so appropriately sings, "The future freaks me out."

Do you have any saved texts? Not on purpose. I just don't delete them from my phone until my phone complains to me that it is out of memory.

Ever been in a car wreck? Yes, and only my car got wrecked.

Do you have an accent? No.

What is the last song to make you cry? If a song made me cry, I don't think I would admit it.

Plans tonight? Take over the world.

Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom? Not quite yet.

Name 3 things you bought Saturday? Why so specific? Doesn't Saturday seem like a long time ago?

Have you ever been given roses? Oh. Yes. And, carnations.

Current worry? As Eric would say, "Don't worry about it."

What song represents you? Have you listened to my 2008 CD yet? "Fading Into Obscurity"--Sloan

What were you doing 12 AM last night? Who knows, the days and nights just fade into each other.

What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? I'll let you know when that happens.

Okay, so I'll get it figured out eventually. Sorry. Be patient with me.

God, please speed.

As Always,

Just What You Have Been Waiting For

Well, I have redoubtably left you in suspense a little too long. (Although I am sure none of you were losing sleep over my un-updated blog.)

When we last left our hero, the beautiful Denise was definitely not holding her breath for any confirmation that she truly did have a date to the big Valentines ball.

But let's back up for a minute. I was greeted last Thursday morning with a pounding headache and a voice at least two octaves below normal. So when later that night I finally got my confirmation phone call, I had an even deeper voice and absolutely no enthusiasm to attend any dance. Mr. Literacy said he was planning on cooking me dinner and had a few other surprises lined up.

If I thought I was feeling bad on Thursday, Friday was even worse. Pale, fevered, and unable to breathe, I put together some sort of formal wear for the big date. Jenny pleaded with me to call and cancel, but I feared it was too late for that, and gussied myself up as much as the situation would allow, straight hair, sparse makeup and all. I was never more happy that there aren't any photos to document the evening.

My date picked me up and we went back to his house where he told me dinner was taking a little longer than he thought. I tried to answer all of his many questions with more than a couple of raspy words. Finally, after an hour and only small remnants of a voice, we sat down to eat.

In front of me was roast chicken and vegetables. Although it was very apparent the the chicken was no where near to done, and when I forked the vegetables they made an audible crunch indicating their rawness. I silently prayed that I wouldn't get food poisoning, covered my meal in gravy and ate as little as I could get away with.

After dinner my date announced that we would be attending "The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button" as our pre-dance activity. Yes, that meant a three hour movie, in a skirt.

Now on any other day, I might have enjoyed the movie more. But as the night wore on and my medication wore off, I watched the movie with eyes half closed, alternating between burning hot and freezing cold. About half way through the movie I left to catch a glimpse of myself in the florescent-ly lit bathroom, only to see a pale faced, straight haired, glassy eyed version of myself. I didn't know how I was going to make it through the rest of the movie, let alone the rest of the night.

But with no other alternative, and near tears, I went back to watch Brad Pitt finally become his normal beautiful self, and wonder how a movie really about nothing, got so many Oscar nominations. The movie ended and before I could make any real protest, I was whisked away to the main event, the dance.

By this time, four and a half hours into our adventure, I sadly fear I finally had enough and begged my date to enjoy the dance with out me by his side. From the sidelines I watched newly formed couples and awkward date choices dancing the night away. I conceded to one slow dance , although at this point I was completely out of any energy.

As the dance ended friends, acquaintances and even strangers were concerned about my well being and shouted homemade remedies to me. My date drove me home, I wished him good health and then proceeded to receive the longest hug of my life. No exaggeration, at least 30 seconds, which doesn't seem that long, but try and hug someone for that long. Good luck.

Anyways, apparently, from all reports, my date had a fantastic time and has been raving about our great night for days.

My secret prayer was answered and I escaped any food poisoning side effects. A week later, still battling the remnants of my cold, the night seems more like a strange dream than reality. And with no photographic evidence, I do wonder if it happened at all.

Good luck to us all. Better luck next year.

As Always,

Like We're Friends, Or Something Like That

Okay. Sorry. I promise that I have written at least two full blog entries in my head, but I guess they don't count for anything unless they are published. My turn over time these days is really behind. My motivation is gone. I am hoping to find it again, maybe next week.

So last Saturday, Jenny and I went to see "He's Just Not That Into You". The book of the same name has been a staple of my night table since I purchased it 4+ years ago. Every time a guy forgets to call, disappears or doesn't ever ask me out, despite my constant flirting, I pull out the book and get a healthy dose of reality. This nonfiction work is a brutally honest break down of exactly when a guy is into you, and just not that into you.

The "He's Just Not That Into You" movie poster hung in our local Cineplex 'Coming Soon' section for at least a year. My friends and I curiously speculated about the movie every time we walked by, wondering how a small self help book could be turned into a full length feature film. After finally getting a glimpse at the vague trailer, Jenny and I went into the movie with no real expectations.

What I found the movie to be was a true representation of the book. Examples of times when guys are just not into girls. The movie made me laugh, gasp and even shake my head in sympathy. It seemed as if ever girl in the theatre could recognize their own life in one or more of the stories.

Should you go see this movie? I will give you this tidbit of information,and then you can judge for yourself. The male movie reviewer on CTV gave this movie one star, out of five. The female reviewer on CBC gave this movie four stars, out of five.

Three good things about this movie:
1. I loved the clothes! That sounds lame, but they really were cute!
2. It was good to see that I am not alone in my love problems.
3. The trailer of the new Zac Efron movie. I'll admit that he is my not so secret, secret crush.

Three not so good things about this movie:
1. Scarlet Johansen
2. Scarlet Johansen
3. SCARLET JOHANSEN!Oh boo! I hate her!

Okay, so maybe it wasn't the greatest movie ever made. It wasn't even one of the best 'chic flicks' I have seen, but it seemed to do it's job as a Saturday afternoon, girl's day film.

Let's switch gears just a little bit and talk about real life boy problems for a minute.

Remember the guy way back in September that stood me up because he was reading? If not, check him out here. He disappeared shortly after our literacy conversation, and despite the fact that we run into each other from time to time, we have never tried to rekindle what never really started.

So to my shock and surprise, Mr Literacy sort of asked me to the big 'Sweethearts' Valentines Dance. Well, he said if he wasn't working he would love to take me and if he was working that night, he would love to take me out another night. I flippantly agreed and he said he would let me know what his schedule was like.

That was a week and a half ago and surprise, surprise I haven't heard anything from him. With the dance tomorrow night, I have planned out my outfit, but am not wasting my time waiting by the phone to hear if I am privileged enough to go with him.

Oh well, I figured out a long time ago he's just not that into me.

Don't worry, I'll keep you updated as to what happens, but don't hold your breath for him to call me.

Good luck to all of us.
Keep doing what you're doing.

As Always,

When You Feel So Tired But You Can't Sleep

I think I have a problem. I just can't sleep anymore.

I went to bed last night, laid there tossing, turning and sighing for about an hour and then realized that it was futile so got up to continue my job search, check some email and think about cleaning up our kitchen.

So, yes the post time at the bottom of this entry really is when I wrote this entry.

Oh my good heavens! In my whole time on Facebook I haven’t seen anything pass around as quickly as ‘The 25 Random Things About Me’ note that everyone seems to be writing these days. Although I have been tagged, countless times, to complete my own list, I had no intention of actually completing one. But I caved and so here is my list.

I apologize to everyone who read this list originally on Facebook. If you didn't, why aren't we Facebook friends yet? You know that you don't have any friends until you have Facebook friends?

Anyways, here is my list. Feel free to lift the idea for your own blog or whatever.

1. Considering that they broke up 11 years before I was born and that John Lennon died six months to the date of my birth, I am a huge Beatles fan. Who else do you know, who, at 27 has not one, but two Beatles posters in their room? Since my discovery of them in the middle of Grade 10, The Beatles and I have been in a grand love affair. (Oh my good heavens, it just made sense why I am still single.)

2. I don’t have a middle name. Seriously. Nothing. This is a fact that usually doesn’t come up in casual conversation, but when it does, people are shocked, nay, outraged at my first and last name existence.

3. I love bagels. In fact, as I am writing this, I am eating a bagel. I love bagel sandwiches, breakfast bagels, bagels at night, bagel in the morning, bagel really anytime. However, I do not like them with cream cheese, and please put away those “dessert” type, cinnamon raison, apple, blueberry bagels. Give me a savory bagel with just a whisper of butter, and I am yours.

4. I don’t eat butter. Okay, maybe just a tiny, tiny, tiny bit on my bagels, but that is about it. People do find my butter hatred weird. I don’t really eat toast or popcorn and I prefer corn on the cob au natural, so there is no real need for butter in my life.

5. While we are on a similar subject, I don’t eat salt either. I really don’t eat chips or fries. (Poutine is another story)

6. I sadly have way too much of a sweet tooth. I love candy, but more specifically chocolate. Call me Claudia Kishi (way to get that BSC reference) but I usually have some emergency chocolate stashed away, just in case. Being a purist, I usually reach for Hershey Kisses, but really, any chocolate will do.

7. Since the age of five, one of my favourite movies has been Disney’s Robin Hood. I, sadly, can probably quote the whole thing to you. I have seen it way too many times to count.

8. I am addicted to magazines. I love them. I love them so much that I should probably work at a magazine, or at least start my own. Every time we are at the store, Real Simple and In Style, I swear, call my name.

9. I hated hot dogs as a kid. It seemed like every birthday party I ever went to had hot dogs. But strangely in my adult years I can’t seem to get enough.

10. I probably spend too much time in front of a computer. Between catching up on all the Facebook gossip, reading all of the many, many blogs I follow, watching favourite tv shows, checking email, and of course writing, re-writing, reading and re-reading my own blog.

11. I could be a blogaholic. I think of my whole life in terms of blog entries. Always on the lookout for the next post.

12. I love cleaning bathrooms. My bathroom, my parent’s bathroom, your bathroom, public bathrooms, really any bathroom. It’s weird, I know.

13. I have been cleaning bathrooms since a young age. In fact my mom had to sit me down as a small child and tell me, “When we go to someone’s house, you don’t need to clean their bathroom.” My response was, “What if it’s dirty?”

14. I knew in 1985 that Michael Jackson was creepy. I was terrified of the Thriller video when it first came out. And in fact, that video could be the reason I still don’t like Halloween. I do think he is, or was, a talented singer/songwriter, but I still don’t like him.

15. I also am unjustifiably afraid of the dump. Only Satan and Michael Jackson trump my fear of the dump.

16. I went to the circus for the first time when I was twenty years old. It was not fun. In fact, it was actually quiet creepy. I think had I gone as a child, the circus would have been my number one fear.

17. I talk to my family almost everyday, more specifically my mom. Thankfully they only live a block away, but since I moved out of their house ten years ago, I have have kept in pretty close contact with them.

18. It’s true. I did cry when I found out that Eric, my little brother, was a boy. After all, I already had one brother; heaven knows I didn’t need another. But I fell in love with him shortly after I met him, and I can’t even imagine our family with an extra girl.

19. It sounds really lame, but the best decision I ever made was to become a brunette.

20. I bought my car on September 11, 2001, and so far (knock on wood), it has been a pretty great purchase

21. I really love shopping. Grocery shopping, clothing shopping, really shopping for anything. I even love just window-shopping or bargain shopping. Maybe I just really like stores.

22. I own an obnoxious amount of black shirts. I would estimate 15+. Colour, apparently, is overrated.

23. I hate “thrill rides.” I don’t do roller coasters.

24. I can snap really loud. Although, snapping isn’t really a marketable skill, so I don’t know if it really is a handy talent to have.

25. Lots of people think it is weird, but don’t put all of my keys on one key chain. Car keys on one key chain, house keys on another, and if I still had church keys, I would have to wrangle up a third key chain for them.

Wishing for more than people with a hero complex. That wasn't the kind of answer I was looking for!

Good luck to us all. Keep your fingers crossed for better sleeping tomorrow.

As Always,