Class of '99

A happy six months to our favourite B-A-B-Y, Elder Garner. It is hard to believe it has been that long! Keep doing what you're doing!

So, you are never going to believe it, but this year is my 10 year high school reunion. Some days it really seems like just yesterday that I was in high school, but more frequently it seems like high school was more than a life ago.

With the help of Facebook, some people in my graduating class have organized a reunion for July. I have tentatively signed up to go, but I seriously, seriously, I don't recognize half of the people I graduated with!

I understand that some people have gotten married since I last saw them, or that they don't look the same as they did ten years ago (after all, I do have a new hair colour), but there are so many people that I have no idea who they are, or even were!

I had somewhat of a large grad class, but at the time I still knew 95% of my classmates. I would be surprised if I know 20% now.

But I think the worst part, and the part that I probably shouldn't admit, out loud, at least, is that I don't really care about seeing anyone from high school. Nor do I care if no one wants to see me. It seems as if so much has changed since high school, and most of it is for the better. I have a new home, new friends, new ideas, basically a new life. Why would I ever want to go back to life as a 17/18 year old?

But may it will be fun. Fun to remember the short three years we spent together, most of the time in classes we never think of, doing chemistry experiments that never worked, math that we never really got (I still don't get square roots), the stupid books we had to read for our English class and of course, the epic amounts of unnecessary drama.

I was so sad the day I graduated from high school. Sad that life as I knew it was over, that my friends and I would be venturing in different directions, probably never to see each other again. But surprisingly life has turned out okay, and heaven knows I wouldn't trade the life I have now to give high school another stab.

So we will see what happens in July. I might go to the reunion. I might have a good time. But then again, it has been ten years and I have survived just fine.

Sadly everyday is a weekend in my life now. Looking forward to a normal schedule and figuring out what the date is again.

Keeping my fingers crossed. Isn't it about time something work out for my good? Throw me a bone!

As Always,

Back At It

Okay, enough wallowing.

To be honest, I'm doing okay. A huge thanks to all of my family and friends for their love, support, food, movies, fun and encouragement. You all really know how to make someone feel special.

The job search is going pretty well. There are surprisingly quite a few jobs out there, and with all of my education and experience, there is no reason that I can't fall into something new quite quickly, God willing, of course.

So onwards and upwards.

On Saturday, I was kidnapped to go see Oscar contender, 'Slumdog Millionaire'. I had limited knowledge of the movie going in, but was excited to see it after all of the buzz that has surrounded this sleeper hit.

For right now, I am just going to go out there and say this could be my favourite 2009 movie. (Okay, I understand that it is still very early in the year, and I am not forgetting my last movie experience was the Twilight fiasco.)

This move was feel good, yet dramatic. Gritty, yet beautiful. Heartwarming, yet tragic. Nerve-wracking, yet predictable. Definitely different than the average Best Picture Oscar pick.

I will say that the movie had me riveted from first scene to the end credits. For a person with movie ADD that is huge. I wasn't able to take my eyes of the screen. I didn't fidget, check my phone, or stare at the people sitting around us.

So go see Slumdog Millionare, you just might like it. I am keeping my fingers crossed that this underdog takes home the Best Picture Oscar.

It seems like there are a million other posts festering inside of me, and now with ample time to get them out, there is no excuse for updates. Now just to stay motivated. (Anyone want to pay me for new posts?)

Keep your fingers crossed for me.
I truly am loved.

As Always,

I Guess It's Time

So dearest blogosphere, you mean as much to me as a real person so I should probably let you in on a little sad news. I got laid off on Friday. Yup, just like that, after 2 1/2 years. But I guess this world wide recession is real. There was just a shortage of work, and a surplus of workers.

As great as it will be to get a little extra sleep in time, let my wool pants have time to breathe and maybe catch up on some daytime TV, I think the reality of the no work and no money situation will set in sometime on Monday.

But please don't worry about me. I have already applied for my Employment Insurance (thanks federal government) and wisely my dad had encouraged me to save some money, so I do have a little nest to fall into.

Funny enough, I had already been applying for a few jobs this year hoping to get into something new and from my haphazard job search this weekend, I have a slew of new jobs to apply for.

Keep your fingers crossed that something good will fall into my lap soon enough.

Right now I am just following Odd Todd's advice, have faith and be positive.


Good luck to everyone. Please, please God speed.
As Always,

Reader Beware

Jenny and I did a bunch of stuff this weekend, although right now it all seems a little more than blurry. As I laid in bed last night I thought about all the things I wanted to mention today, but sadly today I can only remember a handful of things. Is old age setting in already?

With the help of the federal government, I took my GST cheque and got a well deserved haircut and returned to my chocolate brown tresses. What a world of difference just a few inches from my hair makes! I wonder why I spent so many years as a blonde!

So with no real plans for Saturday night, Jenny and I decided to hit up a movie. After a few minutes reviewing all of the Oscar buzzed movie choices in town, we decided to bite the bullet and see Twilight.

The Book Club read Twilight long before I decided to join and most of them enjoyed the book, and recommended that I read it. In my mind, I figured I could give reading the book a try, if I enjoyed the movie. We went to the movie with high hopes, especially after hearing the tizz so many girls had made about it. After all, Jenny and I were just as romantic as the next girl, and while vampires weren’t exactly my thing, I could over look it if the story was good enough.

But Twilight was the worst movie ever. Seriously. WORST MOVIE EVER.

Now, please stop crying. I realize I just offended 90% of the world and most of my blog readers with that comment. If you like it, that is awesome (Surprisingly, not everyone loved Dan In Real Life.) but please don’t make me watch it again.

What was so wrong with it? Where should I even start?

1. Everyone is so pale, humans as well as vampires. Do us all a favour and invest in some tanning cream or blush. At the very least, eat more vegetables!

2. Bella, what’s your damage? Stop walking around like everyone hates you. Stop thinking everything is about you. People at school were trying to be nice to you. Your dad takes you out for steak every week!

3. A half cute boy just asked you to the prom, and you just blow him off? Why? So you can chase after a weird, moody, over-dramatic, creepy eyebrowed vampire?

4. Wait, you love this vampire? This guy who is extremely dangerous, could eat you at any minute? A guy that you have really only known for a couple of weeks, you have just declared you undying love for him? Give your head a shake; something is not always better than nothing.

So despite its two hour running time, the movie felt like a life time. A life time of over dramatic, super intense, way too creepy, lame discussions with only five minutes of any sort of action at the end, just to keep us all from falling asleep.
Jenny actually had to poke me not to miss the intensely disturbing kissing scene because I spent the second half of the movie texting various people to keep occupied.

Alright, my bash is finished. Convince me I am wrong. Tell me that this movie was the greatest piece of cinematography and will be the new movie by which all subsequent movies will be judged. Tell me how much I will love the book. That despite it being even more dramatic than Gone With The Wind, that it is an absolute must read.

I give you permission to write a whole blog entry about how horrible The Beatles are. (But we both know that isn’t true.)

Back at the grind for another week. Thankfully January has gone by so fast, and with the warmer temperatures with us for most of the week, it feels like spring will be here before we know it.

Keep doing what you’re doing. So far, so good.

As Always,

Take Two

Some comeback that was. Sorry. Let’s try that again.

So while I haven’t done much during my small sabbatical, I have done a few things.

1. New Art
So not too long ago Jenny and I decided that it was time to stop pretending that we were going to move at any minute, and actually unpack our boxes, get organized and have the house look a whole lot more presentable. So I decided to make some new art for our living room.

I took pictures from the beautiful calendar I had in my office, and with the help of my mom and Mr. Gary, we matted and framed them to look like quasi expensive art work. The whole project only cost $34.00!

I searched for a similar calendar for my office this year, but sadly had to make due with a calendar of ducks. While I appreciate my water fowl friends, I don’t think they will be made into any sort of art.

2. Share the Flame
The last time the Olympics were in Canada was 1988, and I was only seven years old. So now that the Olympics are yet again returning to our country and I will be considerably older, I decided to register to carry the flame during its cross-country trek to Vancouver.

I won’t find out until sometime this summer if I will be able to be a torch bearer, but I am excited about the possibility of being part of the Olympic journey.

Sign up to carry to torch too!

3. Queen of the Book Club
You should realize that this is a self appointed title, but I took my down time last week to finish our current book club selection of ‘Marley and Me’. That’s right, I finished the whole book!

I think this is a must read for dog owners/lovers but I just wondered how I could get a movie made from all of my old stories and blog entries or if the stories required a dog in order for that to happen.

So it has been an odd week and I am hoping that next week is a little better. Thanks to everyone for your love and support.

Keep doing what you’re doing.

As Always,

Making Some Sort Of Comeback

So I was gone a little longer than I expected. I don’t know if it was just me, but it has seems harder to get into 2009 than I expected. Maybe that sounds lame. I mean, the date is really just a number, how hard is it to get into that?

Anyways, Happy New Year, nonetheless, better late than never.

Just a couple points for today. Sorry. Tomorrow I will get my blogging spirit back.

First, I sent Odd Todd an e-mail with a picture of my sailor pig, asking him if he thought it was funny or not so funny, and he came back with a resounding funny. So, obviously it is funny if an internet celebrity thinks so.

Secondly, Peter Katz mentioned us in his video tour blog. Okay, so not exactly by name, but we were the table that was singing along at his Lethbridge show. It’s always nice to have a friend like Peter Katz.

There is it. News from all of my celebrity friends. Not a bad way to start the year off.

Keep doing what you’re doing.

As Always,

Just When You Thought It Was Safe

If you thought that 2008 had finally been put to rest, boy were you wrong.

So here is, I swear, the last of my 2008 reminiscing blogs.

Enjoy!

What did you do in 2008 that you’ve never done before?
I rode a real life roller coaster and lived to tell the story. Poor Eric probably had bruises from how hard I was holding on to him, but he was pretty good about.

Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn’t make New Year’s resolutions, and it probably showed. I have made really, really small ones this year, and so far, so good.

What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
A new car. (I still love you Topaz!)

What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
July 30th, of course. That was the day that Eric left on his mission.

What’s your biggest achievement of the year?
Joining a book club and making it though about half of Gone With The Wind. I really don’t think you understand just how illiterate I am.

What was your biggest failure?
Wasting so much time thinking I could change people.

What’s the best thing you bought?
Well, I didn’t exactly buy it, but the Magic Bullet!

Whose behavior merited celebration?
Eric. He is such a good brother. I miss him.

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
I can’t answer that here. I don’t want to embarrass people.

Where did most of your money go?
Clothing.

What did you get really, really excited about?
Moving to a new house.

What song will always remind you of 2008?
These Are The Days—Peter Katz

Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?
About the same. New Years is always a little melancholy thinking about all the time I wasted.

Richer or poorer? Only slightly richer.

Thinner or fatter? Stays the same.

What do you wish you’d done more of?
Reading. I should make it more of a priority. If only MTV wasn’t so addicting.

What do you wish you’d done less of?
Staying up late or watching MTV. Or staying up late to watch MTV.

Did you fall in love in 2008?
No

What was your favorite TV program?
How I Met Your Mother

What was your greatest musical discovery?
Peter Katz, hands down.

What was your favorite film of this year?
Sadly Dan In Real Life came out in 2007, so I guess I will say Wall-E

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 27. We had a big party at our new house complete with hot dogs.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept for 2008?
Grey, grey and more grey.

What kept you sane?
My family.

Who did you miss?
Eric. That is lame, but I really do miss him all the time.

Who was the best new person you met?
Cody. Surprisingly a wonderful alli and great friend. He’ll make an awesome missionary.

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Wallowing in my own self pitty gets me nothing but more sadness.