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I’ve had a disgusting, snotty, congested head cold all week. I know, it could be worse. And honestly, I don’t feel all that bad physically.

Mentally, I’m a wreck.

When I’m sick, I cut right back on exercise so that my body can rest and get better. This works for getting me rid of most physical ailments without too much fanfare.

Unfortunately my brain does not like the lack of endorphins, and turns me into a cranky bitch.

So now all I want to do is curl up on the couch and eat all of the chocolate in the world ever.

I hope I’m well enough on Saturday to go for a short jog or something…

Legend:
Bold - I’ve done it.

I doubt you’ll find anything surprising.
(more…)

This is why the Republicans won the election. (link via Red Stapler)

Perhaps we should start talking to the “uneducated masses” instead of talking down to them.

I am now thoroughly and utterly distraught.

I’m posting this from my roommate’s computer, since I am an idiot, and broke the stupid ethernet dongle off IN THE FUCKING CARD on my laptop.

I am obviously an idiot.

So now I have one computer that doesn’t work at all, and another that can’t connect to the internet.

I think I’m going out to purchase some wireless accessories. Cost be damned. I suppose if I find a better deal I can always return them.

Let’s hope I can figure out how they work.

UPDATE: 7:24PM I trundled my arse down to London Drugs and exactly 1 hour later I am wireless. Yay for Linksys for packaging a Wireless G Network Kit for Notebooks for only $159.99. Nobody wanted Christmas presents, right?

Calling all eligible bachelors (or bachelorettes for that matter):

Are you having a fabulous Christmas party this season? Are you lacking an appropriate escort to said event?

Look no further! I am available! And I am cute, and socially proficient! (Or at the very least, I will not get so drunk that I dance on the tables and make a fool of you - unless you want me to.)

Though this isn’t because I actually like you, or because I’m interested in the party, or the people, or even the food & drink (unless it’s really good). This is all because there are so many fabulous holiday dresses out there!

I must have one.

And so far, I have nowhere to wear one (we don’t have a Christmas party where I work. We have “Celebration,” during the day, in January).

Even if you don’t have a fabulous soiree to bring me to, don’t forget to sign up for your very own dose of Holiday Cheer (see sidebar) from me to you.

I’d like to draw everyone’s attention to the ‘Holiday Cheer’ section in the sidebar.

If you’d like to receive a Christmas Card from me, email me your postal address, and away they will go! It doesn’t matter where you live - I’ll send a card to any complete address, anywhere around the world.

Everyone loves getting a bit of holiday mail - so bring it on.

Update: Since the sticky entry just confused most people, I’ve decided to drop it. But I still need a roommate!

It’s official.

I need a new roommate for Dec. 1. Anybody know anybody?

And lo, I have dubbed this, the sixth Day of November in the year two thousand and four, official Pyjamma Day.

This is a day wherein I will endeavor to spend the next 24 hours (at least) in my pyjammas, doing as little productive work as possible.

I have been busy, yo! I am all in demand and shit. For the past 10-ish weeks, I’ve had an average of 2.5 engagements each weekend, often with one extra event thrown in on a weeknight. All this in addition to that whole full-time work thing, and the toastmasters course, and yoga, and keeping house, and taking up jogging, and sometimes, when I’m lucky, even sleep!

Yes, I know there are some of you out there far more busy than I. Tough Shit. This is my blog, and we’re talking about me now. And I. Am. Tired.

I’ve got three movies to tide me through the day tomorrow (Made, Ladykillers, Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys), a couple of good books, a fully stocked fridge, and a pair of very cozy pyjammas, fresh out of the laundry.

And I will veg. And reacquaint myself with my old friend “nap.”

And it will be good.

I went in to work a different way this morning, and swung past McDonald’s on my way in. This location happens to have one of those newfangled McCafe add-ons, to try to lure the gourmet & designer coffee crowd back to “fast food.” It’s Friday, the end of a long week, and I figured I deserved a little treat that’s a bit more appealing than the weak and boring tasting coffee at work.

I’ve never tried this particular brand of cappucino beverage before, so I approached the counter rather hesitantly…. They seemed to have all of the necessary accoutrements, so I went for the final deal-breaker question and asked “do you have soy?” The answer was positive; I went for it. “One Large Soy Latte with Sugar-Free Vanilla, half-sweet, extra hot please.” (Yes, I’m one of those people who orders the 8 variable coffee beverage. Deal with it.)

I’m gazing around, not paying much attention after that point, when I spot it. The carton of soy beverage. It’s So Good.

I can see many of your faces now. So Good? So what? But there are at least two people in the blogosphere who are cringing right along with me right now. For the rest of you, I’ll illustrate.

As far as soy beverages go, the gold standard is Silk. It’s typically fresh-tasting, organic, and lends a rich, creamy texture to most things you put it in. A close second is So Nice. Also organic, and a bit thicker than Silk. So Nice Vanilla is what you’ll find in my fridge - and it makes a really phenomenal latte.

So Good is the bottom of the barrel in terms of soy beverages. It’s dirt cheap, and not organic. Sometimes organic makes a difference in terms of food, and sometimes it doesn’t. In the case of soy beverage, it definitely does. It’s like the difference between Wild and Farmed salmon. You really can taste the difference.

A more appropriate name for So Good would be So Mediocre With a Hint of Dirt. Soy beans that are not organically grown tend to have a very “beany” taste. Somewhat like cold, dried out edamame. And really, that taste is bad enough when you’re eating edamame. Now imagine putting that cold, dried out edamame in your morning coffee. That’s what I’m waking up to. Compared to this, I’m actually looking forward to chasing it with a cup of the dreaded work coffee.

As you may or may not know, there have been a few minor earthquakes in my corner of the world over the past weeks.

This is not unusual. But I find some of the headlines and taglines journalists are using to segue into the story highly amusing.

A very popular one: “Today the Earth Moved”

My initial thought upon hearing it: “I’d be more worried if it stopped moving.”

When you’re one of those people who loves so readily and fully and deeply; when you’ve been in love so often before; how do you distinguish the “now” feelings from the “forever” ones?

Or are they alll the same - with the one subtle difference of timing?

Last weekend was not a good computer weekend for me. Meaning I blew the power supply on my desktop. At least, we’re hoping it’s the power supply. If it’s the motherboard, I will cry.

In either case, I now own a desk full of $2000 worth of paperweight.

Thank goodness for the laptop. But sometimes, you just wanna sit at a desk.

So I’m now recruiting geeks who wanna come over and diagnose, tell me what parts to buy, then fix the computer. I can’t offer much in return - but I will make you dinner, cuz I’m nice like that. Takers?

I am not surprised. I also don’t have any strong feelings either way on the issue. Too much damage has been done in the past four years to be undone by either candidate, and only time will tell where America will stand going forward.

I’m just glad that Americans showed up in droves to vote, and make their choice known. Kudos to those who stood in line upwards of 5 hours just to get their ballot counted. Because at the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about.

I’m regularly subjected to medical needles of various shapes and sizes around 10 times a year. No biggie.

Regardless, there’s still that teensy bit of socially constructed anxiety around them, for at least a couple seconds.

That said, I just got my flu shot. If I drop dead in the next day or two, it’s probably best that somebody call someone.

Today’s the day - all of our neighbours to the south have the right and duty to vote for a new leader of “the most powerful nation on earth.”

Somehow I think that when it comes down to a “leader of the most powerful nation on earth” being chosen - a choice that affects so many more people than just those that live in his/her nation, the rest of us should maybe have a bit of a say in the matter.

But if any of my fellow Canadians (or anyone else on Earth besides Americans) could actually cast your vote - what would it be? According to Global Vote 2004 the winner is decisively John Kerry. Strangely enough though, as much as we collectively seem to prefer him to GWB, some of his economic policies could be pretty damaging to Canada as a nation.

John Kerry believes in economic protectionism. This means issues such as the softwood lumber crisis, the border closures to Canadian beef, the downturn in the once lucrative Canadian film industry, etc. are likely to get worse, rather than better with Kerry in power.

Kerry is also willing to open opportunities for Americans to travel to Canada to purchase prescription drugs. As nice an idea as it is to help out the “poor senior citizens” in the USA, we do have our own citizens to worry about. When you stop and really consider it, does anyone think that it’s a better idea for them to show up and place a burden on our system, instead of fixing their own? And do we really think the drug companies aren’t going to take advantage of the situation and not start price gouging? With the US$ remaining above the CAN$, drug companies could easily make a tidy profit by raising prices enough so that the “new” US consumers can make up the difference for any Canadians who could no longer afford the drugs they need.

As a global citizen, of course I’d be leaning toward voting for “anything that’s not the current administration.” The sheer volume of misinformation, mis-action, and constant blundering by GWB & crew deserves nothing less than impeachment as far as I’m concerned. However, is Kerry actually a better choice? or just a different one? As far as Canada is concerned, I’m not too sure.

Regardless, I’m hoping all of our friends below the 49th will get out and make their choice known. I’ll be at home watching Jon Stewart’s coverage, and wondering what kind of difference it’ll make in my world once it’s all said and done.