I stumbled across a paper I had written (and presented) when I was taking a re-entry course after giving birth to my first daughter. Before I'd had her, I'd been a nanny, so could not go back to the job. Instead, I took a government sponsored course that taught me some computer and administrative skills. Little did I realize that this would be the type of work I'd do from then on and truly enjoy. Anyway, the course was for women who were either trying to get back in to the work force after rearing children or for those who had unexpectedly lost jobs and wanted new or different skills.
We covered a variety of the basics, such as math and english and one of the units required us to make a presentation on the topic of our choice. For some reason I chose "Communication". (I am one of those people who will get a sudden inspiration and go with it, so I did.) I uncovered this while looking for another old poem of mine and I got quite the kick out of it and how much times have changed since I wrote it, even though it technically has not been that long. I had included some props and hand gestures, so I will note those in brackets. I was twenty-three when I wrote this. Here we go:
January 28, 1992
"Communication"
If I were to walk up to any one of you and do this: (perform sign-language sign), how many of you would know what I'd just said? How about if I did this? (cross legs, jump up and down) Now how many of you would know that I was trying to say? Well, in case you're wondering, I just said "where's the bathroom?" in sign-language.
Good afternoon (sign). I am happy to talk to you about communication.
We could not function without communication. Spoken language has always been a method of communicating for us, whether we speak English, French, Spanish or Chinese. But what about those of us that do not have the privilege of speech? Or for certain reasons cannot or must not use speech?
I have the privilege of knowing several people who are deaf, and although I am not fluent in sign-language, they have opened up a whole new world of communication for me and I find it quite easy to talk with them because as I showed you to begin with, body language is universal. And that in itself is a method of communicating. Our facial and body expressions can say a lot. For examples, a smile can express happiness, friendliness, nervousness, or even mischief. A downcast expression along with hanging head and slumped shoulders can mean sadness, depression or tiredness. A wave means hello, we can jump for joy or stomp with excitement, we can smack our foreheads because we feel foolish or because we've forgotten something.
Now, what if we have the ability to speak, but are unable to use it because of distance say, or because the information needed is confidential?
Before the telephone was invented, morse code was used. Here is an example of what morse code looks like when printed out (prop, word=hello) but it would sound like a series of "dits" and "dahs"; the "dit" sound being the dot and the "dah" sound being the dash. As well, semifour has been used, which is the use of two flags that are divided in half diagonally, with one half of the flag being red and the other half being white (hold up). Letters are formed in the way you hold your arms. For example, this would spell "hi" (act out). Mostly today, these methods are used by Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, the military and probably others that I am unaware of.
With today's modern technology, much communicating can be done now with the introduction of telephones, computers, fax machines and fibre optics.
In certain large companies, computers are what we call "on line" with one another. Messages can be sent from a computer in one city to another computer in another city simply by using a telephone line, or modem as it is called. I worked for a company once where all you had to do was type in your message and hit a button, and your information would appear on the printer in Prince George, Calgary or wherever you'd sent it. (I can't remember what company this was)
Another company I was employed by (Sears) had all of their computerized cash registers on line across the nation, so when a sale was rung in B.C., the main computer back east made a note that certain items had been sold and more would need to be sent to replace them. This eliminated a lot of paperwork and made the company operate much more efficiently.
Fax machines have changed communications quite drastically. Where you once had to wait for days for something important to come in the mail, or spend lots to send it by courier, you now can have it in your hand within minutes. This is another form of communication that makes use of the phone lines. If only Alexander Graham Bell could see what he started by inventing the telephone! And now with fibre optics being so precise and exact, communication will be a breeze.
Over the years, there have been many different ways to communicate from smoke signals to the aboriginal bushman's telephone, but nothing can beat that special smile that says I love you from your little child. And that's communication at its finest. Thank you (sign).
***
I remember that most of the ladies just sat there looking at me with blank expressions on their faces because they'd all talked about their dogs or twelve step programs and I'd just gone way off to another dimension. But I'd always enjoyed public speaking for the most part and like I said, I got an idea and I went with it. Besides, no one told us what to talk about!
I think the best part is how amazed I am at technology only sixteen some-odd years ago. Had I known where it was headed, it might have blown my mind! To think that I would even have the capability of doing this, blogging, would have been beyond my imagination I think!
So, I just wanted to share a moment from my past (and some bad writing) and hopefully it has amused you as much as it did me!
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
I Knew It!
| You Should Be A Poet |
 You craft words well, in creative and unexpected ways. And you have a great talent for evoking beautiful imagery... Or describing the most intense heartbreak ever. You're already naturally a poet, even if you've never written a poem. |
And isn't it ironic that I should take this quiz just after I was recently introduced to this very cool thing called "Poetry Slam"? What's that you say? Well the best description I can come up with is Extreme Poetry Reading. That is to say, envision Jack Kerouac or some such Beat Poet performing his work on stage, but add some extra oomph. AND...the best news about this is that British Columbia has it's very own expert at this. His name is Shane Koyczan and I have to say that I really have never felt as moved by poetry in general as I have by his. THIS is the guy that will preserve a dying artform and perhaps make future generations realize that poetry isn't for losers. I know people that "hate" poetry. I don't really know how you can hate poetry. After all, haven't you purchased a greeting card before with some nice words arranged poetically? And what made you choose that particular one? Probably the poem - even if it was a naughty limerick.
Poetry has always been my thing and I have written tons of it. It is the thing I turn to when I really want to write, but don't have the time for sitting down and setting out a story on the page. But it can tell a story itself. It can teach a lesson. Admittedly most of my poetry rhymes, mostly because I find it a challenge - to make something make sense at same time as it rhymes. But I've started experimenting a little with other kinds of poetry and am pleased with the results. I am going to share a recent one with you; it's style was inspired by the late great e.e.cummings. But before that, you should really watch Shane in action. It will move you, I guarantee it!
Hoo, I get chills and tears at the same time!
Now here is mine. I wrote it after a recent family loss.
I Give You a Piece of My Heart
Cupped here in my hands
A splinter, a fragment, a mote
The smallest grain of sand
A piece of my heart for your heart
(My heart to your heart)
I don't need it, not this piece
The one granule of my heart that doesn't grieve
Place it in that pinpoint hole
So that one tiny portion of you won't hurt
(I'll take the pain)
It will be oh so fleeting
But during the frozen moments of the day
You'll stop the pain
Just for a microsecond I'd say
(Breathe it in and hold it)
Once you activate it enough
It will begin to grow
Not so quickly
It'll be downright slow
(Painstaking yet thorough)
In time the heal and hurt will reverse
Only a pinprick will cause you pain
That one will be there to stay
But the sting will be less than it is today
(For a lifetime to keep)
That will be my heart
Beating inside your heart
Enveloping the throb of sorrow
While you make a new start
(I give you a piece of my heart)
That segment will remain
A mneme for you to keep
Gone but not forgotten
To carry with you forever
(But I'll take the pain)
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
On Borrowed Wings
On Borrowed Wings is a novel by Chandra Prasad. The novel contains deceipt and subterfuge, but it is not a crime or mystery story.
The story details the ordinary life of a young woman in America during the Depression with future prospects being nothing more than marriage, children and small town life. An unexpected tragedy offers her a larger opportunity to make something of herself, with one catch; she must pose as a male. The story consists of her trying to fit in and find her way, all without being discovered.
To be honest with you, I found this book a slightly difficult read. There was a rather gloomy undertone that kept me feeling uncomfortable, however I did have to remind myself of the time it was portraying, which was not a happy time. And perhaps the discomfort came from knowing how difficult it would be to hide such a huge secret and the anxiety that it would create in one's daily life. Knowing how hard things were for women during those days, you come to have a deep respect for the main character and her perseverance. She makes several differences in some lives and at the expense of losing what's left of her family, she carves out a future for herself.
Overall, I enjoyed the book even though it did not have me fully captivated all of the time. I think that Chandra Prasad has achieved the goal of "girls are just as good as boys", whether that was her intent or not. Most of us are familiar with the story of Yentl and how far that deception had to go. This is not a theme that you find often in fiction and I appreciate the author for tackling it. I would recommend this novel and I look forward to reading more by Ms. Prasad.
The story details the ordinary life of a young woman in America during the Depression with future prospects being nothing more than marriage, children and small town life. An unexpected tragedy offers her a larger opportunity to make something of herself, with one catch; she must pose as a male. The story consists of her trying to fit in and find her way, all without being discovered.
To be honest with you, I found this book a slightly difficult read. There was a rather gloomy undertone that kept me feeling uncomfortable, however I did have to remind myself of the time it was portraying, which was not a happy time. And perhaps the discomfort came from knowing how difficult it would be to hide such a huge secret and the anxiety that it would create in one's daily life. Knowing how hard things were for women during those days, you come to have a deep respect for the main character and her perseverance. She makes several differences in some lives and at the expense of losing what's left of her family, she carves out a future for herself.
Overall, I enjoyed the book even though it did not have me fully captivated all of the time. I think that Chandra Prasad has achieved the goal of "girls are just as good as boys", whether that was her intent or not. Most of us are familiar with the story of Yentl and how far that deception had to go. This is not a theme that you find often in fiction and I appreciate the author for tackling it. I would recommend this novel and I look forward to reading more by Ms. Prasad.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
BOB Books
I was given the opportunity to review a set of BOB Books by Bobby Lynn Maslen (published by Scholastic), little books that are designed to help kids learn to read.
Do you remember the first book you learned to read? I do. I remember because it was such a revelation to me that I could look at the words and they suddenly meant something to me. The book that I learned to read was called "Adventures with Mac". I'm not sure if it was the first line, but I clearly remember that one of the pages simply said "Mac the rat". Reading has always been my first love.
BOB Books could very well have the same impact on a child. They are short, small in size (therefore easy to hold) and there are never more than three or four words on a page. As my daughter is a pre-reader (she just started Kindergarten last week), these are the perfect books for her to try and start reading. So far, she knows all of the letters of the alphabet and the sounds they make. Our school encourages and promotes early literacy, so I imagine she will be reading very quickly. Having a tool like this at home will definitely be an asset. I am excited for her to be able to learn with Mat and Sam and the rest of the troupe!
Esthetically, the books are appealing. The pictures are simple line drawings and depict what is happening in the story. The characters are quite cute (drawn by John Maslen) and the stories have comedic value (Sam sits on Mat). We haven't read through all of them, but I am sure we will be doing so very shortly! My two year old son has also taken an interest in them, which is nice!
All in all, I'd recommend these cute little books for early readers!
Do you remember the first book you learned to read? I do. I remember because it was such a revelation to me that I could look at the words and they suddenly meant something to me. The book that I learned to read was called "Adventures with Mac". I'm not sure if it was the first line, but I clearly remember that one of the pages simply said "Mac the rat". Reading has always been my first love.
BOB Books could very well have the same impact on a child. They are short, small in size (therefore easy to hold) and there are never more than three or four words on a page. As my daughter is a pre-reader (she just started Kindergarten last week), these are the perfect books for her to try and start reading. So far, she knows all of the letters of the alphabet and the sounds they make. Our school encourages and promotes early literacy, so I imagine she will be reading very quickly. Having a tool like this at home will definitely be an asset. I am excited for her to be able to learn with Mat and Sam and the rest of the troupe!
Esthetically, the books are appealing. The pictures are simple line drawings and depict what is happening in the story. The characters are quite cute (drawn by John Maslen) and the stories have comedic value (Sam sits on Mat). We haven't read through all of them, but I am sure we will be doing so very shortly! My two year old son has also taken an interest in them, which is nice!
All in all, I'd recommend these cute little books for early readers!
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports
I have been given the honour and pleasure of reviewing the above book, a fiction novel for young adults.
Maximum Ride: Saving the World, etc. is the third book in a series about young "mutant" teenagers who can fly (a result of avian DNA) who are being hunted down and are slated for "retirement" by their creator and nemesis "The Director". (Shades of Dark Angel, the series which had me interested right away). They are continually chased by and engaged in combat with "Flyboys" (also known as Erasers) throughout the novel, which makes for some pretty intense fight scenes. The flock does not always escape unscathed and are captured once or twice, but usually manage to prevail under the direction of their leader Max and her "co-pilot" Fang.
Without having read the first two novels, I found it relatively easy to slide into the story and figure out most of what was going on. I appreciated the fact that James Patterson, the author (Along Came a Spider and Kiss the Girls), did not retell the previous stories. There were allusions to earlier events, which left me wondering a bit, but it has motivated me to buy the first two books and catch up. There were no significant references that were too complex to figure out.
Another appealing factor for me was the short chapters. It kept you interested and wanting more, especially since the narrative changed from first person Max to third person Fang, almost from chapter to chapter. It was two stories being told simultaneously that were the same, yet different. I think this style would appeal to young readers as you have two perspectives of the same events for the most part.
Throughout the book, realizations are made by the characters, some very surprising and rewarding, while an underlying theme about saving the environment and ultimately the earth is threaded through. I did not find it to be preachy or sanctimonious and the message was clear: kids need to take an active part in keeping this earth liveable.
Though the characters are all children, aged fourteen and under, the language was quite adult and there were some slightly adult themes (such as the characters having to deal with children dying and being hurt). This indicates to me that James Patterson feels his readers can handle this sort of thing, more than we adults perhaps give them credit for. It's a glimpse into the "real world" if you will. The message is also there that adults can make (big) mistakes.
I enjoyed the random blog entries and was grateful for the fact that it was not a permanent writing style for the story. Speaking from an adult perspective, this kind of format can become tedious, but interspersed as it was, it helped the story along considerably and provided variety for the reader.
All in all, the story was entertaining, exciting and kept me captivated until the end. A good read that I will recommend to the young (and old) people in my life.
Maximum Ride: Saving the World, etc. is the third book in a series about young "mutant" teenagers who can fly (a result of avian DNA) who are being hunted down and are slated for "retirement" by their creator and nemesis "The Director". (Shades of Dark Angel, the series which had me interested right away). They are continually chased by and engaged in combat with "Flyboys" (also known as Erasers) throughout the novel, which makes for some pretty intense fight scenes. The flock does not always escape unscathed and are captured once or twice, but usually manage to prevail under the direction of their leader Max and her "co-pilot" Fang.
Without having read the first two novels, I found it relatively easy to slide into the story and figure out most of what was going on. I appreciated the fact that James Patterson, the author (Along Came a Spider and Kiss the Girls), did not retell the previous stories. There were allusions to earlier events, which left me wondering a bit, but it has motivated me to buy the first two books and catch up. There were no significant references that were too complex to figure out.
Another appealing factor for me was the short chapters. It kept you interested and wanting more, especially since the narrative changed from first person Max to third person Fang, almost from chapter to chapter. It was two stories being told simultaneously that were the same, yet different. I think this style would appeal to young readers as you have two perspectives of the same events for the most part.
Throughout the book, realizations are made by the characters, some very surprising and rewarding, while an underlying theme about saving the environment and ultimately the earth is threaded through. I did not find it to be preachy or sanctimonious and the message was clear: kids need to take an active part in keeping this earth liveable.
Though the characters are all children, aged fourteen and under, the language was quite adult and there were some slightly adult themes (such as the characters having to deal with children dying and being hurt). This indicates to me that James Patterson feels his readers can handle this sort of thing, more than we adults perhaps give them credit for. It's a glimpse into the "real world" if you will. The message is also there that adults can make (big) mistakes.
I enjoyed the random blog entries and was grateful for the fact that it was not a permanent writing style for the story. Speaking from an adult perspective, this kind of format can become tedious, but interspersed as it was, it helped the story along considerably and provided variety for the reader.
All in all, the story was entertaining, exciting and kept me captivated until the end. A good read that I will recommend to the young (and old) people in my life.
Monday, August 06, 2007
Without A Map
I had the extraordinary pleasure of engaging in a live podcast (via telephone) last night with several other ladies for an interview of the author who wrote "Without a Map". Her name is Meredith Hall. I joined a virtual book club recently and received the (free) book and the only requirement was that I participate in a discussion with the author. Each reader had to think of one to three questions to ask the writer and we each got our turn to ask. The discussion was facilitated by Felicia Sullivan through Writers Revealed, which I was turned on to by Mother-Talk, and it went really well, especially since it was the inaugural podcast for the book club.
The book is a true story about Meredith's struggle to overcome having to give up a child at the ripe old age of 16. It's 1965 and she becomes pregnant. Immediately, she is expelled from school, shunned by the community and shipped off to live with her father and his new wife. The child is taken from her, without her ever seeing him, and thus begins a painful journey of attempts to reconcile this trauma in her life. I don't want to give much more away as I think you should buy the book and read it, but I will tell you that it has a reasonably happy ending.
There weren't many chapters in this book where I didn't have tears in my eyes or actual crying jags. The pain in this story is raw and reading it as a mother was difficult. It was very well written and had me absorbed the entire way through. Go buy it.
I will be participating in another podcast in, I think, September, for another book called Black & White, by Dani Shapiro.
In an aside, hubby and I watched Zodiac (in two parts because it is loooong)(and yes, I'm way behind on movies) and it freaked me out. At least the first half did. That always happens to me. I can watch the most gorey hack and slash movies without batting an eyelash, because if it doesn't seem real, it won't bother me. However, when I KNOW that everything in the movie is real and actually happened, I get super skittish and can have nightmares. Weird.
The book is a true story about Meredith's struggle to overcome having to give up a child at the ripe old age of 16. It's 1965 and she becomes pregnant. Immediately, she is expelled from school, shunned by the community and shipped off to live with her father and his new wife. The child is taken from her, without her ever seeing him, and thus begins a painful journey of attempts to reconcile this trauma in her life. I don't want to give much more away as I think you should buy the book and read it, but I will tell you that it has a reasonably happy ending.
There weren't many chapters in this book where I didn't have tears in my eyes or actual crying jags. The pain in this story is raw and reading it as a mother was difficult. It was very well written and had me absorbed the entire way through. Go buy it.
I will be participating in another podcast in, I think, September, for another book called Black & White, by Dani Shapiro.
In an aside, hubby and I watched Zodiac (in two parts because it is loooong)(and yes, I'm way behind on movies) and it freaked me out. At least the first half did. That always happens to me. I can watch the most gorey hack and slash movies without batting an eyelash, because if it doesn't seem real, it won't bother me. However, when I KNOW that everything in the movie is real and actually happened, I get super skittish and can have nightmares. Weird.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
As Predicted
Yes, I have already fallen short on my goals of posting each day and writing each day. Perhaps I set myself up for that?
Friday was an absolute nightmare. First off, in true Vancouver fashion, it was raining cats and dogs. We piled everyone into the van to take Thing 2 to preschool and Thing 3 to daycare. I had specifically gotten up at 5:30 in the morning to take a nice leisurely shower and get my makeup on uninterrupted because I wanted to go downtown and run several errands. I needed to get cash for my appointments later in the day, pick up bus tickets for myself and a monthly bus pass for Thing 1. I also wanted to hit the fabric store (the one with all of the nasty salesclerks) and I had a package to pick up at the post office. I wanted to achieve all of this in 3 hours. This was the reason I got up so early - so I didn't have to waste any of that precious time on my morning ablutions.
Arriving at preschool, I was informed in something barely above a mumble, that the preschool teacher had had a tooth extracted the afternoon before and would only be able to hang around until 10:30 because she wasn't supposed to talk much. Thus began the disintegration of my day. Hubby said he would try and come and do the transfer of Kes from preschool to daycare so I could do what I had to do, but only if his client did not show up. We dropped Hayden off at daycare and he took me over to the Skytrain (Vancouver's "rapid" transit - I use that term loosely) to save me some bus time. We agreed to make contact shortly by phone.
I got off at Granville Station because there is a VanCity bank machine right there. However, they have been constructing a new set of escalators and an elevator in that particular station and we were directed to the new ones as the old ones were closed off. (This station has never had an elevator before which was ridiculous because it is the one station that stops underneath the shopping centre downtown, so finally they have built one.) I figured that the bank machine would still be open if I went around to the old entrance, so off I went. No. So with a sigh I headed west off to the closest bank of ours, about four blocks away. Keep in mind: raining hard. I got to the bank to discover that BOTH of the bank machines were out of order and they had a notice with two other recommended banks that would do your transactions, presumably without charges. My time was limited so I just found any bank and got what I needed. Next, I headed off to the closest corner store that I had purchased transit fare from before. They had the tickets but did not sell the month passes. Sigh. I headed a few blocks over to the Pharmasave - sold out. The clerk suggested across the street at another corner store - they had none either. At this point I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Hubby called and said his client had showed up. Of course he had. I now had to hop a bus back to the preschool to retrieve Kes.
I got home a little before I had to get her and took a breather and formulated what I would be doing next. I figured if I took her over to daycare and headed back into downtown, I'd be able to get the last couple of things done. I made the drop, hopped a bus and got off at the fabric store, grateful that the bus stops right out front. The fabric shopping went swimmingly. The clerks were noticeably nicer and I realized there was some new blood there. Perhaps some of the old harpies have retired or died. I got what I wanted and headed out to catch the bus back towards the post office. Uh-oh. The buses were lined up at least twelve deep on either side of the street. Something bad had happened in transit land. I couldn't see what it was exaclty, all I know is that there were no ambulances or police, so I assume it was technical and not somebody getting hit by a bus, thank goodness! I decided that I could walk to the post office and stop at my friend's store halfway there for a short break. I was pretty wet by the time I got there (it wasn't that far, about three or four blocks), so tried to dry out for a few minutes. I had to keep going though, because I needed to stop at the post office and get home and then prepare for my appointment at 1:00.
I picked up my package and walked home. By the time I arrived, my jeans were literally running with water off the fronts of my pantlegs - it was horrible. My gloves were soaked, my boots were soaked, my entire body was soaked. Once home I realized that I may not be able to get a bus, so thought to call a taxi. Except that lunchtime here is like New York any time as far as taxis go. I couldn't get through to save my life. I took a chance and called hubby, who fortunately was headed home! Yay! My day started to look up. Of course, after the morning I'd had, it was only fitting that I went for a bikini wax! It was fine, by the way. Doug came and picked me up and we headed off for hair appointments. The day had restored itself and all was well after that. But man, was I EXHAUSTED!
By the way, this was in my package from the post office! It rocks!
Friday was an absolute nightmare. First off, in true Vancouver fashion, it was raining cats and dogs. We piled everyone into the van to take Thing 2 to preschool and Thing 3 to daycare. I had specifically gotten up at 5:30 in the morning to take a nice leisurely shower and get my makeup on uninterrupted because I wanted to go downtown and run several errands. I needed to get cash for my appointments later in the day, pick up bus tickets for myself and a monthly bus pass for Thing 1. I also wanted to hit the fabric store (the one with all of the nasty salesclerks) and I had a package to pick up at the post office. I wanted to achieve all of this in 3 hours. This was the reason I got up so early - so I didn't have to waste any of that precious time on my morning ablutions.
Arriving at preschool, I was informed in something barely above a mumble, that the preschool teacher had had a tooth extracted the afternoon before and would only be able to hang around until 10:30 because she wasn't supposed to talk much. Thus began the disintegration of my day. Hubby said he would try and come and do the transfer of Kes from preschool to daycare so I could do what I had to do, but only if his client did not show up. We dropped Hayden off at daycare and he took me over to the Skytrain (Vancouver's "rapid" transit - I use that term loosely) to save me some bus time. We agreed to make contact shortly by phone.
I got off at Granville Station because there is a VanCity bank machine right there. However, they have been constructing a new set of escalators and an elevator in that particular station and we were directed to the new ones as the old ones were closed off. (This station has never had an elevator before which was ridiculous because it is the one station that stops underneath the shopping centre downtown, so finally they have built one.) I figured that the bank machine would still be open if I went around to the old entrance, so off I went. No. So with a sigh I headed west off to the closest bank of ours, about four blocks away. Keep in mind: raining hard. I got to the bank to discover that BOTH of the bank machines were out of order and they had a notice with two other recommended banks that would do your transactions, presumably without charges. My time was limited so I just found any bank and got what I needed. Next, I headed off to the closest corner store that I had purchased transit fare from before. They had the tickets but did not sell the month passes. Sigh. I headed a few blocks over to the Pharmasave - sold out. The clerk suggested across the street at another corner store - they had none either. At this point I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Hubby called and said his client had showed up. Of course he had. I now had to hop a bus back to the preschool to retrieve Kes.
I got home a little before I had to get her and took a breather and formulated what I would be doing next. I figured if I took her over to daycare and headed back into downtown, I'd be able to get the last couple of things done. I made the drop, hopped a bus and got off at the fabric store, grateful that the bus stops right out front. The fabric shopping went swimmingly. The clerks were noticeably nicer and I realized there was some new blood there. Perhaps some of the old harpies have retired or died. I got what I wanted and headed out to catch the bus back towards the post office. Uh-oh. The buses were lined up at least twelve deep on either side of the street. Something bad had happened in transit land. I couldn't see what it was exaclty, all I know is that there were no ambulances or police, so I assume it was technical and not somebody getting hit by a bus, thank goodness! I decided that I could walk to the post office and stop at my friend's store halfway there for a short break. I was pretty wet by the time I got there (it wasn't that far, about three or four blocks), so tried to dry out for a few minutes. I had to keep going though, because I needed to stop at the post office and get home and then prepare for my appointment at 1:00.
I picked up my package and walked home. By the time I arrived, my jeans were literally running with water off the fronts of my pantlegs - it was horrible. My gloves were soaked, my boots were soaked, my entire body was soaked. Once home I realized that I may not be able to get a bus, so thought to call a taxi. Except that lunchtime here is like New York any time as far as taxis go. I couldn't get through to save my life. I took a chance and called hubby, who fortunately was headed home! Yay! My day started to look up. Of course, after the morning I'd had, it was only fitting that I went for a bikini wax! It was fine, by the way. Doug came and picked me up and we headed off for hair appointments. The day had restored itself and all was well after that. But man, was I EXHAUSTED!
By the way, this was in my package from the post office! It rocks!
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Super Short
This is going to be fast, but I have to post because I signed myself up for the NaBloPoMo (National Blog Post Month), in addition to the NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and have committed myself to not only blogging each day, but writing an entire novel in ONE MONTH! Clearly I am insane.
Here's the best part: I just had my precious nails reattached tonight (thay are FAB-YOU-LUSS!) and I can barely type with them! Ha ha, ho ho , hee hee!
More about them tomorrow!
Here's the best part: I just had my precious nails reattached tonight (thay are FAB-YOU-LUSS!) and I can barely type with them! Ha ha, ho ho , hee hee!
More about them tomorrow!
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