Now I know I promised to be more regular with the upkeep of this little blog o' mine, but there are a couple of factors affecting this - a) Nothing has happened, and b) Nothing has happened. Yes, it was such a big factor it was worth mentioning twice.

Well, I have't been completely idle... in the past week, I've exercised daily and eaten really well (lost 8 pounds so far!), gotten into practicing horn again (in anticipation of the ASO section horn audition coming up), and thought an awful lot about how I'm going to spend my money when I get it. Which I still haven't. Got, that is.

Apart from that, I've been taking advanced swing dance classes at Cat's Corner, called Lindy U. It's a really cool concept, kind of a workshop-theory class-practice session hybrid. This week we are having guest teachers, Mélanie from the SAF and Alain Fragman - they're both awesome dancers, so it should be a great class. I've been working on my 20s charleston a lot lately, too - looks like I might have some madskillz to bring back to Oz after all, eh? ;)

And on that note, I've had a bunch of queries as to when I'm coming home. The short answer to that is - not quite sure yet. If I can send a tape for the ASO audition, it'll be some time in late June. If not, looks like I'll be back in little old Ads not later than the end of May. It's going to be weird to be back, but I can't wait to see the friends and fam again!

Well, really, just stuck - I'm having a pretty heavy cabin fever moment right now. Ever felt like you were 5 hours into a three day car ride, with your parents in the front seat, John Denver on the stereo and your seatbelt so tight you feel like a string of Kranskies? Imagine that, but add a fat kid sitting on your lap, and that's about the state I'm in right now. I've been in the house for three days straight and am going slowly insane. Who said holidays were easy? Now, I'm sure you're all wondering why I'm not out there having the time of my life in a winter wonderland... just ask the people who owe me money. Ian and I have officially $7.57 between the two of us, and that doesn't give us a whole lot of leeway for outside activites. So here I am, having exercised for an hour and a half, practiced for 2, cooked a fabulous dinner and watched as much TV as one person can stand, and I'm still insane in the proverbial membrane.

And to those people who are owing me da cash - I BEG of you! For the love of gawd, cough it up!!!! Otherwise I'm going to go crazy... and I'm taking you all with me! Bllleeegggeehhhegehgjhdfjhsgdsj!!!!! *tears out hair and runs screaming from the room*

Sarah and Beaver on our recent trip to Ontario. We spent the whole night grabbing different instruments and playing whatever came to mind. I even played electric bass for a whole set of blues numbers, Ian kicked ass on drums, and Marianne's drunken karaoke was priceless! Too much red wine, too much recorder and WAY too many versions of Knights in White Satin... what a great night!

Matt Stone and Trey Parker, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways! Recently Isaac Hayes quit South Park, supposedly because he could no longer work on a show that shows a "growing insensitivity toward personal spiritual beliefs". It took him 10 years on the show to work this out??? Aww, it's just because he got all shmoopy about the fact that his own religion, Scientology copped it on a recent episode. HON-estly.

It also looks like another episode about Scientology was recently pulled because Tom Cruise threatened to stop promoting Mission Impossible 3 if the show was aired (colour me shocked that the company that made MI3 is owned by the same corporation as Comedy Central). This all stinks to high heaven. Oh my gawd, Tom Cruise is a total nutbar. I'm trying not to follow his bizarre comments and antics too much; A) because his intolerance and indoctrinism makes my blood boil, and B) the more people pay attention to him, the more power he holds. And noone should have as much opportunity to air his personal opinions on any topic he chooses just because he's a celebrity.

Anyhoo, I think the South Park boys said it best -

"So, Scientology, you may have won THIS battle, but the million-year war for earth has just begun! Temporarily anozinizing our episode will NOT stop us from keeping Thetans forever trapped in your pitiful man-bodies... You have obstructed us for now, but your feeble bid to save humanity will fail!"

GOLD!!!!

Here's the full story.

Hang on, why is it that all of my post titles are lines from 80s songs? Oh man, this has gotta stop! :D

So for the past week and a half I've been busting my butt and exercising like a demon. I'm in a state of abject agony with muscle owees but it's getting easier every day, and I'm feeling great! And I've lost 3 pounds (oh god, I've gone all non-metric!!). Although my swing dancing is suffering a bit, as I'm so sore right now that I'm feeling a little sluggish at dance class and at social nights. But I'm feeling stronger and I know I'm going to be able to keep it up. Hey, I gots nothin' but time!

Well, just to prove someone actually DOES read my blog, I received an email from Ben and Sheri (see post below), thanking me for posting their clip and sending me another version with a different aerial. It makes you feel all warm and fuzzy to know there are nice friendly people out there in the dog-eat-dog world of swing dancing :D And it makes me feel VERY lax about not posting a link to their actual website in my last post (which I usually do if I'm referencing a clip) *blush*

So here 'tis - www.one2swing.com. They have a weath of swing dance clips (both their own and some awesome vintage ones), and the wedding vids are fun, too (just don't tell my boyfriend I'm watching that stuff - he'll think I'm getting ideas :D).

Anyhoo, thanks to Ben and Sheri for the sweetness and good grace... I'll all inspired to make them my very first Top-shelfer(s) of the Week!

Just found this extremely cheesy but super-cute swing dance performance by Ben and Sheri, a couple from California, at the Northeast US Swing Champs '05 (Keep an eye out for lots of references from the movie!).

Footloose!

My favourite Vancouver Canuck, Todd Bertuzzi, is under threat of being traded from the team by the NHL Trade Deadline (I'll be watching all day with baited breath!). After all he's been through in the last couple of years, it would be a crying shame to have him leave the Canucks right before he has a chance to prove himself in the playoffs. Anyhoo, I loves the guy. He's so badass.

Post-script - the deadline's passed, and Bert is still with the 'Nucks (at least until the summer)! Woot!

Just a little halooo to let you all know that my photo albums have been updated! Here's the links to all my new albums, but check the Photo Links (on the left) for new pix soon!

A weekend in the country - Tweed, Ontario

Fete des Nieges - Montreal Snow Festival

Trip to NYC

New Year's Eve 05/06

Halloween 05

Toronto Trip with Moi and Simey

Swing dance stuff

Around Montreal

The best way to look at these is to pick the 'Slideshow' option under the title. Enjoy!!

Took this on Friday, January the 13th after the disastrous Canucks-Devils game. Bad luck omens for the weekend all 'round! :D

Okay, so that was a little random. :D

After a colossal hiatus (6 months?!), I've decided to resurrect the old blog. Much has happened since then, most of it totally crappy. So in the interest of public sanity, I'll give you, in point form, a very brief overview of the last totally uninspiring six months -

September - Still working my can off at Grandma Emily's. Running the entire production department, supervising 12 people, being verbally abused by insane Quebecer and crying daily, all for $10.50 an hour. Before tax. - Started teaching horn (and playing in staff orchestra) at Ecole FACE, local performing arts highschool, one day/ week. Actually doing what trained to do, hence sanity somewhat restored.

October - More crappy work, more gigs with FACE orchestra, my first Halloween in north america! Dressed up as Mina Harker from League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (the graphic novel, not the shitty movie) and went to the Cat's Corner Halloween dance. Sweet fun! (Here's the costume and pics from the night.)

November - Ian's birthday. Wicked weekend, inc. hockey game (Habs v. Capitals - saw Ovechkin play. Awesome.), dinner and seeing HP Goblet of Fire in Imax. Planned surprise party at Carlos and Pepe's, which turned out to be a sweet night with a great turnout. Ian loved it. :) - Workwise, still going insane at Gremily's.

December - Played more concerts with FACE orchestra, and Orchestre Symphonique des Iles, but other than that, music career in black hole. - Spent Christmas Eve at Sarah and Christien's (well, Sarah's) parents place. Lovely traditional dinner and presents with a real tree. My first white Xmas! - The next day, went for chinese banquet with our friend Mike and some other international orphans (Thailand, Australia, China and Japan), followed by poker and bubble tea at L2. Top notch day.

January - Big month for me. I turned *GASP* twenty-ten, and Ian and I went on a big trip to New York City to celebrate. This became what we now call the "New York Disaster Tour" (instead of telling the whole sorry saga, just check the slideshow of pics and commentary here). Seriously, though, had a great time with Ian, and don't even feel that bad about being officially old.

February - Working visa runs out, so instead of trying to get a permanent work visa and sell my soul to Grandma Emily (a.k.a. Satan), I decide to stay on for a while as a visitor and tell work to fark orf. Which I did, in a way that was WAY nicer than they deserved. If there's one thing that wasted year taught me, it's that I'm never going to settle for a job that I hate just for the money - I'd rather be poor than bust my can for a soulsucking boss. There's a lesson there for all of us, kiddies.

So as for right now, I'm hanging around Montreal, having a well-earned break. I'm exercising lots (trying to get fit?? :o), trying to write more, doing lots of swing dancing and working up the moxy to start practicing horn properly again. Honestly, I'm just trying to clear my head and decide what I want to do with this new phase in my life. Sometimes it's a little depressing, but mostly I'm feeling excited and eager to start whateveritis I'm going to be. It's going to be great! :D (Too... much... optimism... destroying cells... body... shutting down...)

And on that note, I'll bid you adieu for now. Just let me leave you with a little something to sum up my state of mind - enjoy!