My New Financial Plan

Before I tell you my new financial plan let me explain my old financial plans. The goal of these financial plans is to earn money so that I can pay for school.

The plan that I have been following is to work many hours to earn money and spend very little on stuff that is not tuition.

My new plan is to go on the Price is Right. Some guy just won 3600. And that wasn't even the grand prize. He won it playing Plinko. Plus he still has a chance to spin the wheel. He may even make it to the Showcase Showdown. I will go to the Price is Right, and I will win lots of money. That is my new plan. It could be argued that this plan is faulty because it will cost me a lot to go there, and ontop of that I may not even make it to Contestants Row. Well stop stomping on my dreams is what I say! I would prefer if all ye naysayers would go and say your nays elsewhere.

I have this weekend off, I booked this weekend off so that I could volunteer backstage at my old dance recital. My Mom has organized backstage for years now. She is quite good at it. The fear this year is that she will over exert herself. I think I have the special job of making sure she does not over exert herself. My Mom, as usual, as the special job of making sure I do not under exert myself.

Wicked, will of course be joing me at my recital. Hopefully I don't finish it, because I will not have a chance to visit the Library till Tuesday.

book update

OK so I do not recall what I last posted about books. And I am too lazy to investigate so I'll just tell you what I think you don't already know.

I finished this book called Clara Callan. It was good. It was about this woman in the 30's. About her life and her sister. It's all journal entries and letters between her and other people. It took me a little while to finish it so it wasn't exactly a page turner.

Oh did I mention I read that Enron book? I think I did. Well it was great anyway.

I read Nanny Diaries after Enron. Nanny Diaries was very good. Not really a thinker. For some reason it had a British feel to it, like Bridget Jones' Diary. Except no one said Durrr. Oh one odd thing happened during my reading of it. So the child's name is Grayner. At least I thought it was. I thought this for over half of the book, then suddenly I realized there was no 'n' his name was just Grayer. That was traumatizing to say the least.

After Nanny Diaries was the Clara Callan book. After that was Ellen's book; "the funny thing is..." I recommend that book to everyone! it's hilarious! A very light read. Readable in a day. I actually laughed out loud. Which got to be quite embarrasing cause I read it in the staff room, and other people were there, and they stared at me.

I am now onto Wicked. Angus lent it to me. It is quite different from Ellen, but it's already good.

I have finnaly updated my reading journal to reflect all this. Janet do you still keep yours? I remember you had it in Physics.

I gave blood today. I love giving blood.

I also worked today, but there was no hilarity. Well there was some, in that a lady got fired yesterday (not funny), and they spent all today freaking out because no one could cover her shifts. ahhhh stupid people.

Work thoughts

As much as I complain about work, some hilarity does happen.

For example today a man came in to return a hose. He was quite upset, because this was the second hose he had bought and they both had the same problem. He said; "I plug it in and it leaks from a hundred places!" I then explained to him that it was a sprinkler hose, that leaking is in fact what they do best (for the uninitiated a sprinkler hose is a hose made of porus material, you weave the hose through your garden, turn on the water, and it waters everything at once!) He opted to return the hose and buy a different kind.

Hey do you know what I realized? That story isn't so funny when you have to explain what a sprinkler hose is. Well you're just going to have to trust me, it was hilarious.

Another hilarious story. A man was returning a whole bunch of car parts. I asked if there was something wrong with them (so they do not get put back on the shelf), he said no, that he didn't need them anymore, because his car had exploded. EXPLODED! He had decided not to repair the car after that. There was one thing on the bill that he was not returning, I asked if he had forgotten it or something. He said no, that the part was on the car when it exploded. I secretly still wonder if maybe it was the part we sold him that made his car explode.

Anyway, news in my life; I am helping with my old ballet recital this weekend! Yay! Lots of fun (this is not sarcastic).

Big news! I am going to Montreal in June to visit my cousin for a weekend. I am quite excited. Who knows what we'll do!

Eve's survey thing

I was touched that Eve handed the baton off to me.

I also feel superior to Shashi because I beat her to posting this.

Total music files residing on my computer:
327 songs. Mostly Oldies. A lot of Melissa Etheridge
Last CD I bought:
Joss Jone's CD. For the song Right to be Wrong. Because it came right at a time that I needed it.
Song playing right now:
Um... nothing actually. Just a rerun of friends that is quite amusing.
Five songs I listen to a lot/mean a lot to me (in no particular order):
1. Breakfast at Tiffanys
2. Come To My Window, Melissa Etheridge
3. The Gambler, Kenny Rogers
4. Mack the Knife
5. Leeroy Brown
Four or Five People I'm Passing The Baton To:
1. Shashi (I know I know, that's cheating.... bite me)
2. Heather
3. Janet
4. Angus
5. Kelly

Books and working

OK so an update on my book emergency.

I read Micahel J. Fox's autobiography. That book was fantastic. I read "Anatomy of Greed, the Unshredded truth about Enron" it was also fantastic. It was written by a guy who worked there when it all went to hell. There was a made for tv movie based on it, I had seen it a long time ago and had always wanted to read the book for it. I am now reading "The Nanny Diaries". It's quite good so far. I may finish today or I may actually get some stuff done.

Jon, I would love to take you up on your offer to lent me Eat, Shoots and Leaves. And Angus has offered me Wicked. So I just have to wait on... The Devil Wears Prada, and Ellen's new book.

I've been working a lot lately. Hence why there are very few blog enteries. and when I am not working I've been reading. I anxiously look forward to my pay stub on Thursday. Except I have to go over it carefully because where I work tends to short change people.

I am actually going to a concert this summer! Green Day. I should explain that the last concert I went to was Sharon Lois and Bram. Unless of course you include the Gold Band concerts.

I guess that is all my news for now. Enjoy your day!

Books! and analog not going so well.

So I have an elaborate book tale to tell, but first I have a sad update. My learning to read an analog watch is apparently not going so well. During my book emergency (which is still in progress) my Dad asked me what time it was. I said about 7:40. I returned to watching tv and could not figure out why friends was wrapping. The fact was that hand was not brushing the 8 because it was almost 7:40 but because it was almost 8. I had confused the big hand and little hand.

OK so my book problem. My library has multiple holds on all the books I want to read! 5 People you Meet in Heaven, Wicked, Ellen's New Book, Eats, Shoots and Leaves, the Devil Wears Prada. All of them! The only one left is The book on Enron.

some random thoughts and news

I've had a few, I guess you could call them thought provoking moments. Now don't get all excited, this isn't Plato here, it's just some random stuff that made me smile.

First off Janet, cart before the horse is a saying that basically means you shouldn't get ahead of yourself. Putting the cart in front of the horse is no good, because instead of pulling the cart the horse would push it, but I don't think they would, I think they would trample all over it, and that would ruin the cart.

My mom planted tulips in our back garden. Squirrels took the bulbs and hid them elsewhere so they could eat them later. Now tulips are growing in the middle of our back lawn. My Dad now has to mow around them. It's quite a beautiful and random sight. The squirrels also planted flowers in my mom's front garden. They're purple and quite nice. Those crazy squirrels are great gardeners.

I have recently started wearing an analog watch instead of a digital one. I have obsereved that time seems to pass faster when you wear an analog watch. On a digital watch if 15 minutes have passed by you're not very impressed. But if 15 has passed on an analog watch I think; "Wow! the big hand went all the way over there!" It just seems like more time has passed. I tried explaining this to my friends at school and they looked at me like I was crazy. I stand by my theory.

There is more to post but I am off somewhere so another time.

Randomness before I sleep

I'm going to sleep, but I was thinking stuff.

There was an article in the paper today about some veterans from world war 2. One of them, who had fought on V-Day, came back from the war and was driving for the TTC. That made me sad. I will admit I don't know the whole story, maybe he wanted to drive for the TTC, but this seems sad.

So I am going to bed.

The Job Hunt Continues

I dropped off a resume and cover letter with the Police Department, I hope to be a receptionist for them or someone in their office who types and files things. Except they're not looking for someone so who knows. I'm also applying at Banks.

I went to a job fair at Home Depot today, I had this short little interview thing, I'll know by the end of next week if I get another intereview. But there are so many problems! Like they won't let me work every other weekend during the school year like Canadian Tire does. Maybe I could get a job downtown then. Maybe a job with the school, like at the book store or something. Or at a library. That would be kinda nice, cause they're used to working with student's and their scheduals. And that would help me meet people on campus. Oh maybe this would lead to drinks after work.

My only issue is that my current job is safe. I think I would have to light something on fire there to be fired. So it will be hard for me to leave a job that's so safe. But I will never grow as a person if I don't take risks. And besides the pay is garbage and the managers aren't very nice. One of them is actually quite gross.

But I think that, as usuall, I am putting the cart before the horse. I don't even know if Home Depot is going to hire me. So this all may be a non issue. I really want to work at the police department but who knows.

Cover Letters and Day Time TV

I have to write cover letters today. And drop them off. Ugh.

I can write essays, and short answers, but I do not want to write these cover letters. Being an adult suuuuuuuuuuuuucks. I wish paper routes paid more, I can do those.

On a happier noter I have rediscovered daytime TV. Tony Danza and Ellen both have talk shows. I have to admit that I am partial to Ellen, because she is more fun.

Facing your fears and growing as a person

So I've discovered that facing your fears is good. I know that this is common knowledge. I'm pretty sure that every guest who has ever been on Oprah has said it, in fact I think Ashton Kutcher even said it when he was on. But I've been discovering for myself just how good it can be. You discover that it wasn't as bad as you thought, or you discover that it was, but that you can live through it.

That is some of what I'm taking from this whole mess that has been the past couple of months.

I never thought I would live through breaking up with Rene, and I have. I mean it's not over yet, there's still a back load of emotional crap that will take a long time to rid myself of, but I've lived.

This mess with the girl-who-ignores-me has been especially helpful. She was my best friend at school, I met her the first week. We spent a lot of time together. I thought I would never survive at school without her. She even edited all of my essays. It got to the point that I felt like I couldn't do that without her. But I have survived school without her. My essays are just as good without her reading them, instead I have Heather and Steph and many others have offered. I've learned that I can live without her. It's been really good for me this weird thing with her.

So facing your fears can be good. Whenever I'm scared of something and I'm making myself crazy worrying about it, my mom always says; "The world won't end will it?" I never really listend before when she said that, cause come on, when you're freaking out over a final exam those words won't really help you. But now I think I understand those words better.

Courtesy Post

I haven't posted for awhile. So I figured I would. I'm done exams and I've moved home. Unfortunetly now I have to unpack. I've decided that own too much stuff, way too much stuff. I want to go through everything I own and get rid of absolutely everything. I also have too many books. I never thought that was possible, but I do. Does anyone know of a place where I can sell used books?

OK I must go unpack.

Tracker

OK I know I just posted but I had to write something.

So I was looking at my tracking system and I have many questions but first:

Shashi I share your uneasyness about the fact that we have tracking systems, it sort of reveals our tragic sadness as a group. I also think it's sad that I'm responding to a comment you made in a different blog. I think we all might need help. But the thing is I've decided that I like reading people's blogs. So I've decided to say this instead of seeking help; I will not horribly judge people if I note that they look at my blog 5 times a day (or more), I will love you all for who you are, even though we are all horribly addicted to blogs.

Anyway back to my tracker system. Janet that Texas person also found my blog. They stayed for over a minute, I have no idea who they are. There has also been a visitor from the UK (Eve, they found me through the word 'Casanova', I believe that is hilariously your doing), and someone from Singapore who found me through my brother. There is also someone in Hamilton Ontario frequently reading my blog. But I cannot think of who it would be... um.... so Hamilton person... who are you? And someone from Quebec, who might be my cousin, but hey I don't know. And a few from Kingston, and that's either Eve or Kelly, I can't tell which.

Oh and of course there are check ins from Daley, so; "Hi Daley!"
That's all the tracker thoughts I have.

Monday after one looooong weekend

I have a lot to say in this post, at least I think I do, so it might me terribly rambly.

Coffee with Angus was delicious. Neither of us had coffee. But we had good conversation, then got kicked out when it closed.

The weekend was long. Just because work was long and frustrating. We had mostly new cashiers. New as in they didn't work there when I last worked, which was two weekends ago. So it was very frustrating in that they did not know the routines and constantly need help. I always enjoy training, it's just very hard to do it when everyone does not know what to do.

My parents had close family friends over on Saturday night. Two couples that they met through baseball. They were celberating my Dad, and one of the other man's impending birthdays. They talked and chatted about everything. I went to bed at ten while they played cards in the kitchen. The sound of their talking and laughter was a very comforting sound to fall asleep to.

I came back last night. My room looks wonderfully big with less stuff in it. Moving back is still going to take a lot of packing, but a lot is gone.

Today I got messaged before going to the library that a bunch of people were going out to a diner for lunch. I came back at 12:20 (ten minutes before departure) to find that 'a bunch' consisted of over 20 people. It was really good actually to see a lot of my friends from school in one room. You see I love most of the people on my floor. And then we have people who have sort of 'glomed' on to our floor. They don't live here, but they know someone who does, and because our floor is so friendly we just adopt them and invite them to everything, and now they've become friends with everyone else. We went to this place called Flo's diner. When we got there the maitre D looked at us and asked how many, we said about 20. He asked "are you all eating?!?" we all said yes. We got seperated into three tables. My table was the smallest, but I liked everyone at it, and there was good conversation. I decided that we were the mob table, because we were in the corner, with no windows so there could be no sneak attacks. Elena (a small hilarious Chinese girl) who was right in the apex of the corner became the godmother. I had a chocolate milk shake and a hamburger that filled me up. My friend and I then spent the walk back complaining about how full we were. It was a very good time and I'm glad I went.

Ah so apparently my brother has discovered my blog. He is quite proud of his detective work. Oh and Janet I have no idea who in texas would find your blog that way. I asked my parents and apparently I do not know anyone in Texas. I assume that there is someone there who knows a different Christine.

Mike is coming over tonight for dinner. Then I will sleep. Then I will go to the library for all of Tuesday.

I'm looking forward to coming home, but after today's dinner I realized that I will in fact miss all these people.

Title and Exam

Heather asked why I changed my name. Well I changed the title of the blog because I had a whole anoniminity complex, and mystery meat was the first thing I thought of that had the word Mystery in it. If you note I have changed it again (or will when I am done this post).

I wrote my crim law exam. And I believe I nailed it! I used all of my time, because it was a lot of writing. I think I answered everything beautifully. One of the best parts was that when we were leaving our exam procter said (while standing on a chair) "there is another exam still in progress so please be quiet when you leave...... Be wary wary quiet!" For the uniniated she was doing a hilarious Elmer Fudd impression, but she was not hunting wabbits.

I go home to work this weekend, I really need the money. I've been spending way too much lately. I will also be drinking coffee with Angus tonight before he leaves tomorrow.

My room is currently a mess. Everything I won't be needing next week is coming home today. This is a really good feeling, packing. I'm ready to move out I think, although I may feel different next week. I'm tired of all the drama of living here. I mean it's been wonderful, I've had a lot of great times and there are a lot of great memories here. And some parts of moving home are going to suck. I think I'll be a little lonely, but maybe that will be nice and refreshing after living with 40 people.

Things I'm looking forward to leaving behind:

1. Wearing flip flops in the shower
2. Having a broken toilet that just constantly drains
3. Worrying if the girl next to me can hear my conversations through our open windows
4. The constant noise
5. Not always getting to watch what I want on TV
6. Having to change out of PJs
7. Girl who's not talking to me
8. General backstabbing and gossipness of residence
9. The horrible awful and repetitive food
10. I guess the stress of school.

There's probably more on that list but whatever.

CRIM LAW!

CRIM LAW!!! TOMORROW AT 9!!! If you read this between the hours of 9 and 11, think good thoughts for me please!

Oh and you may now all feel free to use intoxication as a defence, be wrongfully convicted, have your stuff searched and seized, be interrogated, be arrested and detained, seek bail, file a guilty plea and try to plea bargain.

Happy Birthday to Janet and other less important stuff

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JANET!
She's 21! Yay!!!! Enjoy your day.

I spent the day studying. My eyes hurt. But I do feel that now I can search and seize thing with impunity. Ohhhhhh there are so many crazy rules to follow. And you know what? Even if the police break all those rules and trample all over your rights the evidence can still be deemed admissable, as long as it does not bring the administration of justice into disrepute. The courts are slightly wishy washy as to what exactly brings the administration of justice into disrepute, but (and I know you will all feel better knowing this), if a police officer thinks you may possibly have drugs (and they don't have a warrant) this does not give them the right to grab you by the throat and wrestle you to the ground. EVEN if they are yell "police officer!" at you.

Tomorrow is rights upon arrest and detention. So all of you please refrain from being arressted or detained until tomorrow afternoon. And please don't even THINK of being interreogated, I 'm no where close to that section, so I would be unable to advise.

Jocelyn is on her way down now, who knows what crazyness will get up to?

Felt like posting

I chatted with Mike before I went to bed last night. Always good to chat with Mike. He always makes me laugh and then I feel better about everything, everything in the whole world. For those of you who are thinking; "Mike! I haven't talked to Mike in years! I wonder how he's doing!" He's doing well. He's happy at university and is going through exciting stuff at work. He's grown and changed since graduation, probably a lot more than I realize because I still see him a lot. But he's still got his essential Mikeness.

Anyway study time.

A few days info

It seems that I am always not blogging for a little bit and then summarize what happens in my life. I have decided that I am ok with that, so that pattern will continue.

Saturday night I went out with Angus. And got horrendously drunk. 10 shots in 2 hours drunk. The shots were delicious. When I got home I really liked my floor, I really wanted to sleep on it. I also had an MSN conversation with Jo. After reading the transcript of it, I learned that I got really mad at the letter g. Other than that Angus and I ate Swiss Challet and went to Chapters. I bought a copy of my favourite book, Tuesdays With Morrie. Thank you so much Heather for lending me that book in high school.

Sunday was.. I don't remember what occured on Sunday. Oh lots of studying. That was nice. Oh and no hangover.

Monday I wrote my Greek Mythology Exam. I believe it went well. I was all over the response passages, being eloquent and smart. One of the Short Answer questions was "What year was the Greek Alphabet Invented?" I did not know that, but it was only worth 1 mark so whatever.

Oh as an interjection I must say that I hate the shortening of the word "whatever" into "whatev" or "whatevs" annoys the crap out of me.

Monday night was dinner with Janet. We went to this nice restaurant, that's so beautiful and has wonderful atmosphere. The atmosphere always makes me feel so adult when I eat there. The pizza I had was delicious. Then we had dessert (cake!) and we chatted the whole time and then in my room.

I always love talking with Janet. She's always so interesting, and I usually love her perspective on things. She all at once thinks the same and different from me. I also love her conversation style. It's patient. She's always very careful to make sure you understand what she is saying. I also like it when she asks if she's using a word she's unfamiliar with properly. She very rarely missuses a word.

That was what has happend so far. The rest of the week should be hardcore studying. My Crim law exam is on Friday. Jo is coming over on Wednesday. I eat lunch with my old roommate on Friday. Oh big week.

Friday evening

I went dancing. There was a big thing over if we would go or not. At some point everyone going didn't want to go. But we ended up going. Oh and so did girl who ignores me. Except this time she didn't ignore, instead she mumbled stuff about me under her breath to her boyfriend. Except I should explain, she has never learned how to mumble quietly. Usually I could hear her, and I know that everyone else could too.

I was thinking about it... I hadn't been able to figure out what I wanted from this whole situation. I do not miss her friendship anymore. so it's not like I want to be friends with her. I don't want her to cease exisiting, or stop hanging out with all her friends. She has the right to exist, and to be friends with whomever she chooses. But I came to the realization that I have the right to live without someone taking jabs at me, without constant open hostility being directed at me. I just can't think of a way to fix it. I think I'll just have to stick it out.

So anyway... dancing was fun. I did not drink, so it was just me... dancing. There were many people there. It was good. And if I can get all Junior Highish here; I asked a boy to dance. He was standing there, doing nothing. So I asked him. He was very nice, he introduced himself and everything. I'm just proud of myself for asking a boy to dance.

That was my evening. As for tomorrow; I am going to study lots and lots. Angus is coming over at 7! Who knows what antics we'll get up to! And Janet's visiting on Monday after my exam. And Jo on the Wednesday. It should be a good week... except for the studying... and the exam writing.

I am going to go to bed.