I'm It!

Alright, do I really need to repeat the rules? List 6 random/unusual quirks about myself, you know how it goes. I have no blogger friends outside of the sisters, so that rule does not apply to me. 

1.  I LOVE stand up comedy. I have not yet had the chance to see any live shows. The opportunity just hasn't presented itself to me yet. And, I am a little worried that it might ruin it for me, and that would be oh so tragic. One of my recent faves, although he is no longer with us, the very sarcastic Mr. Mitch Hedberg. Search him on YouTube, and you will not be disappointed. One of his best jokes: " I find that a duck's opinion of me is strongly influenced by wether or not I have bread. The fact that a duck does not have the ability to get bread for himself is the biggest joke on the duck ever. Like, if I owned a convenience store, and a duck walked in and grabbed a loaf of bread in his beak, I would let him go." Do yourself a favor, and check out his stuff, cause it's all in the delivery. 

2. I am a very good speller. Ever since I was...well born, I suppose. ( Just kidding ) I can remember my older sisters asking me how to spell things when I was 7 years old. Unfortunately, this skill does not amount to much in this technological age, and has yet to earn me an income. Also, Patience used to ask me for help with her theory homework. Mrs. Jardine was always such a stickler. 

3. I can clean a kitchen in the blink of an eye. Always put food away first, do the dishes, wipe the counters, sweep, and wipe up any spills with a wet rag. Mop only if necessary. Always in this order. Don't even think about it, just do it. 

4. I have only recently discovered the deliciousness that is almond butter. I don't know why I've never tried it earlier, I just never got around to it. It is so freaking good. I buy it now instead of  Nutella. While it's just as equally fattening, I argue that it's not as bad, because there is no sugar. I like it best with rice crackers. Mmmm.

5. If you ever sit down or place anything on my perfectly made bed, I will clench my teeth and veins will pop in my forehead. That is, unless, I feel I know you well enough, and then I will scream in disgust at the horrendous thing you have just done. I'm sorry, I know it's completely insane, it's just my instincts. 

6. I really like boys, and I wish I didn't. It would be so much easier if I just didn't care. 

Little Tortilla Boy

Whenever you're feeling a little sad, all you need is a dose of stand up comedy. Here's one of my favorites. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou3-sSIXkkg

Torrential Downpour Blues

I have still not completely adjusted to life in Ontario. I know that it's still a province of The True North Strong and Free, but it feels much, much different than the plains of Alberta. For one thing, did you know that they sell milk in bags here?!?! Eecchhh! I'm not a big on the cow's juice in the first place, but this packaging they came up with just turns me right off. And the weather! I mean, there's snow, but the grass is still green. And it rains. All. The. Time. The second I step into the shower, my fingers start to prune. Before, this would only happen during the last 10minutes of Monday Night Family swims. Last night, we were experiencing what I thought was a gentle, calming winter rain. My room was rather stuffy from my Christmas absence, so I opened my window ever so slightly so that I could fall asleep to the pitter patter. ( I like to pretend I'm Bambi sometimes ). Little did I know this was just the prelude to today's symphony of torrential madness. If I didn't have my pre-clinic manual and set of fake teeth weighing me down this morning, I honestly think that I'd be tangled in some Atlantic-Eastern current which would have spit me back out at the Bermuda Triangle. 

Side note - I carry my instruments and teeth in a see-through container. This is constantly bringing me a lot of 'she's a total weirdo looks'. My favorite is when someone has to sit by me on the bus and I get the ' Oh great, why do I always have to end up sitting by the creepy tooth girl' look. I try to make sure to fall asleep on those people. 

Here's to hoping tomorrow is dryer and doesn't knock me down!

Home for Christmas

Tomorrow morning, very very early, I will be on a plane heading to Edmonton International, and I am so excited to see my family! I can't wait to see how much Mina-bean has grown, and what new words Abby has added to her lexicon. I can't wait to stay up really late every night talking to my sisters, and to run wild in the Payne house. I can't wait to hang out in Edmonton, a city that I actually know, where the streets are numbered. 

Although everyone at school is anxious to go home for Christmas break, as I was tearing my room apart packing tonight, I realized that I am actually a little bit sad to not see my Mississauga peeps for a couple of weeks. Rania, who insists on driving me everywhere, and thinks that walking even to the grocery store is a daunting task. I am her token white friend, and she finds it amazing that I know what falafel is. Claire, my 46 year old Taiwanese class mate, who I always trade snacks with and give her tips on how to deal with her 14 year old daughter. Sabba, my roomate, who always makes me dinner and who forbids any contact with the ex. I don't think I'll miss the guy who lives upstairs though; and his Friday-night-dance-with- your-cowboy-boots-on-put-red-lightbulbs-in-the-fixtures-really-bad-dance-music parties. This is a weekly event, with only one attendee. His middle-aged self. It's very strange. 

Anyways, I'm so excited to see you all!  Merry Christmas everyone!

Friday Night

There is nothing like being single to make you feel hot again. My roomate, Saba, who is the coolest chic, invited me to be her date for her work's Christmas party. It was an awesome dinner and a dance, and everyone got their own hotel rooms. It was so much fun! I bought the sexiest shoes that put me at a whopping 5'3. Definitely came in handy when I met Dan ( I know, there's too many Dan's in this family ). He is soooo unbelievably good looking, Italian, but not creepy Italian, because he was raised in Canada, and 6'5.  We just talked all night, I wasn't looking for anything more than that, obviously. But wow, I have forgotten that feeling. Ok, don't laugh, but he still lives with his parents at 24. I don't know how I attract these mama's boys, they just come to me, I swear. The whole night was so much fun, and exactly what I needed to remind me that I'm gonna be ok. Thanks, Saba!

School has been in session for about 5 weeks now. Our class is 34 females, with every staff  and administration member also female. Except for the parking ticket guy and Dr. R, we see no men. Now normally, one would not blink if Dr. R were to pass by in the street. Especially if he were to start talking to you, because then he gets dry mouth, and the crusty whiteys start to form on his goatee. But after last class, when Dr. R forgot to bring his bulky labcoat, I believe I speak for the whole class when I say that I will not be late tomorrow morning. Here's to 17 more months of Dr R forgetting his labcoat!

Breakups

This is my first post, and I will admit, it's typical. I have just ended a 3yr relationship, and instead of feeling sorry for myself, I'm trying to occupy my time with...well, anything really. I promise this will be the ONLY post on this subject, so bear with me as I digress.

One thing that can really help or set you back with moving on is music. Did you ever notice that every song ever written falls under either one of two categories? That would be 1- breaking up, or 2- falling in love. It's not so bad really, except that I find myself connecting with artists like Timbaland ( featuring One Republic )  and Gloria Gaynor. Embarrassing, yes. But it just feels so good to belt out in the shower, " It's too late to apologize, it's too laaaaate ". 

 Maybe this is where Eminem went wrong. He probably just went through a break-up, no different than the rest of us, and got sick of all the damn love songs on the radio. Can you really blame the guy?

Something else that can really help, surprisingly, are those inspirational tabs on the Yogi-tea bags. Last night, I pulled the tea-bag out of my mug and read " Self reliance conquers all difficulties." I am so lucky to have my sisters and friends encouragement  and support, but sometimes, it helps to hear it from the hard worker at the tea factory whose job it is to type out those words and then somehow staple that tiny little tab to the string. I'd like to think he/she knew that tab would reach me, and made sure it didn't say something like " Life's a bitch. " Thanks, tea-bag-tab guy.