Well, didn't know what toput in the title. So you can all relax, there is no kid in my life.
So, good morning everybody, I'm glad to be back. As my last post said I have been very busy painting, to the point where I did little else except for going to work, walking the dog, and eating. The grand finale was friday night when I spent 13 hours straight painting till 7:30 in the morning, which left me with a wealthy 1 hour sleep before I had to go to the tournament. I guess some people love their hobbies a bit too much (me?). But anyway, I got the job done, and the tournament itself was a real blast. I got my ass handed to me for the first three games though (but always very politely), before somewhat salvaging the remnants of my pride and stomping on someone in the last game. But everyone was a great sport and it was an overall great gaming day.
As an added bonus, the Ottawa audition to 'Canadian Idol' was taking place in the same mall, and several thousand hopefuls had made it there (one of our gaming friends went too!). While some seemed like they actuallly knew how to sing or play an instrument of some kind, the vast majority did not, and a sizeable portion were simply ridiculous, either in their attitudes or attire, and we got a good few laughs out of them. Oh cynical, cynical Nick.
Anyway, Last night was the first in 3 weeks that I didn't have to paint, so I watched scrubs and went to bed. Felt pretty good, but I miss my brushes already. I'm giving myself one more day, and I'll get back to it tomorrow - without a deadline this time! Although there is this tournament in a month and a half...
Sunday, March 26, 2006
Monday, March 06, 2006
In my car
Something comes over me every time I get in, with my hands on the wheel and my eyes straight ahead. An impulse to just take the next wrong turn, hit north on the highway until it stops a few miles before Wakefield, then take the first road west to where I've never been. Find a quiet town and stop my car, get off and take a walk down the main street there as the last rays of sunshine run through the leaves and branches.
I'd walk into the local bar and everything would go quiet, not many strangers come around here and it sure isn't the tourist season. But I'd sit at the counter and order a drink, probably start chatting to a few regulars, three or four names in my pocket by the time last orders are called. I'd find out Jim at the convenience store is looking for someone, or maybe Francine at the old Moore's farm, her old man can't put up with all the work anymore. She speaks French too, she'd be glad to trade a few words with me.
I wouldn't need much more than that, easy for me to drop my bags and leave the rest behind. Forget about before, well, most of it anyway. Forget about deadlines, fast food and traffic jams, the rushing and racing, just take with me the love, friendship and good times, the rest doesn't matter.
Life would be rough, unsophisticated and slow, but life would be good. Every now and then an old friend would come by and stay for while, whenever the world would let them. We're only 26 and already we seem not to have much time for us all, just wait till everybody gets settled... But we'd have that, a few days or weeks for us to pretend we're kings and queens again, a chance to enjoy life without a clock, just like when we were kids. And when they'd leave they'd be refreshed and rested, but still they wouldn't quite get it, why on earth would I stay here, so far away from everything? Me, I'd just smile and watch them go, holding my girl in one arm, praying whatever local god to bring them back sooner next time - but hey, why would a god give me anything? Later we'd fall asleep to our favourite film, an old rerun or halfway through the chapter of a book.
This goes through my head every time I get in the car. So far I've always turned south onto the highway, but as each day goes by the pull gets that much stronger, to carry on straight over the bridge, or miss the exit on the way back home. I wasn't driving today, but still I could feel it, and I started wondering, who of you would understand, who of you would drop their heads, and who of you would smile and nod. Not that I'm looking for answers, mind you.
That's what happens in my car.
I'd walk into the local bar and everything would go quiet, not many strangers come around here and it sure isn't the tourist season. But I'd sit at the counter and order a drink, probably start chatting to a few regulars, three or four names in my pocket by the time last orders are called. I'd find out Jim at the convenience store is looking for someone, or maybe Francine at the old Moore's farm, her old man can't put up with all the work anymore. She speaks French too, she'd be glad to trade a few words with me.
I wouldn't need much more than that, easy for me to drop my bags and leave the rest behind. Forget about before, well, most of it anyway. Forget about deadlines, fast food and traffic jams, the rushing and racing, just take with me the love, friendship and good times, the rest doesn't matter.
Life would be rough, unsophisticated and slow, but life would be good. Every now and then an old friend would come by and stay for while, whenever the world would let them. We're only 26 and already we seem not to have much time for us all, just wait till everybody gets settled... But we'd have that, a few days or weeks for us to pretend we're kings and queens again, a chance to enjoy life without a clock, just like when we were kids. And when they'd leave they'd be refreshed and rested, but still they wouldn't quite get it, why on earth would I stay here, so far away from everything? Me, I'd just smile and watch them go, holding my girl in one arm, praying whatever local god to bring them back sooner next time - but hey, why would a god give me anything? Later we'd fall asleep to our favourite film, an old rerun or halfway through the chapter of a book.
This goes through my head every time I get in the car. So far I've always turned south onto the highway, but as each day goes by the pull gets that much stronger, to carry on straight over the bridge, or miss the exit on the way back home. I wasn't driving today, but still I could feel it, and I started wondering, who of you would understand, who of you would drop their heads, and who of you would smile and nod. Not that I'm looking for answers, mind you.
That's what happens in my car.
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Back to work...
Well, tomorrow I'll be starting my new job. System administrator and overall friendly and helpful new guy in the office. Turns out I will be working for the same company as my mom - not for the first time. Maybe it's a sign we should open a business together, I don't know.
The irony in all this - there must be some irony, of course - is that the day after I accepted the job, I get a phone call: " Hi, this is Jennifer from company X. We would like to hire you!". In those words. Well, sorry sister, you're 21 hours too late.
Funny though, everytime they call to say you've not been chosen for the job, it's George or Frank on the line. When they want to hire you, it's young, sexy Jennifer... I thought I would feel good turning down the job, seeing as I've been turned down a few times myself, but not even. All I could think was "What a waste, where were you 3 months ago?"
Anyway, I'm happy. Especially since Natalie has announced she would make her way to Ottawa sometime in May. It's been 4 months now, but May is just around the corner. All we have to do is find ourselves a little lovenest now and we should be rocking!
Times could be worse huh?
So I'm gonna leave you on this happy note. And for those who asked, Rob's story is coming. Although I'm going to be busy painting like a mad dog for the next three weeks (yes, mad dogs have compulsive paintings tendencies) as I've somewhat optimistically signed up for a tournament on the 25th. Gotta get the army ready now. Ah well, it'll give me something to do when I come back from work everyday... I got 1 guy done, 20 more to go!
The irony in all this - there must be some irony, of course - is that the day after I accepted the job, I get a phone call: " Hi, this is Jennifer from company X. We would like to hire you!". In those words. Well, sorry sister, you're 21 hours too late.
Funny though, everytime they call to say you've not been chosen for the job, it's George or Frank on the line. When they want to hire you, it's young, sexy Jennifer... I thought I would feel good turning down the job, seeing as I've been turned down a few times myself, but not even. All I could think was "What a waste, where were you 3 months ago?"
Anyway, I'm happy. Especially since Natalie has announced she would make her way to Ottawa sometime in May. It's been 4 months now, but May is just around the corner. All we have to do is find ourselves a little lovenest now and we should be rocking!
Times could be worse huh?
So I'm gonna leave you on this happy note. And for those who asked, Rob's story is coming. Although I'm going to be busy painting like a mad dog for the next three weeks (yes, mad dogs have compulsive paintings tendencies) as I've somewhat optimistically signed up for a tournament on the 25th. Gotta get the army ready now. Ah well, it'll give me something to do when I come back from work everyday... I got 1 guy done, 20 more to go!
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