Resolutions... :S

It's new year's eve, and 2006 is coming to an end waaaay too quickly! The year flew by way too quickly, despite some periods where they didn't seem to go by fast enough. Luckily I must say that I did manage to achieve most of my resolutions in one form or another. As a re-cap:

1. Eat more controlled portions at meals, and pace myself so I don't over-eat. I have problems not knowing when I'm full. [did manage to eat more healthy, and more controlled portions. With the exception of birthdays, parties, holiday season]
2. No snacking late at night (after I finish my delicious date cookie and cup of tea of course) [failed miserably. realized that I could not go to bed hungry. snacked on fruit and "healthy" stuff]
3. Exercise more. Err.. okay, begin exercising. Goal: get rid of flab and paunch [due to holiday season, the paunch has come back. but did exercise regularly, until holiday season. took yoga!! will continue in new year :)]
4. Shop less. Only buy necessities. But before the end of the year I'm allowing myself one major shoe purchase, or perhaps several depending on the deals. Does this count as breaking my resolution? [no comment]
5. Stop watching wedding planning shows. My man-future is bleak at the moment but I will not let that get me depressed. Upside is that I know enough to become a wedding planner and could organize very modern and elegant celebrations at a minimal price :S [this I have passed with flying colours! Well man-future is still bleak. but have not watched any wedding planning shows. in fact I have no time for TV]
6. Read more Non-fiction to learn about the world. Science, history, etc. [check!! Still doing]
7. Learn how to cook proper meals. I'm pretty good at baking, but I can't eat baked goods for the rest of my life. [no luck, still working on it]
8. Stop feeling the need to wear make-up. It never looks like I'm wearing any. If I apply more I look like a clown. [do not wear a lot of makeup, except for some blush and tinted lip gloss]
9. Will not hit any more cars [thank God, I have not hit any more. although I nearly clipped a few people.]
10. Will learn how to say no [still working on that. many situations where i should have, and really regret having not said no]
11. Will try and spend as much time as possible with friends as most of them will likely move away after the school year is finished [I think I did as best I could. in fact, I've reconnected with several friends!]
12. Will learn about money and how to invest it properly so that I can save and buy a piece of property. Oh yes, and so that in the future I can afford to adopt children and have test tube babies [government is inadvertently closing off all of the sperm banks i would have used. However, I do have enough to buy a condo or house!!]
13. Will stop thinking and obsessing about relationships, dating, and being alone. It is great to be single. Absolutely fantastic. I will learn to love myself first, and I will go and achieve a few of my own goals so that I can meet someone who has the personality and character I want and so that I can contribute more to the relationship. [I've been able to do this somewhat... I really do enjoy being single, although it feels lonely sometimes. Been on a few dates, and also been burned by all men encountered in 2006. Goddamn fuckers. Ha ha ha]

I've been thinking about what my resolutions should be for 2007 and it's not as easy as last year! Here goes:

1. Turn bitch dial lower. I don't think I can ever stop bitching completely, but I should try to do it less.
2. Pick up another physical activity, and continue yoga.
3. Join a club. I'm thinking photography?
4. Do more volunteer work
5. Shop less
6. Work towards buying a home. If I can't find anything in 2007, that's okay.
7. Work on getting over garbage things more quickly and moving on with life.
8. Continue to remain positive on the single and dating front. There is hope!

Elliot Brood, oh my freaking GOD!

I went to go see the ever enigmatic Elliott Brood perform at Lee's Palace. I must admit that prior to the concert I did like Elliot Brood from the stuff I heard on CBC Radio 3 but hadn't heard much more than that. And so when my friends asked me if I wanted to go I couldn't pass!

It was a three bill show, with the Sunparlour Players and The Acorn opening. I was absolutely blown away by Sunparlour. A duo from Ontario, they play a gazillion instruments at one time and have the energy of a locomotive. The music of both Sunparlour and Elliott Brood makes me think of the Goldrush. If we were back in the 1800's, you could stick me in a saloon and put them on stage and I would be a very happy woman (but not as a prostitute saloon girl). The Acorn on the other hand... were terrible (they don't even deserve to have their named linked to their website in this entry). If it wasn't their retarded stage banter that drove me insane, it was their songs that went on forever and all sounded the same. I remember one song from them which I really liked, but I cannot tell you if they played it. After the first song, I was in a spaced out trance, similar to when I saw Emily Haines in concert. [as a side note, my friend commented that at the concert she shook every body's hands but skipped us. You know, I never thought about it until he brought it up. I think she may have seen us sleeping].

I can't pinpoint exactly why I dislike the Acorn so much. My opinion was probably biased just watching my friends coil in pain. The lead singer reminded me of that guy from Maroon 5. Bundled up in a scarf and toque, he'd hop around on stage and always played the same chord. Someone who obviously depends on the rest of the band, I watched him song after song and never once did he slide his hand from his original position. The next problem I have is with the keyboardist. I don't know what it is (call me a bitch, cause I already know that I am) but looking at her sent my blood pressure up 10 notches. Maybe more for me, than P, looking at her triggered a smouldering inner rage for all women who prance around acting cooey and cutsie like. God save me! However, despite how much I don't like them they do have a lot of potential. Actually they could make immediate improvements if they just shut their traps with the stage banter and just played their songs. (is that mean?)

All in all, the Elliott Brood performance was a fine one, but the only thing that hampered it was the rowdy crowd. The band mentioned it a few times, but of course no one could hear about all the talking and chit chatting in the audience. I wish someone had just gone on stage and said to the audience, "look if you want to hear live music great. But if you want to chat and hear music in the background, then get the fuck out of here and go to a bar or to your own home". It's one thing that I've noticed in a lot of the concerts I've been to in 2006. The crowd is rude, obnoxious, loud and apparently does not understand what respect means. I love the bands that I see but I've grown tired of rowdy crowds (especially when they shouldn't be for the music I listen to), and all ages shows. Why don't these concert goers smarten up before bands start to dread coming to Toronto?

Gah!!! Damn Zit!!

This week I'm in New York, New York (well close enough. I'm in beautiful Long Island, in F. Scott Fitzgerald's Great Neck) on business working with a really awesome client and team. Everything is going well, except for the fact that every time I seem to have a really big meeting or work session, I always... ALWAYS get a freaking zit. I mean come on body! Put it underneath my bangs or something. Not on my upper lip. I had problems with my skin over the summer but ever since October my skin has been pretty amazing. Well enough that I'm a little less stressed out with the way I look and can feel semi-pretty again. However, I'm working with a high end Italian fashion company and you know when you're in New York, and working with people in high end fashion you don't want to walk around with my mother of an upper lip.

On a side note, whenever I feel slightly down, I always read my horoscope because some stranger in a far off land has positive thoughts about my day and future (okay maybe that of every Scorpio in the world). With the Holiday season here, couples are everywhere. They run rampant on the streets cuddling and smooching and I stand there while the list of engaged friends grows longer each day. I'm more bothered though by the fact that people make me feel like something is wrong because I am single. In my past experiences men have been retarded and being single right now is good for me (reference all previous posts because I always talk about this). I love the women I'm working with. Career women in their early 30's, they hold prestigious positions, hold family and friends close to them, and only recently got married are are still dating. See! It's normal! I agree with my horoscope as well. Except for the forcing of a relationship. I can't say that there is anyone to force a relationship with! I already have my zen attitude.

Love tends to come in its own way. Sometimes passionately out of the blue, and at other times quietly and sweetly. The alignment of the planets suggests that you cannot force a particular relationship into being unless the other person really feels ready for it. You can keep phoning or writing, but unless they want to respond of their own free will, there is not a lot you can do. Try to adopt a zen attitude, and hang in there!

Call me Ms. Procrastinator

I can't even being to explain to you how much work I have to do. Well it's a manageable amount but I just can't bring myself to work. Is it fear? God yes. Is it laziness? Damn straight. Is it the "I like my job, but if I didn't have to work I'd be much happier, so why doesn't someone just give me a lot of money or let me win the lottery" attitude? Good grief it is.

It's pretty terrible though. Sometimes I sit on the couch and I know I have to turn the tv off, and get my ass moving but I can't! This morning's distraction was "Australia's Princess", following in the steps of the show "America's Princess". How do people come up with such garbage to put on tv? Well it must obviously work-- you're either fully enthralled by the show and need to follow it religioiusly, or you're in disbelief how bad it is and still continue to watch it. I saw part of an episode of the America series, and I couldn't believe the morons and bimbos that were on the show. I guess they do some training and try and improve the women until they've reached princess status. But what is the point? Will her new found celebrity status help raise money for starving children in Africa? Would you consider her a celebrity after a crap show like that?

And so to delay working a bit more, I browsed the CBC Shop to see what I could spend my money on (www.cbcshop.ca). I've been through it before, but I was really surprised the amount of clothing they sell now with Retro style logos. They're actually really cool, and I think I may pick up a CBC Radio and a CBC Radio 3 Shirt (the one with the moose and duck image).

To conclude this entry before I get back to work, I'm going to see Elliott Brood on Dec 15! Concert should be good. Music is a little different, but such great musicians. Also went to go see the concert of this guy I met. Joseph and the Shabatones (until they find a better name so says the ever sweet Joseph). Very good, and a band to watch out for.

What to buy?

I had a really good chat with my parents tonight about my desire to buy a place and move out. It was calm. No yelling. Quite strange :P

It feels really good to be able to talk about leaving the house without fighting with my parents, and them understanding why I want to. I want my independence, I want to be downtown again, and I want to invest in property when I'm young. Today we were talking about how much money I had, and also what to buy. Condo? Townhouse condo? A house? There's nothing I want more than to own a house downtown, but that costs A LOT of money. Right now, I don't see myself leaving Toronto. The more I travel to other cities around North America, the happier I am to come home. Not that the places I go to are terrible, but rather those cities don't offer what Toronto has to offer. At this point, I think when I'm ready to start looking, I will keep my options and look for the best deal.

25% of the time you're on the periodical anyway

This is the most terrible thing I've ever heard! Stuuuupid man!

http://www.betterloverseminar.com/desi_wife_catches_husband.php