<body><script type="text/javascript"> function setAttributeOnload(object, attribute, val) { if(window.addEventListener) { window.addEventListener('load', function(){ object[attribute] = val; }, false); } else { window.attachEvent('onload', function(){ object[attribute] = val; }); } } </script> <div id="navbar-iframe-container"></div> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://apis.google.com/js/platform.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> gapi.load("gapi.iframes:gapi.iframes.style.bubble", function() { if (gapi.iframes && gapi.iframes.getContext) { gapi.iframes.getContext().openChild({ url: 'https://www.blogger.com/navbar.g?targetBlogID\x3d7847040\x26blogName\x3dmerely+talk\x26publishMode\x3dPUBLISH_MODE_BLOGSPOT\x26navbarType\x3dBLUE\x26layoutType\x3dCLASSIC\x26searchRoot\x3dhttps://merelytalk.blogspot.com/search\x26blogLocale\x3den_CA\x26v\x3d2\x26homepageUrl\x3dhttp://merelytalk.blogspot.com/\x26vt\x3d-1708747861585447257', where: document.getElementById("navbar-iframe-container"), id: "navbar-iframe" }); } }); </script>

merely talk

rantings and ravings with little cohesion and plenty of pretension

 

Just call me Tess of the Tundra

Look! I chopped wood! And I still look quite fetching!

 
 

Pender Update

Yesterday was the only nice day that the weather channel has predicted for us this weekend. And if this mornings torrential rains and strong winds are any indication they were right (for once).

But it was all sunshine and prettiness yesterday. My cousin and I headed out for a walk to the nearest convenience store, which also doubles as a video store. We cut through a provincial park and walked the Heart Trail. It was very lovely and easy, which is how I like my hikes. We eventually found our way to the video store and rented "Down with Love". I hadn't watched it since it'd been in theaters and my cousin had never seen it. It was just what the doctor ordered, brainless and funny. And it featured the cute Ewan, who needs to come out with a new movie soon...you know that doesn't totally suck ("Robots" I'm looking at you).

The wildlife watch spotted a few more deer yesterday as well as a few hummingbirds and various other birds. My parents have tons of bird identification books, so we were able to identify most of the birds we'd seen. Anna really wants to see a hummingbird called the Anna's Hummingbird. I think for obvious reasons, also because it's really cool looking.

On today's agenda: stupid readings, finishing a scarf I've been knitting for ages (sorry Lena, it's almost done. I guess you can use it next winter...) heading into "town" to express post my stupid outline that's due on Thursday, roasting marshmallows, and heading to the local pub for a live show. Should be a busy day.

 
 

Away!

I'm currently sitting on the top floor of my parents cabin overlooking the ocean. If I just angle my head a little to the right I can see Sydney. It's pretty cool.

I've managed to escape the city for the long weekend, for a much needed vacation. It was a bit of an adventure getting out of the city. The amount of time it took me to get from my apartment door to the cabin door was about the length of time it takes to get to Toronto. I can assure you that both Translink and BC Ferries have made it into my bad book.

I brought along a lot of reading to do. Just prior to this little jaunt I managed to get myself roped into a whole bunch of extra work for my company, that and the realization that my big assed thesis like paper is due in exactly 4 months has put me in research mode. So I've been reading. Last night the other passengers on the sun deck got to here me complain about a certain PH.D's referencing style which makes it nearly impossible to find the articles she sites (she abbreviates the titles of the journals, does anyone have any clue what JAACAP stands for?). So this is a working vacation of sorts. But I'm hoping to have the chance to relax as well.

It's just me and my cousin out here this weekend. My parents headed off to the big island for the weekend, and both of my siblings are staying in there respective cities for this holiday. It's kind of fun having this cabin almost to myself. My parents have recently acquired a cappachino maker. So I had a lovely caffeinated drink for breakfast. My cousin is currently building a fire in the wood stove so that the place heats up and I've already spotted 3 deer, and I've only been up for a few hours.

I hope everyone has a Happy Easter and a great weekend. Hopefully I'll be able to catch up with you all soon.

 
 

New Favourite Song

I was over at pamie.com and one of the contributors, Dan, recommended a band from the 80's called the Lightning Seeds. And more specifically he recommended a song called "Sense". So I tracked it down, because who wants to work on schoolwork, and it is totally awesome. So now I'm recommending it to all of you.

They kind of remind me a little of Postal Service, so that alone should tell you how awesome it is.

And now back to that outline which is just refusing to write its self. Sigh.

 
 

Why Not?

A few friends sent me this awhile ago, and I know how much some people hate getting these in the mail, so I thought it would be kind of fun to post my answers here. You know to be different or whatever. So here we go.

NAMES YOU GO BY:

1. Tessa

2. Theresa

3. Tess

THREE THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:

1. I have great taste in shoes

2. I can be silly and don't take myself too seriously (most of the time)

3. I can knit

THREE THINGS YOU DON'T LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:

1. I talk to much and often don't think before I speak

2. I can be very shallow

3. I don't stand up for myself enough

THREE PARTS OF YOUR HERITAGE:

1. Irish

2. French-Canadian

3. Albertan

THREE OF YOUR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS:

1. A pen.

2. A clock or watch.

3. Entertainment

THREE THINGS YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW:

1. a new brown skirt I bought on Tuesday, it's so soft and it was on sale!

2. a really pretty white sweater from Jacob

3. Mascara

THREE NEW THINGS YOU WANT TO TRY IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS:

1. Skinny Dipping

2. Volunteer for Planned Parenthood, or a similar organization

3. Going out more

THREE THINGS YOU WANT IN A RELATIONSHIP (love is a given):

1. Respect and honesty

2. Has a similar sense of humour

3. A great conversationalist

TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE (This is in no particular order, so you'll have to
figure it out yourself!)

1. I believe in God

2. I sometimes watch Dr. Phil and don't always disagree with what he says.

3. I have a jealous streak

THREE PHYSICAL THINGS ABOUT THE OPPOSITE SEX (or same) THAT APPEAL TO YOU:

1. Light coloured eyes

2. Dark hair

3. Tall

THREE THINGS YOU JUST CAN'T DO:

1. Be rude to people I don't know

2. Own a cat

3. Steal

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES:

1. Knitting (and now I'm getting into sewing)

2. Reading

3. Spending my life savings at the movie theaters

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO REALLY BADLY RIGHT NOW:

1. Go outside, it's so gorgeous

2. Finish my sewing project without screwing it up.

3. Go back to bed and actually sleep ( I can't sleep past 6:30 anymore. It's annoying.)

THREE CAREERS YOU'RE CONSIDERING:

1. Therapist

2. Sex educator

3. Radical feminist activist

THREE (or 5) PLACES YOU WANT TO GO ON VACATION:

1. Someplace warm, with a beach and the ocean and someone constantly bringing me colourful drinks with little umbrellas in them (so....Mexico?)

2. Italy

3. Back to Scotland

4. France

5. Spain and Portugal

THREE KID'S NAMES:

1. Ella
2. Sophia
3. Emma

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE:

1. Visit every province and territory in this great land

2. Be a published author

3. Learn another language

 
 

Shopping Non-Success

I headed out downtown with my cousin yesterday. I wanted to check out a few things at Sears. They send me their catalogue and I wanted to check out a few pair of shoes. The lovely weather has reminded me that I wore out all my sandals last summer, so I'm in desperate need for something fun and strappy.

Downtown was packed due to the Celtic festival. I'm not a big fan of huge crowds, especially when they include stupid parents (one parent was letting their baby crawl on a busy sidewalk) and lots of kids, but overall it was fun.

Shopping was less successful then we had hoped, Sears was out of both pairs I was interested in, which was annoying. I'm going to head back at some other point and see if they get re-stocked, which I'm sure they will soon. And I did find a super cute pair of pink heels at Pay less so the day wasn't a complete bust.

While we were walking through Sears we discovered that Elizabeth Arden was performing this free spa service thing. It was to soften the skin on your hands. It involved sticking your hand in a warm "special" wax, getting them wrapped up in tissue and plastic, sitting like a mummy for five minutes, and then pulling it off and applying moisturizer. I'm not sure how much softer my skin became, and the process sure felt weird, but it was free, so I'm not complaining.

We headed up to Fanny's in the Bay later on and I bought myself a seam ripper and some thread for a little sewing project I'm been meaning to start, and cousin Anna found some really lovely, cheap fabric, which she is planning on making a shirt out of. I need to head out to Dress-sew (I'll probably go tomorrow) to find some funky fabric and I think lace and then I'll be ready to go.

I'll keep you all posted on the progress.

 
 

Hello All

Sorry for the lack of updates. I've spent the last week battling a vicious little cold, and other than going to work haven't really been up to much. I think I'm actually getting a bit better though. Of course I thought that on Sunday too, and then spent Monday hacking up a lung, and blowing my brains out through my nose. Pleasant, no? And with all the class and elegance and mental pictures in that last sentence, is it any wonder at all that I'm single?

Anyway highlights of the last few days include Amanda coming over on Saturday to hang with sick ole' me and watch Ghost World. I was thinking about it Amanda and I think the name of the genre of movies you like is "good". It really is the only thing they all seem to have in common.

I also discovered that U of A had the schedule of classes up, so I spent a frustrating few hours trying to make bear tracks not completely suck. At one point when I discovered bear tracks could not comprehend me wanting to have the course description window and the schedule of classes window both open at the same time (it kept rerouting both pages to the home page) I was ready to throw my pretty computer out of my third story window into the lovely people in #111 backyard. I then proceeded to give up on the crap that is that website and went over to bear scat. A grand total of 30 minutes later I had my entire schedule worked out and all pretty coloured. Totally awesome.

(Note, for the non-U of A readers, bear tracks is our sort of personal profile, sign of up for courses, change your address place, that has hours of operation. Why yes it is a website, that is closed on Sunday and at night and really whenever. Some student a few years ago, made a much easier to use program a few years ago that is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week that is a lot clearer and cooler. He called it Bear Scat. Cute name huh? Anyway it is awesome. And I am never going back to using bear tracks if I can help it.)

Anyway school looks like it will at least be interesting next year. I have 4 psychology courses lined up, and two women's studies. As well as a few other courses that look at least somewhat intriguing.

 
 

Orlando Bloom wouldn't date me.

I think I'm going to cry.

Except not.

So in the latest issue of YM, Orlando Bloom lets it's young female readers know that he won't date feminists.

"I mean I respect them and everything, but they're tough. I'd like someone a little more feminine."

Cause as we all know feminine and tough are mutually exclusive terms.

Moron.

(Discovered at Your Dirty Answer a very fun live journal.)