Can You Hear Me Now?

Oh, I know, I’m long overdue for an upate, blahblahblah.

Guess what happened to me yesterday afternoon. SO embarrassing. I got on my scooter and backed it up, and remember that time the walker carrier caught on my TV stand and dragged the TV across the room? Well, this was even worse. The walker carrier caught on the TV stand again, but this time the TV started to fall off, everything on and around the TV stand (DVD player, candle holder, video tapes) crashed to the floor, and the TV was on top of me. I couldn’t move or it would crash to the floor, and I couldn’t push it back up onto the stand. It was… um… awkward.

Since the first thing I do before taking my scooter out (after locking Pita safely in a room) is open the door to the hallway all the way, I figured someone should hear me. The rental office is right next door, after all. So I started yelling “HELP!! HELP!! SOMEONE PLEASE!!” and yelled the names of the girls who work in the office several times. HOW COULD THEY NOT HEAR!?!?! GEEZ. Finally after about 5 minutes of yelling I heard the door across the hall from me open, and knew the man-who-never-wears-pants heard me. I called for him to please come into my apartment. I guess he figured the situation was serious and more than he could handle alone, so he called out “just a minute!” and ran to the rental office. Soon the girl from the office and man-without-pants (wearing, as usual, just a t-shirt that barely covered his tighty whiteys) were both in my living room. There was no time for eye-rolling or giggles, a TV was falling to the floor. So between the two of them they got my TV back up on the stand and detached me. I wish I had asked someone to grab the camera first. Instead, I just took one of the aftermath when I got home:

I am SO getting that walker carrier removed. I never use the damn thing anymore, anyway. It makes my scooter way too long and I hit things with it all the time, and I can’t afford a new TV. Oh, and I’m also very glad I live beside the rental office as that is not the first time they have rescued me.

So, what have I done since we last talked…. oh, I tried to watch “I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry” but turned it off after the first 10 degrading/dehumanizing minutes. I didn’t even want to see what else was in store. I’m really ashamed of you, Adam Sandler, I was a fan!!

Last Monday I had a great night out with some of my very best friends. I LOVE hanging out with these people; there is so much mutual love and they help and protect me so very much. I love my supportive, selfless friends!! Anyway, it started with Jay and his brother Marc (and their friend Dave) picking me up (and they had a burger for me, too) so we could all drive out to Carstairs, home of the Polyjesters. Jason and Sheldon had organized a big show at a local bar, starring Randy & Mr. Lahey from the Trailer Park Boys. We arrived late, (long drive), and the place was packed, but there was my friend Kim at the door waiting for me, and she had saved a couple seats for me at a table. She also gave me a gorgeous bracelet, one which she was wearing, too. “I know you’ve been having a rough time lately, so I want you to wear this and everytime you look at it, remember that I am thinking of you.” Awwwww Jason and Sheldon were there, of course, to supply me with lots of hugs n’ kisses, and a few of their new CDs. YAY! I finally got to see my name in print on a Polyjesters’ CD The first name, by the way. We can’t forget that part.

I gave Marc my camera for the night, so he could go up to the front and take a bunch of shots for me. He… filmed video, mostly. He took a few shots, as you can see, but mainly he filmed it. He used all of my memory to get as much video as he could, and I’ve just ended up with a 700mb piece of video that I can’t share or upload anywhere because it’s too big! Hee

Jason and Sheldon joined them on stage for a few tunes

Mr. Lahey shows off the Randy’s Belly BBQ apron

So, that was a very fun night. The show was funny (most of the time, especially if you like potty humour). The PJ’s joined them on stage and did a few songs they wrote for them, the funniest one being a rap about “that shitstain Ricky, the shit spot!”. (You had to be there). There was a lot of talk about Shitstorms, and wouldn’t you know it, a few minutes after they got off stage, a major shit storm rolled in! The wind was UNREAL. I mean, there were 4 of us in the van and we still felt like we could have been blown off the highway at any minute.

Anyway, thanks all of yous for a great night. And I can proudly call Randy & Mr. Lahey “Pat and John” now, as it is the second time I’ve met them and they remembered me from the last time. Plus, they are very good friends of Jason and Sheldon’s, and Sheldon totally talked me up to them, and Kim had dinner with them, so that makes us all friends.

The next day I ate beef curry that Sheldon had made and sent me home with the night before. ZOMG. So amazing. He sliced apples and bananas in it, which is “how they do it in Africa” I guess, and it was incredible!! That Sheldon can cook, man.

Did anyone else watch Oprah the other day, when Dr. Christine Northrup was on?? How AMAZING is she?? I need to get her books. I wish she was my doctor. How many doctors address vitamin deficiencies, speak out against their own profession with respect to unecessary vaccinations, recommend digestive enzymes, Chi Kung, total mind/body connection (her theory on Fibroids: “It’s creativity that hasn’t been birthed yet because [the uterus] is our creative center, the low heart. Or it is shoving your creative energy into a dead end job or relationship.”) I think THIS was my favourite part. I am learning more and more these days, with my regular visits to the Clinic for Mind/Body Medicine, just how true that is. I just wish I could undo 30 years of hating my body. It’s no wonder I’m in the shape I’m in… I can’t remember a time in the past 30 years that I loved my body. “It” has failed me time and time again, and if there is any truth to that Law of Attraction stuff, my body has been responding to my thoughts and feelings and expectations of it. TA-DA!! Now, how do I rewire my thoughts, preferably overnight??? Sigh.

I actually had a really great meeting with my psychologist yesterday, and there could be some very exciting help available for me soon… she’s looking into it and discussing me with the head doctor at the clinic, who may pull in a few favours he is owed from another specialist… and I could become a Priority Project in the near future. More on that when I find out what they’ve got planned! In the meantime, I’m weaning off my anti-depressants. I’ve cut down slowly from 40mg/day and am now at 10mg/20mg alternating days. It hasn’t been very easy, I cry pretty easily and have had many cry-myself-to-sleep nights, but I know that’s normal. My brain is used to getting that hit of seratonin every night and trying to lower the dose and getting your brain used to producing its own is not something that will happen overnight. It won’t last forever! I hope to be off them completely by the end of February.

Can we stop talking about Britney Spears for five minutes and talk about something IMPORTANT?? Like the fact that The Polyjesters new CD is out and I’m the first name thanked in the liner notes?? And it’s an awesome CD and you can buy your own copy using PayPal or cheque at the Shop on their website? (Individual mp3’s and full digital albums available too). Kitchen Radio, people. It’s the best CD of 2008 and we are only a week into it. Samples of the songs are on their site now, too. And you can hear two full tracks and become a Fan on their Facebook Profile page. So much going on!!

Oh I just noticed that they have a deal in the shop to buy ALL FOUR of their CDs for $50. That is a major great deal!!! Wheeee!!! I’m so super excited about this CD. They are my most favourite band ever, and I don’t need to tell my regular readers how much I love Jason and Sheldon. If you’re not a regular reader, I LOVE JASON AND SHELDON.

And Britney, get some help!!! I don’t want to be reading about your death any time soon.

How’s the new year been treating you so far? Mine has been pretty damn good. My friend Melanie stayed over on NYE and then for a few more days before catching the bus back to Fort MacMurray on Friday morning. (So early that I did not get out of bed to hug her goodbye, she just got a muffled “thanks, bye, good luck, snore” out of me). It was great having her around, she was good company and it’s always nice to have someone here that can help with the basic things that I may fall over while doing. Oh, and she did ALL OF MY LAUNDRY OMG.

I’m feeling rather good these days. Keeping myself on the up and up. I’ve cut my anti-depressant dose down by half so far. Hopefully I’ll be off them completely in another month or so. Then I need to work on the sleeping pills and I’m not looking forward to that!! I have not been sleeping very well lately, even with their help. But I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it, one step at a time.

Yesterday my mom, Bob and I went to Red Lobster for lunch. I had chicken tenders (not a seafood fan, but I’ll go there ANY DAY for the garlic cheese biscuits) and did you know I prefer broccoli over fries as my side dish?? I really do. I wish every restaurant gave broccoli as a choice of side. I’m not a salad fan, so “soup, salad or fries?” quite often ends up as fries. But I sure love me some broccoli, I would eat it every day if you cooked it up for me.

Speaking of cooking for me, I’m patiently awaiting my first food order from Cooking For You. I’m starving, so I hope it gets here soon. I’ve got a hankerin’ for some butter chicken curry!! Or maybe Greek meatballs? And parsley mashed potatoes. Ohhhh, hurry! I hope today is my delivery day and not Thursday. She told me Mondays, but I think it’s Thursdays because I’m south of Highway 1. Argh! I’m so hungry I may just have to make some soup to tide me over until I know for sure.

5 minutes later…. so I was just about to make some soup, tearing open the package, when there was a knock at my door. The rental office accepted the delivery for me earlier in the day when I was out, and decided to bring it over now EVEN THOUGH I’VE BEEN HOME FOR HOURS. Anyway, meatballs and mashed potatoes are defrosting in the microwave while I try to keep my cats from chewing up the huge styrofoam cooler the food was delivered in. I’ll get back to this after I eat, so….hungry….might….die.

I feel much better now. That was really good! Tomorrow I’ll try the butter chicken curry and I’m already planning my next order.

Yesterday I received a lovely note from Kate, who works at the women’s shelter our Pay It Forward project helped. Part of her note said “I do want to tell you one thing that you did with the gifts. I have a client who left an incredibly abusive relationship with 2 small children & she was 5 months pregnant. She has scrimped and saved and been put through the mill with lawyers and no money, etc. She was the first person to choose some gifts you had sent. She was soooo grateful that she had tears of joy at my truck - because of you! So from her & those who also recieved some gifts you had sent - a HUGE BIG ENORMOUS HUG and many thanks!” So… thanks also to all of you who donated! Yay us!

Another new release I must mention is Shauna Reid’s book, The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl. I started reading Dietgirl just as Shauna was planning her move to Scotland… late 2002. Wow, over 5 years ago! Shauna is amazing. I’m so happy she wrote a book, she’s such a brilliant, funny, and down to earth writer (and person, I’m guessing). I’m anxiously awaiting my copy of the book to arrive in the mail, autographed by Shauny herself. I’m not reading any other books at the moment because I don’t want to be in the middle of anything else when it arrives! Hopefully Amazon.ca will have it back in stock soon… otherwise everyone has to order it from the UK! Maybe copies will start showing up on eBay soon

Speaking of eBay (see that? Great shopping-related transition) I have curbed my addiction somewhat, out of necessity obviously. There is only so much money and so much closet space. However, I found a great deal on a couple MP3 players. I never have owned an iPod, (for shame, I know) but all my music is in mp3 format anyway and I don’t really plan on using it a lot. I’m a little adverse to headphones. I figure one for music and one for my meditation and Laws of Attraction CDs and stuff like that. I think listening to The Secret Meditation CD every night is helping… I mean, it certainly can’t hurt, and I am feeling better these days. Considering I’m weaning off anti-depressants, that says something, I think.

Beautiful Pepper in front of my beautiful new monitor. Jealous, much??

Jason and Sheldon just left. I asked them to try and interpret things for Dietgirl’s Scavenger Hunt, 3rd Installment by me, just because it’s fun. They didn’t think they could do a wedding dress or Greek Yogurt, but here are the others. Videos are short because I started laughing too hard. Photos are blurry from shaking with laughter. Just the usual, when these guys are around…

Sigh… I love those guys.

Today, because my vision has not improved (still seeing double - doctors are so helpful when it comes to shit like this, you know? “Well, you have MS” *shoulder shrug* In other words, learn to live with it) and I’ve been feeling rather down about the whole thing, I decided to spend today doing ONLY things that make me happy. That means drinking lattes, reading a good book (with one eye closed… I do need to be grateful that my left eye is normal), listening to music, going to the mall… and you know, making a decision to be happy today brought happiness back to me TENFOLD! When I opened my mailbox, inside was an envelope from “Cooking For You“. I thought… it looks like a Christmas card… I’ve been to their website a few times (drooling and dreaming) but I’m positive I never left any personal information… hmmmm. I open it, and it is… drumroll please… a $350 gift certificate!!! A combined gift from 7 amazing woman, including my good friends Kim and Carolyn, as well as a few woman I haven’t even seen since HIGH SCHOOL, and a couple that I just met up with for coffee recently after not having seen them since HIGH SCHOOL. I guess you could say it was the work of Facebook Elves. Un-fricking-believable. Nancy masterminded the plan, and what a genius plan it was, because that is about the best gift I could ever receive (besides a live-in personal chef… so keep that in mind for next year). Thank you Nancy, Carolyn, Michelle, Stephanie, Lise, Paula and Kim… y’all ROCK.

Earlier, before all the excitement in my mailbox, I went out to the mall. I wanted a) a latte I didn’t have to make myself, and b) to take pictures. I enjoyed putting together my last entry for Dietgirl’s Scavenger Hunt, but I didn’t take any of those pictures myself. Today I thought I’d hit the mall and see if I could fill the requirements of the hunt over there! Here are the results:

I’m actually expecting my friends Jason and Sheldon to drop by for a bit this afternoon. I may make them pose for Scavenger Hunt photos and create another set, because it’s fun. Jason does a GREAT Elvis impersonation. And this day is all about making me happy! So they must do as I say.

Last night, I finally saw the movie Pay It Forward. I bawled at the end… the ugly cry. Wow.

Anyway, it reminded me that I wanted to do another “Pay It Forward” type project this year. Last year’s was a huge success! Thanks to everyone who contributed! This year, I am doing something different, for a very good cause. Inspired by my friend Kim’s sister, Kate, who is also now MY friend (thanks, Facebook!) She works with women in/escaping from abusive relationships. She has started a Facebook group called Sisters in Ending Violence Against Women, which pointed me in the direction of the Central Alberta Women’s Emergency Shelter, and my decision was made. We’re going to raise money for this shelter and to help these brave women!

If you notice on their website, it says “CAWES is in urgent need of the following items”:

• Shampoo/Conditioner
• Deodorant
• Toothpaste
• Toothbrushes
• Combs
• Brushes
• Women’s Pajama’s (all sizes)

Seriously? Who can’t help with that?!? They also have an urgent needs list here. I say… we can do that! You guys send the money, and I’ll do my favourite thing, the shopping! And because I REALLY like their products and their advertising campaign, I’m going to buy Dove brand deodorants/soaps/shampoos etc. None of this Dollar Store stuff. Although, I may hit them up for nail clippers and combs. And I can’t WAIT to buy pajamas. Ohhhh, I love me some pajamas!!

So, here is what I need you to do, same as last year - send me your donations via PayPal. If you are not comfortable with that, you can email me for an address to send a cheque, or an email money transfer. If you’re not comfortable with giving me the money because you haven’t been reading me long and think I’m going to spend it on lattes for myself, you can make a cash donation to the shelter yourself, right here. But I am REALLY hoping you will let me have the pleasure of shopping for these ladies and their children!!! Once I have bought all the loot, I will make arrangements for Kim or Kate to pick it up from me. They don’t know this yet, but since they live in the same city as the shelter and I do not, AND they come to Calgary fairly often (or at least Kim does), I’m sure we can arrange something

Anyway, I’m sure we have all had people do nice things for us this past year, so here is your chance to pay it forward, and eventually it will come back to you again I realize this time of year is a financial burden on many people with the holidays coming up, but I’m not asking you to give much! These woman have taken their children and run from their abusive relationships with nothing but the clothes they are wearing. They need shampoo, people! A few dollars buys a lot of shampoo! Every little bit adds up - last year your $10 here and $15 there added up to over $800 for that family’s Christmas! And the best part was, I got to do the shopping… I LOVE shopping for other people!!

So don’t go thinking you can’t make a difference with only $2 or $5. Skip buying your coffee today and add it to this pot!

Click the button below to contribute and let the Good Karma begin!! Just like last year, I will keep you updated on how much I’m collecting and what I’m buying (pictures included!) And for the record, I have no idea how to move this button up higher:

Hi. I’ve been busy. And on Facebook.

Oh, speaking of, I started an MS With Attitude group over at Facebook. If you’re on FB, please join it. Even if you don’t have MS. Maybe you know someone who does, or someone who is in your friends list knows somebody who does, and when they see you join the group, they will too, and so on, and so on!! Oh, by the way, my Fan Club is gone. It was a cute idea for fun at first, but after awhile it’s like… why, exactly? Heh. So I asked Emma to delete it. So, if you missed out on being one of my 50 FANS over there, you now have your chance at MS With Attitude. Thanks!!

Is anybody not on Facebook? I’m having coffee with three friends from high school again on Monday. I’m loving this! Today, out of the blue, after 22 years, I received a phone call from an old friend. She actually found me on Classmates, but I talked her into joining Facebook too, as she is going through that “whatever happened to…” phase we all go through, and she’ll find a ton of old friends there. She lives in Edmonton now, married 11 years, 2 kids… ahhh, her and I were Duranies and we wrote a movie screenplay starring us and the members of Duran Duran. Lisa Dalbello’s album “Whomanforsays” was our soundtrack. Yes. We RULED. Judy had pink & purple hair and got me into Toyah’s music, as well. (Oh my God! Toyah is still out there making new music! Cool!)

I’ve been for two visits now to my new psychologist at the Clinic for Mind/Body medicine. I LOVE her. After only two hours I can already tell she is much better (for me) than the psychotherapist I saw several times earlier this year and quit. I guess it’s true, what they say, you need to shop around to find the right therapist! So, I’m sticking with Jennifer for awhile, and will be going weekly. On Monday she gave me two meditations on CD and a copy of a story about self-judgment from “Kitchen Table Wisdom“. It was so awesome… she already knows me so well! I’m looking forward to where this goes.

THE FIRST SEASON OF FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS IS OUT ON DVD YOU’RE WELCOME.

So… how ’bout our dollar, huh? Being an eBay addict, I am quite loving it!!! I think I’ve finished my Christmas shopping already. It is so cool to buy something in US dollars and end up paying LESS!! Loving it. I wonder how long it will last? It better last at least until the end of the week, because I’m buying an electronic lift chair. It’s an early Christmas present from my mom and Bob, and myself. We’re all pitching in because I really need one. It’s harder and harder to get out of my recliner all the time. The lift chair I’m getting is $1,175 US including delivery… to buy it locally would cost closer to $2,000 CDN. I’m getting this one in the green. YAY!!

Hey, do you think I will ever finish the entries about my trip in September? Don’t answer that.

My friend Shawna from Winnipeg is here. She’s in town for a work conference the rest of this week, but I get to see her on Saturday. Ikea, dinner, movie, that kind of thing. Should be fun! I can’t wait to see her.

Someone asked me the other day if I take anything for my ADD. WHAT is she talking about?? Heh.

I worked at my client Gerry’s place last week. I normally do his stuff at home, but he has hired a woman who works in his home studio/office to do administrative work, so I went in to set up a Simply Accounting template for her and work with her a bit on entering data. Basically, I’ll be training myself out of a job But Gerry’s a busy man (jazz musician, and he does very well!) and needs someone who can be around, looking after the day-to-day cheque printing and stuff. He’s much too far away for me to visit regularly. I’ll have to go back a couple more times, and then I think I’ll just receive the back-up files every few months to check them over. His assistant is a smart girl, I think she’ll catch on quick! She’s also a musician, a cellist, and teaches Gerry’s kids piano. So… I guess I just have to hope she doesn’t leave for greener pastures or a major tour right after she’s trained! Gerry lives across the street from my friend/client Ken (which is how I met Gerry) so Ken took me out for dinner afterwards. AND drove me home, from waaaay up in the N.W., which saved me at least an hour with Access. They had me scheduled for a 6:00 pick-up, “estimated drop off time, 7:30″. When Ken heard that, he told me to cancel and he’d drive me home. Thank God!

Sending love out to all who died, their families, American friends and all affected by the tragedy of September 11, 2001.

And oh yeah, please Impeach Bush.

I am so very excited about leaving for my trip tomorrow morning, but a little peeved that so many of the items I ordered off eBay and expected to receive by now haven’t shown up. That includes the top in the picture a couple entries down… so paying extra shipping to get that here faster didn’t do me any good! I also didn’t receive all the Crocs and shoes I was planning to wear, execpt the Mary Jane Crocs. Cross border shipping is sooooo slow!! Well, it is on this end. The stuff I sent TO the U.S. is arriving in good time. It’s probably because, like every other business in this city, Canada Post is understaffed, too.

Speaking of service sucking, I ordered some food in last night. It was the third time I have ordered from this place that they forgot a little 99 cent side item. Not a big deal, but it’s a pisser offer and after a few times it starts to add up. So I called them and told them I don’t normally complain about this, but it was the third time they forgot. The customer service guy offered me a $3.00 credit towards my next order, and told me they would get one out to me “right away”. Half an hour later, when it still hadn’t arrived, I called them back and told them not to worry about it… “it’s been half an hour and I’m done eating now, there is no point”. She apologized and hung up on me.

Fast forward to 10:30 at night, and I was almost in bed. There was a buzz at my door. I thought… noooo way!… and ignored it, because you can’t have a conversation through those intercoms anyway and I wasn’t letting them in. There were two more buzzes, and then my phone rang. It was the restaurant. “We have a delivery for you?” I told them I had cancelled it a couple hours before… “oh my!” he said. Yeah.

And the thing is, there is no one to complain to, and no point, because all you get is “I’m so sorry ma’am” from an 18 year old customer service manager who doesn’t speak English and has only been with the company for 2 weeks himslf.

WHY do we live here. WHY, WHY, WHY, when there are perfectly good small towns nearby where housing is affordable and everyone gives you great service, either because they truly care, or because they know they’re going to see you at the market the next day? If Jason would let me live with him I would move to Carstairs in a heartbeat. Or to Didsbury and live with his parents. OMG that would be so fun!!! I want to be adopted by the Valleaus. (But still have my mom. I love you, mom).

There is a Fan Club for me on Facebook (courtesy of dear Emma) and there are almost 50 members. That’s right. ALMOST FIFTY. There are close to 50 people on this planet who would buy my CD should I choose to record one.

Jeremy Fisher is one of them.. Freakin’ JEREMY FISHER joined MY fan club.

I got a pedicure today, because, you know, I’m going on a trip, so I want nice toes. That being said, because MY SHOES DIDN’T SHOW UP, no one’s going to see them anyway, because the 3 pairs of shoes I will be taking are closed toe.

The past few days I finally got around to watching Season 3 of Arrested Development. Oh. My. God. SOOO funny! Better than the first two seasons combined. Awesome. I just… get that show. Just like The Office. It’s not for everyone, but when you get it, man, you literally burst at the seams from laughing.

Well, my brother is on his way over to help me pack and stuff. I’ll see you in a couple weeks, with loads of stories and pictures!!

Pepper shows off her assets.

Pita shows of hers.

Eeeeeeeee!!!!

Planning the Great Escape?

We interupt regular blogging activity to advise you of the following:

I know I swore off eBay and buying more clothes, but this top?? Pretty much the most beautiful item of clothing I have ever seen. And I got it for under $25, which is a lot more expensive than other tops I’ve bought from there, but come ON! It’s still a steal. I had to fight in a bidding war to win it, and I hope to God it fits. I asked the seller to ship it Priority 5 days so I can have it for my trip. Which means it cost even more, but I DON’T CARE. Gorgeous.

You may now resume your regular activities.