How Kevin Bacon Saved the Day!!

This St. Pat's started out horribly. (None of our friends wanting anything to do with us.) I felt really dejected and depressed. But Meredith and I decided to have fun on our own. We had little appetizers and cocktails and watched dancing movies (Flashdance and Footloose) and then we did lots of dancing ourselves. Then we went to the diner. When I say "went" I mean "footloosed" to the diner. It was so fun. Just footloosing the whole way there. And everyone was just like: "We're all crazy drunk!!" But I wasn't crazy drunk. Just happy and feeling excellent from dancing.

I got an excellent Western Omelette (no ham) on some whole wheat toast. It came with french fries which I didn't eat so I got it to go. I was footloosing down the street and in the Byward Market building there were these two older homeless guys who cheered me on and asked me for change. I didn't have any but I asked if they would like my french fries and they were like: "Sure!" so I gave them my french fries and danced onwards. They called me Sweetheart which I love. I got a bit tired halfway home (going up the hill footloosing is harder than going down the hill footloosing).

We started watching the Birdcage when we got home but were too tired. So we're just going to sleep in and watch it in the morning.

In light of how wonderful and liberating my dancing felt tonight I decided to post some clips of my favourite all time dancing scenes!!!

Everything in Strictly Ballroom


Yul Brenner in The King and I


Teaching Willard to Dance (Footloose)

P.S. Christopher Penn, John Lithgow, and Dianne Weist(sp?) won my heart in this movie. Chris Penn especially. Look at him learning to dance!!!! His solo at the end just melts my heart.

Shall We ダンス

I couldn't find any of the good dancing scenes from this movie, but its essentially about a stuffy business man learning to ballroom dance. It's one of my favourites. I'm attempting to find the whole movie online somewhere. It's not really a movie about ballroom dancing as much as it is a movie about self expression. It's beautiful! I also defy anyone to not be charmed by a significantly younger Kôji Yakusho.

P.S. This all reminds me of staying up late with Joel in a Czech hotel watching scary ballroom dance competitions. haha.

Jelly Bellies!

Here are my top Jelly Bean flavours!!

1. Pink Grapefruit
2. Buttered Popcorn
3. Doctor Pepper
4. Green Apple
5. Wild Blackberry


P.S. You can see my T.A.R.D.I.S. piggy bank in the background of this picture.
P.S.S. They totally look like dinosaur eggs!!

Apartment Hunting

Firstly, I'd like to present my cat Olivia kneading and suckling my housecoat... *sigh* I know I'm a cat lady. Don't patronize me



This is so frustrating. This is my second month of apartment hunting. I've applied to countless places and seen SO MANY apartments. Its so disappointing. It really makes me not want to leave this apartment. I have no choice though. Please Doctor Who/God/Morgan Freeman: Let me find a decent 1 bedroom apartment within 15 minutes walking distance to the school for under $850 (including utilities)... PLEASE! I saw two apartments this morning. One was FABULOUS and perfect in everyway except another couple applied for it already. I'm next if their credit check or something falls through. :( BOO URNS.

Then I saw another place in a highrise which was very spacious and bright but not as well-maintained as I'd like. The windows panes were metal too. UGLY. I'd have to have some really nice window treatments going on. And the balcony felt as if it was going to crumble under my feet. Very nerve wracking. I spent the next hour wandering up and down each street in Sandy Hill (on the Rideau side of Laurier). I called countless places and left messages so hopefully a bunch of those will get back to me. Now tomorrow I'm seeing three apartments in the span of an hour. One at 3:30pm, one at 4:15pm, and another at 5pm. At least they are all in the same neighbourhood. I have a feeling that they will all be a bit sketchy.

In other news, caught up with Flight of the Conchords last night and downloaded Star Treks 2&4. I will watch them alone this afternoon like a losaaaar.

Firstly: OMG BRET!GLASSES!


Secondly, BIZARRE INSTRUMENTS!



WHAT THE HECK ARE THESE?



W



And lastly but not leastly(??) SHORT SHORTS. Jemaine peen was very prevalent throughout this episode. I'd Garfunkle him anyday!

New Photoshop Brushes

I also made this calendar desktop wallpaper. It sort of shows how bad I want spring to get here. I am also eager to show off my new photoshop brushes grifted from the bowels of of th tubes (deviantart).

I'll share an inferior version with you here.
The full resolution of my monitor (1280x800) is too big for photobucket to handle so unless you want me to email it to you or something, TOO BAD! It's just for me anyways. Now NOBODY will have the same wally as me. (I'm trying to encorporate the term "wally" as desktop background... I don't know why, I just like to screw with linguistics.)

Look at this totally creepy brush (click for the big version):

Friday Morning Anger... AND CUTE DECOR

Dear lord. This women's studies prof will be the end of me. She is such an idiot. Tell me... how the hell is "The L Word" an accurate representation of the lesbot community? ITS NOT! "OMG! LETS HAVE SEX AND BE CURATORS!" Also, I like how to be bisexual on that show its like you had to drain a baby of its blood and use it as bathwater or something.

Now, during the rest of this class's ridiculous conversation about how "empowering" this glorified soap opera is, I'm just going to check out interior design websites.

Missed Opportunity

Do you ever think of something hilarious but know you'll never get the opportunity to actually use it. I was just thinking that if I were a dude and I shaved my head into a shamrock pattern for St. Pat's day I might say something like: "I'm not lucky, I'm just shorn that way."

If only these opportunities came up more often.

In other news, how can I get my twitter synced up to my livejournal and blogger accounts? I would love if all my daily tweets went up in one post at the end of the day.

Thanks betches.

P.S.

P-R-E-T-T-Y

Um... I guess I got an alibi now?
Do the Ugly/Pretty photo meme. 6 BW Face Portraits. 3 UGLY! 3 PRETTY!
P.S. Fair warning- when I wear makeup I get a little drag queenish.

U-G-L-Y

I'm afraid I ain't got no alibi.

Sometimes I feel like nobody sees me. It's my worst fear. Selfish, but true. It's not like I think I'm the smartest, most beautiful, fabulous-beyond-belief person in the entire universe. I just want people to see me and validate me as the not smart, not beautiful, not fabulous person I am. Does that make sense to you? There are so many things and people I love for their imperfections and I want people to see mine.

I was about to go to bed and I took out my contacts and couldn't see. I decided to take some pictures of myself whithout my contacts (I wouldn't be able to see myself to "pose" like normal.) I only took a few shots because I feel disoriented when I can't see anything. These are the pictures that actually focused/didn't cut off most of my face. You can click through for ginormous pore exposing versions (they are scaled down from the originals on my computer).

P.S. I made them black and white for dramatic effect. I wanted them to look old. Like they weren't from 2009 or any time in particular.







Don't feel pressured to comment. This is in introspective post. I almost made it private but that would sort of negate the purpose.

A Cat's Life

How do my cats live? In a lap of LUXURY! That's how! Their new favourite treats are by Zuke's. They are seriously addicted. More addicted than those whiskas treats. The whiskas treats my as well be little carboard bits for all they care. Buyer beware, your cat will won't go back.

My cats also have their own "furniture" which include a box of toys (also a bed sometimes), a little box bed, their cat carriers (now cat condos), and a cat sized couch. I shit you not.

Blogger is too crappy to upload pictures right now, but they exist. Ohhhh yes. I have some pictures on my photobucket that I took for my landlord to show the apartment. Olivia attempted to ruin EVERY picture.







"Oh! You're taking a picture here? How clumsy of me to fall and expose my soft fluffalicious tummy region!"

For Rent

For info, contact my landlord, George.



I'm sad to leave the place. It's my little cosy home. Meredith is likely going to Alberta this summer and I can't afford it by myself. (And I don't want a roomie.)

It's a three story walk up on Laurier East just before Friel. 5 minutes to UofO.

2009 FANDOM STEEL CAGE MATCH MARCH MADNESS

Choosing between Dr. Cox and GOB Bluth was just about the hardest thing I have EVER done including my 13 year stint at a convent in Tibet.

Second hardest thing after that was choosing which one of these banners to use. I chose Jemaine for adorableness + awkwardness.

Daylight Savings

GAH!
I woke up and all the clocks were different times!!! My phone said it was 4:11, my alarm clock said 5:30, the microwave said 6:39!!! The microwave is right of course. I'm so mad! I didn't have time to shower, I just brushed hair into ponytail, brushed teeth, contact lenses, clean clothes, out the door. I look/feel disgusting and I'm starving and I'm not really awake yet.

Can you feed the kitties? I'm sure they will be ravenous by now and "reminding" you gently anyway. I didn't have time to grab my food either. If you have time later could you bring the remaining raviolis and a little sauce? If you don't have time I'll just order food but I'd like to try to avoid spending precious moolah on fancy food when I have fancy food at home.

I'm going to try and nick breakfast from the continental breakfast buffet. Sorry if I left a mess in my wake. I need to tidy when I get home, but I really didn't have time to watch what I was doing.

--
Amanda Stanley
University of Ottawa

Design Daze

Oh god. So much horirble alliteration. Meredith has found a website of 99 things you have to see on the intertubes. So if you are behind, check out what you've been missing. Meredith is a fan of the grape stomp. Anyway, I'm sitting in class looking at apartmenttherapy and accruing interior design ideas I'll probably never use.


















A sweet DIY pillow customizer! Boring to awesome!!

























This awesome artist!!! Need to get prints!

A Mess

My apartment is a mess. I have to wake up early for my 8:30 class... My mom is coming tomorrow and to help me pack and look for apartments.

Boo urns I say. BOO URNS. Oh well, I like my messy room and my stinky cats and I'm excited for my mom to come. Meredith and I have picked out songs to sing to her on Singstar to herald her arrival. *sigh*

Speaking of musical theatre, this is from one of the best movies EVAR!!

Work Morning

Good morning lads and lasses.

Skyped with Joelio this morning and remembered why I friggin love that guy so much. Its irritating but I can't complain. haha. Even if he doesn't come back ever, I am totally hooked on the guy. *sigh* In hilarious news, he ripped his fav corduroys in the crotch. And doesn't seem to want to chuck them out. He may or may not attempt to sew them up himself. This could be dangerous. I'm glad I won't be there to see the blood flow.


I'm at the hostel until 7pm. I love working Sunday morning at the hostel. LOVE IT! This morning I'm eating chocolate and drinking coffee. The adorable intern from Germany brought chocolate. Bless her heart. And "Sentimental Journey" is on the oldies AM station. If you go to their website they advertise hearing aids and stuff. Shows their target audience I guess. Its going to be SO WEIRD when Justin Timberlake music is "oldies" or Britney Spears.

Techno-Mom? I Wish

People complain about their moms on facebook and getting into technology. Personally, I don't only want a techno-mom but a techno-grandma! I make every attempt to get my matriarchal elders into this new world. My mom has a Zune and Facebook and trolls Livejournal for fanfiction. My nana has Skype and Facebook and a kick ass Mac Desktop. Seriously, Nana has her "25 Things About Me" all written up. (She needs a little help making a facebook note, but you know, its progress.)

My dad has two laptops and is an electrical engineer but he needs just as much help as my mom nowadays. Part of their dining table configuration next to the salt and pepper is a Mini Crumb Vacuuming Robot.

They can't seek and download stuff like movies, music, etc themselves but my little sister (16) is slowly introducing him to the free open source software world with firefox and clam antivirus, VLC, etc and he's astounded at the amount of freeware in the world.

I took the picture of my mom with her Zune while she was loading the dishwasher. I said: "Show me your Zune," and she yelled, "WHAT?" because she had her headphones in and doesn't realize that I can hear her but she can't hear me. Noob.

Another Planet

Is it just me, or does everyone totally get creeped out when they cross over the threshold of a small town. I think maybe I'm just paranoid, but I feel like everyone is just staring and glaring and you really feel like you are an outsider. In the city, even a small one, you are just another fishy swimming along. Here I feel like me and the other visitors are being sized up- which one of us is perfect to be sacrificed to the harvest god? Which one of our death's will best ensure the next years harvest? A mammoth gourd is really the biggest priority.

I'm here to finish some papers and also to be inspected by the local hooga booga instructor for attached entities. I say that with complete respect as I totally feel a bit followed around lately. Again, could be the paranoia, but it could also be a supernatural entity feeding off my emotional vulnerability. Doesn't hurt to get checked out


I worked night shift, all alone, all summer and really only a few Doctor Who episodes scared me. Lately things have happened like doors closing and locking behind me, door unlocking and opening after I closed and locked them, smelling smoke (not cigarette smoke), knocking from empty locked rooms, flashlights and light bulbs not working, people showing up on the camera in the parking lot but when I look out the window- nobody. Just that kind of general creepiness.

So yeah, hooga booga instructor, here I come.

Fuming Mad

I had a project due with a partner tomorrow but at the beginning of the week she fell and injured her back. She had to go home to her parents so she could have back sugery and be driven to the hospital every day (not to mention have someone to help her as she couldn't walk).

She emailed the professor about getting an extension because there was no way we could collaborate and finish this project in time. She had no internet access at her parent's house, just phone. She relayed to me that the professor said we can either try to hammer it out together or hand in individual assignments (doing twice the work mind you) on Friday (tomorrow morning at 8:30am) but we couldn't have an extension. We decided we'd try to hammer it out together the best we could over the phone as it would be easier than all attempting the work of two people in half the time.

My partner emailed the professor again earlier today saying there was no way we could do it and if we could please have an extension. She included her doctor's note and explained the situation further (no internet access, etc). Around 11pm tonight the professor emailed me saying that I have to hand in my individual assignment tomorrow morning or be subject to penalty but my partner gets an extension. She did not explain her expectations for an individual assignment and she stressed that I was instructed from the get go to hand in an individual assignment.

However this is the first email I've received from the professor regarding the matter. Its midnight. I have an exam tomorrow. I have no idea what she wants. I can't do all of my partner's research and write both halves of the essay tonight in time for class tomorrow or study for my midterm. What the fuck. Tomorrow I'm going to have to talk to her and if she doesn't give me an extension then I have to figure out some way to appeal this (I have no idea where I'd go).

If her decision stands, I fail the course. I can't hand it in tomorrow and the next day I can hand it in is next Monday. I receive a 5% late penalty every day including the weekend until I hand it in. I would fail the assignment and therefore have to get perfect on all my other assignments and the exam in order to pass.

I'd like to remind my dear readers that I pay $500 a course essentially. (That figure is rounded down.) There is no way I'm putting up with this.

I still have to study for my midterm and wake up in 7 hours. I am FUMING mad. FUMING.

BRING IT ON WHORE!!!

Guilty! Shamelessly GUILTY!

I know what I've done is wrong and I'm so sorry. Especially to Meredith. I hope you never find out because you are going to whoop my ass.

I feel that I've let down everyone.... especially myself. But I was walking home from a shitty apartment viewing on the other side of town/15 minutes away and it was icey and wet and the wind was driving and I just needed some comfort.... *sobs*.

I tried to say no, but I just couldn't. I could see it from the street. It beckoned me. I knew I'd just feel dirty afterwards but... it called to me... it coerced me... like a merciless sirene from sea tales of old.

Look at it. That's a good inch or so of icing on the top. I'm only half way done. I feel sick and queasy but it was soooo worth it. Now I know why doves cry.

Tatiana Del Crazy

Oh Dear God.
Shoot me now. Are you ready for the crazy that is this chick? I don't think you are. I mirror every sentiment Simon makes towards this mess.




The best part of this clip is not the bouncing underneath an unflattering fabric, or Paula's generous ring giving ceremony, or even the akward Seacrest mauling..

But this shining moment where headband guy mirrors the reaction of North America as we witness this horror: