vogtee

2007-06-12T10:51:00.000-07:00

Does anyone still blog anymore, or is it too 2006?

I think I am an adrenaline junkie and I've definitely had my fill this spring. The schedule has been packed but luckily the love is still flowing. Jack and I decided to get married and we are in the process of getting it all together. We will hopefully have a date soon! What we do have is a blog so it's a start. www.rachthevogt.blogspot.com

oh, and I chose a dress :)
Lisa

ps. what I mean is not just any dress, I mean THE dress that most little girls (except for me) dream about.

2007-05-04T12:25:00.000-07:00

Yo! I got a video from the Faithless show up. You'll have to scroll back down to April 25 to see it. The sound recording is awful but you can see how close we were, and the crowd behind us.

2007-04-29T20:51:00.000-07:00

The day of the Ball's!
We had arranged to meet up with Isabel and Mike Ball for a lovely Sunday brunch and walk in the park. Isabel was my co-worker for nearly a year in Japan and I have missed seeing her everyday. The last time we met up was in 2002 for her wedding....FIVE YEARS AGO!!! Way too long! The two have since created a lovely child by the name of Isis and she was a treat. By the end of our time together she was genuinely sad to see us go.
The whole family came from New Jersey to see us and the journey ended up taking longer than we had anticipated. The visit was way too short so I've told myself it was just a trial run for the next time we meet up. Having said that, the next time we see the Balls, 3 will have become 4. Izzy is 5 months (I think) pregnant with boy. :)

Our time together ended when we had to rush off to the airport to catch our flight. Caught the wrong train back to the hotel which put us about 30min behind schedule. Arrived at the airport in decent time, only to learn that our flight was 3 hours delayed. This meant that we would miss our connecting flight in Chicago and they wanted to re-schedule our return home. Any thoughts of heading back to Manhattan to catch Izzy, Mike and Isis were quickly dashed as we waited for an hour as a very patient man tried to get us on a flight back to Winnipeg. I knew there would only be a handful of flights coming in to Winnipeg Sunday night and that it would be next to impossible to get us on one. We were then given a hotel voucher for a hotel across the street from the airport and told we would fly out at 6am going through Denver. It wasn't even 4pm at this point so chances of a fun evening seemed possible. Unfortunately our troubles had just begun. The hotel did not want to accept the voucher from United Airlines and thus began the THREE HOUR SAGA!!! which involved going to the hotel, back to the airport and back to the hotel. At 7pm we were in our room and completely worn down.

Took a little walk through the Queens neighborhood that borders La Guardia. Lot's of kids were out on the street and some girls were having a dance-off. Back at the hotel it was room service in bed while watching The Bone Collector, a pretty good movie set in New York City.

2007-04-28T11:10:00.000-07:00

Saturday - Traipsing I had hoped to avoid walking much more as my feet were in a serious state from the previous 3 days. This did not really happen. We went down to Battery Park at the tip of Manhattan and ended up walking all over the city once again.This sculpture was in the courtyard between the twin towers representing world peace. It was salvaged after September 11 and put in Battery Park a couple of years ago.
Ground Zero is essentially a hole in the ground.

In the evening we were back in the East Village where I really enjoyed the range of authentic and everyday Japanese restaurants. No sushi here my friends.
Cassis Oolong!!!

2007-04-27T12:26:00.000-07:00

Museum Day

3 museums were on the agenda but we only had success with one. Heading out on foot in the pouring rain and rumbley stomachs led to some anxious moments as we tried to find a place to sit down. One of the cool things about being out in the morning is seeing all the grates in the sidewalk open up for restocking of shops and restaurants. Have not seen this in any other city.Our walk took us through Central Park on our way to 'Museum Mile'.

Finally stopped at this luncheonette for a little breakfast at the counter. This place has been in operation since 1925 and I can imagine that not much has changed.The Met was crawling with school groups so we decided to keep going to the Guggenheim. Let me tell you, it was not as simple as Carrie Bradshaw made it seem when she just breezed in during season 5. The lineup went around the block, most of it in the rain. The famous exterior was also under construction. Feeling frustrated we jumped on a train to the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) were G was going to meet us. It took less than 2 minutes to get tickets and we were in. Success! The museum had lots of interesting pieces of art work as well as functional design pieces. G came over to me and said "There's weird stuff in here. They have a Massive Attack album in a display over there." Indeed there was, as part of a corner devoted to the Helvetica typeface.

The space has been redesigned and there were some stunning city views.I began to embrace my inner tourist.One of the coolest things was this ongoing installation. We saw the artist lifted near the top to do the latest drawing. Each one was a witty social commentary. Does anyone know how to click on this picture to open it as it's full size?
Leaving the museum we had dinner in Little Italy. I thought I might fall asleep at that point but I stayed awake for another 9 hours as we enjoyed a gallivant around the city and plenty of drinks. If anyone wants to know where you can by $9 pitchers in NYC, I now know the place! In the end, G was the most drunk of us all. We put him on a train back to Queens and waited for our train to arrive.

2007-04-26T10:38:00.000-07:00

Shopping and Exploring
Jack and I were pumped to get out and explore the city... see all the places that we'd only read about...Greenwich Village, Soho, Tribeca, East Village etc. We started out early (10am or so) and discovered the streets to be quiet...quaint even. In Greenwich Village we were approached by a French woman who asked us where all the artists were. We didn't know. The only thing I could see was Chow, the restaurant found at the start of many a magazine article. For example: 'I'm sitting in Chow in Greenwich Village waiting for Lindsey Lohan. She rushes in, apologizing profusely for the delay. Her Chihuahua has the flu.'
When we got the the shops we had a fantastic time looking around and treating ourselves to a couple of things. I've got to say, I was a bit surprised that we didn't really run across many stores other than the big name stores that we could have seen at Mall of America. We didn't walk down every street but we definitely covered a lot of ground - which required rest stops like this one in Tribeca.
Soon work was getting out and there were suddenly people everywhere. We had to fight through H&M to look at everything, let alone the half hour line up at the change room. By the time we were done my feet were screaming in agony. I was wearing flats but they had absolutely no support and we had just walked all over lower Manhattan. I had to fulfill my mission of new shoes by the end of the day. Luckily I succeed and got some lovely new trainers.Back at the hotel we discover that our shopping trip had made us 110% tardy for our dinner date with G so we had to reschedule. I continued to feel the shock of my trainers purchase. When was the last time anyone saw me in shoes like these? Yet to be honest, I felt like I fit in more wearing these shoes in NYC than I would have in Manola Blahniks. New York is, after all, in America.
We head out into the Upper West Side area where we are staying and luckily find the East Indian cuisine we are craving. Interestingly, the guy at the table next to us was Canadian and our server had lived in Winnipeg for 4 years on Ellice Avenue.

With tasty food in belly we jumped on the train to Times Square. Times Square looks similar to Tokyo, except there's nothing to really do in Times Square. It's a huge tourist trap. There are 2 Applebees, an M&M's store, an Olive Garden and dodgy flyer-hander-outer people. Still I definitely enjoyed basking in the glow of the neon. Nothing gives me more energy than neon.

And then it was good night.

2007-04-25T23:55:00.000-07:00

Journey
The magical day for our trip to New York arrived and I was still struggling with stupid excess acid in my stomach. I packed a bag of Kaishi cereal, fearing that I may not be able to eat anything else on the trip, but thinking I might save a lot of money living off whole wheat cereal. Flew through Toronto to get to NYC and enjoyed seatback tv and video selection on both flights, which I have to mention because it was really nice. The Toronto airport terminal was new and we enjoyed this very cool installation piece.

Arrival
Took a cab to the super budget hotel in the Upper West Side where we were staying. The ride through the Upper East and West Sides, plus Central Park was beautiful. We were immediately impressed by lovely brownstone buildings, with Huxtable-esque steps and quaint streets running off bustling thoroughfares. The hotel was fine, no complaints, especially since it was basically free given the package price we paid. We soon hit the town to go meet G for dinner and drinks before the Faithless concert. It had been over 3 years since we had seen G, who was our "flatmate" in Brighton. Dinner was at a lovely place called Cafe Brahma in the East village. The owners were Polish and they gave me some herbal remedy used by Polish monks for my stomach. The bitter liquid...along with the doctors prescription, Advil and liquid Maalox... seemed to do the trick because I felt ok throughout the evening and woke up feeling much better.
Faithless Concert
G had made friends with Monika who works at Cafe Brahma and she came to the show with us. We went into Webster Hall and discovered that the first room was dedicated to rollerskating. Yes, rollerskating. Some of the oldest patrons in the room seemed to be in their 70's with shorts pulled up high and saggy boobs (they were men). We stood there in awe imagining that every Wednesday for the past 40+ years, Webster Hall had been hosting rollerskating. The lights were flashing and the music was pumping. We tried to get a good photo with a long exposure but found it hard to capture any skaters.
Waiting for the concert to begin I was surprised to find a complete lack of scene-sters, or the usual funk-ed up people that show up at concerts. My experience with shows in Vancouver and Winnipeg is that people wearing the coolest outfits come crawling out of the woodwork and you wonder where these people usually hang out. Here everyone was so normal. Jeans and a t-shirt normal. The opening dj totally hit my fancy and I was pleased to hear artists like Tracey Thorn and Erlend Oye being played in public.
When the show began, the floor was shaking so much from the weight of people jumping up and down, I thought we might fall in. Maxi Jazz is rapping, there are bongo drums and 2 guitars, while Sister Bliss with 6 keyboards to pound out the tunes that Faithless is famous for. The room is not that big and though it was full, it was not even sold out. In Europe they sell out stadiums. Luckily I had seen a video of a live performance so I knew that Maxi Jazz live would be raspier and more sped up compared to the album sound I was used to. We started out very close to the front but by the end I was dead front and centre. I've read some other blogs on the show and everyone seemed to be impressed at the amount of dancing that was going on. Apparently it was unusual for a New York show. See pictures below.

Of course it was over way too fast and we were back out on the street with ringing ears. We went for slice pizza and learned that New York style pizza is thin with a crispy bottom and very little grease. In other words...tasty! G and Monika are enjoying their slices below. Spent a bit of time at a bar called Tribe! (so Grade 8 perfume huh ladies?) before taking a cab to the hotel.
">

2007-04-25T23:53:00.000-07:00

My name is Maxi Jazz and I ain't no joke
I'll make you choke on the mike when I go for broke
when I come into a jam I tear off my shirt
I have no knowledge of fear 'cause I'm here to do work

Quiet, still, you feel there's nothing going on
Until you realize the space behind your eyes
Is filling up with something like peace
As your thoughts cease and
Pleasure grows in your soul.

2007-04-24T11:38:00.000-07:00

There has been some deafening silence around the ole blogspot as of late. You can see tumbleweeds blowing across some pages. Somewhere in the start of March everyone jumped ship for Facebook. Sadly, myself included. I am hoping, however, to keep a foot in each ship. Facebook is good for when I'm lazy, but I don't want to give up the blog yet.

I had intended to write this a week ago before going on vacation, but ended up getting quite sick (severe and unrelenting acid indigestion for 5 days?? wtf). Therefor this post is being back dated.

So this is what is new...Jack and I went on a 5 day excursion to New York City. We did not bring even one computer with us...probably the first time in years either of us spent 5 days without a computer. So I'm going to catch you all up on the details now, back dating the events to real time.

xlisa

2007-04-14T22:14:00.000-07:00

Living on the edge of a rain cloud

2007-04-06T16:46:00.000-07:00

Easter...the new 'new years'?
The Thursday before Easter is supposed to be the biggest party night of the year. I'm somewhat surprised by this. Isn't that supposed to be New Years? In any case, This Easter has proven to be great so far because it has brought a number of friends from far away into town. I did have a 'big night' to start it all off and it seems like the fun is only beginning. Hope you all are having fun too.
x

2007-04-02T12:40:00.000-07:00

...or at least I hope I will, when Jack and I visit NYC at the end of April! We bought tickets to see Faithless and a very awesome friend G will be in town. It's going to be divine!

2007-03-31T14:17:00.000-07:00

A Saturday Afternoon Giggle...

Here's a little video I stumbled across. It's called "Avon Lady" and it features Kal Penn from Harold and Kumar Go to the White Castle...which is a hilarious movie. Anyways, take a watch and have a laugh.

2007-03-27T13:48:00.000-07:00

Music Machine
There are times in life where I feel blessed by an abundance of good music. In the past month or so, I have had this feeling again. Every week I discover one of my favorite artists is coming out with a new album, and I'm discovering new music along the way. Add to that, Interpol is coming to Winnipeg and I am going. I used to dream about going to NYC to see them and now I don't have to.

These are the new releases I've been excited about:
Air - Pocket Symphony
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Faithless - To All New Arrivals
Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Sank
Tracey Thorn - Out of the Woods

*And there's a new Bjork album coming out that is rumoured to be an electronic masterpiece!

What are you listening to these days?

2007-03-19T18:52:00.000-07:00

March Mix Tape

Bombs - by Faithless
Got It - by My My
Happy Violentine - by Miss Kittin*
Easy - by Tracey Thorne
Cotton Gun - by Joakim
Falling Away - by Milosh
Keep the Car Running - by Arcade Fire
I am John - by Loney, Dear
Easier - by Grizzly Bear
Mer Du Japon - by Air*
Pop the Glock - by Uffie
Kiss Factory - by Miss Kittin
Ritz - by Shiny Toy Guns

*featuring the shamisen, my new favorite instrument

2007-03-18T08:55:00.000-07:00

My 2 Cents
I have decided to write a brief review of "The Departed" below. It is written in white to avoid spoiling it for those who haven't seen the movie. Please highlight the text below if you care to read it.

"The Departed" is a good film with some great performances. However I would like to recommend that the title be changed from "The Departed" to "The Movie Where Everyone Dies."
Thank you.

2007-03-17T11:13:00.000-07:00

For some reason I find it hard to believe that I've spent the last 3 days sick. Boo hoo to me. It started with a sore throat for 2 days that was completely managable and then my sinus's were overtaken and so was I. Somewhere in the boredom and delusion of being sick, I accepted an invitation to Facebook. Yes. I am ashamed at this revelation. But I do like staying in touch with people far and wide so we'll see if it ends up being useful or not. Plus my boyfriend spends so much freakin' time on myspace, I figure I deserve some online friendship too.

:)

2007-03-13T07:14:00.000-07:00

Faithless

Some my absolute favorite music of all times comes from the group Faithless. Their melodies, beats and words form gorgeous songs and I was overjoyed when I discovered they had a new album out. The first single off the album is "Bombs" and you can watch the fantastic video below. It gave me chills.

If you like this song, you'll probably like the other five or so albums they have. I know not many people in Canada seem to have heard of Faithless so you should definitely give it a listen.
x

2007-03-12T18:32:00.000-07:00

I think we might survive...
Today's temperature reached a balmy +6 C so we celebrated by having the first BBQ of the year. It felt awesome to be outside and have have the sun shining on us.

I'd like to say that we dug the BBQ out of the snow to partake in the festivities, but it wasn't neccessary. The two feet of snow provided excellent shelving as I explain in my video below. Jack and I were being silly and practising our journalistic abilities, although my sweet boyfriend never quite knows what day it is. Typical guy ;)

Arbor Mist is not a typical drink found on our shelf, but thanks to a snow day in Dauphin with Rae-Lynn, I had a bit left over.

Cheers!

2007-03-12T18:29:00.001-07:00

2007-03-12T18:20:00.001-07:00

2007-03-08T10:33:00.000-08:00

March, March go away...

Drove back from Brandon
yesterday and it was a sea of white all around me. At least the snow blowing over the road was minimal. Will I ever see green again?

2007-02-19T19:44:00.000-08:00

February Mix Tape
I've been trying to figure out a way to get music to play on my blog when you open the page. I have not been successful and in fact my music-blogging boyfriend doesn't know how to do this either. So I've decided to compile a "mix-tape" of songs...hopefully on a monthly basis. I'd like to share the music thats been amusing me plus give me more reason to explore new music. Maybe with Jack's help I can turn these into links for listening eventually. Gotta start somewhere I suppose. So without further ado, this is what my February has been sounding like:

Song - Artist
Let Go - Frou Frou
Here In Your Arms - Hellogoodbye
Smile - Lily Allen
Hi - Psapp
Yummy (ft. Pharell) - Gwen Stephani
Amazon (Diplo Mix) - M.I.A.
Breathe In - Frou Frou
Australia - The Shins
Love Me or Hate Me - Lady Sovereign
Now That You Got It - Gwen Stephani

2007-02-14T13:15:00.000-08:00

2007-02-07T08:03:00.000-08:00

If you want to know what's keeping me VERY busy these days visit the Red River College website and watch the little video. Make sure the sound in on!

Yes, it's Open House time again and there will be no rest for Lisa and Carolyn until next ....Thursday probably.

Anyone who gets CITY TV Winnipeg can watch for us on Breakfast Television tomorrow, sometime between 7am and 10am.

Wish me luck!

2007-02-01T12:38:00.000-08:00

Calling all Pedro Lovers!

You're too late. Pedro (aka. Efren Ramirez) of Napoleon Dynamite fame was in Winnipeg last weekend trying to make some cash off his Pedro character. Since Jack has been working for the Students Association who sponsored the Pedro's Dance Party, we had to go. The first 100 people in the door got a VOTE FOR PEDRO t-shirt. I was one of the lucky ones.

Pedro...eh hem...Efren...started off as a calm guy. Signing t-shirts with care and precision. I decided to get in line because - what the heck was I going to do with a VOTE FOR PEDRO t-shirt unless it was actually signed by Pedro. Efren was quite amused when he wrote on my t-shirt.

Finally it was time for Efren to play but unfortunately for organizers, Efren had realized that there were breasts at the party and he was happily playing with them. Literally. It took forever for him to get up there and start playing. And when he did get up there he wowed the audience with about 5 minutes of scratching. Then he played music...and scratched over the music. And then we left.

Since Andrew bailed out at the last minute I made him interact with the shirt so that you could get a visual on the situation.

2007-01-30T11:30:00.000-08:00

Gourmet Gals
Lots of people have expressed interest in the recipe swapping group that I participate in. Megan Smith, the founder of Gourmet Gals and woman-extraordinairre has opened her blog to receive online contributions from the other Gourmet Gals. So the blog will hopefully be seeing lots of recipes from the 'gals' who live all over the place. Check it out!

2007-01-28T12:10:00.000-08:00

A strange thing happened last week as I was driving home from work. I looked around me and noticed a warm glow. It took awhile to register what it was... and then I realized - it was the sun.

Winnipeg is known for it's frosty but sunny winters, however the past 2 years have seen a reversal. Mild but cloudy winters. Add to that the fact that the sun will set just after 4:00 on the shortest day of the year and you can see that the sun is a rare commodity for us Winnipeggers at the moment.

At the end of January we now have sun until after 5:00. I took these photos in front of my house on that sunny day.

To be honest, I don't like winter at all. I try to ignore it. I go to work, busy myself with a million and one things so I don't have to actually realize that I live in a deep freeze for 4 months of the year.

The other day after a spell of -40degrees Celsius, I stepped out into a -15 afternoon...and felt a warm breeze. True story.

If I had it my way, I'd opt for some climate change on a personal level. A little space by a warm sea with my Jack and my Jeremy (cat).

Here's hoping I make it until April.

2007-01-28T11:57:00.000-08:00

TADAIMA!!
That means I'm back. In Japanese.

Little change around the ole blog is my addition of comment moderation. I allow anonymous postings so that people don't have to sign up to interact with my blog. My friends will sign their name on their comment but a certain anonymous someone doesn't want to share their name. Therefor I'm only going to publish comments where people's identity is clear.

x

2007-01-18T11:08:00.000-08:00

I'd like to formally welcome Miss Liz Kaye to the Blogger community! I met Liz through MPPC and she has been keeping my life lively and full of hugs for 1.5 years now. Unfortunatly for Amy Tegg, I don't think Blogger is advanced enough to send hugs online. I hope you will continue to manage Amy. Anyways, looking forward to hearing more of what goes on inside the mind of Liz Kaye.

Introducing KAYVIBE!!

2007-01-12T07:35:00.000-08:00

It's -37 degrees Celcius today.
Thats MINUS and CELCIUS.
Then add the windchill and it feels like -47 degrees Celcius.
Trip to Winnipeg anyone?

2007-01-09T19:30:00.000-08:00

Why it's great to work at a college...
In one day I can get my teeth cleaned, have my pet donate blood, get a tune up on the car, use free gym facilities, get my blood type tested, eat a Food Network-worthy meal for $5.00, have some design work printed up, take a free course and of course - enjoy some goodness from the professional bakers onsite. Yes. I can recruite students to study at this fine institution while stuffing my face with freshly made coconut cream pie.
Luckily, the staff are used to these sorts of disctractions and can go on working while consuming a whole pie. Good work team!

2007-01-05T11:13:00.000-08:00

HOW TO GO TO SCHOOL FOR FREE
aka. great resources for teachers

In the spirit of lifelong learning and continual (not just new years-al) self-improvement I would like to share the following information. About 25 post secondary institutions from 8 different countries are posting course content and assignments online for free in an effort to promote open learning, and to reduce barriers. You can check out all available courses at the following website:
http://ocwconsortium.org

2007-01-01T21:50:00.000-08:00

Happy 2007!
To be honest, I've been writing 2007 instead of 2006 since July. One can only hope that this is a sign of good things to come this year. New Years Eve usually brings a night of so much expectation that I try to keep it as simple as possible. I'm one who thinks that the best fun is not always created on demand, but rather unexpectedly. And for that reason alone I can say that my New Years was 'fun'.
Jack was asked to dj at a huge party at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. The drawing card of the party was the 3 rooms with dj's and the open bar. These things could be had for a mere $70 ticket (early bird). Luckily Jack and I didn't have to pay and even more luckily (as we would learn by the end of the night), all the 600 tickets sold out so only two friends had paid to join us. We do thank you Greg and Vic. You were an awesome to spend this evening with and I'm sure we'll be talking about it for years to come.

Arriving at 8:15 with Jack I spent the first hour waiting for everyone to set up and doors to open. It became clear quite quickly that the bars were understaffed for the 600 partiers who wanted to get their $70 worth. Greg and Vic arrived and Jack was dj-ing to a dance floor that was quickly filling up. We made the best of the 20 minute lines for drinks and were getting into the groove. At midnight, the promised champagne was nowhere in sight and we informed Jack that he should probably pause his set for the countdown (considering the name and date of the party). Jack did a fantastic job of bringing us into 2007.

Shortly after it seems the shit hit the fan. The Liquor Commission was not too pumped about this party from the get-go and succeeded at shutting everything down around 12:45. Apparently people were stealing whole bottles of alcohol. Hmmm...perhaps the 20 minute line for 1 drink was to blame? The whole situation became something that should be published as an event management case study. 600 tickets to an open bar sold. 10 inexperienced bartenders. 4 or so very non-butch like security guards. 2 floors of party. 7 party rooms. 600 people who are either drunk or want to be drunk. You do the math.

Since the party was heading nowhere it seemed best to abandon ship. Jack was not going to get to dj any more that night so everything was packed up. Pandemonium, however, was ensuing at the door. The coat check people had no system for holding everyone's coats and all the people trying to leave broke through into the large room/theatre that was being used as coat check. People were freaking out and throwing coats everywhere. Everyone was worried about having their coat taken. It was cold outside and I think lots of people had keys etc in their pockets.

After we had found all the gear and coats, we wanted to get out asap. One of the promoters came by and told us that the party was moving to 290 McDermot but we were definitely ready to leave the situation behind. Hailing a cab proved to be impossible and the growing crowd outside the gallery was restless. People saw us carrying out the turntable and gear and started questioning us, thinking we know more about the coordination of the event. Guys were pissing on the WAG sign and people were pulling out the giant 70's modern bulbs in front of the gallery. We knew we had to escape so we started walking down the street with all the gear. Of the 4 of us, who do you think was the most unprepared to walk through the 25cm of snow we got the night before?

Yes, me. In the end, we did get a cab to Greg's place to unwind from all the 'excitement'. It was definitely unexpected and I guess the drama did lead to some fun. Considering that I didn't loose anything, I don't think anyone got hurt, the night cost me the price of one cab and I got to hang out with some great friends. We do thank you Greg and Vic and we definitely owe you one!!

Happy New Year.

2007-01-01T18:54:00.000-08:00

Farewell 2006
I usually put together some photos and thoughts from the finishing year to send to friends...especially those who are far away. This year I've been feeling out of sorts because any photo or recap from the year is on this blog so there's not much left to say. Still want to send out a New Years card in the Japanese fashion so I hope I'll actually get around to it. My time off is fast coming to an end and I want it to go on forever. The Christmas break has been like a trip to Mexico without the hotel beds, sunburn and diarrhea. So I guess it's been good.

There is only one thing left to share about 2006. It's sad but I have to include it because it's part of everything. Our outside cat, One-Eye, was found dead on the road across from our house on Christmas Eve. One can only assume that it was a result of the fast moving traffic down our residential street. We are nestled beside a transit base and rail road tracks. Bus drivers rushing in and out of their shift often drive by at 60+ km/h and VIA Rail trucks with huge-nourmous wheels also make frequent passes. Since being abandoned by his crack dealing owners in summer 2005, we have been taking care of him. He was sleeping in our porch this winter and we'd just taken him to the vet the week before to arrange shots and neutering. On Christmas Eve he was sleeping on the porch while I tidied up and prepared to go to my dad's house. Within an hour he was gone. For some reason that cat had something special. My brother and his girlfriend actually saw a cat that they swore was him, walking in my dad's yard at the time the accident would have happened. My dad lives 70km south of us. And they of course didn't know what had happened. I can't really explain it but I'm sure many people have felt a connection with an animal in their life.

It's crazy how quick things can change and it hit me so hard that we need to live every moment to the fullest. We brought him to the country and buried him on my dad's land. My family was really supportive. I can only hope that it's summer all the time in kitty heaven and that there are lots of laps to sit on, no matter how big your eye is.
xoxoneeye

2006-12-25T14:37:00.001-08:00

2006-12-24T09:37:00.000-08:00

The Eve of Christmas Eve

We had our Christmas dinner with mom on the eve of Christmas Eve. Instead of the traditional menu, my brother Jared and his girlfriend Jodi created a vegetarian feast that was absolutely fantastic. They worked for 2 days on this meal and the fruits of their labor are posted below.

We had decided on a couples gift exchange and with 3 couples it wasn't exactly a secret who got who (do the math). Jack and I were buying for brother Derek and his girlfriend Annick. We managed to find a whole new outfit for the alotted amount and you can see that it has really increased his confidence. We got Annick a gift certificate to her favorite salon and she was pretty pumped.

BEFORE ---------------------------------- AFTER

And if you did your math correctly, you've then figured out that Jared and Jodi were buying for us and they got us some pretty cool stuff for the house - including more cutlery so we can now serve more than 4 people at a time! Horray!

2006-12-24T09:20:00.000-08:00

This is the meal that Jodi and Jared made...

Thai Carrot Soup to start...

Served with Fluffy Cheese Puffs

Peace and Love Salad with homemade Hummus

Cheese Ravioli with Grilled Vegetables

Banana Chocolate Crepes. Sadly I have no photo of this course. It was just too good.

2006-12-21T20:12:00.000-08:00

New Years idea...
for people in Winnipeg...

Jack has been asked to DJ at the following event on New Years Eve. As you can see, he is not the headliner but will be one of the local guest DJs. The event looks cool and even has it's own myspace!!! Which is more than I can say for myself...

It's being held at the Art Gallery and the hefty ticket price of $70 ensures that you'll be enjoying the all you can drink sensation of either life in Japan or a non-mennonite wedding.

http://www.myspace.com/thecountdown2007 for more info. Ticket prices go up after xmas. Jack and I will be there.

2006-12-17T11:36:00.000-08:00

Buy Nothing?

Buy Nothing Day (November 25) was a breeze when I was in England. When you have a klepto for a friend and a Safeway pizza counter that allows you the option of either paying for your freshly baked pizza immediately or to take it through the regular check out, it's easy to eat for free. In defense of my klepto friend, he would only steal from corporations. He said that they made enough money off the general public and poor people overseas so they deserved it.

The concept behind Buy Nothing Day is summed up in the following pie chart. As a member of the "lucky" 20% on this planet, I am participating in a culture that consumes"80% of the worlds resources. It's surprising how hard it can actually be to consume through buying - nothing ...for an entire day.

A new movement has since come along called the Buy Nothing Christmas. Again, the idea is a move away from consumerism to remember why you actually celebrate this holiday. There are many versions of this around the world, but the one we are seeing locally has it's homebase at buynothingchirstmas.org and is very much rooted in Christianity.

According to the above website "The goal is two-fold: First, have some fun in this season of shopping madness. And second, encourage people to buy less, make more gifts on their own and think about the environmental impact of the mountains of gifts this Christmas."

While even the organizers of this movement will agree that you will probably need to buy something at Christmas - whether it be craft supplies or mandarin oranges - I think the message is clear. Buy less. Give because you want to give. Give within your means. Minimize the amount of trash that is left over after Christmas.

Any thoughts?

2006-12-12T17:53:00.000-08:00

Well, to finish off the "three days of birthday" this is what I actually did on the 12th. Jack and I enjoyed our first 'couples massage' but it wasn't raunchy or anything (shucks). Then we drove with 2 other recruiters (Karyn and Liz) to Brandon where we stayed over night so that we could visit Killarny school the next morning. The whole thing was pretty unusual as it was a rescheduled event from the day when there was serious freezing rain in Brandon (see November blog). So it happens to be on my birthday and since Jack is finished school I figured we could take advantage of going together. It was a good chance to relax after the craziness that Jack has been through in finishing up term 3 of Creative Communications. And since Cre Com is a Red River program I officially made Jack my "ambassador". We had a rule not to touch in the school or call each other 'baby' ...and I think we pulled it off! Anyways, it was fun. We had dinner with all the recruiters (pictured above) and they very much embarrassed me after dinner.

The server came with some dessert (not pictured here) and said 'happy birthday'. I kinda thought - this is lame, is no one even going to sing for me? Well, as it turned out, I wished they would have left it at that. The server then asked me to get on my chair and announced to the 100 or so other people in the restaurant that it was my birthday. He proceeded to tell everyone that I had ambitions of being America's Next Top Model but now that I was 28 I was too old to apply. I was frantically gesturing that I disagreed with that (it's actually Amy Tegg that wants to be ANTM). He said some other stuff and then they
sang some song about getting old, and then I was allowed to get off the chair, at which point I promptly hid under the table.

The final thing I need to say...Jack's gift to me was 2 paintings by the lovely Emilie Lemay. Pretty cool. I am now a real grown up. I own 2 pieces of art.

28 is gonna be great, I just know it. And since it's my birthday boxing day (i'm writing this on the 13th) I think I'm going to go have a drink to celebrate!

Cheers!

2006-12-12T10:47:00.000-08:00

WOW! I have the coolest friends ever!!! Thanks April for this creation!!! Really hope I can see you tonight!

2006-12-12T08:00:00.000-08:00

3 days of birthday!!!

For me, a birthday is a good excuse to chill out and enjoy some time for yourself. To do this I usually enjoy treating myself to something...like a massage, or a movie in the middle of the afternoon (hey, it's winter). And then I like to collect as many friends as possible into one place.

This year, the celebrations started on December 10 when my mom made a FANTASTIC lasagne and cheese cake. On December 11 I enjoyed a lovely lunch with my co-workers and then the evening with friends at The Freehouse. Now, it's the morning of the 12th - my actual birthday and we will see what other fun awaits!

2006-12-10T11:05:00.000-08:00

Hey, this did go out by email last week but I thought I'd put it up here as well.

2006-12-05T18:11:00.000-08:00

Ali G - Christmas Message

Behold...A Christmas Tradition

Before Borat...there was Ali G.

Sacha Baron Cohen is the incredibly witty mastermind behind Borat, Ali G and Bruno - the Austrian fashion reporter. While in England in 2003 I fell head over heels for these characters, hoping desperately to take a piece of them back to Canada. Since UK DVD's don't play here, and I couldn't find a copy of Ali G in da USAiiiii which was playing on HBO, I ordered a dodgy VHS tape of season 1 off ebay. So worth it as it has been making friends and family alike laugh for 3 years now.

One of my favorite traditions at Christmas is to watch Ali G's Christmas message from 1999. Yes, that is how far behind we North American's are lagging on the Baron-Cohen humor...but no worries. You can start catching up today. The Christmas message played at the same time as the Queens annual Christmas message that year in the UK. If this doesn't make you pee your pants laughing, there is definitely something wrong with you. Or you have very strong urinary tract muscles.

ps. someone has done some editing from the original on this youtube version, but just a few raunchy-er lines are missing.

2006-12-04T18:16:00.000-08:00

Not my birthday suit...

The other outfit that I wore for Jack's photo shoot was not my birthday suit (as Jack implied in his comment on my previous post). I do not plan on wearing this outfit next Tuesday, which is my birthday. It's going to be -30 degrees, why the heck would I wear this in December?

Anyways, it was good fun so here are some more shots for amusement. I'll post the final photo that he hands in for his assignment, which will be all photoshopped up and I'll finally have those Double D's I've always dreamed of. Happy Birthday indeed!

2006-12-02T15:03:00.000-08:00

I'm living the teen dream...
So Jack had a portrait assignment for his photography class and he asked me to help him out. This involved going into the studio for a photo shoot while all his classmates were in the room working. And me ...trying to prove that the hours I've spent watching America's Next Top Model were not wasted. Hearing Tyra's voice in my head saying - "it's all in the eyes".

As I imagined it was way harder than it looked. I felt awkward and didn't know how to move myself and where to put my hands. Jack had me sitting in a these funky colored chairs which was fun, but the room was very quiet.

I helped my friend Nina do portraits when I was in Grade 9 and she was in high school photography. That is probably the last time I was the subject in a setting like that. I'll have to scan some of those photos in for comparison.

All in all it was fun. Here are some of my favorite shots from outfit #1.

2006-11-30T10:28:00.000-08:00

WWF Canada Save Our Climate TV Commercial

2006-11-29T06:52:00.000-08:00

Well, it’s time to admit it. MPPC travel is officially done for 2006. There were good times and bad along the way, but we all stayed safe and completed our task of informing the youth of Manitoba of their post-secondary options. I have logged around 7000 km, given my presentation over 70 times to a total audience of nearly 2500 students.

Does that explain why I’m tired?

As for Manitoba’s Next Top Recruiter...that was all a joke you know. There never really was a competition. We just said that to be funny. However, if you want to witness MPPC Idol, come down to the karaoke box on Pembina, December 8.

Here are some final thoughts:

When reserving a room at the Canadinns in Brandon – if there are no available rooms, ask for a children’s theme room. You could enjoy the underwater adventure in your own little child’s room within the regular hotel room. Included are 4 bunk beds, tv, stereo and surround sound.

When in Gimli – Book a harbor view room and wake up early enough to see the sun rise over Lake Winnipeg. Definitely do not sleep in...

Also in Gimli – The restaurant across the street is very good...but there are 2 and it’s not the one that looks very good, it’s the other one. That is unless your idea of a waterside fish and chips meal does include fish sticks. Instead opt for Europa Café. The owner is from Greece and really nice. However, he is wrong about his idea of “nice chicken”. (Basically...skip the chicken go for the fish) Happy Birthday Amy!

Liz Kaye has a cabin on the other side of the lake and if you look really hard you still can’t see it.

To all my MPPC lovelies, I'll see you on the road next year. Yes Liz, even you. HAHAHA!

2006-11-27T07:18:00.000-08:00

Taking time to stop and smell the...churches?

Heading into this recruitment season I was gung-ho and ready to enjoy rural Manitoba and all it's splendors. I imagined stopping at every town monument to take photos of its strangeness. The Giant Pumpkin, the Jewel of Roblin, and every other random place we'd stumble upon. Truth be told, while driving in caravan across the prairies, it becomes hard to stop whenever you want to. And more truth to be told, you don't always want to stop. I have improved my photos-while-driving-technique, but I know it's not what I'd really hoped for.

So on our last tour - The Interlake Tour - I decided that I wasn't going to let all the cute abandoned Ukrainian churches pass me by. So I stopped.

For my non-Manitoba readers 'The Interlake' refers to the area between the two big lakes in Manitoba. Please see the maps I posted in October for a visual.

2006-11-24T13:23:00.000-08:00

Welcome Back Elyse!

Awhile back I posted about Elyse Sewell's blog (3rd runner up on season 1 of ANTM, dating Marty from The Shins) when she suddenly decided to stop posting. I was sad as I really enjoyed hearing of her modeling adventures in Asia and Europe. Her sarcastic views on life overseas always remind me of my international traveling days. I would agree with Elyse that visiting a convenience store in a foreign country - just to look at the crazy products and names - can be one of life's greatest joys. Luckily Elyse's blog is back and according to her latest post, she is staying at the Fox Hotel in Copenhagen...which must be one of the coolest hotels EVER. Here she is in her hotel room. The words on the wall say "I am protecting you. I want you to feel safe. And I want you to sleep now." Having spent approximately 23 nights in hotels in the past 2 months I would really appreciate a little extra security. And cool funky modern fantastic-ness. But alas, this doesn't exist in rural Manitoba.

To dream about your future trip to Copenhagen you can view all the hotel rooms at Hotel Fox.

and follow Elyse's adventures here.

2006-11-17T19:13:00.000-08:00

With only 1 week of MPPC left the race for Manitoba's Next Top Recruiter heats up!!

All recruiters are doing their best to look good in this weeks photo shoot. But who will make it to the end? Who will burn out first from Jim-Carrey-talk-a-mile-a-minute syndrome? Who will fall into a winter long slumber after another no-presentations-only-a-booth-in-the hallway-scenerio? Stay tuned!

Contestants pictured are Sandra (UofM), Clint (Providence College), Mia (UofW) and Julie (Canadian Mennonite University). Oh, Lisa (RRC) is in the above pictures too.

2006-11-08T16:43:00.000-08:00

Today's Adventure....

The Souris Swinging Bridge!

This is Canada's longest cable-stayed footbridge.

The Swinging Bridge was built in Souris' early history as a means of transportation over the Souris River. Apparently, Squire Sowden, a prominent early resident, needed an easy way to take his herd over the river to pasture. (courtesy Wikipedia)

Now, I don't know about transporting livestock over this wiggly creation. I felt like barfing while walking across it with these two Yahoo's. They thought they were so smart to try and get me to go between them as we crossed the bridge...but I refused. "I've got brothers" I told them "you're not going to fool me with your sneaky plans."

2006-11-07T19:08:00.000-08:00

Warning!!!
Freezing Rain!!
For future reference ya'll...this is what freezing rain looks like:

Everything was covered in sheets of ice. Just walking to the van was a trecherous endevour. We drove 10 minutes out of Brandon then turned back.

So I still have never been to Killarny, as we cancelled our morning visit. The roads were literally skating rinks. And for you non Canadians...yes, they were like ICE skating rinks.

No worries though, we just went for breakfast at Canadinns which is a really easy way to kill 3 hours. (uhhhhh duuuhhhh...customer service??? whats that?)

By the afternoon the temperature was a little warmer so we decided to try our luck on the roads and drive to Boissevain.

The drive turned out to be ok. AND somewhere in the middle of it all the blue sky's showed their beauty. Yeah!

Didn't last long though. Back in Brandon we are still in clouds of fog. From my window on the 11th floor it looks like I'm looking out into a bowl of pea soup.

Good night!

2006-11-06T20:14:00.000-08:00

In the words of Jody Kehler-Shwartz

I GOT TO HOLD A BABY TODAY!!!

And not just any baby...but the very super adorable Joshua Archambault!!! Josh's mom April recruited with us last year and she is now at home with this little guy. He is so cute that we are encouraging April and Alf to consider surrogate parenting because they make good babies!!!!

2006-11-05T13:56:00.000-08:00

Back at the Ranch

Spent the last week in Winnipeg as there was no recruitment travel. Got caught up on a few things like raking the leaves and considering the purchase of tulip bulbs. Unfortunately I did not get to far on the latter. It's so strange being at home after being away...I don't even know what to do. And then, on Monday morning, the snow that was often softly falling, just kept falling and falling and falling until everything was covered in snow. So much snow that a week later (today) when it's +5C, the snow is still here.

Here is a picture of Jack and I acting scary with our scary bags of leaves. Note our backyard kitty (One-eye) creeping around the bag. Poor kitty was abandoned by the neighbors when they moved and is currently scheduled to spend winter in his cat cave in the shed. We would much rather have a home for him, so if you or anyone you know has space for an abused kitty to stay warm inside...talk to me. He is very friendly and would just love to sit next to you while you snuggle up with some hot cocoa in front of the tv.

2006-11-02T14:30:00.000-08:00

FYI...

In the month of October, I gave my 50 minute presentation 46 times....

46
*!#**!!!@***@#!*!**!!*#">!*!**!!*# 'in
times!!!!!!!

2006-10-28T20:40:00.000-07:00

TALES FROM YON SEED

I grew up near a predominantly Mennonite town called Steinbach. In case that brings wacky thoughts of people without cars, tv's or the 3 billion other amenities we modern people enjoy, let me assure you - we were quite the normal town of 10,000 people, with all modern amenities (except a monorail). The biggest difference you might notice is the large number of churches and the high percentage of Protestant Christians. We weren't the only town of Mennonites either. Somewhere, across the river there were the towns of Winkler and Altona. Growing up, these other towns were almost mythical. They were like us, but we never went there. We were told that those people lived on YON SEED ("the other side"), while we lived on DITZ SEED ("this side"). However, the people over there had it all backwards. To them, we were YON SEED and they were DITZ SEED. Because of this, I always had the perfect joke to make with anyone I met from Winkler or Altona.

Last year, I finally had the chance to visit these places, and found that 'the other side' is quite different. The towns don't look the same or function the same. Winkler has even consented to the worldly influences of Wal-Mart. What I noticed though, was a hill on the horizon. Very different from my experience on the purely flat Red River Valley. Driving west from YON SEED I found the land that I now consider to be some of the prettiest in Manitoba.

Leaving Morden you drive up a hill, which I believe is the old shoreline of glacial Lake Agassiz. Up top the land is rolling and the road takes you through a wind farm. I personally think that wind farms and absolutely breathtaking. The windmills are majestic and powerful and they serve such a great purpose. It's cheezy, I know. But it's also honest. As you approach the Treherne area there are random hills known as the Tiger Hills. These hills are as random and bumpy as an unmade bed. Yes, it is like driving through the unmade bed of a giant. The air seems to have a misty haze to it that looks postcard perfect. Yes. I was impressed.

So the next time anyone says that Manitoba is the most level place on earth (which I always thought) take a drive down the #2 and #244 for a change of scenery. And if your Mennonite, it's time to start asking the elders what exactly they had against hills anyways.

ps. Unfortunately, the camera was being used by someone else at work, so I was unable to capture any of these things. Hopefully my artful wordsmithing will paint a picture in your mind.

pps. I looked up pictures of windfarms and these were the closest to what I saw on this trip.

2006-10-28T20:21:00.000-07:00

To All the Girls I've Loved Before

We miss you. We know you did your best. We were rooting for you.

You reminded us some important lessons...

- don't be your own worst enemy
- don't worry about what others are doing
- keep your eyes on your fries
- put it out there, even if you don't know what the hell you're doing

All the best to AJ and Brooke (ANTM Cycle 7).

ps. yes my addiction is only getting worse

2006-10-23T19:38:00.000-07:00

Yellowhead Tour

The Yellowhead tour took us along the Yellowhead Highway which runs north from Winnipeg up through Saskatoon, Edmonton and apparently all the way to Prince Rupert on the coast. It is dubbed the "New Trans-Canada Highway" by all those hopeful little towns that want you to pass through. (For those of you who don't know, the original Trans-Canada highway, the #1, runs all across Canada from coast to coast. West of Winnipeg, it runs through Regina, Calgary and Vancouver...)

Anyways, the countryside along the Yellowhead was wonderfully hilly and different from the Red River Valley where I grew up. Monday was pissing down rain when we drove the 4 hours to Russell. At least it wasn't snow. The next day as we pulled up to Birtle Collegiate, in the picturesque valley town of Birtle, it seemed that the parking lot was quite dusty...

(proof that not all of Manitoba is flat)

However...when I got out of my van my colleagues asked me - why is your van smoking from the hood? I had no answer for that, but indeed my van was smoking from the hood. With 3 presentations scheduled at Birtle Collegiate before the 40 minute drive to Strathclair Collegiate in Strathclair where 2 presentations were scheduled, there was very little time to deal with this challenge. Luckily I am still in the running to becoming Manitoba's Next Top Recruiter. My van was towed to Brandon and I drove to Strathclair the very kind Erin from Assiniboine Community College. The van was ready in Brandon by 5pm so the crisis was handled successfully.
Here is the van with some unknown orange liquid oozing out of it.

And since I have this obsession with trying to mark out our route on a map, I've tried again. In total we visited the following towns: Russell, Birtle, Strathclair, Brandon, Rivers, Minnedosa, Neepawa and McGregor. Yee-haw.

On another note, I have no idea why the majority of high schools in Manitoba are called "Collegiates". I did not go to a collegiate, so anyone who can shed some light on this issue, feel free.

:)

2006-10-17T18:57:00.000-07:00

The Eastman Tour Map
This is the tour that takes me through my old stomping grounds. Visiting my old high school - the SRSS in Steinbach is an interesting experience. Just walking into the bathroom brings back a flood of memories - first kisses, bitchy girls, heartbreak and an overall good place to hide out when you don't want to go to class. The strange thing is seeing all these new kids hang out in the places where my friends and I used to be. Not only the bathroom, but "the rock", sunshine hall, and the students parking lot. It's so Degrassi the Next Generation.

This map is fuzzy and I'm too tired to care.

2006-10-17T18:24:00.000-07:00

Manitobas Next Top Recruiter
Manitobans are always curious about when that first snow fall might be, and whether or not it is the type of snow that stays or goes. Our Eastman week saw the first snowfall and luckily it was the second type. Still, the weather was brutal, and luckily I happened to be in the Rabbit for the worst part, not the van. As we made our way towards Lac du Bonnet on Tuesday morning (with visions of last years foggy drive in our heads) we were greeted by awful conditions.
For example, icy roads...

and reduced visibility...

and then absolute shit...

Some recruiters did not make it through this 'challenge'. Some never got passed Beausejour and others slid into the ditch. I, on the other hand, am still in the running to becoming Manitoba's Next Top Recruiter...(flutter eyelids here Tyra).

At the end of the day, we got to do our favorite thing:

watch a little ANTM...

2006-10-16T15:40:00.000-07:00

Happy Belated Thanksgiving!

The fun and busy-ness never stops. Jack's dad, Adolf, took the bus from Lethbridge to Winnipeg for Thanksgiving. He endured 24 hours on the bus, just to be with us. We enjoyed a different side of Winnipeg, as Adolf stayed at the Inn at the Forks. We really saw the city through the eyes of a tourist and it was pretty cool. The Inn is super nice and we had great weather on Saturday. So great that we were outside having drinks at 10pm without heat lamps...and some of us in t-shirts.

Adolf enjoyed seeing the downtown historical part of Winnipeg with the highlight probably being L'esplanade Reil. He loved eating at the Salisbury House restaurant on the bridge. All the history and downtown-ness did get to him after awhile, and soon we had to take a ride out to the suburbs, to reassure him that we had things like Sobeys and Superstore, where you can buy a roasted chicken for $4.95.

We also visited the longitudinal Centre of Canada. Adolf had a great idea for making the sign more understandable. He said that it should read - "If you measure Canada from East to West, then this would be the middle." He has a point...Longitudinal is a little convoluted.

Thanks for coming Adolf!

2006-10-07T05:54:00.000-07:00

Seriously, did no one notice the massive crack behind Clint and Amy, in the picture posted October 2? I didn't mention it because I was testing you all. Come on people, get your minds in the gutter!

2006-10-04T20:29:00.000-07:00

Hiding out in rural MB
Hey y'all. This week has seen way more bedrest time then I would have liked. Especially considering that we are so close to Riding Mountain Park and the temperatures are still in the mid-teens. Have definitely caught up on my tv watching and I'm feeling better every day. Although my voice was probably at it's worse today during presentations. The camera uploader is not working so I'll have to post the few pictures I have when I get back.

Til then,
x

2006-10-02T21:26:00.000-07:00

Week Two - Parklands

This week got off to a rocky start with an incredible cold that hit me Saturday night. With only Saturday off before getting back on the road for the 6 hour drive to Swan River on Sunday, it sucked pretty bad to be sick. On top of that, I made it to my kickboxing class on Saturday, before the cold really set in, and I have been almost immobile with soreness. Basically, if anyone ever tells you to do squats across the length of a gym and back...tell them to eff off. You'll thank me later.

Luckily, the U of M recruiter drove and I got to moan in pain in the passenger seat. We did stop for a lovely Sunday afternoon hobble through Wasagaming at Clear Lake. Riding Mountain National Park is a beautiful place, but unfortunatly all I can really say about it is...it is definitly shaped like a gun.

I spent Sunday night in bed in Swan River, so I have still not had the opportunity to explore the area where trumpeter swans once lived. Hopefully I will recover and be able to enjoy a fall hike in the park, which is visible from Dauphin, where I'm now staying for 3 nights.

Ciao!

2006-10-02T21:04:00.000-07:00

The Pas (and beyond!)
Unfortunatly I seemed to have slacked off on the end of my Northern Trip and have not yet reported on The Pas (pronounced "The Paw"). You may be interested to know that the name "The Pas" is derived from the Cree word "pasquia" meaning wooded narrows. It may also be linked to the French term "le pas" meaning "the step". The Kikiwak hotel is located on the Opaskwayak Cree Nation Reserve. It's all pretty typical small town, but when you go to buy that coffee at Tim's or a $5 t-shirt at Warehouse One, they ask you for your treaty number. Yet, somehow I didn't end up paying tax on that t-shirt, even though I don't have a treaty number...

Our dear April is no longer recruiting for ACC as she is at home with her newborn son. But! we happily had a chat with her one afternoon and I've got the picture to prove it.

Finally, no trip to The Pas is complete without a visit to Good Thymes, one of the best restaurants in rural Manitoba. The menu is creative and the food is delish. You're guarenteed a good thyme at Good Thymes...

2006-09-28T14:55:00.000-07:00

Cranberry Portage

Last year we drove by this little town that is located between Flin Flon and The Pas, but this year we stopped in for a day's worth of presentations. We learned that the students mostly came from very rural aboriginal communities and lived in a residence hall. I was curious to know more about the town, so I wikipedia-ed it and this is what I learned. From the 50's to early 60's the government operated radar stations in Cranberry Portage with the threat of Russian missiles looming over their heads. In 1964 the military operations ceased and the army facilities were turned into Frontier Collegiate, the school we visited today. The students live in the old bunkers and eat in the old mess hall. I knew there was a reason we skipped the cafeteria lunch and heading into town to a coffee shop called "The Coffee Shop" for lunch...

All these pictures were taken from the van while driving along the main strip. There was no problem with stopping the van in the middle of main street to take photos.

On a sadder note, a hawk (we think) flew into the van today. Into the side of the van. I saw it coming up from the ditch and thought it would glide effortlessly over the van as birds often do. But no, there was a very loud thud and a mass of grey was propelled/flew back into the woods. It was very sad. It was a good think Clint was not in the van because he would have screamed. A crow nearly hit the van earlier this trip, but in fact did one of those gliding-over maneuvers and Clint screamed as it came towards the van. That was funny.

2006-09-27T15:07:00.000-07:00

Flin Flon

This mining community is named after Flintabbatey Flonatin, the character in a book by J.E. Preston Muddock called The Sunless City. Canadians will remember this vaguely from their NFB vignettes shown on between Saturday morning cartoons. To see some still photos of this film click here
Does #3 bring back memories for you as it did for me?

Flin Flon today is an interesting place, largely built on rock. You can see many of the pipes between homes laid over the rock because they couldn't be drilled into the rock.A drive around the residential streets brought us across the path of a fox. We of course quickly parked the van and ran after it. After the fox ran under a house, the day's excitement was over.

2006-09-26T18:46:00.000-07:00

Finally!!!

I got my map of our route uploaded! So you can see the loooong drive to Thompson, the painful road to Flin Flon and todays drive to The Pas - where I am now. For a clearer view of the map, click it to enlarge.

Will have to wait to post pictures until tomorrow, when I get a room with an internet connection.

2006-09-25T17:02:00.000-07:00

Driving from Thompson to Flin Flon

Today I drove 400 kms of the crappiest highway I've ever seen. The road was so cracked and the edge was eroding away into the semi-tundra. My eyes are blurry from the overwhelming amount of yellow leaves that flew past us.

We pulled over to take some photos which was lots of fun. Clint and Karin decided to take off their shoes and test out the freezing water. I took pictures safely from shore.

It seems so odd that when you are driving so far north you see very little wildlife. On a two hour drive to Falcon Lake you usually see an average of 3 deer. We've composed a list of the few things we have seen. It goes as follows:

1) Several Hawks
2) Countless Crows
3) Crows eating a dead Deer
4) Dead Deer
5) Fox
6) Dead Rabbit in Foxes mouth
7) Road Eel
8) Baby Bear (seen by the other passengers, not by me :( )

*Road eel is a long and giant piece of floating plastic flowing across the road.

Apparently it seems we 'just made it' to Thompson yesterday before the only roads in a 400 km radius were shut down due to a 'crazy driver trying to drive people off the road'. Did anyone in Winnipeg hear about this? All I can say is that I'm sure glad we made it through cause I'd be REALLY mad to be stuck in the van, in the middle of nowhere. I was really wrong Dad, Mitchell is not the ass end of nowhere...

2006-09-24T20:01:00.000-07:00

So here we go...

Drove the 800 or so kilometres to Thompson today. The highlight was definitly Pesew Falls. The lowlight was definitly Clint's burned chicken fingers. I told him before he ordered that it was virtually impossible to mess up chicken fingers, but I was wrong. Unfortunatly I have no photos of the nasty charred chicken fingers as I didn't think that something photo-worthy would really happen at the Grapes in Thompson. We had to drive Clint over to the Boston Pizza where he could be (pretty sure) that he would get what he ordered.

Exhausted and the first day of presentations begin tomorrow. Must sleep!

2006-09-22T08:38:00.000-07:00

September 15, 2006
Travel season kicks off with a meeting of all travelling members in Portage la Prairie, which is almost an hour west of Winnipeg. Portage (as it's known) is also the home of Chiquita's. My aunty from Mexico operates this little truck with authentic Mexican tasty's so we decided to stop in after the meeting. Pictured with me is my aunty Alex, Ray-Lynn (Winnipeg Technical College) and my aunties sister. I don't remember here name.

If you are ever in Portage and have a hankering for Mexican, check out Chiquita's in the parking lot of the car wash beside Wal-Mart.

2006-09-20T09:33:00.000-07:00

On the road again...

In a mere 3 days I will once again be a Recruiter on the road. My job with Red River College involves travelling the province for 8 weeks to give presentations in small communities. I am joined by Recruiters from the other Post-Secondary Institutions in Manitoba. I'm planning on having a blast this year and documenting my journey on this blog.

As an introduction, I am posting a map of Manitoba. The furthest north I will go is Thompson. Too bad for the teenagers, polar bears and teenage polar bears of Churchill.

Watch for more, coming soon!

2006-09-17T13:10:00.000-07:00

Remember September 11

With this year marking the 5th anniversery of September 11, 2001 there was a lot of remembering going on regarding the events. I took some time to pay attention - watch a few documenteries, view the footage etc. I always felt that there were a lot of things that I didn't understand about that day. Five years ago, I was a new resident of Vancouver without a television or any friends who had one. I never even saw the majority of the footage. As I watched it all now from my home in Winnipeg, I did find some underlying questions which still didn't make sense. Then I watched a video called "Loose Change"and saw the questions I had, (and more) brought to life.

I wouldn't call this film a conspiricy theory because there are no theories only heaps and heaps of unanswered questions. The film doesn't offer an answer or an alternative reasoning, but rather points out many of the discrepencies of events. Running just over an hour, I would highly recommend that everyone take the time to view it. The questions behind the events are not partisan either. Liberal, conservative or no where in between; I think there will come a day when we or our following generations get the disturbing answers to some of these questions.

Before watching the movie, these are some of the questions that I had in mind. What questions do you still have unanswered?

1. Where there bombs in the towers? Did the hijackers do this too?
2. How else could both towers suddenly free-fall right into their footprint?
3. Did another building on the WTC grounds also collapse?
4. How did the passengers of Flight 93 know that they should herocally point their flight into a nose dive? Pre-911 you would think most people would just shut up, meet the hijackers demands and then hope to get out safe.
5. Is it possible to make a call from a cell phone while in the air? Note my earlier post where I watched a woman try to make calls for over 10 minutes without success.
6. Whats with the plane hitting the pentagon? Isn't that building only a few stories high? Seems likely it would have dragged along the ground some, rather than a clear hit.

I hope you take the time to watch

2006-09-16T22:18:00.000-07:00

Anyone want to come to a Cre-com fundraiser social on Friday (sept.22). Manalogue is dj-ing and it's going to be a blast.

...and I need company :)

2006-09-13T06:59:00.000-07:00

I would like to officially welcome Miss Carolyn Burton to the Blogger community. Her website is Blurtin Burton and it is listed on my blogroll.

Hope you have a blast Carolyn!

2006-09-11T17:43:00.000-07:00

Step One: Press Button.
Step Two: Get Bacon.
Step Three: Eat Bacon.
Just a wee funny from my "friend" Elyse Sewell...3rd runner up in the first season of America's Next Top Model. According to wikipedi, Elyse is one of the most successful of the "next top models". She is a Hong Kong based model and blogs all her dry and sarcastic findings of life in Asia.

She also dates Marty from the Shins.

2006-09-08T03:43:00.000-07:00

Baking in Steinbach vs. Walking down Melrose with movie star boyfriend

Ok, Kate Bosworth and I totally have the same sweater. Of course she looks much better in it walking down Melrose with Orlando Bloom, than I do, covered in flour as I'm baking buns with my gramma.

I'll have to get a better shot of me and THE SWEATER!

2006-09-05T20:39:00.000-07:00

It's Official!

Today Jack was dj-ing at school (his first ever paid gig) so I went by to see him. He was awesome and it was great to hear our favorite tracks being played in a loud open space. I went for lunch and bought Jack a cookie at an all vegan restaurant. When I got back to school I devised a funny scheme in which I would give Jack this cookie. I asked my co-worker (who Jack doesn't know) to drop off the cookie on behalf of her "friend". I stuck a little note in the bag with my most girly writting that said "UR Hot". On the bottom of the note I scrawled our home phone number. Yes, our home phone number...which was to be the give-away when he saw it. Robyn marches up to the mix-stand and says "my friend thinks you are really cute and wants you to have this cookie." Instead of making Jack blush or even feel mildly uncomfortable, he flat out refuses the cookie. "No, I can't take it" he says "I have a girlfriend." Robyn insists saying "No, there is a note you have to take it." Jack reluctantly allows Robyn to put the cookie in his hand. I was shocked when Robyn returned and told me Jack's reaction. I was not intending this as some sort of test, but in the end I guess he passed. Robyn and I laughed for a good five minutes.

It is official. I have a fantastic boyfriend.

ps. If you try this test on me I may not be quite as successful, cause hey, cookies are good.

2006-09-01T22:12:00.000-07:00

sorry all, i had to add word verification to my comments because i was getting spam comments.

good bye sandra white...

2006-08-31T11:18:00.000-07:00

So as it turns out, using Blogger on a mac is just about the worst experience ever. It sucks some serious ass. This series of posts is really messed up but we had a good time driving from Winnipeg to Lethbridge. For the non-Canadians out there, you can refer to the map. Winnipeg is in the middle and Lethbridge is south of Calgary. Its 1225 km and it took about 13-14 hours total.

Peace and love.
Thanks Amy.

2006-08-31T10:40:00.000-07:00

Waterton Park
On the corner of Alberta, BC and the US.

Jack's dad demonstrates the "red rock" found in Red Rock Canyon.

Red Rock Canyon

Looking over the Waterton townsite. We all go paddle boating on Cameron Lake.

2006-08-31T10:20:00.000-07:00

On the way from Manitoba to Alberta we stayed in this Kozy Kabin in Indian Head Saskatchewan. Passed by Herbert, Saskatchewan where my grandpa was born and raised.

2006-08-21T10:22:00.000-07:00

What sound does a rabbit make?

All I know is that you should vote for #34...

2006-08-20T20:49:00.000-07:00

Jack and I successfully hosted our first "double-date sleepover" this weekend and thankfully, no one got pregnant! Thank you Bulats for an awesome time. We now invite all other couples who would like to join us for a weekend get-away in a recently redone loft space, to join us!

**reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance.

2006-08-14T17:58:00.000-07:00

In case you are one of those who enjoys coming over to our house to hear my handsome and talented boyfriend Jack play records, you might be interested to know that he has posted a downloadable mix on his blog - manalogue. Dig it!?!

2006-08-14T12:28:00.000-07:00

I have been considering writing several posts of late that centre on the deliciousness of fruit. There is the dream where I float across the room towards a giant bowl of raspberries, as the old (she-bop she-bop) “I only have eyes for you” is playing in the background. Or the moment where I discover that apricots produce nuts... An interesting story that unfolded after I unknowingly bought some “nuts” at the Chinese market that ended up tasting like apricots. This seemed awfully suspicious but it was not confirmed until I actually discovered a nut, in the heart of an apricot, much like a pearl would be found in a clam. I also have a few things to say about vegetables, but that will be left to another post entirely.

Today I want to talk about limes. I am in the process of discovering how dang delicious and useful the little green guys are. First there were the “hint of lime dippas” I discovered in the UK. These are chips. Or crisps. Depending where you are. In any case, I was more than pleased to discover I could buy them in Canada too, although without the cool “dippas” name. I bought a lime colored couch and then started buying limes and using them in place of lemons, for that extra je-ne-sais-qua. Upon further reading I discovered “Limes are second only to lemons in terms of importance as a flavoring agent for foods, drinks and other, non-edible, products for home and industrial use. The use of lime juice and lime zest to enhance the flavor of rice, potatoes, salads, and cooked vegetables will cut down the amount of salt you need to use, and eliminate the need for adding fat.” Then, when I thought it could get no better my friend squeezed lime juice all over freshly cut watermelon. I was beside myself. It tasted fantastic.

All I can say is – keep up the good work limes, you’re doing a great job!

2006-08-08T07:02:00.000-07:00

Happy Tuesday

I had a great long weekend, but unfortunatly I have no pictures (only tan lines) to show for it. Went to Lake of the Woods with Jack, my dad, Jared and Jodi. It wasn't that hot out but I am now reminded how easy it is to soak up too much sun when you are out on the water. Boating through the Canadian Shield is always a good time.

Seeing as I don't have photos to make you smile, I thought I'd post this video. It's fun too...just like a long weekend.

OK Go - Here It Goes Again

2006-08-04T10:02:00.000-07:00

Let me confess...I am a bookworm.

I wrote this post for another site that I contribute to - Bookworms. I thought I would share it here as well. A little book nostolgia for all the other closet bookworms.

(All book cover images are the editions that I owned)

Reading has always been a huge part of my life. On the last day of kindergarten I came home really upset. The year had ended and I had not learned to read. My mom said not to worry...I was only 4 and a half and I would learn the next year in grade 1. This was not good enough for me, so she got out her old "See Dick Run" reader and taught me. I was so thrilled I spent the rest of the summer combining reading into playtime. I would put a book on the family car which was parked in the garage, then ride through the garage on my bicycle stopping to read the book that was on the hood. Then I would ride out of the garage, around the yard and back through again, stopping to read. It was a great summer.

As the years went on, I read everything and anything. In my younger elementary years we would have reading contests at school, where we would write up the books and number of pages read on a chart. A lot of kids read 1 book each week. Some would finish a book in a weekend. I would come back at the end of the weekend having read 6 books. Books that were around 200 pages long. My classmates thought I was lying.

When going out to eat with my family, I usually brought a book along. What else were you going to do while waiting for the food to come? I only had brothers and at that time, they did not make for proper bosom buddies. I remember being about 9 years old and my parents saying to me "are you going to bring a book to read when you go on a date?" They thought this was very funny, but I thought - I'm only 9! Give me a break!

Now it seems I go through cycles where I'll read lots, and then not read at all. My younger brother (who can now be somewhat of a bosom buddy) gave me the idea to read one book every month, and I think I'm on track with that one. Try it, it's actually pretty easy.

yeah books.

2006-07-31T12:05:00.000-07:00

Hey!

Just thought I'd post a reminder that ANYONE can comment EASILY on this site. I'm hearing from people that they are reading this thingy, but they don't know how to comment or get involved. Let me tell you --- I love to see comments from different people who are reading this. Definitely makes it more interesting and interactive.

SOOO... Click on "Post a Comment", write what you want and then post as "Anonymous". Please sign your name though so I know who you are. Unless you really want to be anonymous.

Cheers!

2006-07-30T16:06:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for some yum-a-liscious music for summer good times I definitely recommend James Figuirine. Very nice electro-poppy sweetness with cool lyrics to boot. Check it out.

www.jamesfigurine.com/inst.htm

I thought I'd share the lyrics from one of the particularly club-anthem-crunchy-dance tracks. For no reason other than they are some of the coolest words I'd ever want to dance to.

Forgive your friends,
they usually don't mean it.

Apologies are gifts,
accept them with a smile on your face.
Apologies are gifts,
without them you'd be on your own.

Forgive your friends
even when they treat you badly
you have to help them out,
when they trip over your feelings.

Apologies are gifts,
accept them with a smile on your face.
Apologies are gifts,
without them you'd be on your own.

It's all just water under the bridge.
Mistakes mistakes mistakes we all make.

Apologies are gifts,
accept them with a smile on your face.
Apologies are gifts,
without them you'd be on your own.

2006-07-28T22:26:00.000-07:00

Out with the old...

For sale, one used iPod. Holds over 2000 songs, pictures and anything else that is 4X8X2 or smaller. Convenient carrying handle and no electrical plug in required.

$5 obo
*music not included

Also on it's way out...

1990 Honda Accord LX. Holds enough wood to build a small fence. Unlimited kilometers as odometer does not work.

Want the convenience of a car with the price tag of a bus pass? Make me an offer.

:) haha.

2006-07-23T12:58:00.000-07:00

Last thoughts regarding the Mile High City

With an altitude as high as Denver (5280 feet), you get called the Mile High City. A good scapegoat to blame random things on...like getting drunk too quickly, not being able to sleep, having an itchy scalp and lotion that won't stop squirting out of the bottle. All these things issues occured and resolved themselves upon my return to Winnipeg.

Downtown Denver has a street where no cars drive, just a narrow pathway for the free bus to run down. Lots of people sit out in this "mall" at restaurants, coffee shops and chess boards. It's nice.

We were told that you could have lunch at the aquarium right next to the tanks, so we went to check it out. The aquarium reeked of a stinky ocean right when we got in - which I don't think is normal for an aquarium (anyone have any thoughts on whether or not that is normal?) I had wanted to order calimari but the smell turned me off. The server assured me it was some of the best in the city. As it turns out, Denver is not well not for it's calimari...I nearly gagged between the smell and the rubbery bands on my plate. The only thing that made it worthwhile was the view.

Walking back we got to see a bit more of the city. People were actually tubing on this river...you can see them on the left.

Denver might be an ok place to live. The older district had lots of renovated old red brick buildings, with some new modern condos as well. Streets with lights strung across and music playing (my favorite Underworld song, no less!!). Enough yummy restaurants and shops to make it for an enjoyable downtown neighborhood. In the fight against the donut-city I say...well done Denver!

But of course, as always, I was thrilled to be back in Canada, where most things make more sense.

2006-07-20T21:55:00.000-07:00

Night time in Denver...

My camera has a very long shutter opening for night photos which creates a really interesting but not entirely accurate effect. I don't know how to change it. AMY made it better at one point but then after AMY fixed it it went back to the settings it had before AMY was there. (I mentioned you 3 times in this blog AMY...oh I mean 4)

2006-07-20T14:00:00.000-07:00

Denver Continued...
(please see the updated post below for pictures now included in my story)

Here are some pictures of around the town in Denver...

A small historical block...

As nice as the Winkler Day's Inn is, the Hyatt is still nicer.

A room with a view.

Downtown Denver is pretty nice and modern, with a few old relics. The building behind this shoe repair shop is the Hyatt.

Waiting for Breakfast.

2006-07-20T11:40:00.000-07:00

OK I am republishing yesterdays blog with pictures cuz blogger is being dumb dumb dumb about uploading pictures. Sorry to have to erase your comment April, but trust me, in my heart you are always an MPPC'er. :)

July 18, 2006 was an interesting day

I awoke at 5:20 am to finish up packing for my flight to Denver. Shopping day had arrived! Carolyn’s boyfriend Mark drove us to the airport and evidently I was very chatty the whole way there. He even asked me if I was a morning person. “No”, I replied, “I’m not. I’m just excited about the shopping.”

At the airport we discovered that the Recruiters from Brandon University were attending the conference as well. Oh yeah, the real reason for my trip to Denver is to go to a recruitment conference. Almost forgot… Amy and Murray are friends of ours from the MPPC (Manitoba Public Post-Secondary Cooperative) but some how we failed to know that the other school was also attending.

Once we got into the itty bity US Departure Lounge I found out that Greg Reimer and Jer Peters were also on our flight to Denver. They are spending the rest of their summer in Brazil and for some reason they had to fly through Denver to get there. So, unexpectedly I knew 5 people on our flight of about 50 people. The flight was ok, minus a few bumps and a lady trying to make calls on her cell phone. I told her that you weren’t allowed to make calls on the plane but she didn’t seem to believe me. Oh, and a word of advice, Don’t try to start Ian McEwan’s book “Saturday” while on a flight. Just trust me on this one.

Once in Denver we had a quick bite to eat and headed over to the shops I was eagerly anticipating. They did not let me down. It was so refreshing to see so many things that I would actually want to buy. More and more I am convinced that Canada is a bit of a hole when it comes to fashion. Winnipeg is trying hard, with a proliferation of independent stores that have opened in the past years, but they are often brand focused itty bitty teeny weeny bar star what have you crap that I have no desire to pay $30 for let alone $100. My two years in Vancouver had some major fashion let-downs as well. In Canada we go shopping hoping to find ANYTHING we might like. In Japan I learned that you go shopping for a particular item – let’s say a polka dot top with buttons and short cap sleeves. You can be choosy and you will find what you want. But I digress…

I am happy to report that my first experience to Forever 21 was not a let down. I made three trips to the change room with a stack of stuff each time. Nothing is over $30 and many tops are $8-10. The sales staff seemed confused at my growing stack of things I wanted to buy, which didn’t make sense to me considering the fact that I could not even spend my whole paycheck in this store if I tried. Did they not realize the items are dirt cheap? I thought about the pricing, and wondered how the costs are so low. Surely there are some nasty sweat shops involved. Although that bothers me, I realize that many major brands use sweat shops but jack up the prices to line their own pockets. At least these people were passing the savings on to the consumer. And another thing, what’s with the bible verse at the bottom of the bag?

After I exhausted myself and my wallet, I headed back to the hotel. The bus ride was an ordeal that took 40 minutes longer than it should have. Walking up to my room door I was counting down the steps til the door opened and I could put everything down. Alas, the key did not work. I had to go back to the lobby and where there were about 30 people waiting to check in. The concierge got me a manager so I wouldn’t have to wait in line, but since my name was not registered in the room Carolyn and I were sharing he wouldn’t give me a key. He told me I could wait in the lounge or have a shower in the fitness facilities while I waited for Carolyn to return from dinner. I thought I might pass out then and there but luckily he took pity on me and recharged my key.

Dinner with Carolyn, Amy and Murray was great. A nice Italian restaurant complete with a bottle of wine and amerretto after dinner. Carolyn tried to shoot her aperitif out of a brandy snifter, which didn’t work so well. The liqueur was strong and she may not have any nose hairs left now.

Leaving the restaurant Carolyn and I were a little more hyper than the others, so we ended up getting a tall bottle of Heiniken at a dodgy bottle shop, to take back to the hotel. I had hidden most of my purchases, so Carolyn wouldn’t see my gluttony, but I broke down and showed them all to her. The night ended with a swim in the outdoor pool.

Sigh…a good day.

2006-07-17T19:44:00.000-07:00

I'm kicking around here somewhere...really I am.

Spent last week helping run a childrens camp at the college where I work. It was exhausting.

I still teach Pronunciation to immigrants two nights a week.

I spent most of the weekend sitting in my backyard. I read a book in just over a day... The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini which was absolutely fascinating.

I'm formulating something intelligent to say on this blog. But first, I'm off to Denver for a recruitment conference. Before the conference we've allowed a day to shop. Go Forever 21, Go Urban Outfitters!

Over and out, for now.

2006-07-09T06:47:00.000-07:00

July 8, 2006 was a good day

Watashi no Atarashi Megane!!! (that's for Miyagawa-san who told me that she can't understand much of my blog. AISHITERU!!)

I got new glasses and I am super pumped about them. They are light, and you can actually see my eyes! Jack and I were so excited we took the glasses out for breakfast after a river walk to the Forks. :)

The lovely Rita was married to Duane Vaags. It was a gorgeous wedding and everyone had a fantastic time! Cheers!

2006-07-06T11:48:00.000-07:00

Dear Kim Jong Il:

Hi, how are you? Oh yeah, you’re not doing so well…

Why is that?

I was just wondering what you were after? Maybe if you told us we could help you. It must be a piss off not to be included in the World Nuclear Club, but there are lots of other things you could do with your time and energy. Maybe join a sports team, try sky diving or even shoplifting! Those things can give you that little thrill you seem to be looking for.

I guess that’s not enough when compared to launching missiles at other countries for no apparent reason. Maybe you’re lonely? Are you looking for visitors? You could organize tours to your country on Expedia.com. I can see it now… “Spend 6 days, 7 nights with Kim Jong Il in beautiful North Korea!”

But, if it's a visit from “the Coalition” that you are after, you might put your time into finding oil in your country. The missiles are clearly not enough. Look at Iraq, they didn't have missiles or anything but they got to host "the Coalition" for a super long visit! If you don’t have any oil, you could use your technology to make some. Then point those missiles at the US. I’d think you’d find they’d come visit you pretty quickly!

Other than that, I hope you have a great summer. And I hope we have a great summer too.

-Lisa