One More Breakup Song

Just because I can't believe I forgot about it...

Thrift Store Chair - Everclear

I can't tell you how many times I listened to this song last winter. It was excessive.

My Bucket List

After having a lovely conversation with my lovely Rossy tonight, I was reminded of this list that I started many years ago and began compiling again around a month ago. Since it is the eve of my 26th year, I'm going to post it and hope it motivates me to start doing what I want to do starting now.

Set foot on every continent on Earth.
Get a tattoo on my ankle or foot.
Get a degree.
Watch a soccer game in Brazil.
Fly first class.
See Our Lady Peace in concert.
Restore a car.
Visit Boston in the fall.
Take a comedy class.
Go backcountry camping.
Take a self defense class.
Visit Australia (and watch the sunset at Uluru).
Ride a real rollercoaster.
Visit NYC.
Join the Mile High club.
Inspire someone to do something great.
Bake cookies for my neighbours.
Take voice lessons.
"Flip" a house.
Ask for a raise.
Go to Charleston, SC and drive across the Arthur Ravenal, Jr. Bridge.
Drive across the Golden Gate bridge.
Get down to a single digit clothing size.
Help build a Habitat for Humanity Home.
Ride a camel in the desert.
Learn to play the piano.
Play a song on a guitar.
Swim with a dolphin.
Buy and display a piece of art that I love.
Rescue a dog and give it a forever home.
Go skydiving.
Make love on a moving train.
Drink beer at Oktoberfest in Munich.
Perfect my poker face.
Send a message in a bottle.
Learn to actually shuffle a deck of cards -- properly.
Ride in a private plane.
Drive a Lamborghini Diablo.
Visit a former concentration camp.
Learn how to invest intelligently.
Ride a mechanical bull.
Visit Japan (and the Aokigahara Forest).
Make a real difference in someone's life.
Ride through the Panama Canal.
Visit Easter Island.
Write a will.
Live abroad for a year.
Audition for a play.
See a play on Broadway.
Quit smoking.
Attend Mardi Gras.
Play tennis passably well.
Take a computer free vacation for at least 2 weeks.
Throw a classy dinner party.
Kiss the Blarney Stone.
Safari in Africa.
Help sail a yacht.
Learn to say the alphabet backwards.
Hitchhike.
Convincingly adopt an accent for an entire day.
Take salsa dancing lessons.
Take tango lessons.
Have whiskey at a pub in Ireland.
Go wild at Carnival in Rio.
Have my teeth professionally whitened.
Learn how to surf.
Spend New Year's in an exotic location.
Participate in a Marathon.
Go on a cruise.
Write and submit a script for a TV show.
Speak in front of a large crowd.
Feel weightlessness.
Live in a beach house.
Heal my past.
Donate blood.
Gamble in Monte Carlo.
Take a bellydancing class.
Own a Clydesdale Horse.
Whale Watch.
Go Scuba Diving.
Buy a round for everyone in a bar.
Visit the other 48 US States.
See every Wonder of the World still in existence (and in addition, experience them at their grittiest -- like walking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu).
Go to Hawaii.
See a tornado.
Take a Flair Bartending class.
Go to the Kentucky Derby and wear a great hat.
Make love under a waterfall.
Break a plate at a Greek restaurant while yelling "Oppa!"
Learn how to ice skate without killing/maiming someone.
Learn the basics of ASL.
Become fluent in another language.
Become conversational in at least 4.
Meet the Dalai Lama.
Get married.
Stay in a 5 star hotel.
Learn to sculpt.
Own a canoe (and use it).
Be an extra in a movie (or a TV show).
Go whale watching.
Speed date.
Live in a house with a window seat.
Ride a gondola with the love of my life in Venice.
Go on a road trip down the Pan-American Highway (it doesn't have to be all the way).
Show a dog at Westminster and Crufts the same year.
Make something to be proud of.
Write a novel.

I did this before, but you'll notice there are MANY new things on the new list, and I'm sure I'll keep adding things as they come to me.

Man, I have a lot to do.

BREAKING NEWS!

According to MSN News this afternoon:

Hills star Lauren Conrad has revealed her costume idea for Halloween this year and said she wants to go as a 'pretty girl clown'

Wow.

Sometimes I'm so ashamed to admit I kind of like The Hills -- or entertainment news.

Random Songs #2

Sorry to be getting out of actually blogging by just posting songs lately, but since the vast majority of the traffic I get to my blog is routed from Google searches for the term "Random Songs" (after this 30 Random Songs entry from March), it seems like that's all my blog is really good for.

Well, that and being my therapeutic outlet for 'ranting' whenever I've been over-utilizing my dear friends for that purpose. So here I will post another bunch of random songs playing on my MP3 player for all those seeking 'new' music. You'll have to forgive me, but under the guise of actually working, I am going to save my commentary this time, and only post songs as they come on. Not that I'm sure everyone would mind taking a pass on my lame commentary anyway.

Johnny Come Lately - Steve Earle & the Pogues

Burning in the Sun - Blue Merle

California Girls - The Beach Boys

Dramamine - Modest Mouse

The Boys are Back in Town - Everclear

Combat Baby - Metric

The Pretender - Foo Fighters

Shake It - Metro Station

50 Ways to Leave Your Lover - Paul Simon (can't resist commenting, because this SHOULD have been on the Breakup Songs post yesterday, no?)

Lovefool - The Cardigans

I Want You Now - Big Sugar

Wish You Were Here - Ryan Adams

Let the Good Times Roll - The Cars

The Long Way Around - The Dixie Chicks

While my Guitar Gently Weeps - The Beatles

The Good Witch of the North - Everclear

Rico - Matthew Good Band

Otherside - Red Hot Chili Peppers

Freebird - Lynard Skynard

Pony - Ginuwine

23 - Jimmy Eat World

Easy like Sunday Morning - Faith No More

Everything - Lifehouse

Feels like Home - Chantal Kreviazuk

Feel - Robbie Williams

Days Go By - Keith Urban

Sweet and Low - Augustana

Fidelity - Regina Spektor

Stay - Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs

Superman's Dead - Our Lady Peace

I'm not even going to apologize for the utter randomness of the genres and song types, the title should have been disclaimer enough.

Great Breakup Songs

Not because I broke up with anyone, but just because one gets sick of only listening to them while filling a pint of Haagen Daz with your own tears. I want to enjoy them when I'm happy for once.

As follows, my picks for the top 10 breakup songs.

10. I Will Survive - CAKE
Yes, the Gloria Gaynor version is infinitely more popular, especially among karaoke circles, but I think I enjoy the CAKE cover much more. It's not as upbeat as the timeless disco tune, but John McCrea's Sprechgesang style makes it seem a lot more real and gritty to me.

9. Back in Your Head - Tegan and Sara
Not as much a breakup song, as an "about to breakup" song, I think the lyrics wonderfully demonstrate the separation 2 people feel when they go from becoming a royal "us" back to "me and You".

8. Yesterday - The Beatles
Sort of a melancholic song, but anyone who has ever split up with someone who they really enjoyed in a short period of time will understand the words McCartney is singing:

Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play/Now I need a place to hide away/Oh, I believe in yesterday.

7. You Oughta Know - Alanis Morissette
If I recieved just a nickel for everytime I belted that song after having someone stomp on my heart, I could afford to buy another pint of Haagen Daz. Seriously, I love Alanis. And I don't even care who knows. Angry chick music rocks.

6. What Hurts the Most - Rascal Flatts
While I should by all rights be incredibly sick of this song after listening to an ex roommate blast it for almost a week straight after having his heart broken, I still think it's a particularly poignant breakup song.

5. With or Without You - U2
I love this song, but even now, 9 years after it made me sob uncontrollably, I still get a little choked up when I hear it. I even wrote a short story where the girl crashes her car after listening to this song and crying so hard she doesn't see she's swerved out of her lane into oncoming traffic. Woah. Dark. Tough period of my life.

4. Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) - Green Day
I love that this song was fought over to be used as a graduation song for almost 3 years in my high school. Yes, it's a song about leaving, being done with something, but it's always hit me as a really optimistic tune about trying to amicably split with someone. I would have had a hard time walking down the stage to receive my diploma while every ex boyfriend I'd ever had was flashing through my mind. Actually, that happened anyway. Half of them were there.

3. You Were Meant for Me - Jewel
I've had one or two breakups where I felt like this. I was so hopeful and optimistic that things would ultimately work out for us that I didn't even view it as a breakup -- we were simply taking a breather from being in a relationship. It's such a sweet, naive little song. And I can definitely be naive.

2. In the End - Linkin Park
Yeah, I will probably receive a lot of flak for this bad boy, but I do recall a time in my life when I belted this out in the shower trying really hard not to cry over someone who, as it turns out, wasn't even worth crying over (isn't that always the way?). Huh. I guess the lyrics were true -- in the end, it doesn't even matter.

1. Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinead O'Connor
I would be incredibly surprised if every person who hasn't had their heart broken since 1990 has not shed a tear or felt all choked up when they hear this song. It's so honest and relatable.

A few more goodies..

Three favorite guilty pleasure "I-dumped-YOU-Jackass" songs I'm almost ashamed to admit I know every lyric to :
3. Hole in the Head - Sugababes
2. Leave (Get Out) - Jojo
1. Since U Been Gone - Kelly Clarkson

A few songs that got me through the toughest split of my life with a smile on my face:
Look Who's Crying Now - Jacynthe
Kerosene - Miranda Lambert
Goodnight, Goodnight - Hot Hot Heat

People are Time Bombs

Seriously.

Since most of you know I work in a healthcare related field, it shouldn't come as any big surprise that (mostly due to the media outlets) everyone is concerned and wanting answers about big, bad ol' H1N1. Since all I am truly qualified to say is that it's important during flu season (but really always) to practice diligent personal hygiene by washing your hands frequently and well, to cough or sneeze into your sleeve, and to avoid going out in public if you're sick (or alternately to avoid sick people if you're well), I'll pass on BC's Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport's webpage on H1N1 which can be found at http://www.gov.bc.ca/h1n1/ to answer any further questions.

But for that bag who called here this morning while I was covering reception to tear a strip off of me because you had a whole bunch of questions I was not qualified to answer, and you refused to believe that the person operating the switchboard actually was REQUIRED to answer all those other calls coming in -- grow up, lady.

If you honestly think you are the only person out there who watched the news this morning and thought it was a brilliant idea to start calling healthcare providers for more questions, think again. During the one hour prior to your call, I fielded over 100 calls all wanting the same answers you did, and I am NOT qualified to give them as I pointed out several times during your call. Receptionists are not personally responsible for answering the plethora of questions posed to us on a daily basis, we are only responsible for re-directing you to someone who can, so if you refuse to be directed to them, follow these directions carefully:

1) Take a deep breath
2) Understand that just because you are frustrated and we are the first voice on the phone, we are, in all likelihood NOT responsible for your problems and it is unfair to project your frustration on us.
3) Hang up the phone
4) Go for a walk
5) Never call again.

I am going to be SO happy when flu season is over.

Nights Out

I'm all done moving. Between the help I got from my new roommates and their compadres on Friday night, and the help my momma and little bro gave me Saturday, all of my stuff is either deposited in my new room or upstairs in my parent's attic.

So after 2 long days of hiking up and down stairs with boxes and furniture, I was very ready to have a night to let loose and thankfully people actually had a plan for Saturday -- to go bowling.

I texted a guy I've been seeing and asked him along, and when he got there we all headed to the bowling alley to start our night. After 2 quick games (of which I won both), we got unceremoniously booted out of the bowling alley (not because we were being rowdy or anything fun like that -- but because they were having a private function), and then decided to head elsewhere. Someone had the idea that we should all visit the strip club (because we had two 'peeler virgins' in our midst), but upon arrival we discovered that the club was lacking naked women and instead showing Saturday's UFC fight, we headed to a pub to have a few more drinks.

After a round or two there, we headed back to the strip club just in time to catch the tail end of the first show, so the boy, both roommates and I grabbed seats on perv row and settled in for the next show. The stripper and I made eyes at each other and she tried coaxing me into showing off the goodies, but I was only just drunk enough to be fake flirting with a stripper -- not drunk enough for half of DC's male population to get to know what "Bessie and Bossie" looked like in the buff. Afterwards we pooled our pocket change and had enough money to win her little games and most of us came away with a prize. The boy got a poster. I got a lighter.

And then, in the words of Dane Cook -- I just needed to dance. I just want to stand in a circle around our pocketbooks and shoes and just -- I just want to dance. I just want to dance it out. Not on stage like the boy and a few others suggested, but somewhere. So we headed to what passes for a club in this town, and as per usual, with a few more highballs in me, I turned into the long repressed club kid. I'm pretty certain that from the moment I walked onto the dance floor, I missed only 2 songs, both of which were country tunes.

At some point in the evening, both roommates, the boy and I made it back to the house and fell asleep, and for most of yesterday, I would have been shot through the head in the event of Zombie Apocalypse. By 9 pm I was starting to rejoin the land of the living, and all I can think was "God, what a great night!". Today is Monday, on the other hand.

"Penelope"

Tonight is my last night in the apartment Miss Rose and I dubbed "Penelope the Palatial Pink Palace".

I'm sitting here alone, surrounded by my belongings in boxes, remembering the good times and the bad and thinking that although it doesn't seem like that long ago that I was waiting on bated breath for the phone call confirming she was ours, it was actually 9 long months ago.

In 9 months, she has changed appearance, gained occupants, hosted sleepovers (of both the PG and not so varieties), granted hospitality to drunken bar goers and been the venue for a few crazy get togethers.

This morning I left for work and took one last look back through the door to savor what will be my last morning leaving at 7:57 for my 8am shift. Wednesday was the last time I could walk home on lunch and still have an hour left. Tonight will be the last night that Miss Onye and I will get to sleep in the "Bed that Hugs Back" in "Penelope the Palatial Palace".

I'm such a nostalgic sap, but, God, I am going to miss this apartment.

How I Would Love To

That really bummed me out tonight.

These are a few of my favorite things...

Many people who know me know that I am undeniably addicted to pretty smelling things. Even after developing a mild fragrance intolerance, I still live to walk into a place and smell something beautiful, whether it's someone's perfume, hand lotion or candles.

So as follows, here are a few of my favorite 'stink pretties':

LOL Candles

Last Christmas my brother's girlfriend turned me onto a company that I now endorse 110% -- LOLCandles out of Pennsylvania. They specialize in scented wax tarts, and with a scent list of 300+ I know I'll never get a chance to try every one out (although I try my hardest). Since smelling the first LOL tart that Robyn gave us (Cinnamon Buns, which for those who love the smell is WELL worth it), I was in love and have now ordered from them 3 times with no plans to stop. If the owners, Allison & Achilles, were willing to allow me to distribute for them I would in a heartbeat. I have 6 tart burners in my apartment, and am having a hard time paring down to move into just one room this weekend.

My favorite LOL scents are Magnolia & Orange Blossom, Cucumber Lettuce (extremely clean!), Avabathe, and my own creation - Island Plumeria - which won me a LOL gift certificate this spring after being voted third best scent creation.

The shipping gets a little steep, but between me, mom and my roommate, we combine orders and make it worth our while to order from them. Plus they are always so awesome about throwing in some samples and extras.

The Body Shop

I joined the Love Your Body club this summer when I was visiting in Edmonton and it has been fantastic for the amount of Body Shop stuff I get! Not only do I get 10% off all my purchases during that year, I also get $10 worth of free product during my birthday month (ie. this one!), and free gifts after my fourth and eighth purchases. I am utterly ADDICTED to their Satsuma scent, and have owned almost everything in the line at some point. I just ran out of Satsuma body butter, so I ordered some more, plus some of the Moringa which the casual receptionist here uses and always smells glorious with. My roommate loves the Grapefruit line, and admittedly I am pretty into it, too. Warren bought me several things from their Coconut line last year for Christmas, and I've just now run out of the Coconut Milk Body Lotion which was the last thing left. The Milk Body Lotions are fantastically moisturizing and sort of fun to boot.. I love spraying my lotion on!

Other scents I adore:

Fruits and Passion Grapefruit-Guava line: This was my summer scent. After smelling it for the first time in a flower shop while helping a guy friend pick out a bouquet for his mom, I had to buy the body spray and the hand lotion.

Zen Garden Tea and Oranges line: The first time I ever smelled this was working at Rafter's back in the day. We had a whole display of it set up and despite having a paltry $20 to my name to last until payday, I splurged and bought a bottle of the Eau de Parfum. It was heaven.

Lush's Sakura Line: I started out with the bath bomb years ago and it's a constant repurchase to have for a relaxing bath-time. Now I have the solid perfume for my purse, too.

Nature's Little Therapists

I've had a really frustrating morning at work with a combination of stress including the logistical nightmare of my current task at hand, the non-stop questions about H1N1 and the seasonal flu vaccine, a brand new computer requiring fresh installations of EVERYTHING, frustration about men and killer PMS to top it all off.

By the time noon rolled around I was well overdue for a break, but I traded reception relief with a coworker yesterday, so had to cover her's today. By the time 1 pm rolled around, I would have gladly ripped off anyone's head and shoved it up their rear.

When I finally made it out of the office I was past the point of being simply frustrated, and was simply just ready to sit down and have an hour long cry, so when I got in front of my apartment complex I sat down and lit a cigarette to calm down.

This little orange and white cat pops his head around the corner of the complex, and starts towards me. Like most cats, he plays aloof and skittish, and when I turn to actually look at him, he starts and changes direction. I picked up a little bundle of grass and started idly twirling it between my fingers and within 5 minutes he was rubbing himself all over me, climbing into my lap, purring happily. At that point, it's hard to be mad at pretty much anything.

I checked him out for a tattoo or a collar, and saw nothing identifying except protruding ribs, hips and spine and a few scars around his face and ears. He was maybe all of 8 or 9 months, clearly going through his gangly 'teenager' stage, and back in my memory I recalled a little orange and white kitten hanging with the dumpster cats of last winter. Most of them seem to have moved on or passed on, but periodically I still see this little survivor hanging out on top of the dumpster cleaning himself off after a filling meal of garbage and rotting leftovers.

My heart broke for him so I picked him up and carried him upstairs to my apartment. He cried and his pupils grew 3 times their normal size -- it was so apparent that this cat had never seen the interior of a people occupied building, and the noises, smells and acoustics seemed to unnerve him to his very core.

When I got him inside the apartment, I set him down in the living room so he could familiarize himself and filled up a bowl full of food and another full of fresh water.

While he was still pretty timid and unsure of me moving quickly, he ate 3/4 of the bowl of food, drank half the water, laid down for a snooze and then shortly before I had to leave to go back to work, went and stood by the patio door looking outside, which I took to mean he was ready to leave, too. I let him outside, said my goodbye and went back to work, but I'm sure I'll see him again soon.

So just in case anyone is looking for a young male cat -- keep it in mind.

Dating Don'ts

Probably the single biggest don't in regards to dating is bringing up or trying to discuss other people you are dating, unless the story you are bringing up is gut-roaringly hilarious or bizarre enough to spark further conversation.

I learned something last night...

Never again will I inform someone I have just met why I want to pursue my Psych degree. Somehow mentioning you want to be a relationship therapist opens the floodgates and you go from being on a really great date to pulling out your proverbial "couch" and patiently listening to someone lament about the OTHER person they are seeing and all the issues and confusion that surround that particular relationship.

Let it be clear -- I am all for playing the field and dating around before settling into a relationship with one single person, but I do not condone asking one date for advice on dating another.

When you have reached that point you can generally use any excuse in the book but even 2 Doubles with dinner does not excuse people from that type of "verbal vomit".

So I am now 3/3 on bad dates/dudes recently and I often wonder why I even bother trying to get to know anyone. Especially since not one of those three are someone I could remotely consider being the special someone I blissfully fall in love with into the happily ever after.

Yeah. I am single and it's about time I just embrace it.