Bragging

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Most of you know by now that my frenchie is a pretty awesome photographer.

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He is much more shy and modest than me, so he never boasts about his skill - but this time I thought I should.

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I am so excited to tell you that he'll be participating in an Art Exhibition soon! I'm proud of him for being part of it, especially since it's an exhibition entirely and totally about him as an artist and they'll have only his work on display.

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Today we had to pick a handful of photos out of thousands that he has, to be displayed at this art show. He'll be displaying about 15 - 20 pieces.

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Wanna see some of the ones we picked?

(they're local photos, and fairly recent, which was part of their request)

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Cool right?
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Too bad you don't live closer, I'd so invite you to come!
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You know you totally want the free champagne :-)

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I must speak more slowly...

(This is a recycled post from my old blog.)

This post is all about my old job. Mostly actually, it's just about me venting about stupid people.

My title at my last job was "Dealer's Sales Liaison" which is fancy schmancy and doesn't mean anything - but I liked it anyway.

I liked my job exept on days like like this one.

It was crazy busy and everyone was pulling out their hair. (A common occurance on the last day of the month as we struggled to collect our outstanding accounts receivables.)

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Patience is highly over rated on a day like that. One of our computers crashed (hmmm...come to think about it, maybe it was me - I'm awfully bad with technology) so I was trying to call the Geek Squad (actual company name).

It went something like this:

Me: I don’t know why I got the dispatch department. I need tech support. Could you transfer me please?

Replicant: I see here that you have a parts order being processed. Do you need the status of your shipment?

Me: No. I need support. Could you please transfer me to technical support?

R: Okay. But before I transfer you, what’s the problem?

M: Well, my computer died this morning. It needs a new motherboard which is the new part that you see a dispatch order for. However, I need to ask a technician about recovering some data.

R: Well, I cannot help you with that

M: (Well, no kidding!) Yes, I kind of imagined that. Hence, why I’m asking you transfer me to tech support

R: Okay, since you have a technical question and I cannot help you with that, I’m going to have to transfer you to the technical support department who’ll be able to help you with your technical question. Long pause...

M: Yes???

R: So right now I’m going to be transferring you to the technical support department so they can help you with the troubleshooting you need. Okay?

M: (Yawn) I thought we had established that already

R: Okay! So I’m going to have to put you on hold so I can get a technician on the line.

M: Sure. Do you think we can skip to the part where you actually transfer me to tech support?

R: Sure. Can I get your permission to put you on hold so I can transfer you to the tech support department?

M: (In tears of desperation and hope) Do I have a choice? Bloody do it already!

I never knew my patience could be squeezed like a shammy for an entire 20 minutes.

Free Money

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I passed my 3 month probation at my new job a few weeks ago, and to my *pleasant* surprise, I got a very nice raise. Of course, I am excited about it and JP and I are now trying to work out our finances and monthly budget with the new amount.

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Well, today I got my very first cheque with the new amount. It was considerably higher than I'd expected. I called him at work, we both laughed and cheered.

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At home, again we talked about how much difference this raise has made. Then my smart husband says "I'm sure it's a mistake, that is too much"... so we work it out on paper.

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And it IS a mistake!

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It's exactly double than what I'm supposed to get. You see, our accountant resigned the same day I got the raise. Before she left, she ammended my pay to reflect my raise that I got. The next day the new accountant started at our company. She was asked to make sure the raise got included in my pay.

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(I am only guessing the next part, but I'm pretty sure this is what happened)

She also added the raise to my (already elevated) salary.

So now, both of them have added this and I'm stuck with the extra money. The problem is that now that I think I've figured it out I don't know if I can keep it. In fact, I'm pretty sure that I shouldn't.

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Karma and all....

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ARGGG....Why'd Jp have to go and notice this?

At least before I could claim ignorance.

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So, do I tell or keep the money?

UPDATE: i did tell. I went to the accountant first thing the next morning and showed her my stub.

Meme

If you hate MEME's blame Queen, she tagged me. (how's that for pointing fingers?)

You're supposed to sum up your last 15 years in 10 bullet points, as if you were talking to someone who used to know you before.

15 years ago = June 1993.

1. 1993 = I was living in Berlin, as an exchange student.

(actually I was supposed to be there for 6 months, but I fell in love with it, and didn't want to return. To my teacher and parents' dismay, I decided to just 'stay longer' and I stretched it out to a full year... I'll never forget it.)

2. 1994 = Came back and graduated from highschool in Canada

(I ended up graduating a year late, but it was all worth it, since I now speak German and still keep in contact with friends that I met there)

3. 1995 = Went to Mexico, for vacation, met a cute latin bartender and decided to stay there.

(My roommate and I went to Puerto Vallarta for a 2 week holiday. The first night we arrived, I saw the most beautiful man in the world... short, dark and handsome - well, he was mexican and they're all short -. I was captivated and that night I ended up moving into his apartment and 'lived' with him for the remainder of my 2 week holiday.

My girlfriend = not impressed at all)

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4. 1996 = Married my bartender and started working as an english teacher in Mexico.

(Well, after the 2 weeks were over, my new 'boyfriend' drove us both to the airport and as we were checking our bags, he gets on one knee and proposes with everyone watching. He had a ring and everything. How can you not say YES? So, I tore up my ticket and said "SI". My girlfriend who, as mentioned, was also my roommate back home = not impressed.

( FYI - I paid rent for another month so she'd get over it, lol-)

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5. 1998 = Divorced the cute bartender because he didn't want to have babies, moved back to Canada.

(Yeah, yeah, before you think "of course it didn't work!" let me just say that I think we'd have had a good shot at making it, had we agreed on this issue. Of course, perhaps we SHOULD'VE discussed it BEFORE we got married, but in our defense, we hardly spoke the other one's language when we first met...lol. -wait, I think I may have just made that worse- Hehe. I still keep in touch with him - he's remarried and still doesn't want children)

6. 1999 = Came back to Canada and married my best guy friend - because he wanted babies

(After my first divorce I was devastated, I was heartbroken. My friend, who'd always liked me, was nice to me and we seemed to have the same goals so we decided - on a whim one weekend- we'd get married and have babies. Lots of babies. That would make it all okay I thought and it'd get me over my loss)

7. 2000 = Had my first baby. A boy. Yeay.

(We had our first child right away, and I was over the moon.)

8. 2002 = Had second baby. This time a girl. Yeay again.

(Again, I was over the moon, I had two babies - one boy one girl. What more could I ask for?)

9. 2004 = Divorced best guy friend and remained friends.

(We realized that our marriage was a mistake since we were more friends than anything. Unfortunatly it was a rebound relationship. A weird fit from the start. The divorce was a good idea, but breaking up our family was the hardest thing I've ever had to do)

10. 2006 = Met my frenchie... and two years later married him.

(I met JP at the aquarium, in Vancouver when he was on a business trip here. He was living in Quebec then, and I was here... people thought we were crazy when we got together. We did the whole long distance dating for 9 months before he moved here.

Now, for the first time in 12 years I can truly say I'm in love again, and this time, we got it right.

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Don't laugh - Sometimes, third time IS a charm.

If you want to do the MEME - let me know that you've done it, and I'll be the first to come by and read it.

I was in the bathroom bathing my son when the phone rang. I reached over to see who it was on the call display, but I missed it.
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So, I chose not to answer. I hate not knowing who is calling ahead of time. I'm one of those people who will screen my calls.

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Later in the evening, after the kids are both in bed, I decide to call the mystery number back.

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I try not to feel like an idiot when I say:

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"Uh, I think someone called me from this number".
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A man's voice answers back in a very thick accent, appologizing for dialing the wrong number.

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He excuses himself again for misdialing, and just as I'm about to hang up after saying goodbye, I hear the stranger on the other line say "Bye Michelle".
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It takes me about a minute to go "HUH?" to myself but I don't dare call back the creepy man with the accent and ask how he knows my name.

Being jerked around

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If I were Pluto I'd be pissed.

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First Pluto is a planet. Then all of a sudden about 2 years ago, Pluto got demoted from being a planet and sank into the 'has-been' abyss.

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Now, as I unfold my morning paper with my morning coffee, there is Pluto, once again all over my front page. Apparantly for the last 2 years, scientists have been trying to figure out just WHAT they could now call Pluto since Pluto didn't technically fit in the 'planet' category anymore.

(Really, THAT'S what they've been doing in the last two years?)

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By George, now they've got it!

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Pluto is now a PLUTOID!

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A WHAT-oid? What the hell is a Plutoid? Clearly it's some sort of second rate name for the masses in space that are bigger than some things but smaller than others. Those shall from now and forevermore be known as plutoids.

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And according to my paper, we have 2 of them so far in our midst.

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After shaking my head and spilling my coffee I realize that I don't like this new reality. I grew up with 9 planets, damnit! I don't want to re-learn that.

It made me think of all the other things that I grew up with that no longer make the 'cool' list.

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Here are some things I recall fondly:

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Ending every other sentence with the word 'SIKE'!

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2. Singing the rap to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and doing the Carlton

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Wearing a ponytail on the side of your head.

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Making mom buy me one of those clips that would hold your shirt in a knot on the side.

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Playing the game 'MASH'(Mansion, Apartment, Shelter, House)

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Wearing Jordache jean jackets and being proud of it.

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Knowing the profound meaning of ' WAX ON , WAX OFF'

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Wanting to be a Goonie.

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Wearing fluorescent clothing. (sometimes...head-to-toe)

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Remembering what Michael Jackson looked like before his nose fell off and his cheeks shifted.

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Pondering why Smurfette was the only female smurf.

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When it was okay to say 'NOT' after every sentence.

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Thinking our childhood friends would never leave because we exchanged handmade friendship bracelets.

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Watching 'I've fallen and I can't get up' commercial.

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Going to the skating rink before there were inline skates.

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Alf, the lil' furry brown alien from Melmac.

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The New Kids on the Block when they were cool.

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All the characters names and their life stories on 'Saved By The Bell,' The ORIGINAL class.

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Knowing all the words to Bon Jovi - SHOT THROUGH THE HEART.

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(You just sang those words to yourself, didn't ya?)

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Tight rolled jeans.

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I remember 'Where's the Beef?'

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Saying 'What you talkin' 'bout Willis?'

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If you're still singing 'shot through the heart' in your head, then you know what I'm talking about!

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I miss all these things, the world is getting more modern and faster paced by the minute and I'd like to dedicate this moment to the good old '8o's.

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A time when Pluto was still a planet.

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Don't tell anyone but...

I actually have a real life.

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With real problems, that -as you've noticed- recently rudely interfered with my blogging.

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I know! Who would've thought I'd have one of those?

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When you are about to bring another person into this world, most of your thoughts revolve around the actual 'bringing another person into the world' event, not afterwards.

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I remember being *so* concerned about the birth, but spent little time on focusing about raising my child afterwards.

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My child was born, he came out healthy, 10 fingers, 10 toes. I had a son.

The hard part was over.

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In my young naivity I assumed that because he looked healthy, he was in fact healthy. Let the baby fun begin.

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After all, isn't that what we all do? NO? Only me then...

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There was no doubt in my mind that i'd have a healthy child. Why wouldn't I? After all, I was on the cheerleading team all through highschool. That should count for something, right?

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Turns out those things don't guarantee a healthy child. I know!! I was shocked too!

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6 years later, I found out that my son was autistic. It explained a lot of things, but it still was a big shock to my system.

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As a mother, what you want for your kids is for them to be healthy and happy.

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Just 2 months ago, we were told that he may have Tourette's as well. I was speechless. Shell shocked beyond belief. Images of my son's young life flashed before me, and all I could imagine is years of children laughing and teasing and pointing until he'd be so humiliated and insecure that he'd become a shell of a child.
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It was awful, being in my head. I cried more than I ever have in my life.

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I was angry at everyone, and couldn't get past the 'injustice' of it all. After all, my son already HAD a disability, why add another one? Why couldn't this have happened to someone else's kid?

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I sunk into somewhat of a mild depression, staring at young moms carrying their babies, thinking 'just wait you'll see'.

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Thankfully, JP is in my life, and his attitude is 'we'll deal with whatever it is'.

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And he's right. We will.

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I've come to the conclusion that it's not up to us to chose the life we'll lead.

Someone up there decides who gets what challanges in their life.

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And I figure there's got to be a reason.

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After all, I spent my first 23 years being vain, and shallow and judgemental.

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My life revolved around parties and travel. I was on a self distructive path towards a shallow life which I thought I loved.
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My son teaches me about humility and acceptance every day.

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I know that is why he's mine.
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I needed him.