It's all about me... again

Because I haven't done one in a while, and because I am fast becoming the Queen of Procrastination, here is a meme!

1. What bill do you hate paying the most?
Any of them. At least until I have a salary again!

2. Do you miss being a child?
Sometimes, I suppose. I don't particularly miss primary or secondary school, but I do miss that freedom that you can only have as a child - not having to worry about finances, or unemployment, or recessions. That was nice.

3. Chore you hate the most?
Taking the garbage down to the basement. Last time I did, the bag dribbled on me. Eww...

4. Where was the last place you had a romantic dinner?
The little Italian place just around the corner.

5. If you could go back and change one thing, what would it be?
I don't think I would. Except maybe last year when all my stomach issues kicked off. That I could do without. And getting my wisdom teeth out. That wasn't fun either.

6. Name of your first grade teacher?
Mrs Loxton (I answered this already in another meme! Why is it always the first grade teacher?)

7. What would you like to be doing right now?
Anything other than homework and jobhunting. It's paying off, but when it's fairly warm and sunny outside I'd rather be anywhere than in the apartment. Like the zoo! Hmm... perhaps a plan for the long weekend...

8. What did you want to be when you grew up?
I went through a whole big list of things I wanted to be when I grew up - a ballerina, a vet, a psychiatrist, a lawyer, the Prime Minister of Canada...

9. How many colleges did you attend?
Hmm... the International Study Centre (UK), UBC, Keele University (UK), Trinity College (Dublin) and the European Institute of Communications (Dublin) - so... 5.

10. Why did you choose the shirt that you have on right now?
It was there, and clean. Plus it's fairly warm out lately so I thought I'd wear a tank top.

11. What are your thoughts on gas prices?
Well, we don't have a car so it doesn't really affect us at all. Although I've noticed that the prices are fairly expensive. But I think it's more of an incentive to bike, or walk, or take public transit.

12. First thought when the alarm went off this morning?
Annnnnd... snooze.

13. Last thought before going to sleep last night?
Why didn't I think of getting earplugs before now? This is fantastic! I can't hear anything! Especially the angle grinders outside! (it still took me a while to get to sleep though, because I was SO!! EXCITED!! ABOUT!! THE EARPLUGS!!)

14. What famous person would you like to have dinner with?
I'll have to go with the cliched answer of the Dalai Lama, because he is endlessly fascinating. Either that or Michaelle Jean - because she eats raw seal hearts. That's hardcore.

15. Have you ever crashed your vehicle?
Not crashed, per se... I did hit a wall once (a metal one, at Park Royal Shopping Centre - my dent is still there!) and I once accidentally reversed into a taxi. In my defense though, he was parked in a no parking zone on a fairly narrow street.

16. If you didn't have to work, would you volunteer?
Absolutely. In fact WHEN I get a job I'd continue to volunteer at events and such. It's good karma and I really enjoy helping out.

17. Get up early, or sleep in?
Okay... IDEALLY I'd be a morning person. I like having time in the mornings to get myself together before work. Now, with that said, you all know that I am unemployed at the moment. So needless to say, getting up early isn't something I do very often. But when I'm back in gainful employment, I'm definitely going to work on becoming a morning person again.

18. Who is your favourite cartoon character?
That's gotta be Stewie from Family Guy.

19. Favourite thing to do with your spouse?
He's not quite my spouse yet. Give it a year or so. Favourite thing to do with my fiance? Probably travelling. I'm so happy that we are able to travel well together. It's not easy to be with someone 24/7 in foreign countries where you don't speak the language and have to navigate all over the place, but we do it, and do it well.

20. Favourite lunch meat?
Ugh... none of the above.

21. What do you get every time you go into Wal-Mart?
Corporate, capitalist, consumerist-phobia?

22. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual?
I think that if you are lucky enough to find the one person who knows you better than you know yourself, and complements you perfectly, then it's wonderful to have a moment where you can share your love with friends and family in a way that is meaningful to both of you. What I don't agree with is spending gobs of money on frivolous things and events that don't reflect who you both are as a couple. Will not do it. (please remind me of this statement when I turn into a raging Bridezilla in a few months' time)

23. Favourite movie you wouldn't want anyone to find out about?
I always tear up during The Incredible Journey. I don't mind if people know it, though.

24. What's your favourite drink?
Coffee. It's helped me through many a difficult sleep deprived situation.

25. Who from high school would you like to run into?
I've generally done a good job at keeping in touch with friends who were important to me in high school. Unfortunately I missed our 10 year reunion last year and there were a few people in attendance that I wouldn't have minded reconnecting with, but I still keep in touch with quite a few people from back then.

26. What radio station is your car radio tuned to right now?
Don't have a car either... last radio I heard was Tipp FM, at the in-laws-to-be's house.

27. Sopranos or Desperate Housewives?
I've never really seen either of them. I'm more of a Lost or Fringe gal.

28. Worst relationship mistake that you wish you could take back, past or present?
I don't think I'd take anything back. Everything, even the bad stuff, is a learning experience and made me who I am today (ooh, that's deep). Besides, if I took anything back, I may never have met B, so all the mistakes and negativity of the past were worth it because now I have him.

29. Do you like the person that sits directly across from you at work?
Well, I don't have a job... so... no?

30. Have you ever had to use a fire extinguisher for its intended purposes?
Can't say I ever have. Although it makes me wonder what are the UN-intended purposes of a fire extinguisher?

31. Do you have a teddy bear?
I have several! Most of them are back in Vancouver, but I do have a small one here, nicknamed "Amster-bear" because he's wearing a little jumper from Amsterdam.

32. Strangest place you have ever brushed your teeth?
It's probably a 3-way tie between "in the woods", "on a ferry", and "on a train" - the first was whenever I went camping, the second was on an overnight ferry in Greece, and the third was on an overnight train in Turkey.

33. Do you go to church?
No... although not because I'm anti-religion or anything. It was just never something I was exposed to growing up, so it doesn't figure into my life in any way.

34. How old are you?
I'm 28... still safely pushing 30!

35. What is your favourite summertime activity?
Having barbecues with friends and family, going for long walks along the water, road trips up to the Okanagan... you name it.

Sleep Deprivation = Cranky K

For those of you following me on Twitter, you may be aware that I am currently having "issues" with Irish Rail / Iarnrod Eireann. Might I just add... "issues" is a serious understatement.

Here's the thing. I like sleep. I am a huge fan of sleeping. I am a much better, much nicer and kinder person when allowed to get my (at least) 8 hours solid, uninterrupted sleep.

And yes, I was aware, when we moved into our apartment over a year ago, that it was right beside the train lines. I have learned to sleep through trains going back and forth at all hours of the day and night... so much so that I don't even notice them anymore. That is, apart from the one engine that insists on spewing noxious clouds of grey horribleness every time it goes by. That one I can live without. But that's another story.

Here's what I can't handle. Every night since Saturday, Irish Rail has decided to undertake serious maintenance work on the lines outside the apartment. Now I get that they have to wait until the trains stop running... I really do. But seriously... Every. Single. Night. from 1.00 - 4.00am I am kept awake by workers yelling, blinding lights, generator engines, and my own personal favourite, the angle-grinder-that-sounds-like-a-chainsaw-in-my-bedroom.

People... this is not okay.

Alright, so I'm unemployed and should theoretically be able to compensate for the sleep deprivation by sleeping in until, say, 3pm. I haven't, though. I have homework, and job applications, and wedding planning, and apartment cleaning and, most importantly, a 9am job interview this morning, at which I had to appear bright-eyed and bushy-tailed DESPITE ONLY HAVING 3 HOURS' SLEEP!!

So far my strongly worded emails to Irish Rail / Iarnrod Eireann have gone unanswered. I am wholly unimpressed with this situation, and am giving serious consideration to the idea of writing to them again and suggesting they use this sleep deprivation technique at Guantanamo Bay. That is how effective it is.

Anyone out there have any suggestions?

Who needs holidays, right? ...right?

So here I am, alone in the apartment, and one nagging thought is running through my head.

"I could be in Poland right now."

It's silly, really. B and I booked this week-long holiday ages ago with his parents, because his younger brother is over in Warsaw teaching English and we thought it might be nice to go on a "family" holiday and visit him. I managed to find super cheap flights, a killer short-let apartment in the Old Town part of Warsaw...

...and then I bailed.

Ok, I didn't exactly bail as such, but we had booked everything before I knew the details of my PR & Event Management course. I knew there were going to be a few all-day Saturday sessions but they hadn't confirmed any dates at the time. Sure enough, though... when they finally did confirm the dates, one of them was smack bang in the middle of our trip. And I knew there would be no way I could go. I knew my conscience wouldn't let me miss the equivalent of 4 weeks of lectures, just for a holiday. I guess that's the high school nerd in me. I never was one for cutting class.

So B and the in-laws left at 5 this morning, and after getting up to wish them a safe trip and an enjoyable holiday, I went back to sleep. As I see it, that's the only real benefit of not being on this holiday - not having to go to the airport at some ungodly hour. Gotta look for the bright side of every situation, right?

But still... I could be in Poland right now. Sigh.

Things I am thinking about

Yay! Insight into the inner workings of my brain!

1. Other people's holidays
As I write this, my parents are on their 7 or 8 week trek across Asia, via Turkey, Georgia, some of the countries ending in "-stan", and China. My skin has begun to turn a noticeable shade of green with envy, especially after doing a Flickr search of some of the places they'll be visiting. Being unemployed and poor is seriously hampering my ability to travel.

2. The Hockey
Ye Gods, what a dismal showing by the boys in blue (the Canucks, for my non-Canadian readers). Although what I love the most about their most recent loss, and subsequent booting out of the playoffs, is the level of shock and outrage being expressed by the fans. I mean... really? They do this almost every year! Some years they don't even make it this far! I always tend to approach the playoffs with excitement, but also a sense of "how will they manage to mess this up?" That way when they DO mess up, I'm disappointed, but not entirely surprised. Some say that means I'm not a true Canucks fan, but personally I think it means I'm one of the truest Canucks fans out there.

3. Being the fiancee of a rock star
On Sunday night, B and the band (Entheos) played a huge gig in Whelan's on Wexford Street. The venue was packed to the rafters and I (being the groupie that I am) sold 40 CDs. Everyone there was incredibly impressed with them, and I am nauseatingly proud to be engaged to such an incredible rock star.

4. Wedding(s)
Being engaged brings with it a level of questioning I've never experienced before, mostly from family and friends. Where is the wedding? When is the wedding? What about centrepieces?? (that last one was from my mom... who has assured me she will not be that crazy all the time, it was just the initial excitement). B and I haven't really figured anything out yet, apart from VERY tentative dates, the fact that we would like to have 2 events (one in Ireland, one in Canada), and a possible venue for the Canadian side of things. That's it. I mean really... I'm still getting hung up on calling B my "fiance" instead of my boyfriend.

5. PR Course and Jobhunting
It's going. Slowly but surely. Although I did get annoyed at the PR Course yesterday. We had an assignment due last Friday (although I had an extension til Monday due to family being over), so I spent ALL WEEKEND researching and writing the thing, handed it in on Monday, only to find out that more than half the class didn't do it (to be fair, homework is optional, but strongly recommended). But apparently our lecturer really wanted everyone to do it, so he's given everyone else A WHOLE EXTRA WEEK to get it done. And despite the fact that SOME of us handed it in on time... he won't tell us how we did until everyone's handed it in. I could just spit.

And that's where I leave you. For all my friends and readers in BC - get out there and vote today! I completely blanked the long-distance voting registration, so you'll have to change things up for me!

Caped Crusaders... for social justice

The internet knows things about me. It's really quite frightening.

Ok, so I was the one who changed my Facebook relationship status thing from "in a relationship" to "engaged", but does that REALLY have to mean that every other ad I see is for wedding venues, photographers and hen/stagette parties? Ok ok, so I admit that I DID click on the photographer's ad... and he seems like a brilliant (and reasonably priced!) photographer. You've won this round, Facebook.

What I also found interesting is that with ONE mention on Twitter of wedding plans, I gained TWO new followers - a bridal shop just outside Derry, and a psychic/astrologer whose specialty is wedding astrology. She wrote a book called "Never Throw Rice at a Pisces"! I don't think I know any Pisces (anyone born between Feb 19 and March 20?), but I will be sure to make a note of it for any future Piscean weddings.

I decided against signing up for her US$350 bridal astrology consultation, but I did check our LoveMatch on another astrology website. I've said it before - I may have been unemployed too long when I start doing things like this.

Here is my favourite excerpt from what it said about me (Libra) and B (Aquarius):

"Both Aquarius and Libra are concerned with the betterment of the world and their fellow people. These two are an extraordinary duo for standing up for social justice or radical change in the community."

We're like superheroes! United, we are unstoppable! Nobel Peace Prize, here we come!

Is it tacky to wear a superhero cape over a wedding dress?