test test 1

test 2  | ¶ 10:05 p.m.

  worth the wait The other day when I made breakfast for dilly d and me, she wanted ketchup for her hash browns.  But I don't generally have ketchup around.  She wondered how I make meatloaf without it.  I guess I don't make meatloaf that often.

The other night when I was having a drink with Heator at Original Joe's, we were talking about favourite meals.  We are both very fond of meatloaf and mashed potatoes.

All this talk of meatloaf made me pick up the beef and ketchup necessary for the ideal meal.  Last night I made myself a little feast of meatloaf and mashed potatoes.  With cheese on both.  It was dee-lish.
  | ¶ 6:34 p.m.

  A Dave I know Pammy's going to Los Angeles (again!) to see Dave Matthews play at the end of August.  We were talking about her trip recently and I realized that I haven't listened to any new material from Dave for a while.  So I downloaded a bunch of the stuff from his latest album Some Devil.  These lyrics are from Stay or Leave:

Stay or leave
I want you not to go
But you should
It was good, as good goes
Stay or leave
I want you not to go
But you did

Dave's good.
  | ¶ 10:01 p.m.

  Ordered to un-dress, man wears wig to work Patrick Le Lann began wearing women's clothing to work to protest against what he calls the city's discriminatory retirement regulations.

Story.

  | ¶ 1:39 p.m.

  run, george, run When we went to see George Strait perform at the Saddledome last week, I was reminded how much I love the song Run. Find it here.

  | ¶ 1:23 a.m.

  if I had a boat, I'd go out on the ocean Okay, we didn't quite make it to the ocean, but Pammy, Tone-L and I had a nice cruise down the Bow River today. It was the first time for both of them (I'm a seasoned pro, of course: resident cruise director), so we actually planned to cut the trip a little shorter than normal and get out at Edworthy Park (after launching at Bowness Park). But after the first two hours, we were having such a nice relaxing float that we opted to stay in for the usual distance, which was another hour or more, down to Inglewood. dilly d was kind enough to pick us up, since we hadn't planned ahead and deposited a vehicle at that location. The water's warming up a lot these days. Both Tone-L and I spent quite a while in the water, floating and swimming. It was a great rafting day. I'm beat.  | ¶ 1:16 a.m.

  man Sheesh. It's only twenty after eight in the morning and it's already 20 degrees! I'm going to do some cooking while my apartment's still cooled off, and then start making plans to be out of the house for the latter part of the day. We better do some rafting, I think! Then maybe I'll get myself to a movie. I'm resisting the need to purchase a fan, but with the forecast saying sunny, high 31, my house is going to be extremely uncomfortable later today. Ouch. Poor Salsa.  | ¶ 10:22 a.m.

  favourite flick I'm watching The Prince of Tides.  I've seen this movie several times, but I positively love it.  Love the music.  Love the images.  Love the characters.  Nick Nolte is just fabulous in this role - he's so great as Tom Wingo, the southern gentleman, rough around the edges, but sensitive and charming too.  The drawback tonight is that the movie is being shown by Access.  They have way too many commercials.

"I'm neurotic; I need a lot of reassurance"
~Dr. Lowenstein  | ¶ 1:24 a.m.

  pant pant pant It's 8:40 p.m. and still 26 degrees outside.  It's probably hotter than that in my apartment - the sun is still streaming in heating things up.  I'm trying to think of things to do / places to go to cool off. 

• Bike ride?
• Grocery store?
• Movie? (would love to see Matt Damon's new one, The Bourne Supremacy)
• A walk?  At this point, leaving the house and getting any type of air moving across my face would be a good thing.

Broiling.  Baking.  Roasting.  Cooking.  These are all words that come to mind to describe my state.  They all relate to food preparation, too.  Hmm.
  | ¶ 10:38 p.m.

  sunset pic I love this picture of me and Pammy.  It was taken at Point Reyes Beach in California last October.  I just set it ast my desktop image today.  It's so pretty.  And it was SO pretty being there.


  | ¶ 2:39 a.m.

  piece... piece...piece Salsa and I went to the vet again tonight. We are NOT paying $400 to get her one infected toenail removed. We will begin a strict intensive scrubbing regimen to avoid that kind of cash outlay.

Then I joined Pammy and Benny at OJ's in Kensington. The crowd kinda ebbed and flowed. We were joined at various points by Paul, the freshly-married Darin & Jenny, the not-so-freshly-married Pat & Steph (I've always thought that they are a very cool couple), then Heator. He and I were the last to leave, enjoying some rums and chat for a while. But not too late! 'Cause dilly d is moving in the morning. And we must be f-r-e-s-h! I even convinced him to help out, even though he's never met her. He referred to himself as a "champion mover" which is interesting, since that's how I generally refer to Doug. These boys might have something to prove tomorrow. I just hope he doesn't cancel. (Since that will save me from some heavy lifting!)
  | ¶ 2:15 a.m.

  psyching up for school Class #3: Psychology Biology 120a Sensory and Motor Systems 3-3-0

The physiological psychology of sensory and motor systems. Topics include the neuron, receptors, vision, audition, taste, olfaction, vestibular function, and the motor system.

This class sounds a lot like Perception & Sensation to me.  Maybe more in depth?  Oh well, maybe my studying for one will complement the other.  I also already took and failed this class once.  I think it bored me tremendously.  Eep. 
  | ¶ 4:27 p.m.

  and I like eggs over easy My mind has finally recovered. I had a nice long nap tonight - with crazy dreams and everything - and I think I'm rejuvenated. That stampeding takes a toll on the body! Party Wednesday, party Thursday, party Friday, rafting in the hot sun Saturday, party Sunday, relax Monday, party Tuesday (with George Strait, duh!). NO MORE BEER, I say.

I have had some excellent fun, though. It actually started two Mondays ago, when I was having a rough day (with various situations with A-list and Shiraz driving me crazy). Pammy said "come for a drink - you need it!" So I met up with her and Tone-L over at Sam's in Kensington and we had a really nice discussion about people and their issues, about my upcoming school plans, and about our own friendships. The three of us really do have a great time together these days.

Then the real Stampede craziness began on Wednesday with our staff party. Okay, the staff party itself was actually pretty lame (here, lawyers, take this table; here, non-lawyers, take this other table). And that was the day that I went to our office manager regarding my "harasser", so there was a bit of anxiety on my part and on hers (the firm is rather exposed with a situation like this). Luckily, I've been starting to get friendlier with Silence, a cool lawyer from our litigation department, and we ended up chatting quite a bit. He was actually an excellent resource through all this sexual harassment business - a nice objective, lawyerly mind (imagine that). He invited me to join him and his assistant Court as they continued their party at a friend's place. I decided that was an excellent plan, so we went to his buddy's house to ramp up our alcohol intake. That was fun. Court and I took turns playing DJ; our host dug out shooter-worthy booze (malibu rum and butter ripple schnapps); we had some interesting discussions about lawyers and about sex (sex seems to come up a lot in conversations when you're drinking, does it not?). Then it was time to depart for our next destination: Coyote's. We were smart and ate first when we got there, then proceeded to drink and dance the night away. Very fun. It was nice to get to know both Silence and Court a little better.

Thursday we had tickets to the Grandstand show, so Pammy and Tone-L picked me up, we picked up Steph and we cruised down to the C-train in Kensington. We were all pretty hungry, so upon arriving at the Stampede grounds, we hastily started purchasing every manner of crap we saw. I had the sorriest excuse for a cheeseburger ever. Pammy snatched a "top dog". Tone-L scored some bite-sized Yorkshire puddings (I'm not even sure what those are - they were messy, though). Steph was anxious to try a bit of everything, since this was her first Stampede experience, so I believe that's what she did. Bring on the mini-donuts! The chuckwagon races were due to start, so we made the trek to the grandstand to acquire beers and locate our seats. Then the rains came. It poured and poured - throughout most of the chuckwagon race heats. They don't stop for the storms, though; it was a mudfest out there! We took cover inside and chatted for the hour or so 'til the rain stopped. And it stopped on time for us to go out and watch the last two heats. It was hilarious to see the horses, wagons, and drivers absolutely coated in muck. Great entertainment. Then we settled in for the grandstand show. It was a bit long, but there were some great performances. I love the fireworks; they're quite spectacular. I was quite tired that night after the previous night's efforts, so I took off right after the show, while my companions took in some Nashville North for a while. Off to bed for me!

I think that's all the story I'm going to tell for now. There are many nights to cover!
  | ¶ 1:10 a.m.

  song of the day I changed the song. Now it's Narcissus by Alanis. Go here to get it.
  | ¶ 12:42 a.m.

  daily tune I have a teeny tiny amount of webspace that I use to transfer mp3s to myself.  Upload from home at night, download from work during the day.  Today's song is Wrong Again by Martina McBride.  If you want it, it's here.
  | ¶ 1:44 p.m.

  good reading I like this:

Be it a matter of stem cell research or the morning-after pill, the United States seems to be leading the charge right back to the Dark Ages. Our public policy debates are increasingly characterized by a fear of medical science and technology that is downright retrograde and superstitious.

The U.S.' insistence on prioritizing sexual morality over human suffering – to the point of preventing our own scientists from attending the [International AIDS] conference – left us isolated. Even Britain made a point of publicly distancing itself from our policies, as if American phobias about the body are themselves a communicable disease which any self-respecting modern country – even a loyal military ally – should protect itself from.

From The Cult of Nature-Worship  | ¶ 12:25 p.m.

  GET.THE.DAMN.DEGREE. ALREADY.   | ¶ 4:45 p.m.

  7 weeks 'til classes start... Class #2 (that one I mentioned earlier - Christian thought - is second semester):

Psychology Mathematics 223a Psychometrics 3-3-0

The theory underlying psychological testing: nature of measurement, psychological measurement, requirements for constructing and evaluating standardized tests (norms, reliability and validity).  Other topics include the ethics of testing.

This is a required course.  It sounds a little dry to me.  I think I like the professor teaching it, though, so that will help.

 
  | ¶ 12:12 p.m.

  1st semester courses Psychology 202b Perception 3-3-0

The major human senses (vision and audition).  Awareness; illusions; psychophysics.  Sensory processing of stimulus attributes such as colour, pitch, and brightness.  Complex processes such as reading, visual memory, and perceptual learning.  Perceptual demonstrations are given.

Here's the deal with this course.  I've taken it twice already!  Silly me, I failed it both times.  Gotta re-do it now.  It's not the most fascinating topic to me (obviously) but I think I'll get through it no problem this time.
 
  | ¶ 8:04 p.m.

  Planning my classes Religion 253b Christian Thought II 3-3-0

A seminar course covering the developments in Christian thought from the reformation to the present.  Important and representative works will be read and discussed; e.g., works by Luther, Calvin, Schleiermacher, Barth, Tillich, feminist and liberation theologians, etc.  Students prepare and present papers to the class.

Gotta love that:  present papers to the class...

  | ¶ 5:05 p.m.

  shoulda known better than to cheat a friend I had a great final night last night with Pam and Steph (Steph's leaving tomorrow to fly back to LA). We went to Nick's Steakhouse for a fabulous dinner (which Steph sneakily picked up the tab for), then headed to Bottoms Up for some relaxed drinks and chatting. Roz and Tone-L were also in attendance. BU was my idea, so Steph could see where Pammy works (part-time) and where we all hang out quite a bit.

I shared a cab ride home with Pammy P. and Steph. And I remembered our cab driver. He drove me home once several months ago, and we sat outside my house discussing life a little bit when he dropped me off. I remember thinking at the time that there was something very cool about him. And last night I was reminded what that was. Just a very introspective and thoughtful guy, with a cool accent and soothing demeanor. Nice. I have enough people tell me that I have a calming presence - I like meeting someone who makes me feel the same. He sat there for half an hour chatting with me. It was nice.
  | ¶ 6:05 p.m.

  And I would walk five hundred miles For the past three days, my clean dishes have sat in the dish rack on the counter.
 
For the past three days, my clean laundry has sat in a pile on my ironing board.
 
For three nights in a row I've spent time with good friends, partying like cowboys and cowgirls.
 
I've watched no television.  I've neglected my planning process.  I haven't cooked a meal.
 
Today I floated down the river in a raft.  And then enjoyed a steak dinner with family.  And then enjoyed some beverages on the deck at a friend's house.
 
It's all good.
 
  | ¶ 2:15 a.m.

  Miss Martina And they said there's nothing you can do
It's something that he's going through
It happens to a lot of men
And I told myself that they were right
That you'd wake up and see the light
And I just had to wait 'til then
Wrong again
  | ¶ 2:52 a.m.

  Yippee Yahoo (part I) Pammy and I had a little bit of craziness on the weekend. It was a gorgeous Saturday evening so we took advantage of her west-facing balcony with a couple bottles of wine and some cigs. She was telling me just as we left to go to Morgan's (our old stomping grounds) that she had bought the new George Michael CD recently, so I asked her if we could listen to "Amazing" before we left. We proceeded to have a mini-dance-party in her livingroom. This song has a nice happy vibe to it.

Tell me, I guess that cupid was in disguise
The day you walked in and changed my life
I think it's amazing,
The way love can set you free

So now I walk in the midday sun
I never thought that my saviour would come
I think it's amazing
I think you're amazing

Celebrate the love of the one you're with  | ¶ 2:20 p.m.

  excuse me, pardon me I bumped you...
and hoped you didn't notice. Wanting to touch you somehow became touching you.

I bumped you...
and you walked away. You didn't like me running into you. I must be careful to keep my distance.

I bumped you...
and you rolled over. Your snoring used to wake me up. I was allowed to give you a nudge.

I bumped you...
and spilled your beer. On your shirt. You were furious at me, despite my sincere apologies. I didn't mean to, you know.

I bumped you...
at the movie and barely thought twice about it. A much better comfort level to be at.
  | ¶ 1:13 p.m.

  ...if you grasp at happiness, trying to hold fast to what you've got and greedily craving more, the experience will transform into the ashes of unfilfillment.  | ¶ 9:41 a.m.

  c'mon, George, give me your cookie

dilly d says: A-list gave me some of his cookies
dilly d says: by george
dilly d says: yummy
cupcake says: cookies!
cupcake says: i would like one of george's cookies
dilly d says: I don't know if there are any left, he was giving them to everyone
dilly d says: I had 2
cupcake says: man. that's a lot of cookie-giving.
dilly d says: choc chunk & milk choc chunk
dilly d says: there was a box of em
cupcake says: I WANT COOKIES! MAKE GEORGE GIVE ME HIS COOKIES!
dilly d says: george is out of the picture by now, he knows nothing of this
cupcake says: isn't that convenient for george.
dilly d says: I wouldn't know how to reach george anyhow, do you?
cupcake says: yell?
dilly d says: nope
cupcake says: whistle?
dilly d says: nope
cupcake says: wink?
dilly d says: none of the traditional cookie-man calling routes will work with george.
cupcake says: man!

  | ¶ 5:24 p.m.