Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Flaming Rum
This article made me chuckle (aside from the fact that the person has third degree burns):
How many times did I do this in university? This was my (one and only) party trick – pour rum on a teaspoon, light it on fire, pour it into my mouth (oooh it looks like my tongue is on fire…!), swallow.
Rum, and all alcohol, burns. How can this make it “defective”?
There is a hazard to doing this whilst drunk. The last time I did it I was at someone’s cottage. It was freezing. I’d had more than enough to drink. I bragged to the group about “flaming rum”. I attempted the trick. Unfortunately my chin and boobs (sweater) caught fire. They rolled me around on the filthy floor. We all laughed. I had a small burn on my chin, and a hangover the next day.
This article made me chuckle (aside from the fact that the person has third degree burns):
How many times did I do this in university? This was my (one and only) party trick – pour rum on a teaspoon, light it on fire, pour it into my mouth (oooh it looks like my tongue is on fire…!), swallow.
Rum, and all alcohol, burns. How can this make it “defective”?
There is a hazard to doing this whilst drunk. The last time I did it I was at someone’s cottage. It was freezing. I’d had more than enough to drink. I bragged to the group about “flaming rum”. I attempted the trick. Unfortunately my chin and boobs (sweater) caught fire. They rolled me around on the filthy floor. We all laughed. I had a small burn on my chin, and a hangover the next day.
Still In Love With Ken Jennings
I briefly scanned this earlier on Gawker and then saw it again in the paper later today.
C'mon, who can hate this guy? Ken is funny as fuck. And we already know he's smart. It's a little mortifying that he appears to be biting the hand that feeds him (fed him? made him famous?), but to call those who criticize his humour "humour-impaired sock puppet users" is hilarious. You cannot fault this Mormon.
I briefly scanned this earlier on Gawker and then saw it again in the paper later today.
C'mon, who can hate this guy? Ken is funny as fuck. And we already know he's smart. It's a little mortifying that he appears to be biting the hand that feeds him (fed him? made him famous?), but to call those who criticize his humour "humour-impaired sock puppet users" is hilarious. You cannot fault this Mormon.
Goodbye Jazz
Our little female Siamese cat Jazz is no more. About 2 weeks ago she became "ataxic", meaning that she was listing badly to one side (her left side). The left side of her head drooped alarmingly. She walked in circles. She tumbled down the stairs. She plain fell over a lot. $800 and no answers later we decided to euthanize her. The next step was STARTING at $1000 to get a referral and diagnosis from a neurologist. I don't have the money and I was terrified to go down the road of taking a chance that we might not be able to save Jazz or afford to treat her. I don't see the point in chemo or radiation or surgery for a 9 lb, 9 year old cat, although I love her and she was my favourite. She was not my $1800 (minimum) favourite.
The guilt I experienced was bad. The vet who treated her was pushing me to go for the referral. She never once mentioned euthanasia as an option. Last Friday after a bad night with Jazz I told Nick we needed to do this. We both cried a lot. Nick brought up the cat carrier and placed it in the hall. Jazz obligingly teetered into it and settled down. She was quite herself through all of this illness. Cuddly, eating, drinking, making it to her litter, but barely able to move.
I bawled all the way to the vet. I just appeared without an appointment. The front desk ladies were so nice. Thank goodness the vet who I'd been dealing with wasn't there. I was absolutely dreading having to explain my decision, but I never did. We were seen by some absolute child vet and her little sister (it seemed) - two tiny blondes and they could not have been more than 25?? Although it took a long time to get seen, eventually Jazz was put down with love and compassion. AND IT STILL FUCKING COST $200.
Our little female Siamese cat Jazz is no more. About 2 weeks ago she became "ataxic", meaning that she was listing badly to one side (her left side). The left side of her head drooped alarmingly. She walked in circles. She tumbled down the stairs. She plain fell over a lot. $800 and no answers later we decided to euthanize her. The next step was STARTING at $1000 to get a referral and diagnosis from a neurologist. I don't have the money and I was terrified to go down the road of taking a chance that we might not be able to save Jazz or afford to treat her. I don't see the point in chemo or radiation or surgery for a 9 lb, 9 year old cat, although I love her and she was my favourite. She was not my $1800 (minimum) favourite.
The guilt I experienced was bad. The vet who treated her was pushing me to go for the referral. She never once mentioned euthanasia as an option. Last Friday after a bad night with Jazz I told Nick we needed to do this. We both cried a lot. Nick brought up the cat carrier and placed it in the hall. Jazz obligingly teetered into it and settled down. She was quite herself through all of this illness. Cuddly, eating, drinking, making it to her litter, but barely able to move.
I bawled all the way to the vet. I just appeared without an appointment. The front desk ladies were so nice. Thank goodness the vet who I'd been dealing with wasn't there. I was absolutely dreading having to explain my decision, but I never did. We were seen by some absolute child vet and her little sister (it seemed) - two tiny blondes and they could not have been more than 25?? Although it took a long time to get seen, eventually Jazz was put down with love and compassion. AND IT STILL FUCKING COST $200.
Monday, July 24, 2006
You're Where? You Did What?
It's been many years since I cared about Rebecca Eckler. But something came up and I suddenly started to read her articles again. So many questions...
Why did you move to New York for a few months way back when?
Why did you leave The Post? And then what happened? You wrote a book and... then went to The Globe... any jobs in between?
You had a baby... did you ever get married? Are you still with that guy?
Where do you live? Toronto or Calgary? Both?
Do you still have that dog? Who looked after your dog when you were in New York?
What happened about your swollen feet?
What happened with that guy you were seeing when you were pregnant? Did anything ever happen? Was it a full-blown affair? How did it end off? (Or did it not end?)
How come you have so much money that you can be in France and Hawaii for ages at a time and fly business class? I didn't think writers made that much.
I checked out your Nine Pound Dictator blog. Do you ever respond to comments?
What about the Nine Gram Brain blog... Do you ever check it out?
Why do you seem to have readers that either LOVE you or HATE you? I seem to be the only ambivalent reader...
Why do you have ex-coworkers who really despise you? Something must have happened for there to be so many...
It's been many years since I cared about Rebecca Eckler. But something came up and I suddenly started to read her articles again. So many questions...
Why did you move to New York for a few months way back when?
Why did you leave The Post? And then what happened? You wrote a book and... then went to The Globe... any jobs in between?
You had a baby... did you ever get married? Are you still with that guy?
Where do you live? Toronto or Calgary? Both?
Do you still have that dog? Who looked after your dog when you were in New York?
What happened about your swollen feet?
What happened with that guy you were seeing when you were pregnant? Did anything ever happen? Was it a full-blown affair? How did it end off? (Or did it not end?)
How come you have so much money that you can be in France and Hawaii for ages at a time and fly business class? I didn't think writers made that much.
I checked out your Nine Pound Dictator blog. Do you ever respond to comments?
What about the Nine Gram Brain blog... Do you ever check it out?
Why do you seem to have readers that either LOVE you or HATE you? I seem to be the only ambivalent reader...
Why do you have ex-coworkers who really despise you? Something must have happened for there to be so many...
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
It Depends
Twice in "print" (in IMDb and A Socialite's Life) I've seen the reference to June Allyson's death mention her as "Depends Undergarments spokeswoman". Is it not "Depend"?
Twice in "print" (in IMDb and A Socialite's Life) I've seen the reference to June Allyson's death mention her as "Depends Undergarments spokeswoman". Is it not "Depend"?
Friday, July 07, 2006
Canada Day Festivities
Our neighbours hosted a huge Canada Day party in their backyard which I attended briefly. In that time, before it started to rain, I sampled the food and checked out Ken's banged up knee.
Later everyone did karaoke (the machine was safely stowed under a tarp). Poor Brian rose to belt out a raunchy Australian drinking song, but got stuck with Harper Valley PTA. Apparently the machine would pick random songs for unwitting performers.
Our neighbours hosted a huge Canada Day party in their backyard which I attended briefly. In that time, before it started to rain, I sampled the food and checked out Ken's banged up knee.
Later everyone did karaoke (the machine was safely stowed under a tarp). Poor Brian rose to belt out a raunchy Australian drinking song, but got stuck with Harper Valley PTA. Apparently the machine would pick random songs for unwitting performers.