Sunshine, here I come

On Sunday we are heading to Estevan for the week. Tim's brother, Burke is getting married on Aug. 6 and so we are going to visit for the week prior to the wedding. My parents do not have internet...heck, I don't even think that they have a computer (my mom still refuses to use a debit card and does all of her banking transactions with a teller) Tim's parents do have internet, so I'll see if I have time to blog at their house...if the weather is rainy, I'll have all the time in the world...

I really do look forward to going home, seeing some old friends and, my favorite part, BOATING. I love wakeboarding. I am not that great at it, meaning I can't really do any tricks, except a few tiny jumps, but I love it none the less. You know, it is also a fantabulous leg and shoulder workout. I also love getting a tan...maybe I'll post pictures every couple of days just so that we can watch how quickly I am roasting myself...hee hee. I also have a couple new bathing suits from Old Navy to try out...they were the crazy low, low price of $1.97 a piece...

I don't usually write individuals questions on my blog, but here it goes...Byron, where are you? Where have you gone? Are you going to be in Estevan any time in the near future? How is that new job of yours? Are you still alive?? If you answer, I'll send you some cookies :)

Here are some bizarre headlines that I have read in the last week...this may become a regular feature on my blog, we'll see...
1. Police return man's foot: the guy had his foot amputated (medical reasons...not just for fun) and was keeping it in a pail filled with formaldehyde on his front door step...nice...welcome to my house...have you seen my foot??
2. Hair sample not Bigfoot's: Really???....I thought for sure this time...
3. Spice Girls recording: Each of the girls aren't even recording on the same continent...some people don't know when to call it quits!!

There you have it people...Until next time...

Thoughts on Life

Wow...I was just reading my blog from yesterday...note to self: Maybe don't do that again! I am severely bored at the present moment which is the reason for my blogging...no real reason. PHONE BREAK: I just got off of the phone with Regan and we were just chatting about her sister (my cousin) Leah. I just have to say that Leah is an amazing woman. She has had this parasite in her eye for a year now...she has gone through so much pain...I can't even begin to imagine. Just last week she found out that they had a cornea for her (to get a corneal transplant) but she couldn't have it cause the parasite has spread past her cornea again and it would just infect the new cornea. So, she is back on the drops (basically pool chemicals) that get the parasite under control and once it is, she has to wait for another cornea...which could be within 1 month or past 6 months!! She is so strong...I know that if that were happening to me...you'd all have to check me into rehab after for drug and alcohol addiction. I can't imagine living with that much pain on a daily basis...especailly in the eye. It just makes me realize how much we all have to be thankful for...life may not always be fun...heck, it may get pretty darn crappy, but at least I have my health...just some sobering thoughts I am currently having...

For Sh**s and Giggles

Who even made up that phrase? It doesn't make any sense, but every time I hear it, it makes me snicker!! There was a lady just the other day at Old Navy that was saying to her friend that she would never buy the bathing suit that she was trying on but that she was just trying it on for "see above title" It made me laugh out loud in my dressing room. Anyway, my point is, for no other reason than "above title phrase" I am going to go and buy one of those caffeinated beverages that Jenna talked about and drink it....then "above title phrase" I will blog at the height of the crazy high I will most likely get from it (boy, do I need a job :)...those of you that know me know that I hardly need caffeine to be a nut case (ask Teesha as I chased her crazily to her car 2 nights in a row now laughing hysterically....she may have been slightly frightened...mwahahahaha) Yes, I am a crazy person!! Have any of you seen The Wedding Crashers? Tres funny...little cruder than I thought that it would be, but funny none the less. There is a girl in the movie that is slightly nutso and everytime she would make a crazy face and say something somewhat frightening, Tim would lean over and tell me that she reminded him of me...I think it is cause I can have a slightly insane look in my eye on occasion...hee hee hee...if I had a picture of it, I would post it...maybe tomorrow....Yes, I guess I will freely admit that I have a small amount of crazy in me...STAY TUNED...mwahahahaha...

Monster Energy

1:25pm: First sips of Monster Energy Drink. Pleasant tasting...much like a liquid version of those fun muti-colored fizzy candies that come in a roll that you eat at Halloween. This should be fun...SIDENOTE: I have not eaten today, so this could be double the 'crazy'. Stay tuned...

1:40: Feelin' a little 'head detached from the bodyish and shaky'...fun times people, fun times...and it is only going to get betta...

2:35: hee hee hee I feel funny...just to kick it up a notch, I also ingested a caffeine pill..Oh, the fun times at the Barnstable household....

I have to play the piano for my brother in law's wedding in 2 weeks, so I figure I should start working on that, eh?? I went out and bought a book of piano songs by Michael W. Smith...looks promising...it would be great to play right now, although I cannot seem to sit still...even now I am rocking back and forth in my computer chair...I suppose I to the untrained 'how to deal with Jenn when she is hopped up on caffeine' person, I may look crazy, but to you I say fear not for I shall come down off of this high and be normal once more...as normal as I can be, that is....

Have you ever wondered how crazy real crazy people are? Do they know if they are crazy? Is there a checklist to find out how crazy one is on the crazy scale??? Are there degrees of crazy? If someone has always been crazy then is it just considered normal?? Oh, the deep ponderings of life...I shall ponder and then ponder some more and get back to you on that....

Seriously...this weather is killing me...I am dying a slow painful death on the inside...if the weather is like this when I am in Estevan for a week...I may resort to drinking...oh alright, that is not true...or is it???.....but honestly, what else will I do if I can't go wakeboarding? One can only parooze the Mall so many times!! Where has the hotness from 2 weeks ago gone? FYI-rain=bad; sun and 30 degrees=good. Please come back good weather, come back...I think that there is a Saskatchewan government conspiracy...the government pays the weather people to say that in 2 days it will be 28 and sunny, just to keep us happy. Then in 2 days it is still only 18 and frickin' raining outside...but the weather people say that in 2 more days it will be nice again...liars!! You guys suck at predicting weather or there really is a conspiracy!!! Pretty soon I am just going to dress as though it is 30 degrees outside even if it is only stinkin' 15 degrees out...which may look crazy, but then that is good cause that means we have come full circle back to my crazy rant...

I'm baackkkk

I have been on a little bit of a hiatus this week as my parents were here and staying in the computer room. They left this morning, which meant that I had to be out of bed before 8...Before 8am I am "Darth Jenn"...after 8 is the Jenn you have all come to know and love (I hope) Although, the other night, Tim, me, Peter and Trent went to Maguire's...they saw a little bit of Darth Jenn. For some reason I was in a bad mood and I just couldn't make it go away...I hate when that happens....I mean it may be because I finally got the guts to buy a hat (which I love) and SOMEONE made fun of it. JERK!!

Speaking of buying things...I have been watching 3 pairs of shoes at Midtown Plaza. They were all too much for me to buy, but on Wed my mom and I were there...and guess what? They were all 9.99!! I got 3 pairs of shoes for like $35!! What a rush...to ask for 3 pairs of shoes and then say, "I'll take them all, please" I love shoes...they are my fav thing (accessories are next....oh, alright I love all clothing and the like!!) They are so cool. My fav pair are white stilletos (I have wanted a pair of these for a while).

...I can't wait for our girls trip away to warm Mexico...it'll be wonderful.

Speaking of Darth Jenn...Ethan has a new Darth Vader mask that changes his voice to sound like Darth Vader and also has pre-programmed phrases such as 'You don't know the power of the dark side', 'Don't make me destroy you' and classic Vader 'breathing'. Lovely...I just have to say, he better not show up at my bed side at 3am with that on cause he may get a swat! Thank you Grandparents!! I feel like I am raising a kid that is going to be one of those loser adults that stand in line for a month for the "20 year anniversary release of Star Wars" in costume...ohhh, well........

That is it for my blog...not a whole lot happening, although we are having some friends over for steak and shrimp this evening. Should be yummy!! Lata...

MWS

Last night Tim and I drove to Regina to go the Michael W. Smith concert (happy b-day, Tim). It was funny cause I told Tim that we could be on time if not later because there is always an opening act and these things never really begin until around 8ish (the BEP never actually took the stage until closer to 9). So, we get there and the place is dead quiet...everyone was in the auditorium and had taken their seats...it struck me as very funny...Christians are so polite!! Such a different atmosphere compared to Saturday night! The concert was great...a mix of old and new, but all very worshipful...he did a medley of some of his old songs which was fun...and yes, he performed "Friends"...it was entertaining though, cause when he started it he was totally making fun of himself singing lines like, "really? I'm singing this song again?" Again, pics aren't that great cause of the lighting...digital cameras need better flashes!! I have a couple that I will post, but I don't have an upload cord right now. Good times...he is a wonderful piano player....very talented. Now, about the drive home...I was so tired (as I have had like 12 hours of sleep over the last 5 night combined) I drove for a while, but could NOT keep my eyes open!! I am actually sure that I "slept-drove" for a while...I am too old for this!!

In other news...my mission for the week is to choose a Napoleon Dynamite saying for a tank top...got any opinions??

I am much better at 'posing' than playing Twister... 

Tim and Peter

Trent and Peter

Teesha and Peter

Teesh and Tim

Tim, Teesh and Jenn

Twisted

Aren't you all so excited that I had so much going on this weekend and I can just keep on making up posts?? :) Well, last night Teesh, Tim, Trent, Peter and myself played Twister. Here is a funny fact: I have NEVER played Twister before and now that I am 27, I thought that it would be fun to give it a try. It was pretty hysterical as we are all a "little" older...oh, don't be offended you guys, you know it's true!! At first we tried to play 4 player...too many non-children bodies on a mat made for children!! Two player was best...so we did some tournament play and then "King of the Hill" where we all had to challenge the winner. Tim just kept on winning...jerk...the thing about him is, it didn't have a whole lot to do with flexibility and the like, but I will guarantee you that he had thought out some strategy and was using it...and it was obviously working for him! We actually played for a couple hours...good times people...we'll do it again sometime!! And for all of you out there that are skeptical...you should try it...you will have fun...I give you my personal guarantee! We were actually thinking that if we played Twister every day, we would probably get into pretty good shape...maybe we should make an infomercial!! ;) The pictures are definitely the most amusing so...ENJOY!!

BEP and their band 

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y NIGHT!!

Come on, you know you want to sing the song out loud...Saturday night was some great fun. The Black Eyed Peas concert was amazing. Very talented bunch (and no, there was no lip synching, Trent) Teesh and I had 5th row floor seats which were pretty good. We were off to the side...centre would have been better...but I shall not complain. They performed some of their best stuff and really looked like they were having fun. I have heard that they don't really rehearse...one could tell that some stuff they did was spontaneous and totally fun and entertaining. They have great chemistry! Fergie is one great singer and a very pretty girl, at that (the album cover doesn't really do her justice!) One of the best songs of the night was "Where is the Love". The audience loved it!! I was actually fairly impressed with how non-raunchy the night was. I took some pictures, but the lighting was pretty bad, so they didn't turn out so well. The sound was great...super loud with minimal distortion. Mind you, I was a tad deaf after...which showed itself Sunday morning when I was trying to hear the bass guitar in my piano monitor and I kept asking the sound person to "turn it up!" and he kept telling me that he had it quite loud...anyway...At the concert, I purchased the most expensive tank that I have ever bought. It was $35...I know that isn't a tonne, but I typically spend 10 bucks on a tank top! After the concert there was an after-party at the "Overdrive"...I have never been there before and there is great likelihood that I shall not go back, but I am a big fan of having great stories and so I had to go and see if the Peas would actually show up. Well, they were there in a roped off area...if you wanted in, you kindof had to be invited....or as some girls did, flirt with security guys. Will (the main singer guy) came over to sign some autographs (which I got on my ticket stub) he shook my hand and kissed it and then I got to enter the roped area. Danced a little (in a group) with APO...pretty cool :) Interesting just watching people and the way they act around "celebrities" Some girls were 'macking' on the band members...yuck!! They were all very drunk and I think that a few of them were high. Fergie was completely wasted and at 2 am her assistant practically had to carry her out of there. I was going to take a couple of pics, but that wasn't really allowed. And speaking of Fergie's assistant, she was pretty strict with anyone who tried to say hi or get an autograph. It was kind of interesting just watching people so badly want to interact with these famous people and the 'famous' people not really caring. People so badly want to be around or be with famous people and you know, they aren't that great. I had said to Teesh on the way home that it would be great to be Fergie...she is beautiful, talented and tours (which looks like tonnes of fun)...after the "Overdrive" I have to say that no, I wouldn't want to be her...She didn't look very happy...maybe that was cause she was so stinkin' drunk, but I would venture a guess that it wasn't just that....maybe more on that another time on another blog...

Ohhhh, the Drama....

After much consideration, I have decided to outline "How to comment on a Blog" For the love of everything pure and good...if you read a blog, comment...if you don't, you are called a "Blog Lurker" or a Burker or Lurkog...those are not nice names!! Just click on the little "comment" word under the post and you will be transported to the magical world of comment land. And when you do that...leave your name...annon sucks!! I know that some of my wonderful friends did not know that they could comment...no offence, but were you born in a barn in a village with creatures and a color we don't speak of?? Honestly, NO excuse now!!

So, here is what I did last night...I thought that it would be nice to light a fire in the back yard...In the fire pit...all of you who imagined me lighting my back yard on fire...you know me too well :) I had a nice cigar (I only do this once a year) and one stupid girly drink. I had a couple smores, I was listening to Usher...all was well with the world. At about midnight, I started to feel "off". Before I knew it, I was puking and trying to bring all of my stuff in from the backyard inbetween puking and on top of it all, Tim is in Edmonton. Then I got one of my signature migrains that I usually go to the hospital for...only problem...I can't drive, I am not taking the kids...what to do, what to do!! So, I took about 8 advil, 2 T-3's, 2 extra strenghth Tylenol and a gravol (to keep it all down)...I was lying on the couch pretty much shaking cause I get super cold when I have a migrain, and I could barely make it down the stairs to get myself a blanket (I skidded down on my butt) I am sure that the whole evening, if watched form beginging to end would have been slightly hysterical. I am better now, but I won't be doing that again any time in the near 100 years!! Have a great weekend...

Tim took this...don't I look impressed? I was thinking that this is what my hair probably looks like at 3:30 in the morning (see posting below)...I call it "RockStar" hair... 

Senseless musings at 3:30 am

You know, one would be surprised at how dark I can actually get in the summertime as I am fairly pasty white (porcelain, if you will) in the winter. It's great having all the Ukrainian blood in me cause it enables me to get ethnic looking. The thing is...I think that tanning is a terrible habit and would like to look like I am 25 until I am 80, but I can't help myself. The way I figure it is, I've been feeling rebellious lately, so might as well start with rebelling against myself, right? Sounds sensical, doesn't it? Plus, I have this great new blonde hair that matches well with my fabulous tan....just one step closer to Barbie (as Jilla says)...now about that 23 inch waist...

I would love to post some more pictures, but alas, I do not have a digital camera anymore...the one that I had I was borrowing from a friend and now I am in camera withdrawal. I would like to buy one, but it is $279!! I suppose I could start up a digital camera fund and you and all of your friends could donate money for (hmmmmm, what would be a good trade-off...) how about some cookies and deserts and such? I have also thought about going around on a Friday or Saturday night to house parties, telling them it is my b-day and asking for donations...I think that there may be enough people that are intoxicated enough to actually give me money...I shall try this sometime and tell you all how much I make....

Back to my job ramblings...I still have not applied, but I have every intention to. I have this Visa bill to pay off and so it would be a good plan to be able to pay it off with currency that they accept (as they do not accept cookies) And speaking of money and Visa...they now say that each of us can sue John Venot (the ridiculously large man that stole $2100 from us and also our hot trip) BUT the catch is that after one wins the court case, you have to personally collect the $$ from him...like he is going to just hand over the money to moi without any police force! Sometimes our legal system makes it too easy for people to rip other people off!! We are having a garage sale on Saturday, so I hope that it is a crazy huge success (translation: that it makes lots of money to pay off my Visa...can you tell that my Visa bill is stressing me?) I actually hate credit cards...I don't really like to use them and I hate having a balance...

Anywho, I should go to sleep as my kiddies, according to Murphy's Law, will get up super early just cause I am going to bed so late...and for those of you that are wondering, "what the heck IS she doing up so late" I was watching Zoolander, and I didn't start it until quite late (obviously)...one of my fav funny movies...I admit this freely even though I know many of you are shaking your heads at me right now saying, "oh Jenn..." Hey, in the spirit of Zoolander...if you comment, I will write you a goofy "Eugoogally" (you'll only get that if you've seen the movie) Cool.....

Isn't the car pretty?... 

A Swinging Pendulum

Alright, my last post was ridiculously serious...so I figure that I should maybe spice things up....mind you, I don't really know what to use as spice (Saffron, perhaps?), but I figure something funny has to happen at 1:05 am, right?? Let me ramble a little and we'll see what happens. Do any of you out there like nice cars? I seem to have a fetish for really nice cars and sometimes when I see one I insist on having my picture taken with them...cause I know I will probably never own one, so might as well have the picture, right? The nicest thus far has been my pic with Jack's Corvette....nice car, I have to say. (yours is second, Cordell :) Speaking of pictures, I love digital cameras. Anyone that wants to go on an evening adventure with me taking pictures in funny places around town, just let me know. It is one of my favorite activities!! Tina and I used to do that...but alas, she does not live here anymore. I'm still dying to get a picture inside the 'Mini cage' outside of Starbucks on 8th...any of you laughing can stop now (FYI:it is good if you don't get the joke!!)

Now, for the moment you have all been waiting for: The secret behind Stonehenge...it is elaborate, so keep up...the wild animals truly desired doorways into their homes (their homes being the great outdoors) So, there are all of these "doorways" to the outdoors to help the animals feel more at home...they had help with the really big stones from the dinosaurs (such as the tarydactle)...unfortunately they died soon after as you will recall cause they never ever laughed :) There it is folks...take a couple of moments to compose yourselves...I know that that is a shocking yet sensical take on "bum ba ba bum" STONEHENGE. Please feel free to ask me about anymore of the great mysteries of the world and I shall "demystify" them for you. I should be going as I have tonnes of work to do tomorrow because my friend Ang and I are having a garage/yard sale at her house on Saturday and I have to do some more organizing and pricing tomorrow.

PS I hope to get a job in the near future...so Alison, when I do, I will save up to come visit you....and Leon too...that's what I shall do...a cow says 'moo'...aaaannnnd, I'm outta here!! (apparently I need some serious sleep!)

My Love Affair with Pavement

My 'nickname' around our house is 'hard-heart'. Isn't that endearing? I don't necessarily deny it nor do I advocate it. I think the definition is more meant to be 'steeled or cold'. The majority of my life has been spent very emotionally/passionately. I do like being emotional when it is easy. Take social situations, for example, I love to be high spirited, engaging, funny and chatty - very 'plugged-in' to what's going on. But it is much easier, I find, to shut down and not feel when things aren't so good. This is where my explaining/defending comes in as I think that there are some good things about 'shutting off'. For example: I don't usually feel hurt by people's comments or actions, I don't usually feel sad at general situations, I rarely feel disappointment or offence and surface wise...I think that I come across as a happier person, someone who is fun and easy to be around.

Here is an example of a specific situation and how it affected me before I learned how to numb myself. Last year when we didn't get to take our trip with Dave and Tanys and found out that we didn't get our money back (One day we'll get you and you're taking up of 2 airline seats John Venot, (he is a particularly large man) one day...mwahahaha - evil laugh, eh?...as in fru-its of the de-vil...mwahahaha) I literally fell apart. Some portions of my hair turned white, I quit talking and I cried at anything. I was grouchy and not easy to live with. If that was to happen now, I have to say that although I would be angry at the injustice, I would let it slide off of me. I just wouldn't think about it.

The nice thing about being 'cold or hard' is, the more situations you do that for, the easier it becomes - I don't even have to think about it anymore, I automatically steel myself...BUT I find that I am starting to stay 'numb' after certain situations have passed....I have never really gone back to being the way I was 1 year ago....I definitely like me better now....I don't 'feel' all those things that people wish they didn't feel. But, if I play devil's advocate with myself, I would ask: Is it healthy? I say I am not sure...Or am I, and I want to pretend like it is ok? I asked a friend, who's dad isn't around, how Father's Day was for them. They said, 'fine'...I am cold to it....hardened, really. Gee, where have I heard that before? That is exactly what I would have said if I was in the same situation. Here's the thing...It bothered me that that was said. I guess I feel like it is alright for me to do this to myself and be this way, but I don't want other people to be this way because if one has had to do this, then that typically means that they have gone through some kind of trauma (whether through the course of life, or self induced). On the other hand, who wants to feel sad and broken? If one has mastered the fine art of numbing their emotions, then why go back to "feeling" if feeling only brings with it pain? The great thing about being good at this is that you don't numb the 'feel-good' emotions, just the heart-breaking ones. It is a form of self-discipline, really. I have to say that I feel better about myself, proud if you will, the more efficient I get at this.

I allow myself to truly 'feel' when I am running...it's easier to let everything...the sadness, disappointment, brokenness, and the occasional self-loathing to run through my body and into the pavement. The pavement takes it...no back talk, no opinions, no advice...

Another Fun Game

Here is another little game/challenge for you all....careful, it is 1:24am, so I may be tired...which for me, is the equivalent to goofy!! I am going to list 5 strange items and you, my faithful reader, have to make up a sentence, paragraph, movie trailer...anything, really, with those 5 things in it. Ya ready?? Alright, here we go. A leprechaun, a vibrating tooth flosser, a HOJA cd, eggplant, and a light saber.

Mine will be in the form of a limerick:

There once was a leprechaun named Vhaun
Who liked to vibrate floss his teeth with his HOJA disc on
He really enjoyed eggplant
Couldn't stand to hear his dog pant
His soliloquy lightsaber scenes made his friends yawn

I look forward to all of your creative genius...