The best staff I ever worked with...

Hi All!

Ok, I just emailed everyone and anyone from my contact list that ever worked at Macleod chapters. I bumped into Shelly Slator the other day and she informed me that everyone's getting together tomorrow night (Friday the 30th) at the Ironwood where Tom and the men of constant sorrow are performing to have a good ol' fashioned Chapters party.

What if I didn't bump into Shelly? Wasn't anyone gonna tell me??

Anyway, since I've been told, I'm telling you and hoping you all come and party like how we all used to. Invite one, invite all. I know its kinda late notice, hell I only found out yesterday!
Could someone try to find that lovely Mary Mahoney and get her ass down there. I'd love to see her. What about Glen? Can someone call his ass too?

I have know idea what time its at, or if tomorrow is even confirmed. If anyone knows, could you 'reply all' and let the rest of us know?

Kay, see you there!!!

What a nightmare!

It started off with me bumping into an old jr. high friend while I was at an outdoor festival or carnival. Then I bumpied into a couple more old friends who used to be really close friends with the first one that I saw and then I re-united them. Then came along some other friends who I used to know in High School. Then somewhere in there were some old Chapters work-mates. It was this huge reunion of friends throughout my life I guess you could say.

All of a sudden, another old Chapters friend comes along (his name shall remain anonymous, don't wanna offend), he was on a motorcycle wearing a black leather jacket and sunglasses. Almost looking like the Terminator. In fact he was carrying a huge shot gun underneath his arm. He began shooting at all of us! Like a disgruntled madman, he just went crazy.

Needless to say we all dispersed and ran for our lives. I jumped into a car (a small Geo or Firefly, if that's relevant) with this guy I was barely friends with in Jr. High and drove off. Next thing we know, we're being chased and shot at. Why is he after me in particular? I had to lie down in the back seat and pray for my life. We couldn't escape, shots firing at us one after another, dodging traffic, screaming, all senses almost gone. At one point I made eye contact with my friend of yesterdays and through my eyes I pleaded with him to come to his senses and begged for my life. I saw a quick sense of compassion reciprocated and then his gun raised again to take aim...

I awoke.

Freshman

Wow, I can't believe its been over a month since my last post. Sadly I haven't done much since then.

Yesterday was my first day back to school. My God! For the last couple of months it hasn't really phased me that going back to school would be a huge change in my life. When I was sitting in my first class yesterday morning I looked around and saw about 20 faces all about 7-9 years younger than mine. I thought, "what the hell am I doing here? This is ridiculous, I should be somewhere earning money and making a life for myself!"

We all sat around in anticipation to see who our professor would be, looked around to check each other out, looked at our watches to count the minutes until the day's end. In walked Dr. Jane, an older lady with grey hair and glasses in her 40's, with an updated outfit. She wore simple sandals, a pinky-greenish funky skirt that flowed about and complimented it with a faded jean jacket. As she began to talk about the semester ahead of us in the 'Nature of Religion' most of us intently listened and laughed at her rants about this and that. And in that first 50 minutes of her lecturing us about why we're sitting in that classroom, I began to feel comfortable. I began to like this lady in front of me. I began to realize why I'm going to school again, its something that I want to do, I want to learn about these cool things, I want to educate my mind, I want to be able to educate others.

Geez, I hope I can keep this attitude up for the next 6 years.

Calgary Tourist

Clans and Tartans


I just arrived home from the airport a couple of hours ago. I sent off my friend Cheryl Reid who's visiting from Scotland. She's just spent the last 10 days at my house and I took time off work to be a tourist once more. The days were filled with eating, shopping, walking, drinking, hiking, laughing, watching, and reminiscing about our days working together in Sydney.

She's now off to meet up with another Scottish gal from home in Toronto and then off to Montreal, Boston, Philly, New York, Washington DC and Chicago. I'm so jealous.

Cheryl, good travels to you and Sarah!



Back to Work


Tomorrow morning I've got to go back to work. Nope, the Telus strike isn't over (I hope it last for months and months and months)! I sold out and went back to CNRL. On my planned last day of work I caved in and said I'd stay on for 2 days a week, along with a few other requests that are currently being fulfilled, such as a permanent office. Oh well, at least its a job that's stable and gives me weekends off, so until Telus is back on I'm working there fulltime again. They're good to me I gotta admit it.

The End of Misery

I've quit my office job for the following reasons:

• Repetitiveness and boredom
• 2 new full time members will be joining our team and will be kicking me out of my office
• I will be shuffled around from office to office, forced to board with a stranger who probably won't want to listen to my CD's and with no desk to call my own
• I'm never included in any social events
• I hate working 2 jobs
• My own personal free time is at a null

This Thursday will be my last day at Canadian Natural Resources.

Ahhh.. I feel much better! Now, what to do with my other shitty job?

Sharing Live 8

I normally don't use AOL, but the other night Jeremy and I sat in front of the computer in the dark watching different Live 8 performances. The website is divided into cities and performers. How cool!

LIVE 8 LINK

100th Blog Entry

I'd like to dedicate this 100th blog entry to my uncle who just passed away a few days ago. He's my Mom's brother to be exact or Tito (uncle) 'Spanky' as everyone knows him, aka Roberto Sanchez.

All my life I've heard stories of my Mom's older brother who lived all his life in the Philippines. Your Tito Spanky this and your Tito Spanky that. Not until this past December to March did I really come to understand whom my Mother was always describing. I'm glad to say that I actually got to know my uncle.



We spent a lot of time playing scrabble, Ma Jong and watching movies. He lived next door to the house I stayed in while in Manila (my Mom's house, where my Aunt and her family resides) and would walk in and out of the house periodically throughout the day to see what the happenin's were. He often reminded me of a bored child looking for some one to play with. Whenever I'd ask if he wanted to play a game he'd never hesitate to say "Okay!” And at 3am in the morning when I'd be tired and anxious to go to sleep, my 68 year old uncle with failing health would be the one to urge all of us to play one more game.

I'm not sure exactly how he got the nickname of "Spanky". However one of his traits was to follow around my naughty young toddler nephew Andre around the house, spanking the floor with his slipper and enforcing Andre to behave. Poor Andre would always look up to him with these innocent "what did I do?" eyes, walk away and continue on with his routine. Tito Spanky never spanked him.



He'll be truly missed by numerous family members, including myself. God rest your soul Tito. Go get some free tickets to Luther Vandross' concert and enjoy heaven! And oh yeah, give Lola a big hug for me and tell her I love and miss her.