Moving time...

Moving day is just a few days away, and I am busily trying to sort through all my belongings in an attempt to get rid of/pack stuff. I can't understand how people move entire houses full of their belongings; I'm struggling just packing up a few boxes of clothes. Anyway, I move next Tuesday. While I must admit I'm somewhat sad to leave this 'lively' house, which despite my complaints,has been a lot of fun at times, I'm more than ready to move onto an apartment. Particularly because for the first month, I have the place all to myself! Excellent.

**Cheesy couple moment warning**

Edd has finally booked his flight over for his internship year here in Canada. He arrives Canada Day (July 1), which is symbolic for us. We kind of 'officially' became a couple at 12:01, January 1 2004, in Auckland, NZ and it seems like the 1st of the month has been a reoccuring theme for us ever since. I arrived on July 1 in Germany to visit Edd after 6 months to the day since he left New Zealand. We spent our 1 year anniversary together in Vancouver, New Year's Eve/Day. Now Edd is coming on the 1st of July, which is perfectly fitting. I can't believe we've been waiting a year and a half for us to finally be a 'real-time' couple. It's about freaking time.

** End cheesy couple moment**

I went to Wonderland last weekend with Amy and put my Season's Pass to good use. Unsurprisingly, the line ups were massive as it was the long weekend, but we still managed to enjoy ourselves regardless. We didn't get a chance to go on the Italian Job, which is the newest ride, but that's why I have a pass! To spend all my unemployed free time at an amusement park. Luckily, due to my lax schedule, I can go on a weekday next time and spare myself all that pointless waiting.

Food-poisoning is lame.

Last night I made a wrong dietary choice. I ate old, unrefrigerated salsa. Gross, but I was desperate for a good taco. It happens. As a result, I spent much of the night and some of today 'sick' and not particularly happy. Thankfully, this didn't actually happen until I'd returned to my own house and Jesse's house was spared from me retching on their floor. "That's hot".

Moving swiftly along, Heather is now in Australia. Now, despite my resentment toward Oz as a New Zealand loyalist and how much I already miss her, I am very happy that she was able to go for the summer. Yes, I'm being sincere. I do expect her to be returned to me in one piece at the end of the summer though. You got that Oz? Don't make me come down there and rough you up, you drunken bastard.

Other than that, most of my days have been spent at work or doing absolutely nothing once I get home. Ahhhh, I love summer break....

On C-, and occasionally, B-list celebutantes.

Given Toronto's 'booming' film industry, and Queen Street West's reputation for ultra-trendy and consequently expensive shopping, occasionally 'celebrities' find their way to my work place. Accordingly, I've decided to dedicate this post to the various C- and even B-list celebrities who have graced my store with their presence. I must give credit where credit is due: if it wasn't for my co-workers, I'd never know any of the following people who I unknowingly served were actually 'celebrities'.

- Meg Tilly, sister of slightly less obscure actor Jennifer Tilly. While she is known to thirtysomethings as a member of the cast of Big Chill (1983), more importantly to me, she has a child with the Colin Firth, pointed out by Lara, one of my managers.

- the dude from Xmen 2, who I helped out just the other day. I still don't really know or care who he is, but my co-worker Michael sure thought it exciting!

- Some grumpy editorial guy from CityTv. Really not very exciting, but Ashlee would argue quite the contrary

- This very creepy and disturbingly fresh-faced VJ from MuchMusic (ok, I admit I knew who he was!)

Ok. So this is pretty much it. Not particularly exciting people, huh? However, I have made another list of celebrities who according to my co-workers, have allegedly stepped foot into our store:

- Jann Arden, Canadian singer/songwriter (and purveyor of lame music)

- Paris Hilton, circa 2003*

- Alice Cooper. Arguably the only person on this entire list I would actually have been excited to meet! But question: why does Alice Cooper shop at the Gap?

- Tom Cochrane's Daughter, another Canadian singer and songwriter. Since he is a C-list celebrity, by virtue of her dad's standing, his daughter is a D-list celebutante.

Ok, that's all I can remember off the top of my head. It's late and I'm tired. I'll post about my life soon enough. But in the meantime, here's Edd's photos from his recent trip to Toronto.

Summer Schooling

The past two weeks have been a flurry of activity, if you will. I've been working close to a full-time schedule (despite my current scholastic obligations), trying to finish my last assignments of term, and trying not to be too incredibly boring for Edd, who is here visiting for a couple weeks - theoretically to look for jobs for his upcoming year in Canada. It's noteworthy that everybody who knows about Edd's plan to spend a year here in Toronto thinks that this is the trip where he moves over. It's not. Sadly.

I registered for summer school last week, so I'm officially obliged to spend my summer indoors, while poring over some article or another, or studying for an exam. I'm currently enrolled in 2.0 credits (4 courses over the May-August period), but I will likely drop one course once the time gets closer for classes to start, since I would like some free time after all... And I will still be working for money (not peanuts) over the summer, but hopefully at a much-reduced schedule and ideally anywhere else than where I currently work.

Time to go to work (again).

Penthouse.

It's official! We got accepted into 485 Huron Street!! This means, as of June 1st, we will be the proud leaseholders of a 'penthouse' suite! This is exciting news. Hopefully it's not an April Fools' joke. While this resolves one really big issue, it brings up several small 'details', including the fact that I have to tell my current landlord that I need to break my lease. I think I'll propose it more like I need to find someone to sublet my room... Wish me luck.

Oh, and this is the view of the building from the outside. Yes, that sweet top floor you see is ours. Well, at least a portion of it.

My Very Own Cyclops!

Another too cute Edd photo. Yes, I'm sorry to be that kind of girlfriend, but who can blame me?

The preceeding photos were brought you by...

The letter B, and the number 600, as in the amount this trip went over my budget, in dollars. Anyway, here are a few photos from my recent trip to England and Belgium. I'm afraid they're not particularly well-organized in terms of chronology, but I couldn't be bothered to fix that tonight. Maybe when I'm avoiding another assignment in a couple day's time I'll do it.

Old Thatch Tavern. Straford-upon-Avon, Midlands.

Shakespeare's Birthhome. Stratford-upon-Avon, Midlands.

Movable barricades on the sidewalk due to Bush's 'diplomatic' visit in Brussels, Belgium.

Edd enjoying a late afternoon waffle. Brussels, Belgium.

La Grande Place, Brussels, Belgium.

Why does Edd always look so disconcerted in photos with me? Brussels, Belgium.

The Faeries outside of the European Commission, where Edd's dad works. Brussels, Belgium.

Timo and Jen in a private moment. Exploited by me. Brighton.

The old Victorian pier in Brighton.

Easter Break and Apartments.

Before I hear anymore comments about how incredibly lucky (and occassionally spoiled) we are (which I acknowledge and agree with), Edward is coming to Canada for a visit in April! His university gives their students five weeks off for Easter Break, unlike our pitiful two days. No matter, Edd has elected to spend a portion of his break here in cold and mundane Toronto, much to my elation. His visit will coincide with the three weeks I have off before exams, so we'll be free more or less to galavant however we wish, unless by some divine intervention I actually decide to study for exams. There is a grad ball on the last night of classes, and though I am not graduating this year, I think it would be fun to go with all my friends who actually are, while enjoying the fabled open bar.

Yesterday, Heather and I had a showing of an apartment which we were looking to occupy for next year. We actually found an amazing apartment, top floor (14th floor), huge balcony for entertaining, view of the CN tower and Lake Ontario, immaculate inside with wooden floors, cats welcome, excellent neighbhourhood, and even cheaper than less awesome buidlings in this area. So now we're scrambling to get all the letters we each need (approximately 5 letters each multiplied by 3 occupants) by Tuesday, bearing in mind both Edd and my letters have to come from a variety of provinces, countries, and even continents. Still, if we get this place, we will be thankful forever... forever.. for.ev.er.

Trends Suck.

This post has been a long time in coming. Its subject? Two of the biggest trends right now, both which drive me crazy: one concerns fashion, the other music....

1. Ugg Boots (and Ugg Boot Knockoffs): Ok, I think I missed when this trend first took hold here in North America as I was in a 'Land Way Down Under'.... But since I've been back from NZ for the past 6 months, I have seen Ugg boots everywhere here on the streets of Toronto. I had to do a mental check with myself to make sure I wasn't still in NZ when I saw girl after girl walking down Queen Street or milling around campus wearing them. For you see, Uggs are 'indigenous' to Australia and NZ, where they make up a small part of the cultural history of said places. This being said, they are only supposed to be worn at home or while shearing sheep, as they were originally designed for.They certainly were not designed for you to wear with your trendy Lululemon pants and puffy pastel pink winter coat. They are not a 'high fashion' garment. What's even more irritating is that I see pair after pair of Ugg boots with salt stains all over them, making them look even more ridiculous than ever. As they are made of suede, in countries where salt isn't used on sidewalks in the wintertime: they are not suitable for trudging through the snow on Bloor St. Ladies, they look ridiculous on you... And don't even get me started on the emerging mukluk trend... I am personally offended on behalf of Aboriginal communities North America-wide for this one....

2. The Killers: I know many of my friends will disagree with me here, but I am standing firm on this; the lead singer can not sing for the life of him. He just shouts out lyrics, nonsensical but rhyming lyrics... Their songs are so poorly written that regardless of how hot the lead singer may be, or how well they dress as a collective, I can not make myself like them. Come on people, I know we can do better than this:

Well somebody told me
You had a boyfriend
Who looked like a girlfriend
That I had in February of last year
It's not confidential
I've got potential

Case and point.

Chronicles on the 510 Spadina Streetcar.

Living just off Spadina Street, the only streetcar I ever take is the 510 Spadina. Being the colourful and busy neighbourhood that this is, taking the street car is always an experience, both good and bad. Being that I tend to take it at ungodly hours of the night, these experiences tend to be more sketchy than comforting. That being said, I'd like to relate an experience I had the other day to you.

I got on the streetcar and sat down towards the front, and there was a disabled man with crutches trying to climb the steep stairs onto to it. For those of you who do not know, the stairs on streetcars have quite an intense incline, and are not designed to be accessible for those with mobility issues. It took him a good few minutes to get onto the streetcar and just when he sat down, he said to himself in a slightly defeated tone, "I've had a hard day". I burst into tears;I felt so overcome with emotion watching his struggle. I was pretty much convulsing with tears half of the ride home and then I finally calmed myself down. And then when I was getting off the streetcar, I told him to have a good day because he deserved it, and he held his hand out to touch mine. We held hands for a good second and there was such a meaningful unspoken exchange between us that I got off the streetcar and began sobbing uncontrollably again, this time for different reasons than the first. I though that it was such a beautiful experience that this man felt safe enough with me to reach out his hand, because I am certain he faces adversity in his daily life. Sometimes life can be so intensley beautiful and painful all at the same time.

Home, again.

I am now back home after my brief visit with Edd in the UK. The remainder of our visit from where I last posted, was spent largely hanging out in Leamington Spa, eating 7 pound Pizza Hut pizza (that is so outrageous), visiting Shakespeare's birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon, being sick and slightly miserable, playing Neverball compulsively, and generally enjoying the company of Edd and his delightful roomates.

We also went to Bruxelles, Belgium for the weekend (well, Saturday to Tuesday morning) to visit Edd's family. Unbeknowst to us ahead of time, President Bush was commencing his European tour in Bruxelles while we were there. This translated to the city being placed under excessive security: helicopters circling the sky constantly, closed Metro stops, and most shockingly, moveable baracades covered in razor wire on sidewalks of major streets, 'just in case' crowds rioted and needed to be restrained. God forbid someone trip and fall near/on to the barricades and hurt themselves.

We also ate the standard waffles, moules et frites, and copious amounts of Belgian chocolates comme d'habitude. On our last night, Edd and I bought a 21 Euro cake from Pierre Marcolini, who was voted the world's best chocolatier in 2002. It was amazing, but I can't believe we spent the equivalent of 35 Canadian dollars on a cake!

Home now, to routine. I always get mildly depressed returning to my dark room, to my detached life here in Toronto...