Old job. New job.

So I officially quit my job a couple weeks ago. For those who don't know - and I must state that I did make some effort to keep the name of the company on the downlow - I worked at the Gap. Its redeeming features were its location on Queen St. West, not to mention the surprising coolness of my coworkers (which I attribute wholy to the neighbourhood), and I did put in a good year there. However, the time came to get out of a job that was destroying my soul and sense of self-worth...

...so naturally, I picked the soul-redeeming field of Provincial politics instead. As of September, I will be a peon at Queen's Park! I got the job several months back, and since then I have spent great amounts of time contemplating what, exactly, the duties of my position as a Legislative Assembly Usher entail. I know Queen's Park hosts a program where elementary school children (Grade 7, I think) are ushers for a 6-week period, but I am quite certain my job necessitates a little, although likely not much, more intellect and responsibility than that of a 12 year-old. If anyone can tell me what tasks they think my job will have me doing, I am very enthused to hear about it in the comments area.

Summer school is now officially over. I swear to god, I thought it would never end. This isn't to say that I didn't thoroughly enjoy the subject of the class, as World Religions is one of the more captivating fields offered at UofT (it's no neuropsychology!), but taking a condensed course during the summer months when all you really want to do is eat good food, drink cocktails and just wander the city was a real struggle. I just need to keep the steam going for another 8 months and then I'm out. Eye on the prize.

Not to mention there have been some other unexpected developments this summer which I would rather not get into in blog-form. However, suffice it to say it's hard to study when you are in the midst of readjusting your life.

Now it's just hanging out without purpose until I fly home on Monday (where rest assured, I plan to do much more slacking and lounging!). Anyone in reading this from Vancouver, I want to get together while I'm there! E-mail me.

Lists are neat.

So apparently I don't post enough. This is probably because I don't feel like I ever do anything particularly interesting to write about. But since you asked for it, here is an itemized list of what I have done lately:

- Slept a mere 45 minutes after a long night of dancing, because we had to get up and go dance some more. The second time on a boat.

- Wrote an essay that I should've spent at least a couple weeks on, in a matter of hours. For me, this is quite an accomplishment.

- Went to Welland/Niagara Falls/Niagara-on-the-Lake/Buffalo for the long weekend. Highlights include mocking the poor sod risking his life on a tight rope in Niagara Falls - no one was watching him at all - , and the constant gorgefest Ben and I partook in; the searing indigestion was completely worth it.

- Hosted a Newcastlian. One of Edd's mates, Geordie, has been visiting for a couple weeks from Gateshead so the boys have been touring around. Apparently the Ontario Science Centre sucks.

- Have *not* worked. Nearly every shift I've had for the past 3 weeks has been cut entirely. Although I enjoy not having to spend my time doing mindless tasks for hours on end, I am also devoid of monies. This is going to become increasingly problematic over the next few weeks.

- Booked my flight home to Vancouver. I arrive August 22 and depart September 2. I initially intended to stay longer but I have obligations, such as Frosh Leadering and feeding my cat, which beckon me back here sooner.

I'm sure that there is a lot more trivial stuff I have done as of late, but this, sadly, is la creme de la creme. However, there is hope, as this weekend is the Taste of the Danforth and I plan to get their asap and start ingesting as much tzatziki and pitas as possible in polite company.

Mo-lester's fun and games.

So it was my 23rd birthday the other day, and we had a bit of a party. I had a great night, and would like to thank everyone who came for making it one of the most memorable birthdays of my young life. A special thank you to the Ontario Police for turning up and threatening an $800 dollar fine for noise violation. And a big thank you to the neighbours for submitting numerous complaints to the building management, and for the subsequent half dozen apology letters I've been asked to write.

Moving swiftly along, there are some photos of the debauchery here.

I have a cat.

I have a cat. Her name is Nelly (or as I call her, Smelly Retardo) and she is cool. She was going to have kittens until the other day, when she decided that she wasn't pregnant but rather in heat. Awesome-o. Here are some pictures of my cat.

Hecticity encore.

Ok, there's a lot of news in my life, but I'll post on that another time. For now, I present you a few photos from one of my best nights in Toronto to date (thanks to Kat for visiting and for the photos!!).

This was an all night event held at the Guvernment, where Sasha and Steve Lawler went head to head, both indoors and outside, till being shut down at 10 am on the roof-top bar. What a mad night.

Me and Kat overexposed inside the Guvernment....

Ben and Jimmy drumming to the music... Wherever there's a party, drums aren't far behind.

*The* Sasha, and Steve Lawler (not necessarily in that order) at Sky Bar, approximately 9 am, Sunday morning before they were shut down by the police.

The fetish performance which provided visual entertainment.

Kat, Jimmy, and Krista at Sky Bar (on top of the Guv) come morning time...

Another update.

See? I promised to update! Quiz went much smoother than expected, another case of my scholastic hypochondria getting the better of me beforehand. Now I have a million and one readings to get to, but I think I've earned the break... Plus I have no desk to study at, and sitting on the floor for hours reading is giving me a hump... No jokes about this, Hamish. I know where you would take it ... or do I?

I am thinking of going home for a couple weeks at the end of August for a visit... My sister and her boyfriend, Trevor, will hopefully be out at the same time, thereby equating to an extravaganza of family-ness. I also would like to see friends from high school, including one plump cat that I have recently been informed has gone on a diet.

Other than that, not much has happened since I updated this afternoon...

Post-relocation.

So moving went well. Heather's mum helped me move; I couldn't have done it without her. So a big thank you to her. However, the place is still very much in boxes, particularly my bedroom, since I have yet to order furniture. That's a long story in itself which I will spare you. I hope that everything will be unpacked and relatively organized by next week because ...

Kat arrives! How very exciting to have a Kiwi in my home! She has been in the New England area helping her brother and sister-in-law with their whippet(s) for the past couple months, and will be coming up to Toronto for a week's visit! Good times. I have to pretend I have a social life and don't sit at home every night in my room while she's here, since NZers seem to be much more social than me.... Poor thing is coming into 35 degree heat too.

I have a quiz tonight for my Religions class so I should get to studying. Will update more soon.

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.