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Monday, March 23rd, 2009
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11:43 pm - nothing important, just keeping the ole lj current-ish.
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So tonight at the Toad my best cousin asked if I still update this thing, and I laughed and said "of course not!". What I meant to say was "of course not until later tonight", apparently.
News! Everyone and their dog got engaged in the last two months. As a reaction to this (and because it's been a LONG time coming), I am having my dearest move into my apartment. We are going to cohabitate. It's going to be weird, but nice (I hope). Anyway, come June (or possibly May, if things go slightly differently) my living situation is going to change drastically, and hopefully for the better.
My cat is well, as is my dragon.
I am still taking french courses through Alliance Francais, I'm nearing the end of my third term. I traded in my french partner from the aforementioned cousin to my favourite rabbit-owning st. boniface resident, and it's been going well thus far. I can still barely string a sentence together on my own, but my comprehension is WAY up! My french teacher was at the bar, one table away from us this evening, and I may have made a tiny bit of a fool of myself. Only time will tell. I'd say I'll get back to you on Wednesday about that, but we both know it's going to be months before I pay any attention to this thing again.
Gin and Ginger Ale should be sold at the pharmacy as drug. Also, patience is overrated.
current mood:  awake
current music: the sounds of gauntlet licking his stomach behind me. soothing.
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| Friday, December 19th, 2008
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12:14 am - Fleetwood Mac, Felines, and Freud-themed gifts, etc
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I've noticed one of those fancy meme things running about lately wherein people post things that make them happen for a certain number of consecutive days. I have neither the time nor discipline for that, but I wanted to let the world (okay, the three people I know who still use LJ) know that my new Mac makes me incredibly happy. His name is Fleetwood, and with him, I am able to do things I could barely dream of before.
Also, my cat, Gauntlet, makes me happy.
Also, a set of assorted post-it notes that my cousin gave me called "Freudian Slips: Assorted Sticky Notes", which combines two of my favourite things, Frued, and Post-Its! (for when you say one thing, but mean your mother).
Also, the Californication series on Showtime, with David Duchovny, makes me incredibly happy.
And Espresso Truffles from Starbucks.
And Christmas cards from customers with money inside.
Did I mention my cat?
These are a few of my favourite things.
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| Monday, May 12th, 2008
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4:02 pm - stars, stars, and getaway cars
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Hey, remember when I used to post in LJ? That was good times.
So, this weekend I went to the planetarium. Now I kind of want to live at the Planetarium, or at least move back to the country where you can see the stars almost every night. The clarity in the night sky that you get when there aren't a million street lights and neon signs blazing around you is something that I miss a lot, but hadn't thought about in a while. When I was travelling, the nights that I'd stay in smaller towns, my favourite thing to do was walk around at night, checking out the sky. Made me feel more at home, but also more in-tune with where I was, if that makes any sense.
Anyway, star-gazing = good. If anyone's in the mood to drive outside the city and stare at the sky, let me know, I'll be there in a heartbeat. This is one of the very few times I regret never buying a car.
//erinn out.
current mood:  nostalgic
current music: NIN- The Slip
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| Tuesday, February 26th, 2008
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8:23 am - You can be my alphabet and I will be your calculator.
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So, I'm home now.
It's nice.
Bacon is awesome, and coke tastes like coke again.
I definitely committed a critical error in traveling though, because now I want to do it again. Before, when all I'd done was the North American circuit, I was content to stay in Winnipeg for the rest of my life, but that has apparently changed. I don't like people who say things like "I know I couldn't stay in this town for the rest of my life", but I am worrying that I might become one, rather soon.
In breaking news, I am falling in love with "Sia". It is music, a lady sings to you. I highly recommend her. I may ask her to marry me, if my proposal to Michelle is met with the stony silence she is world-renowned for.
Started back at Pizza Place yesterday. All the customers hated Steve, so they tipped me through the roof now that I'm back. I actively enjoyed serving too, which bodes well for other areas of my life. I was scared that my serving instinct (see: mothering instinct) had been dulled by the long absence from the habit, and that would have sucked a lot. I like liking it. I haven't gone more than three weeks without serving a table since I was 15. That's going to be a decade soon. Should that scare me? I think it's kind of neat.
This week: several double shifts, Josh Ritter AND Corb Lund concerts, ALLISON COMES HOME!, more bacon will be consumed, and I get to see all the people I missed while I was away. It's going to be nice. Breakfast with Krystle! Yay!
Been home for a couple of days, so jet lag is no longer the issue. I am officially fucked, sleep wise. I can't do it for more than four hours at a stretch. It burns!
current mood: insomaniacal
current music: Sia - Academia
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| Thursday, February 14th, 2008
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4:36 pm - alliteration is failing me. need more beer.
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Successfully navigated my way to Florence. See facebook for evidence.
Train ride, which was supposed to take two hours, managed to grow into a whopping EIGHT as we completely missed our stop, landed in the next town, *Orezzo, in case anyone cares, then missed the next two trains back to Florence. Ended up making it there at about midnight, which was Valentine's Day. Nothing more romantic than an Italian trainstation on Valentine's day. Suited me just fine, the least amount of romance possible is just about right.
Found a bar that makes it's own beer. They had a red that rivalled Ricards, I shit you not. It is about 5 seconds walk from our hostel, so this could be dangerous. Goes down like water, but red and beer like.
current music: simpsons in italian. damn it feels good to be a gangster.
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| Tuesday, February 12th, 2008
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6:11 pm - forgetfullness, water ferries, and ..... Florence. Yes.
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I really appreciate that you guys stopped posting while I am out of the country, out of respect for the fact that I have trouble getting online. It is easier to catch up on your entries when there are not any.
I am in Venice, now, to catch you up. It is the prettiest place in the universe. Anywhere where the fastest way to get around is gondola is awesome. There are NO CARS. Cars are not allowed. It is amazing. I am quite happy.
Tomorrow is Florence. Could be good, could be awesome. I would say I will keep you posted, but I will likely forget.
current music: Corey Hart - Sunglasses at Night
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| Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008
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4:34 am - pizza, parthenon, post-dated updates
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So, for those of you who haven't recieved the boone of facebook as of yet, this'll be the quickest update ever.
Went to Athens, found awesome hostel, populated almost entirely with Australians and Americans. Took a cruise to the island of Crete, checked out the ruins of the Palace of Knossos (labyrinth, minotaur, 8000 years old, etc), went to the Acropolis, saw the Parthenon and various other temples. Did a lot of window shopping, lot of eating, lot of cheap drinking.
I've got another month by myself in this country (and some time in Italy as well), so I'm likely going to be posting a lot more often, when Levon leaves. He came to keep me company for the first week, but he's gone tomorrow so that's when the real test of how well I'll survive will come.
If I stop posting for some reason, I've either died, or gone into some sort of traumatic shock from missing you guys too much.
If you want photos of my adventures, I'm only posting them on the facebook 'cause I'm waaaaaaaaaaaaay too lazy to do cross posting.
This morning was supposed to be Levon's last, so we'd checked him out of the hostel, but due to a confusion with dates he's still here, so I decided it would be a good night to try to find a hotel, for a change. I walked literally 20 seconds from our hostel, found a hotel called "The Parthenon", checked in (for 80 euros, which is nothing compared to what I thought it would be, looking at the place), and here we are. I just sent Levon down to the front desk to order Dominos, 'cause I'm missing it like crazy.
Hope y'all are doing well, I've been keeping up with reading entries but as we've been paying for internet mostly, my commenting has been sparse. It's free in the hotel though, so I'll definitely go back and do a lot of things I've been putting off, later tonight (which is the middle of the afternoon for you guys, I believe)
Much Love,
Traveling Erinn
current mood: awake
current music: the sounds of downtown Athens....
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| Monday, January 21st, 2008
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7:21 am - What it's like Being a Student at Clone High: A Rope of Sand
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| Tuesday, January 15th, 2008
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7:26 am - rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated.
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I'm merely leaving. For a while.
Scared.
See y'all in 6 weeks. Well, I'll likely see the literal y'all in less than a week, since there IS internet over there, but I'll literally see y'all at the end of February.
Wish me luck! (and happy translating)
current mood:  restless
current music: absolutely nothing.
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| Saturday, January 12th, 2008
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9:49 pm - why why why why why why why why why why why why why why?
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Currently obsessed with Studio 60 on Sunset Strip. I've watched about a million hours of it this week, and it has set back my trip preparation more than words can say. Tonight I tried to make a list of things to pack while watching it, and it almost worked. If I don't finish this task before Monday night I will be going to Greece naked, starving, and bored. 16 hours on airplanes! I think I might die.
How many books should I bring? I found some smut that looks moderately interesting. I also know I want to re-read American Gods two or three times, so I might bring that and Good Omens as well.
Dogs are hilarious.
current mood: burnt out.
current music: Episode 16, going on 22. It hurts.
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| Saturday, December 29th, 2007
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11:27 am - the trouble with time-warps...
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Christmas went well. No exciting stories this year, due to (I believe) overall low energy levels.
What I want to talk about, however, is a depressing trend that I've noticed over the last week. It has to do with style of waitressing. Now, I've been waiting tables since I was 15, so I've got nine years under my belt. I don't ever pretend that I am a super-server, by any means, but I have picked up a few things over the last almost-decade. Now, once you learn how NOT to do things, it is very strange indeed to go back to the older, less efficient (and in some cases, less embarasing) way. Specifically, in this particular case, accidentally using phrases laced with innuendo where a simple, less sexy phrase will do.
For example:
Walking past a table, scooping up an empty soup bowl on one's way, the correct way to determine if the customer enjoyed their hot appetizer is NOT (and I can't stress the NOT enough) ""How was it for you?", but rather, "Did you enjoy the soup?". It's a simple distinction, and an easy one to make mistakes with, when you're an innocent girl learning the ropes at a highway truckstop. "How was it for you?" is a question I thought I would never ask again (fully clothed, that is).
Similarly,
"Can I grab anything else for you?", or "Is there anything else I can grab for you?" are phrases that can be easily replaced. I.E.: "Is there anything I can GET for you?". It's not that hard to replace the verb in that sentence with one that is much harder for a dirty old (or young) man to warp to his particular needs. If I had a nickel for every time I heard "I've got something she can grab" as I walked away from a table, or worse yet, while I was still AT the table, I'd have a sock full of nickels heavy enough to incapacitate the kind of man who'd say something like that to a teenage girl.
Anyway, I apparently am slipping back into the much more innocent mindset of the 15 year old waitress, and it's not going well. It's incredibly hard not to feel suggestive, as a 24 year old, offering customers handjobs and then inquiring as to my performance. It's going to be a long three weeks till I leave for Greece, if this is how my mind is working.
Tips have been good though.
current mood:  curious
current music: Tool - 10,000 days
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| Monday, December 17th, 2007
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9:34 am - vacation!
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Toronto updates!
So Saturday my flight came in on time, and it was relatively uneventful, thank goodness. Only slight turbulence, and I didn't have to ask the stranger next to me to hold my hand, so I took this as a raging success, on my part.
Allison and I spent the day in Toronto, shopping and eating up a storm. We had breakfast at Fresh, and it was the best meal I've had in weeks. I made her promise to bring me back when we returned to Toronto on Monday for my flight home. We spent the afternoon shopping on Queen Street, then headed to the creperie that she took me to the last time I visited for a banana, chocolate, and hazelnut dessert crepe. Absolute heaven. We then made the horrible mistake of trying to spend some time in Toronto's biggest mall (APPLE STORE! I bought an itouch. I don't need a boyfriend anymore), which made me need a cocktail like burning, so we headed to Church Street (which is their gay village-area), to a place called Zelda's. So tacky, so flaming. Good times all around. Allison and I continued our tradition of buying cocktails that should not come in giant pitchers (see also "Erinn and Allison's Adventure with four PINTS of sangria, circa September 18th), and ordered a pitcher of COSMOPOLITAN. Now, this is not a diluted version of everyone's favourite SITC cocktail, this is a VERY strong concoction that knocked the both of us ON OUR ASSES. Again, good times all around. We then met up with Graeme and his brother and his girlfriend, and spent some time drinking across the street. Too many drinks. I then enlisted everyone's help to assist me in choosing my sister's Christmas present, and if I've told you what I'm getting her this year, you'll understand how hilarious this was to do drunk in Toronto's gay village.
Sunday was spent hiding in Allison's apartment, due to the blizzard that Ontario was experiencing. I chose the "worst storm in 60 years" day to fly to Toronto, apparently. Go Erinn. I should have, perhaps, consulted some sort of almanac.
I'm enjoying Memoirs of a Geisha , and multiplayer versus mode on my New York Crossword Puzzle ds game (thanks again, Hirose), as well as eating as much food as I possibly can. Nothing like being house-bound to make you want to increase your girth.
In theory, I am flying home today, but if the weather warning keeps up my plane might not take off at all, so to everyone in Winnipeg, if I never see you again, I love you all! Know that I died happy.
current mood:  content
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| Thursday, December 13th, 2007
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3:04 pm - amo, amas, amat
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Update!
Things are getting less scary!
My exam went awesome, and I got back my paper with an awesome mark. Awesome awesome awesome.
I asked for, and received advice on the Toronto Transit System, so I'm much less terrified about finding Allison on Saturday morning. She emailed me our "weekend itinerary" this morning, and now I'm extra excited for our time together. Dana: It was Fresh she was talking about, so I'll be able to rave about it to you next time I see you. I think the computer store on campus is closed in between sessions though, so we might have to wait on our shopping trip.
Everything for the Greece trip is falling into place. I did a really good MEC shop the other day, and my mom got me a bunch of stuff I needed for backpacking, like...a backpack, some shiny new long underwear, waterproof jacket, kickass hiking socks, two money belts, and a european converter so I can use my DS and not go crazy. I wish there was such a thing as a mini-laptop, 'cause I'm going to go nuts without my computer, but I have no desire to lug around anything even as big as a macbook for a month and a half on my back.
Does anyone know if Memoirs of a Geisha is a good plane reading book? I borrowed it from a friend, but I don't know a lot about it, and I don't want to make the same mistake twice (last plane trip I brought an old favourite discworld novel, only to find that it's the one that made me neurotic about planes in the first place).
current mood:  loved
current music: Joan Osborne - Lets Just Get Naked
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| Thursday, December 6th, 2007
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11:36 pm - Things I Am Scared Of, By Erinn
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1. My yearly physical appt. is tomorrow morning. Usually I have like a month to mentally prepare myself for these things, but my doctor called me this morning to tell me they had an opening at 10am on Friday, and that I could have it. I couldn't say no, 'cause my doctor is really hard to get an appt. with, at this time of year. Fuck. Very scared.
2. I am flying to Toronto to visit Allison on the 15th. Despite the fact that I did the same flight like two months ago, it doesn't make me any less scared that the plane is going to fall out of the sky.
3. Christmas shopping. Nothing terrifies me more. I have to start soon, and it's going to be painful. I don't like going shopping with out a list, and I've been putting off making the list for like a month now. I just know I'm going to leave it until it is WAY too late to get anything done. Also, my little sister wants me to get her a dildo. wtf?
4. Panic is starting to set in for my January Greece/Italy trip. I was hoping I'd have a little more time before it hit me, but clearly I hoped wrong.
5. Exam (singular) coming up. Because I love my prof so dearly, I am already having performance anxiety. I want to please him, but I'm worried that I'm going to procrastinate on studying and then do miserably.
On the up-side, just typing out those fears and categorizing them definitely helped, and I'm already feeling slightly better about some of them. Most of the stress will be over in three weeks anyway.
On the up-side: I started listening to Brand New again, I get to stay at Andrea's apt all weekend if I so choose, with the world's most awesome cat, Rufus is friends with me again, Alan Chorney let me help him study for his film class, I get to shop for flowers for Anita's wedding on Saturday, then shop for presents with Shawn, then go to Levon's work Christmas party, then go home to a bad movie night at my place. Sunday is playing with movie making, then possibly a Crystal Chronicles night. Who could ask for more? Not Erinn.
current music: Brand New - The Archers Bows Have Been Broken.
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| Tuesday, December 4th, 2007
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12:04 am - looking for love in all the right places
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No one else is allowed to break up. This is final.
Also, on an unrelated note: I am exquisitely happy, at this moment. I'm apartment sitting for Andrea while she's away "on business" this week, so I have privacy, and the world's most affectionate cat who is at all times rubbing itself on my neck. I just made myself hot chocolate with coconut liquor in it, and I am being reminded that I have friends who love me. Also, I just got back from MTC's "The Importance of Being Earnest/Ernest", which I thouroughly enjoyed, and tomorrow I have coffee with Athena, who I haven't seen in a million years, and then thai with Rufus, who has agreed to let me back into his heart. I feel good. Thank you, pink thought waves.
current mood:  creative
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| Wednesday, November 28th, 2007
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3:27 pm - turnabouts, the eighties, and thankfullness
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| Tuesday, November 27th, 2007
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3:20 pm - exhibitionist exhibitions, exclusion, and elasticity.
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So I managed to make it out to the postsecret display at the W.A.G. with Krystle and Anita on Saturday. It's funny, I usually spend some time at the website every week, and I've read the book, but I really felt like a voyeur reading the postcards in front of people. It almost felt dirty. Other people's secrets...
I spent the whole week defending my right to not watch the Grey Cup, then got trapped into viewing a little bit of it on nintendo night at Sean and Diana's. Again, with the feeling dirty. I thought to myself, "if only my customers could see me now..." I later heard that we didn't win, and it had something to do with our new quarterfellow, Dumbledore somethingorother... Occasionally I wish I understood the motivation to play and watch these sport-things, but not very often.
I've established a new yoga-regime. What with the slacking off of working out, my body has started to creak and whine at me. If I'm planning to be walking around Greece and Italy for a month and a half this winter, I'd better start taking care of myself a little better. Flexibility is very important for international travel, I've been told. Actually, that's a lie. Ho hum.
Oh, and my prof called my Freud and Fairy Tales paper "a work of art" and gave me a shiny A+. Brag brag brag.
current mood:  crampy
current music: Stars - He Lied About Death
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| Saturday, November 3rd, 2007
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2:43 pm - Freud, and Fun
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"If we listen to what our great alcoholics, such as Bocklin, say about their relation to wine, it sounds like the most perfect harmony, a model of a happy marriage"
--Freud, 1912
Sometimes I love this man. I can't believe I thought to doubt him.
So today I had a grand adventure! Andrea and I went to McPhillip's Street Station, which is actually a casino, even though it looks like an old-timey train station. We bought our tickets for the Millennium Express at the Whistle Stop Ticket Booth, and then we sat down to a delicious $6.49 lunch buffet. It would have been the cheapest date ever if we didn't decide to have a whole pile of Cosmos before the ride. Everyone and their dog should take a ride on the Millennium Express . You learn SO MUCH about Manitoba, and the WORLD. The fellow operating the ride didn't seem to enjoy his job at all, I think I am going to try to steal it from him. I mean, how many jobs let you yell "All Aboard" TWICE A DAY? Very few, prostitute jokes aside.
Anyway, adventuring was fun and all, but now I have to write a paper. I just wanted to share that, and my delicious Freud quote, with the live-journal community.
current mood:  accomplished
current music: The Fugitives - Haunted
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| Friday, November 2nd, 2007
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4:28 pm - self-admiration, scaredy-cats, and scepticism
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I am so effin' efficient!
Today I worked Pizza Place from 10-3, then I am going to work at the Garwood from 5-midnight tonight. During my less-than-two-hour break, I have (so far) managed to: go grocery shopping, dig through all my Freud to find some references for a guy in my Fairy Tale course, make myself a delicious supper of pork with dill, steamed broccoli with dill havarti, and a spinach salad, find two aprons to lend to a waitress friend of mine who is lacking, get pretty for my second shift, listen to the new Architecture in Helsinki album three times, AND blog about how cool I am.
I've been thinking a lot about Greece this week. I'm completely terrified of my upcoming adventure, and the closer it gets to January, the scareder I get. Anyone got any tips on traveling to strange lands solo? I'm looking mostly at you, Athena, but if anyone else has experience I would welcome any and all advice, though I can't promise I'll follow it.
I'm also worried that the thesis that I'm working with for my Fairy Tale and Culture term paper is sort of unsteady. It's not that I don't agree with the theory that I'm working with...but I don't really agree with the theory that I'm working with. I can't believe I just said that. I usually have no problem blindly following Mister Freud, but this time I just can't do it. What do you do in that situation? I'm sort of locked into this thesis....do I just write a paper that I don't believe in and hope that the prof doesn't notice my lack of enthusiasm in text? Should I just get drunk and ramble out 2000 words that mean nothing? Bah!
current mood: SO GOOD. LIKE SOYMILK.
current music: Architecture in Helsinki - Hold Music
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| Sunday, October 28th, 2007
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10:38 am - head shrinking, head counting, helplessness.
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So, last night Bran-lok tried to give a speech about how structurally unsound my house is. Other than that, the party seemed to go rather well. This morning I did my usual "try to remember as many names of people who showed up as possible" trip and I came up with 61 people. Not a bad turnout, and thankfully they mostly came in shifts so it wasn't too crowded at most points. I'm going to follow with a list of notable costumes, but for now the headcount will have to do. Facebook will be taking care of the party-picture storing, so I suggest you get your asses over there for visual stimulation. Later though, I'm going back to bed. I can barely control my limbs at present, and that worries me.
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