1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?

I had my 1st guitar lesson and also got my armpits lasered!

2. Did you keep your New Years' resolutions and will you make more for next year?

Yes my newest resolution will be to get out there and date a hell of a lot more than I currently do. I'm shy and don't put myself out there at all so 2009 will be the year of love!

Last year I vowed to be a doer and not a talker....I've done a lot of new things this year so I was successful!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Yes

5. What countries did you visit?

Shockingly I was only in the United States this year. Usually it's some far off place but alas no great plane rides in 2008.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?

A intelligent, sexy, humorous man to spend some time with.

7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

Hmm nothing is springing to mind at the moment.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I'd have to say standing up to my boss. I'm generally rather quiet at work however this year I've been extremely vocal about the things I dislike and changes I would like to see.

9. What was your biggest failure?

I would like to be a kinder person however I am nowhere near where I should be and didn't take the time this year to be mindful of myself and how I treat others.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

I was rear ended in the summer and suffered a lot of discomfort as well as back/neck pain.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

My fabulous Miracle bra of course!

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?

M's, she went through a lot and I seriously thought she was going to die but she pulled through!!

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

I'm sure Bush said or did something appalling but that's a given.

14. Where did most of your money go?

My car, seriously I'm beginning to hate it. New brakes $530, berring $270 and I will be taking the sucker in this week for an oil change, re-alignment and for some mysterious rattling sound that may just cost an arm and a leg.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

I was excited about the 2nd NIN concert I went to as I had the best seats I have ever had. I can't say as I was really really really excited though, I'm sure there is something less lame however nothing is jumping to mind at the moment.

16. What song will always remind you of 2007?

I copied and pasted this meme from Claire's blog and I'm not sure why this says 2007?? I can't remember that far back!

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: Happier or sadder? Thinner or fatter? Richer or poorer?

Sadder, thinner, richer

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

I wish that I had gone to the gym a hell of a lot more. I took a hiatus after the accident and just recently went back. I put myself about 4 months behind, bullocks!

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

I wish that I had not let myself get so stressed about work. It's not worth my health and sanity.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

I went to the gym, had dinner and opened presents.

21. Did you meet/date anyone special in 2008?

There are still a few days left no?? As for special...we'll have to see....

23. How many one-night stands?

Zero

24. What was your favourite TV program?

Oh lord I have a million but I did enjoy LOST this year.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

No one that I can think of.

26. What was the best book you read?

The Secret Life of Bees which I really enjoyed. I wanted to read it before I saw the movie. Oh crap I thought it said the last book you read.....as for best book I'd have to say Eat Pray Love.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I refuse to answer this question (there are too many music snobs who read this blog Ha!)

28. What did you want and get?

I have been wanting to get my armpits lasered for the past year and have finally started the process. It actually is not as painful as I had imagined it would be. Now I just need some patience as there are two months in between sessions. I hear the gasps already, no worries I can shave anytime my little heart desires.

29. What did you want and not get?

I really wanted to purchase some Mr. Smoothie for my protein shakes. I do have a contact number for a distributor but the whole process is going to be a pain in the ass. I believe I will have to purchase a large quantity and the place is an hour away.

30. What was your favourite film of this year?

Hmmm I did enjoy The Dark Knight as well as The Changeling however I can't really say that either are my favourite. I bought PS I Love You but have yet to watch it.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned the big 3-0 and celebrated with a bunch of wonderful friends. We drank, laughed and drank some more!

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

A trip far far away, perhaps to Bali or India.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?

Hmmm again with the 2007.......If you Mr. Meme are referring to 2008 I'd have to say I've worn much less black than normal. I bought a few red shirts, red jackets a pair of red shoes.

34. What kept you sane?

Taking me time and relaxing when I needed to. Curling up with a cup of tea and a good book, laying out in the sun enjoying a novel, going for walks and day dreaming.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Jonathon Rhys Myers yummy!!!

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

The goings on in the Middle East.

38. Who was the best new person you met?

Well I met Wiwille, Rawbean, WIGSF and Big Ben this year. I also met some fabulous friends of a friend when I was out in Vancouver and really enjoyed their company. So it's a tie between like ten people.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.

Well I turned 30 this year and all of a sudden it gave me pause. I realized I'm older and must start taking better care of my body through exercise and nutrition. I started to think about retirement and saving money, I realized that job satisfaction is a huge thing and I need to surround myself with white light and learn to slow down and really live in the present moment.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

Oh he's but a fallen leaf, he's but a fallen leaf......

Mmmmmm possibly the best piece of cake I have ever had:

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All 870 calories and 49 grams of fat!

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I'm not a huge fan of Christmas however I am a huge fan of the paid vacation that comes along with it!! Good thing I have lots of time off to get my ass into the gym as I can imagine this is just the tip of the ice burg as far as desserts and over indulgence are concerned.

We had a snowstorm on Friday which dumped close to 20 cm over my fair city. As most of you are aware I hate snow at the best of times and I also hate people that say "It's Canada, expect it" blah blah bullshit cause the fact is it sucks and it's near impossible to drive around in.

I had 3 appointments that day and it took triple the amount of time it should have to get to each one. The highway was barely plowed and the visibility was absolute shit with open fields and whiteouts galore. I came out of my first appointment to find the snow had drifted as high as my doors thus ensuring my pants and feet got soaked while trying to clean it off. I was not a happy kitty. I had to drive down the above highway for over an hour and as you can see visibility was an issue.

Yes I have snow tires and yes I was extremely happy and thankful that I did not get stuck like the 20 other poor unfortunately souls I saw.......but guess what....snowstorms still suck ass!!

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I went to a party on Saturday and in the middle of the evening my button fell off of my shirt. Thankfully it is not an important button as it serves no purpose other than for show. The same thing happened last weekend and I was able to sew the sucker back on (please note it was the other button that fell this time, shout out to me and my mad sewing skills however I clearly need to purchase higher quailty clothing). I was however in no condition to use a needle and thread on this particular evening so one of the lads made a makeshift button for me.

Apparently I'm trying to resemble the hunchback of Notre Dame while showing off my new button. Awwww a Moosehead beer cap, how classy!!

I've only seen Flight of the Conchords twice however both episodes had me laughing out loud. Has anyone else come across this gem?

In this particular show Bret is feeling a bit self concious after a photo shoot with his bandmate Jemaine as their manager accuses him of being a small man. Jemaine takes it upon himself to try and cheer Bret up with the following song "Bret You Got It Going on" Enjoy!!

I went to a friends on Saturday evening for a few drinks and then out to a bar. A couple of other guys showed up for a few Pepsi's as well and agreed to drop us off at the bar on their way out of the city.

(Sidenote, we watched a show similar to Jackass but much much more vile. One guy got liposuction and his friend drank the fat/blood for the hell of it. BLEH)




We all go out to the driveway and the guys start piling into the truck. Normally the front seats 3 people (4 if you squeeze) however G had a case of beer and a few other items in there which really made room for only 2 people 3 if you squeezed in. All three guys jump in the front and tell me to "get in the back". Huh?? What the fuck?? May I remind you that it's WINTER!! So there I am, laying down in the back of the truck for the 3 minute ride. They thought it was hilarious.....I was not impressed! Remind me again why I've been friends with these guys for over 12 years??



Back off ladies they are all mine!!

My dad ran into one of my male friends at the beer store and the following conversation took place:


Dad: Hey T, is there any beer left for the rest of us? You're buying up the store!


T: Sure am, your daughter is coming over tonight!


The look on the cashiers face was priceless however they had a good laugh!



Ha!!! Have a great weekend!!

Things I love:

I have been craving Milk Tea since I went to Japan in 2003. Seriously I was addicted to the stuff and put every spare yen I had into the vending machines. I even started drinking my regular tea cold when I got home which wasn't quite the same as they add lots of sugary stuff to theirs. Five years later and I have found it! Boo ya!!




I discovered using a puff about a millions years after everyone else. Yes I just bought my first one this year and have found a myriad of wonderful body washes that go along with such a thing. My new fav is this yummy honey almond yogurt wash; it's to die for.




These chocolate bars are the most delightful treats ever. They are filled with yummy caramel, almonds and of course lots of chocolate. The unfortunate (or fortunate for my hips) thing is that they are only available through fundraisers so it's not like you can just run out to the store and grab one. If you ever come across these I suggest you try one out, they are worth the 410 calories and 26 grams of fat and certainly live up to their "delicious" name!!



I watch some terrible TV shows as most of you know and TMZ is no exception. I do however absolutely love Dax Holts laugh. It never fails to put a smile on my face and I watch every evening just to hear it. He tends to tell a story and laugh at the same time which I find hilarious. For those of you that watch the show you'll know what I mean.

Rules: Once you’ve been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 16 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 16 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it’s because I want to know more about you.

1. I always thought that spending a week in bed would be fantastic and relaxing. It was for the first few days however I'm getting antsy and would do anything to be able to jump up and clean. Can you believe that people....I WANT to clean!!

2. There are very few people in this world that I actually dislike.

3. I can eat a whole bag of Skor Bites in two sittings and therefore am not able to buy them anymore. I have absolutely no self control when it comes to such things.

4. A current goal of mine is to surround myself with white light. I want positive energy around me which includes positive people and love. I don't have time for complainers, gossipers and drama. It's far too draining on the soul.

5. I'm very self conscience and have even been known to leave a place (IE the mall) if I get a glimpse of myself in the mirror and do not like what I see. I feel like people are staring at me and wondering why I'm so ugly.

6. I very rarely date for the above reason and even when I do have a tendency to sabotage things as I'm afraid of getting close to anyone. I have a few friends currently suggesting male friends for me to meet and I'd rather crawl under a rock than do so.

7. I check my email countless times a day and have no idea what I would do without the internet. I should probably try it sometime.

8. I have great admiration for those people who leave their regular lives behind and travel the world for long periods of time and immerse themselves in other cultures. I hope to one day be able to do the same.

9. There is nothing better to me then one of those big loud belly laughs where you snort and cry and everyone stares at you. Not a funny ha ha laugh but a real big right from the gut laugh. I had one the other day and it was priceless.

10. I don't want children however I am afraid to grow old alone.......who will take care of me, drive me to appointments, visit with me and take care of my needs when I am no longer able to do so?

11. I very rarely get into arguments with my friends and don't understand how others do so repeatedly.

12. The only reason I sent out Christmas cards this year is because I received a few free boxes of cards, I actually loathe the season.

13. You will be hard pressed to find me without A) a bottle of water (stainless steel for the tree huggers) and B) some type of lip balm.

14. I miss Seinfeld, that show was comic genius!

15. I love to sing along to the radio/Cd's in the car with or without passengers. I also love when I see people in other cars rocking out.

16. I still promise to play "There's your boyfriend" or TYB even though I am trying to be a kinder person!


Claire tagged me on another forum to complete this and I had no other material for bloggyland so voila!! I don't think I actually have 16 different readers so for those of you that want to complete this please feel free.

I've been feeling slightly better since that last post, most likely because I'm not at work yet :)

Shopping was a lot of fun if you like getting up at 2:30am ( I use the term "getting up" loosely as we went to bed at 9pm and this gal didn't get a wink of sleep). We didn't wait outside in any crazy line ups nor attempt to kill any of the poor people trying to make a living. We also did not complain for 45 minutes straight like the woman behind us in the Kohl's line up. I wish I was kidding when I say she would not shut up about the wait to pay. "How long is this line", "why did we get out of the other line" "what is taking so long" on and on and on. Really??? You really had no idea that you would be waiting an hour to pay for a few cheap items??? I wanted to tell her to shut the fuck up but refrained.

I bought some cute tops and a lovely purse, a few other items as well but did not go overboard as A) our dollar sucks at the moment and B) someone left the above sign all over a department store that made me feel bad.

LD picked out a few items that should never have been made such as:

Barfy green Apple Bottom high tops with sequins

Gold Lamme and gold sequined blouses

She also ordered mozzarella sticks at the one restaurant as an appetizer and they brought her 5 gigantic egg roll type sticks filled with cheese. We're used to the tiny little snacks the size of a finger. God Bless America!!

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Day 5 of my vacation and I completely threw my back out. I was being a wonderful Auntie and playing with my lovely niece when BAM I felt a twinge and hit the floor. I stayed on that damn floor for over an hour as I could not stand up straight (erect for 2DP cause he seems to like that word). I have a reoccurring back issue from years ago and when this happens I'm toast for days. It is sort of a double edged sword as I have a million things that I would like to accomplish while I am off of work but I also really need to clean out my Tivo and read a book before next week sooooo........I guess I'll be doing those two things until I feel better as even sitting in a chair is torturous right now.

So it finally happened......I cried at work!

I was left alone (again) to see clients who may I remind you have charges such as manslaughter, robbery, kidnapping, aggravated assault. It wasn't intentional, but it happened and I've asked and asked how to fix this staffing issue and so have others. We never seem to get any answers. It's usually a "thanks for bringing this to our attention, as you know this is not a new issue and we are looking at our practices and how to fix the situation." It's all lip service as no solutions have been brought forth.

There's a myriad of other problems that I won't waste my energy venting about on here, but obviously there has been a build up of frustration brewing inside of me and I lost it. A co-worker popped in to pick something up "are you okay" she asked. I said that yes I was fine but she wouldn't leave it at that as she could clearly see that I was not. She asked again and I burst into tears.

A few minutes later one of the managers popped in unexpectedly on her day off. The poor woman walks into my office and asks how things are going to which I again burst into tears. She had to spend half of her day off talking to me and listening to my frustrations. I do like her and feel that she will at least try to do something to rectify the situation cause I know that she gets it....but time will tell.

Thankfully it was my last day in for the next week and a half as I've taken the last of my vacation time for the year. I probably would have taken a sick leave if I didn't have this time off as clearly I need to chill out and take a break.

Anyway, this cry baby is off to the States to do some Black Friday shopping!! And I do have a hot stone massage booked for next week! Cheers!

(Picture from this site)

I taped an episode of Dateline 3 months ago and watched about 2 minutes of it. Nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to see and I was so disturbed by the images I had to shut it off. I saved the episode as I knew it was important for me to watch and was finally able to do so a few evenings ago.

Dateline gained access to mental institutions in Serbia that warehouse thousands of children and adults. Many are kept in cribs never to be let out. They often stop growing and their bodies become contorted and atrophied. Staffing is an issue at these places and many of the people are tied down to their beds for hours at a time. Doctors in Serbia encourage parents of mentally disabled children to send them to such places never to look back. The Kulina Institution holds close to 600 children and adults crammed into cribs. They have one part time physical therapist for all of these patients.

I was actually shocked by one gentleman on the program who cried repeatedly while telling his story. His son was born with Down syndrome and was sent away to live at an institution for the remainder of his life. The guy talked about wanting to see his son and how he thought about him every single day. Dateline found his child and I thought he would surely run out and save the boy after seeing the conditions he was living in. Not so......he said that he hoped one day to go and visit him. WHAT???? I was flabbergasted.....I still have no words.

I feel at a loss for what to do but something needs to be done and it needs to be done NOW!! I am in absolute disbelief that in 2008 developmentally delayed people are being treated this way. The institutions don't have enough staff and people are essentially caged until they die.

I want to hop on a plane right now and just hold them. Can you imagine a lifetime without human touch??? A haunting clip shows a young boy repeatedly punching his ears until they bleed. Many will self harm just to feel something rather than to feel nothing.

(Picture from this site)

Behind Closed Doors: An unprecedented look inside Serbia's mental institutions

I took the following few paragraphs from this website which I urge you to visit. It's an overview of the Dateline program I watched.

"As the geopolitical struggle over the independence of Kosovo from Serbia continues, with war never far from the minds of many, there is an unseen class of people in Serbia whose lives are at risk regardless of the outcome.
They are the estimated 17,000 mentally disabled children and adults who for decades have been systematically warehoused in remote, government-run mental institutions. They are facilities that are unknown to most Serbs, let alone the rest of the world — and perhaps for good reason.
In the course of a yearlong investigation, we gained unprecedented access to institutions across Serbia and found alarming, sometimes life-threatening, conditions. Adults and children — some with only mild symptoms of Down syndrome or cerebral palsy — were crammed into fetid rooms and metal cribs, their bodies often emaciated, atrophied or disfigured. Some had been confined to cribs for years, their bodies conforming to the small space inside the railings. "

This is what I woke up to a few evenings ago and let me tell you I was less than pleased. Snow already……seriously!!! Thankfully I’m a smart cookie and prepared last week for the impending doom that is winter:

Snow TiresRustproofing

I had no choice but to brave the roads last night as I had an important appointment that was scheduled a month ago. Fortunately I made it in one piece; unfortunately a drive that would normally take 45 minutes took over 2 hours due to the shoddy road conditions mixed in with a bit of rush hour traffic.

I listened intently to the radio for any news about accidents and such and saw a few minor fender benders but nothing too major. I did come across two cars in front of me twirling around thanks to the black ice that had collected on the road. One spun around two lanes and ended up facing on coming traffic; the driver managed to get back on track and pulled over. Pretty scary stuff considering it’s a major highway with 5 lanes of traffic. Thankfully they managed to come out unscathed though I held my breath as I passed that particular dip in the road. It’s not too promising when you see cars spinning like tops in front of you and others stopped on the shoulder of the road as they too had hit the ice moments earlier.

I really really hate winter!!

Goal List Update

Working On:

#5 Achieve BMI of 24.9 or less

Well I have been doing relatively well with this goal. From February - August I lost 30 pounds and from August until now I have been maintaining that loss haha!! After the accident I sort of took a hiatus from the gym however I am back at it and have the aches and pains to prove it. I've also stopped eating they yummy delightful food in the above photo. Seriously the best chip wagon poutine and shrimp EVER!!!

Or this ginormous fried panzaratti that could take a week to eat! How I miss them so *sniff*

#10 Learn to play guitar/bass well enough to play one song

I had my first guitar lesson last week and found it rather challenging as I had difficulty reaching my fingers around the neck due to my very small hands. Apparently they will "stretch out" eventually. I was a bit frustrated as I was hoping it would come easily to me and it just didn't. My teacher explained that everything is difficult at first, I guess I just haven't tried to learn something like this in such a long long time that I forgot I wouldn't be a pro at it from the get go. Baby steps Ash, baby steps!!

#35 Read all of the unread books on my shelf 4/35

I clearly need to finish one book before I start the next because right now I have 3 on the go. My new goal for my goal is to finish reading one before I start another one!

#41 Visit 15 of my placements at work 11/15

So as I mentioned previously this is no longer in my job description however an opportunity came up and I was able to visit 5 more placements. I just have to figure out how I can get the other 4 in!

Completed:

#13 Watch a Bond Movie

I borrowed two Bond films from my friend about two years ago (sorry) and I FINALLY decided to watch Goldeneye. It was quite as expected with a lot of fighting and action. I'll probably watch another one at some point in my life (perhaps the one 2DP had talked about...only for the naked Bond scene) but I'm not rushing out to rent them.

#51 Dye my hair a new colour (IE black)

Well I certainly did not go that extreme but I was ready for a change and got rid of the blonde. I'm now sporting a more brown/caramel colour. It's alright......I was actually thinking of doing a few purple strips again just for fun.

#64 Attend a movie at the theatre alone

I went to see the Changeling all by my lonesome and you know what...it wasn't that bad after all. In fact I'm not sure why I haven't done this before. In total there were about 15 people in the theatre 3 of which were alone. I did end up going to a matinee as I'm not yet ready for a Friday night solo however it was a super foggy/rainy day and I did think that the theatre would be a lot busier than it actually was. Phew I didn't see anyone I knew :)

#65 Go skinny dipping

Well this one is self explanatory so no details from this gal!! But I will tell you that I enjoyed it :)

I want to know your age cutoff for dating someone......I used to say (well I still do but obviously I'm kidding) 16-69 was fair game.

When does it start to get creepy? I'm 30 .......

Discuss......

I tend to embarrass myself every now and again when I've had a few too many drinks. Every year the bar that I play volleyball for has an anniversary party and every year I tie one on. They have a two hour customer appreciation window which may or may not involve free drinks. I only had two but I did continue to drink and drink as the evening progressed.

I went super early 7 PM as the friend I went with wanted to go for a few and leave by 9 PM. Well one thing lead to another and I left around 12:45 AM and she stayed until well past 3 AM. I took a liking to the singer of the band (which turns out is a friend of the gal I went with) and I decided I wanted a few photos taken with him. I wanted to be non chalant and danced with the owner of the bar positioning myself in front of the singer whereby LD would take a photo. Clearly as you can see I was anything but non chalant! Oops!!

Later on LD and G left me at the bar while they waited for the facilities. Next thing LD sees is the singer beside me at the bar and I'm taking photos of myself with his hat on. Nooooo idea what I said or how that happened but when she told me the story the next day I was mortified. Clearly I should never be left alone while drinking because my inhibitions fly out the window. I don't remember leaving nor if I said goodbye to G (granted she had no idea if she said goodbye to me either when we were chatting the next day) and I woke up in a dress shirt from my closet rather than the PJ's I had placed on my bed before I left. I was a disaster to say the least!

Ummm yeah......such a hot picture!!

I am going to have to see this guy again at some point and will want to crawl under the table when I do. Actually he will probably want to do the same thing to try and hide from the crazy drunk girl!!