walked... the line

FINALY saw the end of the movie.. was great... really really great... they'd better win something for all that. I admit.. I had one tear... several wellings-up...
on an unrelated note
my landlord is a psycho.

We pay darn good money to live here... we don't come tromping in and out at ungodly hours (we tiptoe in at those hours) We don't have drunken parties (the same can NOT be said of their children) We take care of our place, I've fixed things myself, we report bigger problems, we don't demand much of them, we comply when they request things of us... we try to make it work.

Last week I got a phone call where in my landlady said she was mad at the way someone had come to our door WHILE I WAS OUT. She said they banged on the door and yelled in the mailslot. She asked me to talk to my friends. (I will not. How other people conduct themselves when I'm not with them IS NONE OF MY BUSINESS) She said that she was embarrassed because she had company at the time.

Tonight I had some friends over for dinner then we were hanging out until it was time to go to a movie. We were in the living room, and there was some playing around (the exercise balls were the main entertainment) at 8:15 pm I received a phone call asking if I had elephants upstairs or was I re-arranging the furniture. When I replied that I did in fact have a herd of elephants with me, she got very snotty and short and said that they needed to stop.

I'm a people pleaser. This hurts me. She seems to know that about me... and she's psycho.
Roomie says that if they didn't want noise they shouldn't have tenants.
Guests said that I should have told her that someone fell down and was badly injured... and that she should have some compassion.

Dark spots have a tendency of clouding my view of an otherwise lovely time.

again

~I am going to try to see "walk the line" (again) tonight.
Please join me.

~I may be saying good bye to the ladies... we'll see, I hear tomorrow what that looks like.

~my room mate was looking up bad words in the dictionary tonight.

~ ok, that last one wasn't true.... BUT my room mate WAS reading the dictionary tonight... while she watched tv. because you know... people do that sort of thing.

~ "It always feels a little sadistic when I put my teddy bear in the microwave…" a quote by my roomie tonight. (said in reference to her barley filled bear... intended for microwave use... like a hot water bottle... but sadistic)

~ I plan on sleeping with one eye open tonight.

I couldn't wait.

I know.. it's a problem I've got...
but he's so darn cute, and I know that not everyone goes to his own site... so you needed to see him here......





ouch... it hurts he's so cute.

shadow puppets

ok.. is anyone else noticing that sometimes my page won't load properly? I don't know if this is a new phenomena or what... OR if it has something to do with the video link... but.. whatever. Just scroll down then back, the page usually refreshes itself.

SO. Tonight I was good.
Well. Mostly good.
well, pretty much really good.
With one GLARING upset...
After an evening of adventure, nachos, the Bean and general camaraderie, we journeyed to the theatre to see... you guessed it, "Walk the Line". Yes, I've been excited to go see it for quite a bit now, so you can imagine my dismay (and the dismay of those with me) when the bulb burnt out after 40 mins in the projector at the theatre.
Yes, that's right.. it burnt out. Leaving us and Jonny and June in the dark....

Thank you Dan and Manda for the shadow puppet show.
I enjoyed that.

winter = workout

last night there was some dancing in the snow going on... by the time I got home, I really really wanted to go for a nice long walk.. the snow was sparkling and it was so quiet. But it was late, sooooo... I just curled up on my cozey bed, with my bass and played (poorly) till my eyes started to close.
This morning the snow was still sparkling... and the sun was shining, and the wind died down... all was right with the world.
I'd only forgotten this:: ice is slippery.
I got a gooooood workout this morning.


I am now going to watch episode after episode of Alias season 4...
can I call in sick tonight?

slack jawed yokel

At first it looked like another cheesy video link. But then, after a few seconds I realized that I should probably pick my jaw up from the floor. I found it pretty emotional. And now I'm wondering what the heck I was doing wrong at the sand station in nursery school. If you don't have high(ish) speed, don't bother, the video is 9 mins long.

when are we walkin the line?

dear friends... I'm justa wondering... when are we going to go see the Cash movie?
What does Friday look like for you folks? I'm a thinking dinner... and dress up. (in black of course)

or thursday night....
anyone
anyone?
Bulier?
Anyone?

for the grey

Bethfield,
I do believe that perhaps you should be wearing your reading glasses.
.... look under the heading "fun stuff" on the left hand side of the page... oh! what's this???? the first item under this heading is none other than Soulhouse???? oh... my... how could it have been missed?
;)

scrappy

oh oh oh... I do love to use clever little titles.

pooped.
yup.
I'm pooped.
Friday night eh-Tanya and I headed thru the great white North (it was snowing) to the town of Harwood for our third annual Scrapbooking weekend. Ok, don't give up on me here... hang on.
Each year, a group of 8 of us go to Elijah House for two nights of cropping and pasting. oh... right... and Bonnie's Karaoke machine. Each year eh-Tan and I make complete fools of ourselves as we attempt Cher, The Commmitments, and Elton... Each year we vow we'll be better... and we never are. *sigh* at least there's some great footage for eh-Tan's wedding.
I was pretty pleased with myself... I finally got some stuff done on my Watoto book (ok, yeah, I got a little sidetracked there) AND I completed 12 pages in my Togo book!!!! my plan (when I finish this one.. which will be soon) is to just start at that point in time with the scrapbooking.. no more of this working on past events.. I want to start "creating memories" of the now, my friends, my family.
I do have to admit though that the working on these books has been so good for me. It's been my debriefing, despite the fact that I never get to share them with anyone (because lets face it, you don't want to flip thru page after page of people and places you don't have a connection with) in putting together these books, I've been able to process a lot of the things that I saw and felt over the course of being there. Going back and reading journal entries, remembering activities and events....
When I came home from the year with Watoto... I jumped right into a different world ... one that was falling apart around me, and in leaving for Togo, I left just as things were beginning to stabilize... but were still so unfamiliar.
I find daily I'm still trying to figure out up from down. Still trying to sort out who I've become from all these experiences.... Having a weekend focused on just that discovery process was so so good for me.

rise and shine and give....

a mighty heave.


Sometimes in the morning... when I haven't slept enough.... I throw up.
I hate waking up.

these are the people in your neighborhood

do you often get sesame St. songs stuck in your head? I totally do... most often it's that 123, 456, 789, 10 11 12 and they all played games, at the lady bug's picnic one... not to be confused with one two three four five, six seven eight nine ten... eleven... twe-e-e-e-e-e-elve. (that would be the pinball number count, comon' guys....) ohhh, yeah, "nasty dan" don't like you at all Cash with oscar the grouch... can you tell I just found a recording of "35 years of sesame st"???? So great. I'm scrolling thru them all, and as soon as they start I can nearly taste the play dough and cherrios that went with early morning television watching.... sadly.... when I sing about Teeny Little Super Guy, people think I've gone off my rocker.
I digress.
What I was GOING to say... was that I was disappointed this morning on my walk... I generally average a "two honk, one wave" morning... and all I got was one late wave... oh, and I ran into my dad too.. so that was kinda nice.
Where are the people in my neighborhood? in my neighborhood? in my neighborhood?

easy street

I changed the commenting section again... you don't have to be a member of Blogger to leave a comment now... you just have to deal with that word verification dealy.
stop emailing me.. leave comments... that's every blogger's dream.

please pray

Hey Ninjas,
Time to put your words into action,

My buddy Kevin (out West) is having some pretty serious medical issues. Last week he was having huge headaches, then he lost some use of his left side... he's been in for some testing (including CT scan).
Pray that whatever's going on... well... that it would go away!
thanks guys.

following the crowd

I'd like to follow pretty much the same thread as everyone else today....

Last night was::

embarrassing
fun
embarrassing
crazy
embarrassing
painful
embarrassing
hilarious
and did I mention embarrassing?

Thank you... perhaps there will be an encore presentation.

confused

I don't understand hockey... I'm sorry.

the company we keep

now... I remember oft' being mocked for enjoying karaoke....
I remember oft' being mocked for scrapbooking.

now that the boys have decided karaoke's cool... everyone wants to go...
*sigh* I'm jealous ~ I have to work.

BUT

This is the weekend of the much anticipated scrapbooking retreat... there will be karaoke.

halls are decked

Stayed up last night and started on decorating the house....
I could listen to Christmas music all year long (much to the dismay of many) all that is missing now, aside from the Nylons and the Christmas tree itself.... is a big glass of rum and egg nog.

Christmas decoration musings.

I'm losing my speaking abilities... I wonder about alzhimers sometimes... and wonder sometimes if it's just sheer laziness.

tonight I had to apologize to my roomie for my lack of words... She'd just finished my third sentence...

I'm losing my words....
but her reply was priceless..

"That's ok... words are underrated.
I mean overrated"

beauty

I just want to sit and digest this for a bit::

echos of Eden within.

why do I wonder? why do I want?...

when the words go wrong

we all sing the wrong words to songs....

Today "Harvey" sang to me....

"going to the jack-o-lantern and we're gonna get married"

? I hadn't heard that one before

oh... that was a good idea

I found this today.
apparently we've just passed the 35 year anniversary of the .. um... event.
sick.

more explosions here.

one sexy lady

ok, so... I'd like to tell you about the dress that I found (and had the privledge of trying on) today.

It started like any other morning... there was waking, there was breakfasting, there was combing of the hair and there was rushing out the door because I've stayed too late doing other fun things. I arrived at the car park to meet with Tanya Hillary and Colleen for a day of bride's maid adventure.... poor Colleen was sick so she left the hunting up to us.... and the fun began.
Yes, there was much singing.
Yes, there was much dancing.
Yes, there was much driving.
Yes, there was much munching and lunching.
Yes, there was much deliberation over colour swatches.
And Yes.... there was much trying on of dresses... primarily by moi. Like many a bride's maid parties, we come in a variety of shapes and sizes. According to the factories and suppliers, I seem to be close to average. (yessssssss! said with Napoleon flare)
At store number 7 or 8 we hit gold... now, I don't think it's the one that we're going to be getting for Tan's wedding, but I plan on getting a second job in order to purchase it...
I am the love goddess.
I wanted to wear that puppy out on the town right then and there... they had red on the rack.
my plan?
to wear the red,
receive many engagement proposals,
then order it in white.
This is still my plan.

Deck the Hall

Did I tell you it SNOWED yesterday????
What the heck.

I've been pretty good this year, I've been putting off decorating the house... I figured I had to at least wait till after today... sooo, I made it to lunch time... then I pulled out the boxes of decorations.

However... Christmas decorations may not go up until I've had my "Christmas in the tub".
And, well... it seems that we may have a delay.

Les, what's Christmas in the tub?

dear friends.... it's exactly what it sounds like... me. in the tub. many bubbles. singing Christmassy tunes.

you're not serious?

yes... yes I am. It's generally me and the Nylons hanging out, singin... croonin... livin it up. Then there's a little bit of Ella and Co singing "baby it's cold outside". Then and only then can the uletide decorations festivate the house.

I don't think "festivate" is a word.

it is now. But here is where the problem lies::: I can't find my copy of The Nylons "harmony the Christmas Songs". I found the cassette case... no cassette... no CD, no CD case.... this my friends is quite serious. Tomorrow is a day of shopping with the girls as we search the T dot O dot for bridesmaid dresses.... perhaps we will be needing to make a stop at Sam's.

Lest we forget

Je mais souviens.

AM mixed emotions

the one thing I dread is to be woken by the telephone... it brings me to AWAKE faster than anything else can. My heart POUNDS.... RACES... THREATENS to break from my chest.... there's dizziness and nausea... I think it's because of that one time, back in my year between high school and university, I slept in- when I was suppose to be at work.... I woke to the shrill voice of the unicorn ringing (unicorn story another day). When I picked up the phone, my boss simply asked "so you're waiting to come in at the executive hour?" and hung up.
I got to work 17 minutes later.
Now... let's get this straight... I wasn't one of those kids who slept in... this was at Curtis Chicks... we started at 5:25 each morning. And I walked. Uphill, both ways, in the snow, barefoot, carrying a load of coal, and my children on my back and... oh sorry.. wrong life.
I digress...
the one thing I dread is to be woken by the telephone...
This morning my phone rang at 7:50. This had the potential to ruin the day.
Thankfully, it was a call inviting me to go to the Royal Winter Fair.... not something that could ruin my day at all.
THEN my alarm clock went off just a little while later (it's set to radio)...
and what came on?
A little bita Gordon Lightfoot... a little bita the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
today is the 30th anniversary of that day...

like molasses

yeah yeah yeah
yeah yeah yeah
yeah yeah yeah

I was scared to death... but it's good to further one's knowledge.... started bass lessons yesterday and afterwards wanted DESPERATELY to call in sick so I could become "THE next best player in the world".

I think the best part was that my teacher was just as scared as myself. He's a young guy, just started teaching.... he kept knocking things over, hands were shaking... seriously that was the BEST thing that could have happened.... I paced around the apartment for about 40 mins before my lesson... watching the clock, trying to decided how early was too early.

confused yet?

ahhhh yes, just to add a little mystery to your day.... that's what that last post was about.
Hey, remember the concussion? and the oddities that happened because of said injury?

Weeeeeeeellllll.... back in those days of haze, I was handed a CD by David Newland. If you want to hear the whole story surrounding the actual reception of the CD... meh, you'll have to live in suspense... it was really quite embarrassing.

sooooooo, anyway.

(did you happen to notice that I'm adding a lot of extra letters to my writing today? ehhhhh?)

Over in the "links to people I don't know, but enjoy reading their blogs despite that" section, you'll find Mr. Newland. Not just in his songs, but in his blog entries too... This is a guy with well placed words. He can take you to the place where his story is happening, and have you wanting to hold those places (and people) in your own eyes. I have a tendency to lean towards empathy... ok ok, I'm overly empathetic (pathetic?) and still, I love things that are able to manipulate me into feeling their pain and their joy. There's this one song (track 6 on my copy) that makes me cry over and over again ~ a young girl is traveling by bus to reach the unknown, pregnant, alone... ok, my poor summary won't do it justice... but I've probably already subjected you to it if you've been over lately...

how long does it take this greyhound bus to get to the end of the rainbow?
there's a pot of gold for the two of us, I know there is, I know

Re: so....

How exciting, I've always wanted to steal Promo Girl's job.... this could be a step in the right direction!
Will you be in the Cobourg area? or should I send some postage?
hey... thanks very much!

Les

---

From: "David Newland"
To: "Lady Lesley Marie Boileau"
Subject: Re: so....
Date: Tue, 8 Nov 2005 17:26:21 -0500

Probably from one blogger to another, it would be considered promo...

----- Original Message -----

From: Lesley Marie

To: david newland

Sent: Tuesday, November 08, 2005 5:04 PM

Subject: RE: so....

sure would... how much would something like that be going for?
Les

---

From: "David Newland"
To: Lesley Marie
Subject: so....
Date: Tue, 8 Nov 2005 12:36:12 -0500


Would you like a REAL copy of the REAL Cd, with the songs in the right order and everything?

David Newland
Songwriter
Performer & Host
Web Producer
http://www.davidnewland.com/

wires everywhere

I'm trying... honestly.
Today I was on sound board, and as per usual I was schedualed to work "with" someone. I worked hard to not take over. I don't think I did.. but I'm afraid that maybe my frustrations might have showed thru. It's hard to find the right balance between hiding your thoughts/feelings in order not to hurt someone and being a phoney. I don't want to be a phony.... but at the same time... It's frustrating when people don't pull their own weight.
Praise God that most of our team is so amazing- and that we've got enough history behind us that little things don't matter too much.

but I'll bet I'd suck at braille

I'm learning to play the bass.
I suck (for now).
And my fingers are mighty sore. BUT, it's something I've always wanted to do. I just got off the phone with George (as in George's guitars) and he's checking with my new teacher as to times for us to meet and beat.
Here's the thing...
as you've noticed... I stress. And I want things to be "just right".... so learning bites. I'm not able to play the way I imagine myself to play.... and I don't hear what I assume I should hear... and I'm not nearly as fast as I think I should be... so don't think I'm going to be playing for any of you any time soon ok?
Thanks for puttin up with me.

roaring

Until I got about a block away there didn't seem to be anything unusual. It was pretty windy, so there were lots of leaves falling, blowing, swirling. Standing at the lights, a gust hit one pile of leaves and lifted them, sent them North, then gracefully turned and dropped them right where they'd come from. Like something from a movie. A miniaturized set for a tornado.
The last block before the beach I could hear it.
One long train.
Moving steadily.
But it wasn't ending... as I got to the beach I realized it was the lake, roaring.
I sat for about 5 mins just watching the waves run over eachother...
Out on the pier, the waves would hit and be thrown up in the air... there were some cars out at the end, and the spray reached two or three times their height.
After awhile the sound was too much... I knew it was the lake, but my ears still recognized it as a train... and it should have been ending.
What a gorgeous day.

a b c 1 2 3

For those of you counting.
that's 90 PB cups.
that's it.

Dum.Bo Marie

ok.. last night- it was lovely all over... really.
I went to the O with SarahDoula and Mandamanda, we dined, we enjoyed.
BUT the best part was when we drove up and I heard sweet Suzie Vinnick's voice floating past... yes, that's right... it was Wednesday, the night of good music at the Oasis.
the not-so-best-part was that I had forgotten to check who was playing! Of course, we couldn't get a seat in the bar and despite sweet smiles from three lovely ladies... the door guy wouldn't let us in. We were banished to the back room, to a table by a drafty window beneath a speaker that was on a one hour loop of music, served by a woman who was obviously too busy enjoying the music up front to care what we wanted to order. *sigh*
All was not lost, after we ate, the girls were kind enough to stand with me in the doorway long enough to (slightly) satisfy my ears.
Today I was out at the plaza across the way (the one which houses NoFrill and various other stores) I was just walking along, minding my own business... when who should walk past???? SUZIE!
So... what do I do???NOTHING!!! Because I'm pretty much a dork.
I love Suzie's music... She's pretty much super cool.
I admire her.. and you should buy her CDs.

ok... ok... I didn't really do "nothing" I.. um.... might have decided that I really REALLY needed to buy some Gala apples....
you know, and maybe... um... by chance... um.... run into her? And.... um... tell her how super cool she is? And how I love her music, and how I pretty much figure she's my female-music-hero.
yeah.
But then! I was intercepted by this elderly lady who toddled into my path and stood between me and Suzie in the line-up.. and then I couldn't catch her eye to start a conversation with her....
and then....
oh.
there's no "and then"

a parent's pride

I have a drum.
Scratch that, I have MANY drums... I like them.. I bring them home with me... I don't know why... I'm afraid to play them.. the sound is so intimidating!
But really, I have just one drum (that matters)... my D'jembe. His name is Sheabu. (Don't ask)
Yesterday, with hesitation... I handed my bu-bu to another (again.. don't ask). And while I know he's in good hands... it was hard.
The other day I was talking about my "baby" to someone... and someone else was sort of listening in to the conversation... not really participating in the conversation... but hanging on to the fringe. Suddenly! He turns to me and exclaims "YOU HAD A BABY?"
I laughed.
And said yes.

between the covers

how many of us wait till the very last second of a show before we turn off the TV and settle for the night? what about songs on the radio- while you're in your car? I ALWAYS wait till the song is done... trying desperately to time the stopping of my engine to the last note of a song- so I won't hear the next two notes and be bound to the vehicle...
I don't let myself listen to ANY dance music anymore.. it's far too easy for the DJ to morph two songs into eachother.. thereby TRAPPING me in my vehicle for song after song (ok, generally it's two songs tops before I break down and get out.)
The problem (of late) is the van at work... the music keeps playing until someone in the front opens their door- even after the engine has stopped. This has led to me inadvertently hearing the next notes of the next song... (because I've forgotten this phenom) and subsequently staying in the van till it too has finished... BUT it also means that sometimes someone will OPEN THE DOOR while I'm still listening to a song... which means that I then have to restart the van to finish the song!!!! UG.. what trauma...
I am OCD... this confirms it.
Last night was something new.
Last night I was listening to CBC- I got off work a little early (10:40 in fact!) when I hopped into my little car, I was met by the opening lines of a story.... yes, that's right, I arrived in my vehicle just as "between the covers" was starting. It's a 3-4 min drive from work to home... But it was such a great story.. that I drove around the block twice, then pulled up beside the tannery and listened to the rest of the story.

sensation and perception

I'm trying to decide if I'm visual tactile... or tactile visual.
But I'm not sure if there's a difference.
I learn by seeing, but in seeing I'm touching, if only with my eyes.... and the things that I remember best are visually pleasing. But... the things I find visually pleasing... are things that are stimulating in a tactile sense.
I like pretty things... but pretty things that would be nice to touch.
Do I like to touch them because they are pretty... or do I think they are pretty because I'd like to touch them?

I'm sounding a little OCD.

But what I wanted to get out is... I like autumn.