My Roommate Jim

Tuesday Tidbits

1. Jim has a girlfriend! She brings over yummy food and wine. She can stay.

2. If you live in Alberta, stay off the roads tonight folks. There is a huge snowfall warning, a lot of which has already come down and hasn't been salted. Hmmmm.... I wonder if the airport is closed? Naturally I always wonder about airports.

3. Fluorescent lights make any woman's body no matter how tight, look hideous, so best not to prance around the change room at the gym all naked and such. Sure we're all secure enough to strip down (even all the way if you must) in order to avoid stinky rides home but there's really no need to prance. This is what I see on a regular basis.... prancing. Ugh.

4. J found a place in Sicily and will be moved in shortly before I visit. I can't wait to see it, it sounds like a real palace. Sure, some elements may be dated but check this out..... four bedrooms, 2 bath, balcony, backyard, driveway, willow tree.... the list goes on. All paid for by the US navy. I'll try to post pictures when I get back. (Not till the beginning of April I'm afraid y'all- me included-will just have to wait.) There is plenty of spare bedroom potential so if anyone plans to be in sicily in the next few years, come on down. Particularly in June actually because we're trying to move the date of the wedding up in Malta, and we will need two witnesses. Oh, come on, pretty please?

5. The futur simple version of the passé composé "nous allons aller" is: wait for it....... "nous irons."

The Dreaded Day

Oh, how many valentines days have i spent watching, with scorn, young girls prancing around university campuses, malls and streets with roses in hands, blissful googely eyes and vowed that it would forever be "happy being single day" for me. I think at some point I even made a pact with another single girlfriend that we would always celebrate it as such. Apparently that pact didn't mean much because I can't remember who it was. Oops.

Well it looks like I am putting my foot in my mouth because at the moment I am that very same googely eyed girl after having received a floral arrangement and a sweet note that must have taken some effort from my fiance overseas. Sigh. I guess I'm more of a sap than I gave myself credit for and I was probably just jealous before. Man, I hate being caught in hypocrisy. Ah well, who cares, I got a delivery and you di'in't! Or, maybe you did, in which case, congratulations, I'm so happy for you. C'mon, let me enjoy my moment!

On an unrelated topic, John (he's back from the tropics, so y'all can return to checking out his updates... probably) had a good point re: the sweet deal I booked to Europe. The fact that a random trans-atlantic novice traveller was able to find a way better deal than a travel agent, puts that whole profession to shame.

I pick up my mouthguard tomorrow.(400$ later.. thanks for the prosperity, Ralph!) Stay tuned for updates regarding not waking up and feeling like a#$ every morning.

Oh ya, for you non-Albertans that happen to 'cheque' in to this site.... Our premier recently sent every resident of the province a 400$ cheque because of all the money we have gotten for our oil. I was originally planning on buying a chihuahua (sp?) but I guess will have to spend it on my oral health. That sounds kinda dirty heh heh.

What You Should Listen To Today: Insensatez (How Insensitive) arranged by Antonio Carlos Jobim featuring Stan Getz on tenor saxophone

Oh man, I can't say enough about this song. Finally! Something I can listen to! The lyrics are as follows:

How Insensitive ( Insensatez )

How insensitive . . . I must have seemed

when she told me that she loved me . . .

how unmoved an' cold . . . I must have seemed

when she told me so sincerely . . .

Why . . . she must have asked

do I just turn an' stare in icy silence?

What was I to say . . .

what can you say when a love affair is over?

<>

Now, she's gone away

and I'm alone with a memory of her last look . . .

vague an' drawn an' sad . . . I see it still

all her heartbreak in that last look . . .

How . . . she must have asked

could I just turn an' stare in icy silence?

What was I to do . . .

what can one do when a love affair is over?

What can you do

when a love affair is over?

It's over . . .

Sure, it's kinda sad and buddy boy that wrote the lyrics better not be complaining now about her being gone what with all the icy silences he shot her way but it's so beautifully heartbreaking! I only heard this song consciously about a year and a half ago but I feel like I've always known it. Bossa nova is worth checking out y'all.

So I booked my flight to Europe. I did it in a much cheaper/longer way than the travel agent suggested. I booked two separate itineraries with different airlines after having been given the 411 that flying domestically in Europe is mad cheap. Naturally I feel that this plan is genial but I hope I don't outwit myself into missed connections. I think 5-9 hours in Heathrow each way is plenty of cushion barring any major disasters. The massive amount of money I'm saving though I'm sure will be paid for with my sanity. I've never flown internationally but I hear that there is free booze for all on the flights. Sadly with the timing of my flights ie. facing hours in airports having to stay awake and watch my luggage, not to mention having to go and teach six hours after I get back might prevent me from capitalizing on this deal.

FYI, when planning a trip to Europe, try to fly into London and look into other carriers to get you to your ultimate destination. You can often find flights on ghetto airlines to ghetto airports for 1-30 pounds each way (1.70$ - 52$USD/2.00$ - 60$CAD) , and even though you may have to switch airports you still save. As long as you realize you'll have to switch airports that is, I heard of a girl only realizing that her next day ghetto flight was taking off from a different place after she had already spent the night in London and made her way to Heathrow. Ouch. Then again, maybe you should wait until I get back and have navigated my itineraries safely before you start taking my word for it.

Shameless Plug

Here it is, the cover of Cifra's new album. Who is Cifra one might ask? Well, we are a hungarian folk band based in western canada. One of only two in fact. It's about time hungarian village music had its day, those celtic losers are done. Send me an email if you want to order a copy. 20$ CAD. Good deal!