While I know that most of the world has probably already ushered in 2007, at this particular moment in my corner it is 2006. I'd like to wish all of you a Happy New Year and the best for 2007!

I hope that it's going to be a great one!

And, as a final observation, does anyone else out there find the name of the new Nintendo game system a little strange? To me, it seems like they have named it after the children's word for piss. Wii? Sounds like "wee" to me!

Happy New Year all!

Can anyone out there believe the price of toothbrushes nowadays?

Yesterday, I went out an bought a new one and it cost me $4.50 CDN. I could hardly believe it!

Anyway, tomorrow is Christmas - for those of you who celebrate it - so I wish you all the best. I don't celebrate however, it is nice to spend time with family. Here's wishing you all of the best for 2007!

Well, here we are, the holidays upon us once again and I still have this freaking cold. No matter how hard I think that I will wake up the next day all well, I am still congested. So much fun when family is due to fly into town and we're all supposed to be nice to each other. Tomorrow. Tomorrow, I will be cured.

Despite the congestion, I am doing my best to keep a positive mind. Most of my friends have left for the holidays or to return home for good and it just isn't the same in this city. Oh well, if I look on the bright side, I should have an easier time saving some money.

As I don't know if I will have a chance to post again until the new year, I'd like to wish you all the best. Take care and for sure we'll "talk" again in 2007. Oh, and I do hope that you will drop a comment by to let me know how you are all doing.

Ciao!

It's funny how storms can touch all aspects of one's life.

The other day, while returning home with a bad head cold, I got stuck on a ferry. This ferry journey is usually an hour and a half but this particular day, we were stuck on for an additional 20 minutes because a power outage stopped all of the car & passenger ramps. This meant that, although we could get to the dock, there was no way for all of the passengers to get off.

Now, one would think that a ferry terminal would use the emergency generators but apparently, they usually shut them down. I have no idea why this is and I believe that a lot of the staff on the ferry didn't know either. Sounds kind of silly, non?

Needless to say, we all got off the ferry where at least I was free to laze around on the sofa for the next two days nursing this stupid cold.

Starting tomorrow, I will be healthy.

Last night, despite having the beginnings of a cold, I went to an Afghani restaurant on Broadway with some friends. I've gone by this place quite often and was always intrigued, despite it looking kind of dodgy on the outside. However, I am glad that I did because the food was great! And it was quite comfy as we sat on many cushions on the floor. The interior decor certainly gave me some ideas for my space at home.

So, if you are in Vancouver, check out the Afghan Horsemen Restaurant. I'm sure that you will enjoy it.

And take a look at the sign over the street for this place. I was pretty sure that I saw a dead pigeon stuck in it. It was as if the poor bird hit the sign at a very high speed. Don't let it affect your decision to go there though.

I have to make a confession.

I am a fraud.

I can finally admit it now...

I want romance. No matter how much I deny it...

How can this be so clear now? Well, last night, I went to see The Holiday (you can enter the official site through this link) and fell for it hook, line and sinker. I couldn't help believing that all of this is possible. You know, the sappy, "I have someone who understands me to my soul and still loves me despite it all" kind of belief. The one that I am sure is just a plot to sell movie tickets, books, valentine's chocolates and diamonds. However, this film made me long for it.

So, I must admit that up until now, I have been fraudulent in my independent attitude and that I am just a pushover for a beautiful and seemingly unconventional love story.

What the hell is wrong with me? I have the same reaction to the film Love Actually. I become a soppy mess wondering what is wrong with my life that I cannot find that one being that I am destined to be with.

That said, The Holiday was lovely. Despite me not really liking Cameron Diaz, I really enjoyed it. It made me want to run away to a cute, cottage in the British countryside.

It was purported in the film that the Santa Anas Wind caused all sorts of crazy behaviour in humans especially that of the romantic kind.

Which brings me to today's weather here in lovely Vancouver. Shortly after 2 pm, heavy winds blew and it was quite cool. I love windstorms and felt the wind swirl around me. That whole "power of nature" thing filled my soul. It was amazing!

I am sure if I had jumped up off the sidewalk, I would have become a human kite. I felt so free.

So, I suppose that even though I have been distracted by love and romance, I can still find joy in that there is something more powerful than love and equally as awe-inspiring.

Have a great day all!

Wow! The first day off that I actually did get things done that I needed to and not sat on my ass or visited with people. Such a sense of accomplishment results on days like this.

Last night, I was sitting at my favourite restaurant, after my meal and was putting lip balm on because of the latest inclement weather, and some stranger opened the door and, with a rather large voice said "There is no need to apply lipstick when one is already beautiful" My first reaction was to think "Are you insane" but I opted for the more polite "thank you". He had begun to walk away when he returned adding something like there is no need to thank me for the truth. Then he left. Weird, yet kind of sweet.

And, no, I didn't chase him down. I was still a little shocked about the outburst.

Today, I really wish that I had some sort of inspirational thoughts to share with you all. Alas, I have none however, I still cannot help feeling inspired by the potter that I will be taking classes with next week. What I'd love to do is get some courage and embark on a creative, artistic occupation without having to worry about where my next meal is coming from. The market is so fickle yet to express that energy that creative people have is freeing. I know because I have experienced it.

So, I'm going to turn to my muse - which I have determined is nature - and see what I can come up with.

Anyone care to join me?

I don't know about you, but I detest staff Christmas parties. The fact that I "don't do" Christmas doesn't really help however, I just cannot see the point of sitting around getting plastered with a bunch of people that one doesn't really consider friends. Hardly sounds like a festive and relaxed situation to put oneself into in a season that already wreaks of anxiety.

I haven't drank alcohol in years - mostly due to the depression it causes when one isn't drinking - and so, as you can imagine, it's not at all fun for me to sit around and watch people consume mass quantities of a substance that I can no longer tolerate. The final straw was last year when, after planning a nice dinner at a restaurant, the choice was reconsidered only because the restaurant didn't serve alchohol. Had this place not been reputed to have the most amazing food prepared by a man who had years of experience, I might not have minded but since then, this restaurant has become one of my favourites. My disappointment in the people I work with that couldn't get past the "no-alcohol" thing hit an all-time peak at that time. (It hasn't really changed since then either)

It was mostly down to one person who felt that they needed to drink which led to me to boycott because of the short-sightedness of the others. The truly ironic thing was that after years of not attending the staff party, I had really looked forward to last year. It just reaffirmend for me that I should just stick to my guns and skip this so-called festive event every year.

This year, they opted for a nice event during the day (which, of course, I decided to pass on) which was very thoughtful of the management. Then today, I get an email (why I am checking them while I am on holiday, I don't know) telling of another party at the home of the person that ruined it last year. You can be sure that it will be flowing in alcohol. Thank goodness that I will be out of town for that one.

It got me to thinking though. Why do people have to drink at these things? Is it because they cannot relax in a situation where the bosses and the peons don't mix? Do we all secretly hate each other outside of the office but just learn to work together like we learned to do in the school sandbox? Or is it that we just wanna feel numb socially around each other like we do in the office? If so, why don't we just all get plastered at work everyday and then have a nice, alcohol-free event at the end of the year.

I suppose that I am one of those people that learned the really negative effects of consuming too much alcohol and now that I am cured, have become as annoying as those who quit smoking. You know the ones that spend all of their time warning others of the evils and try to convince them to quit. It's just that I can remember a time where I became truly numb and subsequently depressed enough to just not want to get out of bed... ever... And that was because alcohol made me feel more charming as well as more able to express those things that I was afraid to when I was sober.

Can you imagine how easy it would be to tell that manager exactly how you feel about their ability to do their job while under the influence of a few drinks? I can and that's why I won't do that around those people. I'd rather use my feelings to my advantage in the workplace. The less they know about me and the way that I think, the better.

Anyway, I suppose that it's all just a case that the people one works with aren't always the people that they want to hang around with. In my case, I know it's true. If I was really serious about hanging out with coworkers, I suppose I would already be doing that.

If you are about to embark on your own journey of holiday cheer, I wish you the best and also wish you a safe one!

Sorry. It's been what, five days since my last confession. I won't apologize for the last one however it's a good time to update.

I had all of these clever things to say but now that I actually have time to sit down and post, it seems that those things have disappeared from my head. Figures. It's probably best though because it was likely something sarcastic...

It's funny how, when your brain doesn't have to participate in the mundane tasks of a job, that it becomes more free to come up with some amazing ideas. I've read some magazines, walked around, spent too much money, bought some amazing pottery and helped some friends out with their restaurant. It's given me a couple of ideas of where I'd like my life to go. I even got a job offer overseas which could pan out or maybe it will not. Nevertheless, I feel more free just to think and get some unfettered perspective.

I will have to start writing things down so that I am more able to share them.

I've kind of got caught up in the Scissor Sisters, the new Beck CD and the soundtrack for Marie Antoinette. There's a couple of others that I'd like to take a listen to, but that will come to.

The best part is that there's all sorts of time for that...

Anyway, I'd better sign off. For all of you that I haven't got in touch with, I apologize. If you have time, drop a line on this narcissistic piece of cyber space or send an email. I hope that all is well with you all!