(Click on picture to enlarge if you can't read the writing)

So last night I had this dream. I was at a restaurant- sort of an outdoor patio, and I was apparently managing it (how unlike real life)... Anyways some of my staff (who really are my staff from work) were working away in the kitchen, cooking up a storm for opening night and the place was completely packed. I went out to see how people were doing in the dining room- were they comfortable, having a good time, eager to try the food? Yada yada yada. And they were. The conversations were relaxed and well humored, talking about what people enjoyed and what things in their lives they enjoyed. Suddenly one of my staff comes out with the first plate from the kitchen and serves me this huge platter of filet mignon with mushrooms, potatoes and gravy. It looked absolutely fabulous and smelled even better. I should have been pleased and praised the dish, been thankful for it but I was totally startled and reacted with dismay. "What are you doing?! I'm not hungry! Feed some of these people!!" She was taken aback and thought she was doing right serving me first, scuttling off with the dish. Anyways when I woke up I lay there thinking about it. Am I ungrateful!? Do I not get the gifts I am being given? Do I not appreciate people in my life perhaps or the gifts they bring me? Do I have a full plate?! Worse- am I a jerk manager?!? LOL... !!! SHIT!! No, seriously, I try to make it fun at work. I think what theme spoke to me the most was just being reactive. Lately I've been dealing with trying to get my condo repairs STARTED which have NOT NOT NOT being going well and it is making me extremely worked up and emotionally charged. I WANT MY KITCHEN WORKING!!! LMAO !!!!! HA! I love the way my brain works in the dream state LOL... Yes, I have NO kitchen right now; just a stove and a fridge plugged in but otherwise no counter tops, no cabinets, no way to make a decent meal. Meanwhile I wait for the insurance agency and condo strata council to pay me the appropriate amount for the damages so that I can repair everything. Right now it appears that they are not willing to pay an amount that is anywhere near the amount required to fix everything. With the full moon only days away I will have to cool my heels and ATTEMPT to have a level head dealing with this emotionally charged situation. I have the hardest time with these ram horns sometimes....

Very interesting meetings lately regarding my real estate investing thoughts and dreams. I have had some discussions with people who are already investors themselves, listening to their long term goals and what seems to currently work for them. And I met with 2 realtors. The first I met this morning to discuss what action I should take if I am serious about investing (ie getting pre-approved, squaring away debt, socking away some money for a safety net, etc). The second I met this afternoon to see some properties to establish what we could purchase in certain areas of the city for a smaller investment. It was when we were looking at a duplex that we met The Green Finch. He was trapped upstairs in the window, looking for a way out from the opposite window that he had flown in through. I tried to help him escape by trying to open the window but they had painted the window shut and I couldn't open it. However, it made him panic and he flew sporadically around and straight into a closed window. He seemed to survive but was extremely stunned and I left him to recuperate at the open window he had come in from. An odd experience for certain. Note to self should I be reincarnated as a bird that windows are paneful. (WHAT!? I COULDN"T HELP IT !!!! =P) Seriously though, folks, duly noted that when we panic or make decisions in haste or fear the desired outcome can be missed. Often we manage only hurt ourselves in the process of flailing wildly towards what we think is the goal. Stay calm and focused, make decisions only when we know where we want to go, how quickly we want to get there and fly freely towards the intended destination.

Mom got me a terrific sterling silver totem ring from Pender Island, made by Val Lancaster from the Namgis First Nation (a band from the Gulf Islands). It has a Hummingbird wrapped around it signifying energy, persistence, joy, sincerity, luck, spiritual healing and other great attributes. I have to say that I resonate with Hummingbird. I always do things [too] fast, run quickly from one thing to the next, have pretty high energy and am pretty tenacious. I feel like I understand this totem energy. It reflects me whether that's good or bad LOL !!!

Overall I feel really enthused about where potentially Life is headed. Specifically I feel encouraged about the potential that investing offers. Obviously there is risk involved in any investment regardless of which vehicle is utilized. The best you can do is educate yourself, investigate thoroughly, start slowly and cautiously to see if it works for you. In Winnipeg you can literally search the www.mls.ca website for properties under $100,000 and return 236 items. Evidently oil in Manitoba last year had the highest volume for production on record, yet Manitoba is not yet known as an oil province. (In fact when I read that link I had to laugh at the reporter even comparing teeny tiny Virden Manitoba to Calgary OMG LMAO!!! I think Virden has 30 residents...pulleeeez!!!!!) At any rate the real estate market gained the average Winnipeg homeowner a 15% raise in value this year over last (condos being the softest market overall) Perhaps Winnipeg has some strength over the Coastal provinces where sales have waned. Both Vancouver and Toronto have softened markets while Saskatchewan and Manitoba have maintained their sales if not increased values overall, with new construction and industry on the rise in Winnipeg this year.

Good for buyers that condo sales have stayed consistent and not escalated like single family homes have. Probably why I managed to purchase so affordably last November, and why buying one to rent out would be financially accessible and easy peasy....

Despite what I read on Garth Turner's blog I think there is some longevity in real estate investing. Especially in such an affordable city like Winnipeg where you can easily locate rentable condos and properties anywhere from $60-$160,000. Very feasible mortgages to carry. I would say probably 99% of rental units here require lease agreements as opposed to month to month rentals in BC. Leases are fabulous for landlords. Nothing like securing your rental income and stability from a tenant! Heck, I could become a slum lord here in NO TIME at all =)
There are some lovely blogs to read out there about real estate investing, such as the Million Dollar Journey which also has lovely information about the tax benefits of being said slum lord.
Basically it enables you (a) to build equity in real estate, of course, but WHILE you are doing so you are also able to write off these things:
* Mortgage Interest (from your annual statement)
* Property Taxes
* Insurance
* Maintenance/upgrades
* Property Management fees and some condo fees
* Utility bills (if you include them in the rent)
* Office supplies
* Car (if you do the property maintenance, to supervise or inspect your property,)
* Internet connection, telephone, cell phone (portion used for business)
I could use my computer for business- online banking, communicating with the tenant, yada yada and BLOG about my investments etc thusly making my computer a [partial] write off. As would be my internet connection (% for business use), office space in my principal residence (% of mortgage interest/tax/insurance and utilities), office supplies related to the business, domain and web hosting costs, any advertising costs and even travel (if it’s for the business).
My thoughts are to start dabbling in real estate investing by purchasing another small affordable condo in the Spring that I can sublet at a rental price that will cover rent/ condo fees/ property taxes and property management fees. From here (let's say next Fall) I would like to purchase a duplex, renting out the other half. If I were to make a 5 year plan I would like to say that in five years I would like to 100% sublet my duplex and my 2 condos and move on to purchase myself a principal residence. Long term, I have the ability to continue renting these units out or sell and reinvest in another vehicle.
The cons of real estate investing? These are market volatility, being a landlord... being a landlord and... did I mention being a landlord?! So much depends on the market and securing decent tenants. What if the interest rates skyrocket like in the 80s? What about having so much invested solely in real estate? How do I "balance my portfolio" (she said, wryly, knowing that the portfolio at this time consists of what... RRSPs and an RRPP?! Phht!) Still, this warrants further discussion and I plan to meet with a Chartered Accountant to see if this is worth creating a business plan for. Then... then I will rule the world!!!

September 2, 2008 ... For All Signs

A Libra Moon today indicates that creating order is the focus, through pleasing interactions with others and aesthetics in our environment. Libra's influence is especially strong now, with the Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Mars all in the sign. We tend to solve problems diplomatically and tactfully now. Balancing our personal desires with those of another is likely to figure strongly now. "Paralysis by analysis" could be an issue, as the tendency to weigh all perspectives and to consider all possibilities can leave us sitting on the fence, afraid to make a definite decision. Moderating, negotiating, and compromise are themes today.

I hear this, people. So many things to do but where to start? The condo work needs to start yesterday, as much as I enjoy washing dishes in the bathroom sink or tub. I should just pick a spot in here and get going. Perhaps today I will order drywall to be delivered (since sports cars aren't exactly useful for this ...) and strip the [terrible and tacky!] wallpaper off the walls that are going to have to be repainted. I have some scrap material to get rid of but will have to purchase some tools to break it all down so it fits in our condo garbage bins. The fun part is "redesigning" the space. I have some fantabulous ideas for organizing it all as we go along. While in BC I went to IKEA and picked up some lighting and storage items. The closest IKEA here is roughly 12 hours away, sadly. Had I taken a TRUCK or VAN with me I could have purchased my kitchen cabinets, sink (which at Rona here is priced at over 400 dollars), pull-out faucet (also considerably cheaper), countertop, heck- I could have REALLY loaded up! Regardless I saved a couple hundred on the lighting alone which I comparison shopped in Winnipeg for unsuccessfully. In fact one lighting store here LAUGHED at me when I told them the cost at IKEA and stated that there was no way they would be in the same price point, let alone close in cost.

I looked everywhere when I was there for Beaver Jalapeno Mustard, which I simply cannot locate here in Manitoba. I was going to pick up a few litres of Greek Salad Dressing from the Rendezvous Restaurant but they were CLOSED! Luckily they actually MAIL you their delicious salad dressing and apparently have international fans, sending their dressing as far away as England. I did manage to get 20 pounds of fresh juicy peaches (9 bucks!) and plums in Keremeos at the Mariposa Fruit Stand which never disappoints. In Sooke I picked up my favorite homemade hot pepper jelly; in Granville Island I found some lovely pickled beans by Glenwood Preserves and in Langley I picked up some Urban Fare Jalapeno Lime spread... yum! In fact I spoke at length with a Save On Foods Manager about their growth and company expansion and various aspects of their store operations. Apparently Save On may indeed work on breaking into the Prairie markets which would be great, especially if they can bring me all these foods that I just imported!!

Well, it was a lovely visit to BC. I literally ran around and saw as many people as I possibly could! The drive is not for the faint of heart. I happen to be DRIVEN (nyuk nyuk) in the first place and can manage to handle the 28 hour trauma of driving straight (with intermittent cat naps on the way, of course). So glad to be HOME in my own bed and in the Winnipeg summer temperatures. Today for instance... 34 degrees and sunny!! At home? Mild to cool, I would have to say. I froze my a$$ off in Cranbook at 11pm on the drive home getting gas at 7 degrees out with a chilling north wind. As expected it rained for 8 of the 10 days I was in BC. I wish somehow I could have the best of both- so where do I have to move to get that?!! Hmmm. Must think about that. Definitely love the 2 homes I now have; there are some great perks to both Canadian provinces. Maybe in November I will pine for BC a little more than right now!! *grin* Right now, it's good to be home in Friendly Manitoba (albeit minus the mountains, omnipotent pubs, the Pacific Ocean with it's huge new ferries and orcas (which I saw a few pods swimming and playing... VERY COOL), wild berries to pick, mild winters, familiar faces, White Spot and Lou's Grill... okay maybe I missed it a LITTLE bit...)
/*cries*...
...'Til next time, British Columbia!!
=)

In Jamaica things are Seriously Easy Going. Life is slower, but enjoyed. Things here are Seriously Slow Going. Not used to the Gulf Island life!! Doh! Not that it helps that it's been absolutely RAINING like anything (although at this moment there is a reprieve). Figures, since Winnipeg is enjoying a fantastic, tan-inducing heat wave and here I am trapped in the usual BC liquid summer weather. Makes it tough since 99% of what there is to do here on the island is outside. Yesterday in a few hours Mom and I hit all the artsy shops, visited the one mall (I use this term loosely- it's a strip mall of about under a dozen businesses) and essentially travelled the 13 mile-big island (or at least the six mile half that is South Pender). Too bad I didn't bring my USB cord for my camera phone or I would upload the photos... There are amazing artists here to be sure. I may in fact get in touch with my own artistic side and use the abundant time I have indoors to explore my own creative abilities. What the heck... I'd say something about making hay in the sunshine but somehow the saying doesn't quite add up!

Ok, this is backwards!! I travel from Winnipeg to BC only to find out that it is COLDER HERE... Argh, with the BC weather. In the 10 days I will be here literally ONE DAY is forecasted to have sun. Ah, but it is good to be back in the cloudy, moist, lush, green, populated Mainland. Filled with familiar faces, the old stompin places and the hectic, caffeine-fueled paces!! Yes, the home of soy, tofu, coffee, hemp necklaces, dreds, surf boards, organic and anything that is sundried, chemical free and not tested on animals. It's a place where driving is both War and Art- an aggressive dance between vehicles jockeying for their rightful place on Highway One. (Super great to have out of province licence plates as it gives me the right of way a wee bit more than normally!!)
Truth be told I feel somewhat out of place in BOTH provinces. I no longer feel like I belong here, and I don't quite yet feel like I belong there! Things here are somehow not like I remember. Everything is greener, trees are taller, grass is longer and I never noticed how much MEADOW exists everywhere. I guess I just got used to seeing Winnipeg landscape for the past year...
Nice to be here, though.
Good to see you, BC... good to see you!

Yesterday at work I had a cricket visit me. He had somehow found himself a way inside the warehouse, well away from any doors. He was chirping away down the hallway at closing and I could tell by the sound that he was definitely indoors! I was the only one around so I followed his noises, tip-toeing up to him while he sang. I spotted his little coat tails peeking out from under the wall, got a cup to put him in and transported him outside. All the way wondering what Cricket was trying to tell me! And here is his message:

The appearance of Cricket is your life heralds an awakening of sensitivities and finding light within the dark. Dreams become more clairvoyant. Trust in your intuition – it is more accurate than you believe. Make sure to stay grounded and balanced while exploring your intuition and psychic abilities. The appearance of Cricket might also be a reminder than you are using psychic powers without proper grounding. In China, the Cricket symbolizes a fighting spirit. In England, it is considered good luck to find a cricket on the hearth. Crickets were believes to be familiar who watched over and guarded the home's occupants.

Today for everyone......The Moon is in Capricorn until 6:57 PM EDT, and we are acutely aware of the need for structure and planning ahead. We are also instinctively are aware of the limitations of time. Nevertheless, the Sun in awkward aspect to Uranus early in the day can suggest some unexpected changes of plans or hard-to-pinpoint stresses. This afternoon offers us increased stamina and "emotional energy" with which to tackle realistic projects. The Moon enters Air sign Aquarius at 6:57 PM EDT and we open ourselves to new ideas, methods, and experiences.

On Saturday, August 16, 2008 we have our full moon. In truth the full moon rises at sundown today (full for a few days before and after the "day" it's full)...

The August full moon is often called the Sturgeon Moon in North America. The Sturgeon Moon harks back to the bygone centuries when this large fish roamed plentifully in the Great Lakes and Hudson Bay. The August full moon is also known as the Green Corn Moon or the Grain Moon. The August full moon always resides in front of the constellation Aquarius the Water Bearer or Capricornus the Sea-goat. In 2008, the full moon is in Capricornus, near the star Deneb Algedi, which depicts the Sea-goat’s tail. For general reference, we can say the moon is full all night tonight. Astronomically speaking, the moon is full at the instant that it’s most directly opposite the sun. By this definition of full moon, the moon turns full at 9:16 p.m. Universal Time today. Universal Time refers to the standard clock time at the prime meridian of 0 degrees longitude. In North America, the full moon happens during the daylight hours today, when it’s still beneath our horizon. However, in eastern South America, most of Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia, the moon is precisely full during the nighttime hours tonight. Sometime tonight in those parts of the world, the full moon will dip into the Earth’s dark shadow, causing a partial lunar eclipse. August’s full moon is often referred to as the Wyrt, Wort, Barley, Corn or Red moon. The energies around this moon are ones of abundance, agriculture and marriage. We are encouraged to begin harvesting and collecting any herbs that we will use over the next year, and storing them. Focus on helping yourself or someone else reap the benefits of hard work done. This Full Moon in Aquarius will help us to make better use of our creativity, enhance our creative ability and artistic skill, and enable us to improve our relationships. The energy of the August Moon boosts your interest in abundance, you may celebrate marriage or unions/ unity. Aquarius Full Moon Themes: breaking free of the status quo; the rebel in search of balance; sudden changes in frequency; illuminated grids; alliances beyond labels; the passion of visionary ideas; unexpected breakthroughs; becoming a global citizen; otherwordly knowledge.

http://astrology.about.com/od/themoon/qt/FullMoonAqua.htm

Heading to BC this weekend for 2 weeks which will be great. I'm driving because I want to pick up some stuff when I get there, I need the freedom to move around and because it's so good to have the time to think during the drive. My poor tiny brain is saturated at this point with everything that's happened. The flood, the after-process of the flood which is on-going, then we had a death in my boyfriend's family, then some hard news with health issues in my own family... I had a few days where it really started to overwhelm me at times. I need to see scenery pass me by and connect with the thought that we are all really on a road trip in Life, aren't we?! ...A long, almost 2 day road trip where Tim Horton's becomes the only familiar constant through the whole drive LOL... ! Going to go Highway Three again. I really enjoy that drive, going through the Kootenay small towns. I tell you Fernie is probably one of THE most sexiest places in BC. Seriously.( Well wait- maybe Sicamous is... No, wait- Harrison... Gah! I can't choose...!) Regardless when I hit Fernie at about 6am I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I tried to capture the feeling with my camera as I stood in the TH parking lot, the enormity of the mountains and how small I felt but I just couldn't get it. Maybe it was just the overwhelming feeling of being HOME. MB is good and I do like it here, don't get me wrong. But I don't feel a sense of ownership or familiarity like in BC. There are no sights and sounds that remind me of anything- no memories here (which is good at the same time). Looking forward to driving the Island more this time, hitting Chemainus (one of my favoritest places on the island), Duncan, Nanaimo and Comox. So I will post a few more times before I leave this weekend and then be on hiatus sporadically posting as I am able to borrow computers!!!

Alright, I am back online, albeit temporarily. This is not a photo of my place, however it definitely is FEELING like this! I have partial walls (which the bottom 2 feet were cut off), cement floors, no kitchen whatsoever (all cabinets and counters removed) and one completely brick wall. The good news is I have at least this weekend with NO people trapsing through my place. Literally every day there have been anywhere from three to six people in my condo from 8am to some days 11pm. Very, very invasive process. Yes, it's necessary to remove everything to prevent mold. But omg, I really need SOME privacy at times dudes! Seriously!! And what TOTALLY blew me away today was first of all the fact that I had a small HERD of tradespeople in my place by 10am. By 1015 I had one guy mistake ME for one of THEM and was going on and on about what he was doing in other suites and was letting me know what he was doing. I just listened and when he was done I said, so what's that got to do with me? He was confused, it was hilarious. But then one dude apparently felt entitled to my FRIDGE which he (without asking) stuffed his LUNCH BAG into and MOVED ALL MY STUFF TO MAKE ROOM FOR IT!!! Um, EXCUSE ME mister worker dude, but I STILL LIVE HERE!!! ARGH!!! Now, perhaps I should be more receptive to sharing my space(?) I mean, I found it uncomfortable today when they all stopped for break about 30 minutes later and sat around chatting at my patio table set out on my porch. Maybe I should be glad they like my things... or something(?) Personally I was like, are they seriously having a little picnic at my PATIO TABLE?! While I'm here trapped like a sardine in my bedroom with my cat while several strangers make themselves at home in my place?! WTF!! Anyways this whole experience is pretty trying if not completely showing my apparently very territorial nature LOL!! Everyone's saying how fantastic it will be to "get new things" like what a deal that I "get new flooring" or essentially have this great opportunity to renovate my condo. And sure, I am thankful for this forced opportunity... Oh, for sure- and I'm not just being sarcastic either! Part of me REALLY believes that! (I think it's the same part that believes in Santy Clause) For real this is a GREAT BLESSING. It's one of this "when I look back on this" moments. Sucks when you're IN THE EXPERIENCE but will this ever be GREAT one day, oh FOR SURE...!!! I mean, I bet in October when the renovations are expected to be complete I will be glad to have a peaceful, pleasant place. Meanwhile I am entertaining myself by thinking about what I would LIKE to see in here; what kind of flooring, what kind of cabinets, what paint color, etc. Yes, yes I see how GREAT this is already!!! =)

FLOOD

A pipe burst in our condo 2 floors up a few hours ago. Our place is completely soaked and in totally in disarray! Currently I am typing to you from my makeshift desk in my bedroom, where the carpet is also wet but to a lesser degree than the remainder of the place. Needless to say I won't be posting much! Please stand by.

Have to send some thanks to Mortgage Man (who's real identity is Neil McJannet, but I really dig his alter ego name). Neil's a mortgage broker in BC who formerly resided in Winnipeg. He was able to talk me down off the ledge regarding my fairly recent financial concerns. I guess it feels worse than it is and I'm making a mountain out of a molehill. I guess I must REALLY miss BC if I'm making my own mountains (*grin*). Nice to know that when things feel like crap a knowledgable, reliable mortgage broker like Neil can look at your numbers and make sense of my messy chequebook.
Thanks, Mortgage Man !!

34 Things You May Not Know !

1. Money isn't made out of paper, it's made out of cotton.
2. The Declaration of Independence was written on hemp (marijuana) paper.
3. The dot over the letter 'i' is called a 'tittle'.
4. A raisin dropped in a glass of fresh champagne will bounce up and down continuously from the bottom of the glass to the top.
5. Susan Lucci is the daughter of Phyllis Diller. (actually this is not true)
6. 40% of McDonald's profits come from the sales of Happy Meals.
7. 315 entries in Webster's 1996 Dictionary were misspelled.
8. The 'spot' on 7UP comes from its inventor, who had red eyes.He was albino.
9. On average, 12 newborns will be given to the wrong parents, daily.
10. Warren Beatty and Shirley MacLaine are brother and sister (true)
11. Chocolate affects a dog's heart and nervous system; a few ounces will kill a small sized dog
12. Orcas (killer whales) kill sharks by torpedoing up into the shark's stomach from underneath, causing the shark to explode.
13. Most lipstick contains fish scales (eeww).
14. Donald Duck comics were banned from Finland because he doesn't wear pants.
15. Ketchup was sold in the 1830's as medicine.
16. Upper and lower case letters are named 'upper' and 'lower'because in the time when all original print had to be set in individual letters, the upper case' letters were stored in the case on top of the case that stored the smaller, 'lower case' letters (true)
17. Leonardo Da Vinci could write with one hand and draw with the other at the same time, hence, multi-tasking was invented.)
18. Because metal was scarce, the Oscars given out during World War II were made of wood.
19. There are no clocks in Las Vegas gambling casinos.
20. The name Wendy was made up for the book Peter Pan; there was never a recorded Wendy before!
21. There are no words in the dictionary that rhyme with: orange, purple, and silver!
22. Leonardo Da Vinci invented scissors. Also, it took him 10 years to paint Mona Lisa's lips.
23. A tiny amount of liquor on a scorpion will make it instantly go mad and sting itself to death.
24. The mask used by Michael Myers in the original 'Halloween' was a Captain Kirk's mask painted white.
25. If you have three quarters, four dimes, and four pennies, you have $1.19. You also have the largest amount of money in coins without being able to make change for a dollar (good to know.)
26. By raising your legs slowly and lying on your back, you can't sink in quicksand (and you thought this list was completely useless.)
27. The phrase 'rule of thumb' is derived from an old English law, which stated that you couldn't beat your wife with anything wider than your thumb.
28. The first product Motorola started to develop was a record player for automobiles. At that time, the most known player on the market was the Victrola, so they called themselves Motorola.
29. Celery has negative calories! It takes more calories to eat a piece of celery than the celery has in it to begin with. It's the same with apples
30. Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying!
31. The glue on Israeli postage stamps is certified kosher..
32. Guinness Book of Records holds the record for being the book most often stolen from Public Libraries.
33. Astronauts are not allowed to eat beans before they go into space because passing wind in a space suit damages it. I NEED TO REMEMBER THIS.
34.. George Carlin said it best about Martha Stewart. 'Boy, I feel a lot safer now that she's behind bars. O. J. Simpson and Kobe Bryant are still walking around; Osama Bin Laden too, but they take the ONE woman in America willing to cook, clean, and work in the yard, and they haul her fanny off to jail.'

Although China is the BEST place to see tomorrow's eclipse, you CAN see it online HERE. It should be about 7pm (Shanghai time) and last 2 and a half minutes. We get a treat next year July 22, 2009 when we get the longest eclipse of the CENTURY lasting 6 minutes and 39 seconds! If the weather co-operates it will be visible from India, Nepal, China etc and parts of the Pacific Ocean. Looks like China gets all the good viewing on these!!
Seen a few eclipses, like the last lunar eclipse I watched from my porch here. Back at home I used to see meteor shower viewings around Cultus Lake BC. Usually August is a wicked time to see these in a good open field away from the city where there's no light poisoning. I still have yet to see Northern Lights here on the prairies which apparently is a September phenomenon. Everyone at work talks about seeing the polar bears in Churchill and taking the train up there. I should really go check these things out. When John came to BC I made him do BC things like walk across the Capilano Suspension Bridge, visit Whistler and go on the BC Ferries to explore the Gulf Islands. (And I HATED the ferries when I lived there. HATED THEM!! Never on time, slow to leave the dock, expensive, filled with screaming children *GROAN! But now that I'm on flat, prairie land omg do I wish I could be on those boats, floating on the ocean!! I think I visualize it every day. In fact lately when I hear the trains go by I reflect on the sounds of the ferries. The way they shudder when the propellers start or stop or reverse...the bad green carpet...the 5 dollar newspapers (kidding but dude, everything is so expensive on the ferries). The sound of the horn... omg I miss that.)
In the next 5 years ish I would like my next move to be onto Vancouver Island. Either Nanaimo or Langford or Comox if it ever opens. If I transferred to Langford (Victoria area) I would totally live in Sooke. Feasible commute and way less costly real estate than in Victoria, plus I like the smaller community feeling. In Nanaimo I could manage a condo or townhouse no prob. Comox would be great, especially to be part of another warehouse opening (if it ever materializes. Australia is the next market to open in the next few months and over the next year.) No matter what location I would be close to someone- parents are on Pender Island, sister's near French Beach (possibly heading to Tofino?) EN is in Victoria and Mireille's in Duncan. We shall see!
Meanwhile Winnipeg is a great place to be, to start over and learn a lot.

Oy.
I was going to post a 10 of wands but this sums it up better.
Somewhat burdened at the moment.
Read my cards; have to say I see that I feel muddled. Trying to organize myself in small ways (spent some time this morning and sorted out my photobucket album online) but it isn't the small, manageable issues that are the problem. It's the larger, looming ones that are consuming my brain. Mom and Dad both are having some health issues, and of course I balloon this by dwelling on July 23, 2005 -the day my father in law Wayne died of colon cancer. We watched him digress for months, stayed with him and my MIL for the last 2 months of his life. I, being the one to find him after he passed that morning around 6am, had to wake my husband and MIL to let them know he had finally died. That was a very hard moment. That was the second time I had to tell my husband that kind of news. In September 1992 it was my FIL and I that had to tell him his sister had died.

Financially it's been really tough since the divorce, having to rebuild. I had to buy a new car, get a new condo and new things in it and paid over 3 grand to move my things across 4 provinces, yada yada. It'll work itself out I guess (the belt is tight) but right now the list of financial responsibilities feels pretty overwhelming. Car insurance is due, condo fees due in a few days, couple hundred for the deductible for work on the car will be due pretty soon. Almost 6 hundred in bills due this week, and where will it come from, she asks. Plus I have a trip to BC to figure out how to manage (which is probably why the 7 of cups popped up for my physical space).

So anyways, Pollyanna, let's talk about something more entertaining.

Like grass flip flops that I read about on Presurfer. How can you go wrong?! It's like walking on grass but in thongs. Or something. (Seriously what idiot thought this up?!)

Or how about we RULE THE UNIVERSE together.

And lastly let us enjoy some ZEN HABITS. Like accomplishing some feasible, simple tasks that give you a sense of completion! There's nothing I enjoy more than checking off a list! WOO! That feels WAY better !!
=)

Richie and Adala were here today! (With mom Nicole of course...) out visiting from Sooke BC. We had a great time at The Forks on the 30 minute boat tour that takes you up and down the Red and Assiniboine Rivers. Kind of a neat tour. Since I got here last summer I have to admit I haven't taken advantage of any of the tourist stuff that would help me learn more about Winnipeg. Until we were on the little boat tour (called the Splash Dash or something) I had no idea there was a cathedral in St Boniface or anything about it bursting into flames and its huge rose window blasting across the river. Also hadn't really taken a good look at that new bridge with the Salsbury restaurant oddly placed on it. Actually I think I might want to eat there just to check out the water view from the restaurant. Too bad I missed the White Stripes when they played live on the bridge last summer. Bummer dude!

Our tour guide (really nice guy probably roughly 30ish) was talking about the river front and how more condos were going in, and what the plans were for development. He says (and I could see it one day too) that the future plans are to create (or continue) the development that the Forks has. The only issue, he concedes, is whether the people will come here to populate it. He told us about the history of Winnipeg, and how it was pegged ('scuse the pun LOL) to become the Chicago of the North when the train industry was at its peak. Post 1920s, however, the train as primary transport module had died out and Winnipeg never did achieve the 3 million population that it had hoped for. I believe currently the population is around 625,000 or so. Wonder what Winnipeg will do to draw more people here, short of changing the weather?!!

Mercury enters Leo today and stays in this playful sign until August 10th. During this cycle, our thinking is more confident and grand. The focus is now on the goal--and the more grand the goal the better! The details may not be quite as important now. We are more expressive, even theatrical and given to speech-giving and story-telling under this influence. (HA!! That's what I'm doing this evening!!!) We are also more convincing and persuasive, as we exude confidence when we speak or write. We may not listen as well as we normally do under Mercury in Leo. Mercury in hard aspect to Mars today suggests quick-wittedness. Mars trines Jupiter, adding more drama to the day. Decisive action comes naturally now. We possess willpower, verve, and energy that we can direct toward achieving our goals. Success in contracts, negotiations, and business deals comes more easily, as long as we watch our tongues. We want to branch out and take on more challenges. Optimism, enthusiasm, and spiritedness are themes today. Positive attitudes create winning situations now. A spirit of friendly competition prevails, as well as the desire to take beneficial action. The Moon is in solid Taurus all day.




And Happy birthday DAD!!!

(...for tomorrow, July 25, 2008 from Cafe Astrology for All Signs)

The Last Quarter Moon is exact today, with the Sun in Leo squaring off with the Moon in Taurus at 2:43 PM EDT. The Last Quarter Moon phase points to some sort of crisis of consciousness. After basking in the awareness symbolized by the full light of the Moon at the time of last week's Full Moon, we disperse our knowledge and come to a point when we need to sort out what works for us—and what doesn't—in preparation for next week's New Moon, when something new is born once again. This is not the best time to start a major project, as the decreasing light of the Moon symbolizes a descent into unconsciousness. It's time to begin finishing up the details of that which was conceived at the last New Moon on July 2nd. Venus in awkward aspect to Jupiter and Mercury in awkward aspect to Pluto today suggests possible social blunders. A strong desire for the pleasures of life is emphasized now, although our eyes are often bigger than our stomach. Challenges in relationships encountered today are likely due to overblown expectations. It can be challenging to find a balance between responsibilities and the desire for self-gratification. Something we write or say could trigger power struggles or hostility from others. Decisions made now are unlikely to be objective. Re-assessing decisions we have made already, or adjusting our plans, may be in order. The Moon enters Taurus at 9:15 AM.

Translation: not that it is always true, or that it always comes to pass, but I will always refer to astrology. Why? Because it often has sage advice if anything.

Anyways I have unfortunately no time to write this evening. Big day tomorrow and the day after that, and the day after that. I only have time to bimbo , have some tea and get ready for the next day!! I'll write more meaningful posts in a few day!!

Update on a few things:
* the sinners got told by the condo board that further disturbances would warrant police interaction. 2 days now and they're doing considerably better. At 3am this morning (and now at 5am again) they were reverting to their old habits as they again perched on their porch to preach. However within minutes (and probably the sound of our patio sliding door open) the noice ceased. Still idiots, just to a slightly less annoying degree.
* the car is STILL waiting for parts to be fixed from when it was vandalized 3 weeks ago. Oy, with buying a fairly rare (and older model) car. Seriously painfully long wait here with a plastic ziploc window.
* Wednesday it was 3 yrs ago that I lost someone very dear to me to colon cancer. Sad day, but found comfort talking to my BF about the loss of his mother who died only months prior the same year. He says he has never really absorbed it or let it out but did so prior to her death, praying feverishly to god to let her live. Immediately following her death he said he became numb and unresponsive, going through the motions of day to day life. I know exactly what he means.
* good news is, 27 pounds now in 50 days (June 5-today). Pretty impressed with myself so far and definitely teaching myself new eating habits. Lots of temptation around but nay, I cannot be dissuaded! Getting compliments from people (which at first was depressing. I lost 20 pounds and I swear nobody noticed! On the other hand maybe people aren't sure if they should say something? I was like man, am I so fat that the loss 20 pounds isn't visible?! Smaller fat people are orbiting around me, drawn into my gravitational pull...LOL)

Neighbours: I think I have an acronym for the ones that suck... S.I.N. Meaning Super Ignorant Neighbours. I have a couple sinners that live right above us and they are complete pricks to live anywhere near. Literally since I moved in here last November the 2 guys that live in the suite have been loud party animals. At all hours of the night, on any given night, they party. One guy has the LOUDEST most boisterous laugh I have ever had to listen to. I think they wrestle also based on the noises, and I swear they drop marbles onto their wood floors because that is EXACTLY the noise I have heard many times. Their most recent ignorance started Friday night as they partied into the late wee hours of Saturday (try 5am). I brushed it off thinking, hey, maybe they have weekends off- good for them. They're young, let's try to be receptive, sympathetic people... But this happened again on Saturday, then on Sunday and again this morning. I had enough by 4am this morning. They came out onto their balcony above us and started a loud, hearty conversation about some girl. I got up, put my robe on and wandered onto my balcony just as the guy above was horking a loogie down to the lawn below. I made eye contact as he did it and said, "You guys better STFU, seriously". He said nothing but quickly retreated back onto his porch. About 10 minutes later- conversation continues. Oh, I am PISSED now, you little bastards. Again, robe on, wander out and MUCH louder I declare war. "SERIOUSLY, STFU PEOPLE". I see him literally peek at me through the railing and retreat again. Quiets down for about 10 minutes. But again, it repeats. By this time the boyfriend is up ready to fire off some words. He opens the bedroom window and gives a solid, loud "HEY!!!" Apparently a deep, angry man's voice is what it required. 5am the noise level drops from the porch, but as soon as we shut our window some litter finds its way onto my porch from the one above. Interesting.... So by this time, quite wide awake I email my condo board everything that's ever pissed me off about these knobs. Like the fact the nighbour below us came up a few weeks back inquiring if the noise was from US (you know its bad when 2 floors DOWN someone can hear and complains). Like the construction in March. Like the complaint from the neighbour below us. Like this weekend and the litter. Like hell I am putting up with this shit.

This is war, people.

WAR........

I really dig sales and marketing, communications and people. Maybe having Gemini as my Rising Sign makes me a little more interested in communicating. People have told me I am a wee tad verbose (*grin*) which is why I blog, bien sur...! Today I was reading Dooley Noted, the blog of a Winnipeg media and communications firm that handled my company's press releases last Fall. Dooley notes on his blog that the City of Winnipeg over the past years has reduced its communications department from 20 people to oh... four. By doing so, however, the City risks the ability to effectively communicate policy changes within its own departments and to the general public. I can't help but agree with him when he says (and this is my translation of the article) hey, communications aren't the be-all end-all but they sure help.

Flipping over to the marketing and sales side of communications, I stumble upon Marc Ecko and his marketing genius of Ecko Manufacturing. At first I thought the website was a joke, being that there were half naked women making jeans (?!) (Like, is this a beer ad or something??) But, no, it is for real. Just marketing - and what gets noticed more than half naked women. Marc is a former graffiti artist from Jersey who launched his own fashion line of tshirts, grass-roots style, right out of his own garage. After struggling with a 6 million dollar debt attempting to launch his media empire he has since achieved success with his various businesses that stem from Ecko Manufacturing. Marc has launched his products into video games and websites, created several clothing lines to capitalize on various markets and worked his connections with celebrities and stars to wear his designs. Much like other successful marketing ventures (let's cite Madonna as the Ultimate Genius here) Marc reads the times, sees what is captivating his target audience and sells to the demographic. Look at the 30something crowd: technology, video games, he has websites and is internet savvy, he has rappers and celebs wearing his stuff, yada yada. He markets to his target audience. It's that old Go Where The People Are rather than trying to find them. Have them find you; it's why we have fashion magazines, TV, internet, media and communication !!!

Ever watch Women On Top? One of my favorite shows, everrrr. Marc's story is exactly what you'd see on that show, were he a female. What I love about Women on Top isn't necessarily the success they achieve but the struggle they have GETTING there. I enjoy the story behind it; the lives they lead getting where they need to go. Much like Ashley Paige, my latest favorite reality tv show about the struggle for success. How very cool- here's Ashley Paige, an amazing artist with apparently little (?) business sense (hmmm, but smart enough to have her own TV show...) I love knowing who people are, what makes them tick, why they have the passions they do. I need to understand people and their journey. Better yet, I like to communicate with them which is why I have an interest in learning langauges. (You should hear me speak Punjabi to cab drivers, it's hilarious!) I'll leave that topic for my next post.... !!

Did you catch the news on CBC? I just watched it. Apparently in Virginia a lovely Indian doctor is paying patients to LOSE WEIGHT. Yup, a buck a pound. (Somebody owes me $25 bucks, dammit!) Actually the idea behind it is (a) the area where this physician has his practice is extemely low income and extremely overweight. And (b) people are simply more inclined to lose weight if they have an incentive. See The Biggest Loser as an example of this, at a $250,000 reward for the most weight loss per season. The only downside to the Dollars For Pounds theory is, of course, will people CONTINUE to keep their weight off in the future when the incentive ends? Perhaps this is why X-Weighted and Last 10 pound Boot Camp or any of the Slice programs do not follow this line of thinking.
Course there have been WAY weirder fads and weight loss gimmicks out there besides paying people to lose weight. Remember Doctor Ho?! His muscle massage system promised to give you abs of steel with no work at all. Or how about the fat patch?!
Yup, WAY weirder things...

...And It's The Full Moon (cafe astrology)

Early morning, the Full Moon occurs with the Cancer Sun in opposition to the Moon in Capricorn. A Full Moon is a time of culmination and the promise of fulfillment of that which was started at the New Moon. It is an emotional time—a time of romance, fertilization, and relationships. The Cancer-Capricorn polarity concerns the balance between the private life, domesticity, the need for a home base, and nurturance (represented by Cancer) versus the public life, career, reputation, and accountability (represented by Capricorn). Attachments and love are ruled by Cancer, while achievements and rewards/punishments are ruled by Capricorn. Ideally, a balance should be found between the two energies, and this is what the Full Moon invites us to do. This Full Moon is about balancing our commitment to our career and families. A hard aspect between Venus and Uranus today indicates unusual attractions (to people and things) that can have us acting on a whim, particularly with the spur-of-the-moment energy of the Full Moon also in play. We may deal with freedom versus closeness issues in our relationships.

AND ONTO TODAY'S POST....
Moving on from the topic of GOLD I ended up looking up the gold rush and the ghost towns that it left behind. When I was a kid my parents took me to Fort Steele in the Kootenays of BC. I remember being freaked out that we were going to a ghost town (WHY are we visiting ghosts?!) However I remember clearly seeing the fort in Fort Steele and seeing a lot of worn, weathered wood. Didn't realize there were so many ghost towns in Canada, and around the world also. So, like, can you re-inhabit these places if you wanted?! It would be quiet, right?! No neighbours... Ha! You could be the new sherrif in town! HA! I have ALWAYS wanted an old, derelict abandoned church in a rural setting that I could paint deep red and have a lovely garden around, with a mailbox and sign that says HOLYMOTHEROFGOD... !
One day, I tell you... Anyhoo, I digress...

Have you had your coffee today? How much? Click here to see how jittery you are...I made it to GOD LIKE POWERS Mu haw haw haw haw! How appropriate for holy mother of god ... Looooove my java, though. I have tea on occasion, like last night I had some Indian chai which was nice. But in the morning I have to start with the real McCoy and have a good, strong, potent cuppa joe. If I could have an espresso maker I would hit that up every morning. My favorite is espresso macchiato- double espresso with frothed milk (less fattening than whip cream, although whip cream is delicioso on espresso). Course if you want fattening, Cafe Mocha, hands down. Chocolate milk, whip cream and espresso? Hell yeah. And about 1500 calories and 80 grams of fat per sip LOL!! Obesity in a cup... NICE!

Gold.

Five years ago you could buy an ounce for about 300 dollars. Today? $934 per ounce. I was reading Garth Turner's Greater Fool this morning about real estate, the bubble, the burst, the US economy and it's difficulties at this time and how real estate in Canada has thusly been affected. In Vancouver real estate listings are up 20%, he says, and sales down 42%. This is echoed elsewhere in Canada with other major cities also seeing less sales (20% less sales across the board in Canada). I'm thinking that buying this affordable condo was a good idea now... Depending on interest rates I'm wondering, though, if this decrease in the real estate market won't work out for potential buyers like myself who may be interested next year in upgrading to a house?? I think in order for that to happen (housing to be "affordable") mortgage rates would have to climb to around 7-8% like they did back in 1995. Right now a good deal on a 5 yr closed is at about 5.6%. No wonder we have this "bubble" - I recall just 4-5 years ago the 10 year rates were roughly that much and 3yr rates were around 4% which was unheard of. Everyone plugged in to low rates, for 30 and 40 year mortgages and bought the biggest, most expensive house they could afford because "you can't lose on real estate".

They've always said that gold and silver and resources that are "finite" are solid investments. (Hence oil and gas prices increasing? Right?) Being that I live in the same city as the Mint I've been thinking perhaps I should be purchasing gold and silver coins, wafers and or bars (based on what I can afford of course). Likewise it's almost time to get involved in the Canada Savings Bonds program and purchase them. Time to get into some investments that offer protection against "market bubbles" and have longevity, reliability and are mainstays...

Never in my life have I ever heard the term PINK COLLAR WORKER. I am familiar with blue collar and white collar workers (whose payscales have perhaps reversed over the years) but not PINK or GREEN or GREY or GOLD Collar Workers. I sort of stumbled on these links this morning over coffee while doing my usual diddling around online. Funny, when I read about the Gold Collar Workers OMG I think I've hired some of those before!! TOTALLY!!! Interesting how the younger generation that choose to live at home and spend their money on BLING and yet own nothing can get coined gold collar LOL!! Word!!! HA! Who knew they had a label (but what doesn't these days ...) Anyhoo, what started the whole stumbling process was my quest to look up the oil field jobs online and what they pay. Seriously, how does Alberta manage to retain ANY jobs at ALL in the retail and hospitality sectors (or ANY other areas) when you can wander out onto the oil rigs and get 100 grand a year? I honestly don't know. Not anyone can (or will, or is qualified to) work in that dangerous and isolated environment hence the pay. And hence "pink collar jobs" (like receptionists, hairstylists, florists, maids, waitresses) being paid less as they require less training- increasing the number of qualified applicants and reducing the pay. I recall in highschool them ranting about how trades were the way to go, but just couldn't visualize myself as a plumber, what with owning such a petite and svelte little butt crack at the time... (*grin*)

So the Next Generation is coming to visit YAY! Actually the whole herd of nephews and niece are out in full force in a few weeks here, which will be great. We have Milan here on the left, Mischa here - both my brother Darren's and GF Sandy's kids who are visiting from the Cayman Islands in August. And sister Nicole from just outside Sooke BC (actually French Beach if you know where that is) is bringing her kids Richie and Adala who of course I don't have an uploaded photo of.. (I'll find one and edit this post) But SO excited to see them all! So weird how as an adult a year or two can fly by and you sorta shrug it off. Then you see a child GROW in 2 years and you realize how much can HAPPEN in that time... Gonna be a great trip home this year....just a few more weeks!

Well it LOOKS nice outside right now but apparently thunderstorms and chance of rain this afternoon. Tomorrow, however, 100% sun as is Thursday. Figures since I've been looking forward to a few Friday Saturdays off that the forecast for THOSE days is RAIN RAIN RAIN!!! Same thing last week and this week !!! (Not that I'm not used to rain from BC; just spoiled with daily sunshine living in Manitoba!!)
Speaking of which- why doesn't Manitoba farm sunshine?! Seriously, if it's one of the sunniest places in Canada (Medicine Hat is #1 and Estevan Saskatchewan is #2) with flat open spaces why not have solar panels everywhere?? Anyone? Anyone know why?? They farm wind here, but I've never seen acres of solar panels. The wind farms are awesome- those 3 bladed tower thingies are freakin huge. Odd against a prairie landscape to see these objects that look like they belong in a Terminator movie or something...
Lots to do this week: still ordering parts to have the car fixed, lots of preparation at work for inventory on the 26th among other tasks on my to-do list. Then the following week my sister and her kids will be here to visit for a few days - YAY! That same Monday or Tuesday is also when I have to see a notary out here to finalize the divorce (or I should say MY divorce since I am evidently paying for it in full, which makes me extremely angry. I will stop short of discussing my list of what is considered "unfair" ...) Anyhoo must get ready and put on my pants that now fit!

ps. My heart goes out to Aleesha and Kelly. Aleesha lost a good friend yesterday- I really, really feel for her and all those that are affected by this tragic loss. Kelly, I just found out, was in a horrible car accident a few weeks ago, breaking her ankle and suffering other soft tissue injuries. Having been in both these situations myself (losing someone the same way and being in two car accidents) I HATE to hear of people I love going through these situations also. But that's why we go through things is to help us undertand others and appreciate their pain when they face the same difficulties. Amen.

Sometimes I miss things that Presurfer posts, but I have no idea how I missed his Bulletproof Baby post. Omg. Then he shows the rash that is known as Walmart developing across North American, check this out... Ack! On a more pleasant note if you look today you'll see the bear scratch which is more humorous than horrifying.
Crappy forecast this weekend- funnel clouds over Alberta, hail and thunderstorms in Saskatchewan and southern Manitoba... *groan* Seven day forecast calls for the same next Friday Saturday although Sunday Monday are expected to be super nice. Might be a "raincheck" on the fishing trip ?!

Tomorrow I think this is where I'm going; Whiteshell. It's FISHING TIME! WOOT! I always thought I wouldn't enjoy fishing. Since I've been river fishing and ice fishing I discovered I LOVE IT! Who knew!! In the river there are catfish. The one I caught last summer was about 7 inches long or something. I think when we went ice fishing there were pike or something. Anyways it's just an overnight trip and I'm really looking forward to it!

Note to self: sunblock and bugspray!

Latest links of interest for me...

Calorie King
What's a BMR?!
BMR Calculator
Fabulous Fiber
You can cook with All Bran?!?
The Macrobiotic Diet

Little worn out... I've been getting up, heading to the car insurance adjuster appointments the last few days, running errands, returning briefly home and minutes later heading to work to do some prep work for inventory which is in 17 days. I still have to take the car in to the repair shop this morning and arrange for a rental while parts are being ordered etc. I suspect it will take some time to fix since it's not a commonplace vehicle and its a 1992.

I was driving home last night trying to focus myself on playing the Glad Game. I guess the good things are that Autopac is a painless system, the car didn't get completely stolen or suffer irreparable damage, nobody got maimed, I got a lovely new phone and in one month I'm on vacation =)
There!
Good things!
HA! That makes me smile...

Very tired.


Quick post.


My life in pictures at this moment...


New phone- KRZR ... ah very nice.... must learn how to use it...




Lost 20 pounds... :P

Car is getting fixed after being vandalized; this is good. Extremely happy that the process here is fast and painless. Just have to find a good bodyshop now that will do the work...



Okay I'm outtie. Tired. Sleep. Go bye bye...

Great Scott ... now I'm revisiting my own personal obsession with personal finance blogs LOL!! Actually blogging can be rewarding for just that reason. I can credit other bloggers with sending me links to see if those sites have information that resonate with me and my life. It's probably because many of us bloggers are from the same generation that we often do share the same interests.

Click here to see how rich YOU are...

At any rate I really enjoyed reading Give Me My Five Bucks Back. She had some good tips on saving money and really dedicating yourself to getting out of debt. I've been interested in selling my cars for oh... a year. I know that this is the only financial vehicle (pun intended) I have to drive the debt down (again, intended!). My question is whether to LEASE or BUY when I get into another car, since of course I still need transportation to and from work. Luckily my work is only 4km away. (In theory I could walk or bike in the summer although doing so would require me to walk on the side of a freeway both ways -not so safe). I am actually leaning towards leasing because (a) monthly payments are lower, (b) I will be well within the allotted 20,000 kilometres you are allowed annually lest you pay for mileage at the end of your lease and (c) at the end of the one or two year lease I can trade up to another new car as opposed to owning and paying for a depreciating-now-used-car. I cannot say I have loyalty to a make or model nor do I feel an attachment to owning a vehicle, or any liquid asset (including real estate). I feel these are merely things we invest in. I can't say I know any cars that appreciate or hold their value (are there?) or I would invest in them. I dare say renting a car at low monthly lease payment seems more logical. No, you don't own anything in the end but you are not pouring your money into owning a depreciating asset. Your thoughts??

One great tip that I read on a finance blog a while back is about zero interest cards. So I immediately went out and got some. I transferred all my debt (okay, most of it) to zero interest cards. Obviously these are short term offers (one card is 12 months and the other 18 months zero interest) however this still saves thousands in interest over this amount of time and lowers the monthly payments. I have it noted when I have to transfer the remaining balance from each card to save an unwelcome lump at the end when the zero interest offer runs out. In addition, once my debt is paid you can then use these zero interest cards to BORROW and INVEST with. Withdraw money from the zero interest card and put it into RRSP, then repay your zero interest loan back to your zero interest credit card. Free RRSP loan! How intelligent! I also switched to no-fee banking, got a good savings account, maxed out my rrsp and pension contributions and at the very least: I have a plan.
Still lots to do, but there's still a plan.

Although this is just a graphic I found online and aren't my exact personal debts I fully appreciate the sentiment. It's been a costly last 18 months between selling the house, moving out & in with a friend, putting everything into storage then moving again across the country. Gas is at an all time high at the pump (what is it, a buck 33 a liter?) and man, I am seeing red. Tough gig, man...

UPDATE: Speaking of tough gigs and seeing red in the ANGRY sense, my car got completely vandalized today at work. I wasn't there more than 40 minutes and some asshole broke in to it and another co-worker's car. They attempted to steal my stereo/dvd player which of course was installed well and is bolted in. Made a quick attempt to pull down my back seat and check for speakers but found the same problem: everything hard mounted. This is the ninth issue this year of vehicles either being vandalized or completely stolen from the parking lot. My deck is broken, my dash ripped apart, the glove box doesn't close and my passenger window is shattered. Good news is I see an adjuster Monday to get it fixed. I just don't understand why people need to entertain themselves by vandalizing property. Karma will definitely bite them in the ass one day.

So am I nuts?! It is July 4th right? Does Google.com (the USA site) not have a holiday logo either?! Maybe I can't see it.. Not to beat a dead horse just that they normally celebrate these kinds of things! Odd... guess everyone's on holidays this week or something.

Vampires Among Us
Yes, I mean mosquitos. They are proliferous. And ubiquitous. Omnipresent. They're everywhere!!!! Ack! I lay in bed last night and I was almost there- right in that deep, hazy non-coherent almost asleep mode. Completely comfortable and snuggled in with my favorite bodypillow. Then I felt the itch. And I scratched it. My eyes fluttered and weakly opened. To my horror I spotted the absolute TUMOR that had erupted on my skin from a MOSQUITO BITE!!! OMG!!! Well, shit, then I'm awake and if every inch of my skin didn't suddenly crawl and itch simultaneously!! I think every two hours I woke up with itches and cratches, feeling the creepy crawlies all night long!! Gah! I need a team of Mosquito Hunters.
I've decided in Winnipeg you have 2 concerns about being outdoors at this time- sunburn or mosquito bites. Having now succumbed to both, I have decided sunburn is my favorite and I will accept it in order to participate in anything outside! At least a minor sunburn leaves a tan afterwards (let's call it nature's skin peel) as opposed to itchy welts ... Course then I have to choose between West Nile Virus and skin cancer... Hmmm... maybe I should stay inside for the summer and remain pasty white.
=)

Last night somehow I got sucked into watching Turner Entertainment, and the 1939 movie "The Women". I love black and whites (note that this movie had a "fashion show" segment in it completely in color). 1939 was such a great year in movies- color in movies was fairly new (like Wizard of Oz and Gone With The Wind) . Amazing leaps in technology in the 30s - sound in film, color in film and suddenly SUPERSTARS on film like Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer and Rosalind Russell. Now, there are a multitude of reasons I loved this flick. First- in the 30s... WOMEN WEARING PANTS. How startling!! Not common practice quite yet in the late 30s. In the 40s when they entered the workforce for the World War, yes- this was more common. (Sidenote: did you know the number of married women in the workforce increased 50% between 1930 and 1940?) But here they are in movies in 1939 with neck scarves and blazers wearing "man clothes"? This was new and bold! Daring, even! So this movie is about a group of women getting divorces and discussing a woman's role in marriage. Do we tolerate affairs? Do we leave him? Are we liberated, equal women with our partners? Ultimately, Mrs. Stephen Haines decides, while in a conversation with her mother who urges her to be sensible and stick her head in the sand, NO- I will not tolerate this and I'm leaving for Reno to get a divorce. Next thing you know, half her girlfriends are with her doing the same thing as they, too, discover their husbands to be cheating bastards!

Made me laugh this morning as I read Spiritual Business over coffee. Evidently the New Moon today is in Cancer - hello, DRAMA !!!! LOL..!! Cancer and the moon (Cancer's ruler is the moon, fyi) are explained as feminine energy, intuition and care-giving which makes me smile having watched this essentially feminist movie last night about women, their power, their role and their emotional lives. Today, Jupiter in Capricorn asks for a willingness to see the reality and deeper meaning of a relationship. Venus, Sun and Moon in Cancer ask us to assess our own emotional agendas. Saturn in Virgo adds the energy of the archetypal father to this New Moon. Cancer represents the archetypal nurturing Mother. This New Moon asks us to be cautious and careful in our interactions, have compassion with our Selves and others.

Have a great day, drama-free!!

ps.. Regarding the Google logo yesterday for Canada Day... Some drama: in case you don't have your own borrow this. The post from Globe and Mail was nice. The comments - unnecessary. There's no need to be like that. It's a holiday. It's to be celebrated, that's all. No need for sarcasm people.