I got my box-o-work from SAIT and I am suddenly very intimidated by the amount of work that I have to do. EEK!!! 3 massive binders of stuff that I have to learn and I don't even know where to start. I think I need to make myself a schedule.
Mum and I also finished up the food photography shots today, and? I think they look pretty nice! They're all new except for the muffin. I'll be taking that one off the brochure because we favour the waffles. All will be used on the website except the bowl of fruit, but I'm posting it here for you insiders, cause we liked it.
My mum and I have been going through brochures for B&Bs in the area and, well, you know us... we like to be different and step it up a notch. Here's what we've come up with for the front of the brochure, but we're still in negotiations about the back. Anyway, I'm quite proud of it and am basking in my photography and design prowess. So this time I'm not asking for feedback ;) Let me bask a little while longer. *sigh* Isn't it pretty?
You can click on it to make it bigger if you want, and when the back is done I'll post that too.
February at Delcourt House has inspired a large-scale intervention from the United Nations. Contract work is in full swing, which means that it is very loud and very messy here. We are stressed to the snapping point, sleepless, exhausted and angry. We are each about five minutes away from turning into The Incredible Hulk at any given moment. Worst of all, my parents are paying buckets of money to facilitate this torture!
As a family, we have developed a special unspoken set of survival tactics. They are as follows:
1. Avoid eye contact with everyone. 2. Avoiding speaking to anyone. 3. Do not ask any questions or favours. The answer is always "NO!" 4. Do not leave your secured room of choice unless you absolutely have to. It's worth having hidden food rations, trust me!
I find myself singing "ain't we having some fun now" (from "Little Shop of Horrors") as I skulk around the house, so it's the obvious choice for the Song of the Month (plus, with the recent Total Lunar Eclipse?? Appropriate!) Renovations or Large Carnivorous Plant? Frankly, I'd take the plant!
Some Fun Now - Little Shop of Horrors
Here's the Total Eclipse reference (if you don't have the whole movie memorized like I do!) Da Doo - Little Shop of Horrors
(Picture Gillian watching the eclipse singing "TOT-AL ECLIPSE OF THE MOON! ... it got very dark!" Laaaame, but I totally did it.)
And finally, this clip.
When I was a little girl I just IDOLISED Audrey (Ellen Greene), which I realise now is a little inappropriate. I was six years old when this film came out, and I wanted to look just like Audrey and sing just like Audrey and talk just like Audrey and yes, even dress just like Audrey. I still pronounce "glitter" as "glitta" and "sure" as "sho-wa." I plan on naming my future daughter "Audrey Rose." I'm telling you, this film has influenced me, people, in deeply profound and complex ways! Bwahahaha!
*eh-hem* anyway, that's all. I had a dream last night that I built a very cool bomb shelter in the basement... A good indication of the explosive situation around here ;)
Alright, this is something new for me, but last night I saw an ad while watching CNN and I thought it was SO beautiful that I was still thinking about it today. Want to see it?
Isn't that gorgeous?? The thing IS it's for Louis Vuitton (you can watch a higher resolution version here, and I think it's worth it if you have the bandwidth.) I'm the kind of girl who spends $15 on a handbag and calls it a day. Louis Vuitton is for blonde socialites and hip hop artists, I thought. But now... Ooooh the power of advertising, hey? I like to think that if I SAW a Louis Vuitton bag I'd still immediately think "Paris Hilton" and walk away, but that ad makes me think "classic elegance" instead.
Dangerous. It makes me want to put on a Katherine Hepburn-inspired outfit and travel the world. I hope you find it as inspiring and delicious and beautiful as I did :)
It's been a while since there's been any waiting art, but Belal and I decided to wait in the car today instead of going into "Happy Harry's Building Supply"... sketchy!
Belal's Nose
"La la la... la la.... *sigh* la la la..."
xoxoxo,
Gillian
P.S. Marilyn Monroe exhibit was marvelous! Tons of pics of her that I'd never seen before and I learned some stuff too. She was so beautiful. I bought magnets. The End.
You can tell I'm back in Nova Scotia because of the multiple blog posts :P Lonely much?
This time I DO have some news, though!
First things First: The Air Raid Siren is back! YESSSS!!! It went off at noon yesterday, and again today! I am soooo excited! It's been silent for a month and a half, and as I mentioned, it was the best part about Canning, so I'm thrilled that it's back :)
The other news is that I'm officially registered in the first three courses of SAIT's "CADD Operator Certificate of Achievement" program. I will be doing the first three course through correspondence in Nova Scotia, and then will do the last three at SAIT. I have to finish the first three by May 22nd, so I'll be busy doing that and then will come back to Calgary in May/June sometime. I think I'll be staying with Nathan and Sheila until I get a job, which will hopefully not take too long, and unless they change their minds. I AM kind of impossible to live with.
Interestingly, I was looking at the Continuing Education page and I appear to be one course away from the Journalism certificate. Of course, that was about 10 years ago that I took those courses, so I don't know if they would still "count." Meh. It was just a year of soul-killing ambulance-chasing anyway, and I'm not sorry that I didn't go back for the second year. I learned about photography there though, so I'm not sorry I did the first year either. It is what it is, and that's fine. I'm over it.
This decision ticks off a few more "101 in 1001" list items too, such as "seriously look into getting my Art History degree" (not sensible right now) and "decide which city to live in" (Calgary... for now.) I'm not going to commit to Calgary for the rest of my life, because ultimately I want to end up in Vancouver, but we'll just see. We're also going to the Marilyn Monroe exhibit tomorrow, so I'll take that off the list while I'm at it.
K I think that's it for now. I don't think I've posted this video yet, but if I have then I'm sorry! It's classic Warner Brothers, though! Incidentally, I considered a major in Swing-ology, but AutoCad was more promising financially ;)
(Not that I'm bitter...) YES, Happy Singles Awareness Day! I was fine until I saw the long line of men buying flowers at Superstore... and then I lost it. I'm also sick again. What a wonderful freaking day this is.
So if you're happy in love then skip this post and go stare at each other adoringly or whatever it is you couples do. But if you're single, go get that tub of ice cream from your freezer and join me in a serious self-pity session.
"Love Stinks" - J. Geils Band (It's a classic!)
"Hate (I Really Don't Like You)" - Plain White T's
"Lost" - Michael Buble (This one makes me cry EVERY TIME!)
"Monday, Monday, Monday" - Tegan & Sara
"Crucify" - Tori Amos ("nothin' I do is good enough for you!")
I am battling some serious lethargy here. Something about Nova Scotia makes me want to drink hot chocolate and take naps. Oh yes... and surf YouTube instead of being productive. HeeHeeHee.
I saw two very good movies while I was in Calgary! "Juno" and "Atonement." Both were very good, but made me cry (surprising, I know... :P ) "Atonement" was very beautiful and very sad, but still worth seeing. It's one of those movies I'm still thinking about a week later. Chilling.
Check out the trailers below...
Juno
Atonement
In other news, "Across The Universe" is out on DVD now (Watching it tonight! So excited!) Here's the trailer for that:
And last but not least, my mum found this video today and it made us all howl with laughter. I have NEVER seen my dad laugh so hard. NEVER!
Enjoy :) Gillian
P.S. My spellcheck still isn't working! What the heck?!? Any thoughts?
A pretty painting I am going to attempt to simulate one day.
Yes, I am formulating a plan. Je pense à un stratagème (I watch Amelie too much.) I have been without a plan for about seven months, which isn't at all like me and has made me very uncomfortable. So I don't know if it's a good plan, but it's at least a plan. I have a tendency of jumping into things blindly when I'm nervous about not having a plan, so I'm trying to really think this through, but 90% of me says "AHHH! A PLAN! A DIRECTION! YAY!" I daresay I'll end up doing it, but I am trying to be rather calculated about it right now.
"So what's the plan," you wonder? Well... getting my AutoCadd certificate from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. Basically this translates into better opportunities than I have right now, the prospect of a higher income, stability, and all achievable within a short period of time. I can do the courses through correspondence or in the classroom, so I'd probably do a few of each. I have to play with timetables and see what happens, so I think it's a good plan, although it would eventually mean leaving Nova Scotia. Leaving seems fairly inevitable, since I've sent out 70+ applications there and have gotten 0 responses. So moving onto Plan... D??? I've lost count now.
Anyway, I'll let you know what happens. It would be nice to be in the city, with family and friends, salsa dancing on the weekends, and greater prospects for eligible young bachelors. Plus I'd try to start giving free Yoga classes to friends and family if I moved back. So we'll see... we'll just see. If you have any feedback I'd love to hear it.
Being in Calgary is so weird. It's like we never left and Nova Scotia has that Residual Dream feeling about it, like it never actually happened. Mostly it's just so nice being here. It's so familiar and I know where to find things and how to get places. I get to go out and do things and see people! It's so much less intimidating than Nova Scotia. My mum and I went downtown today and I felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. Ahhh, city. I know how to interact with the city. It's not like the country. My relationship with the country is strained and uncomfortable. It seems nice at first, but it's only a facade and I know that it wouldn't think twice about tripping me and letting me drown in a hidden, frozen pond. The country is mean like that. But I grew up with the city and I know how to deal with it and it's a lot less stressful. We moved out of the city to escape the stress. Ha ha. So foolish. Even mum admitted that Calgary is a LOT easier. We've done a lot of "Oooh, it's our Safeway!!! Awww, Belal's Dog Park!!!" in the past few days. I went to my posh, lovely salon to have my hair done. We miss Calgary. Mum is homesick for Nova Scotia too, but not me. I miss Dad and the pets, but would be happier if they just came here instead. But anyway, I digress...
Mum and I took the bus back to Nathan & Sheila's, right up Centre Street and a few blocks past my old condo and the old house. We both almost cried (embarrassing on a bus full of people.) A lot has changed in the old neighbourhood. Douglass Drugs is now a Shopper's Drug Mart, the Regal Beagle Pub is gone... We feel as though we should have been notified as honourary Crescent Heights residents!!! But mostly it's the same and comfortable, like your favorite pair of jeans or an album that you know all the words and sing along to.
Anywhoo, that's it for now. We're leaving Saturday night (sigh), but I hope to have a few more adventures before then.
Brioche & Fruit
Muffins
Waffles
Fruit
