Vancouver Weekend

Derek and I went to Stanley Park today (yes it was raining) and took some pictures. Did you know they have Peacocks just wandering around in there? We also go to see the seals and the Beluga whale, though we avoided the aquarium prices (so sue me, they left a gate open!) It was nice to smell the ocean again. We were both commenting that we feel as though we haven't done much to experience our new city even though we've lived here for several months now. Hopefully we can change that when the rain stops.

I am very excited for this next weekend, as my granparents have so generously given us some money to go out for a nice dinner for my birthday on Saturday. Olive Garden - here we come! I think we will go to a movie as well. Should be a lovely birthday present, especially since my car has been sucking my bank account dry of late, and well, Derek...film school...need I say more? It will be nice to go out without worrying about what we are spending.

A little concerned about turning 23, it seems so much more mid-twenties than early. And yes, I realize that I am a baby compared to some, but I don't begrudge you your age-complaining, so let me stew in peace. Ah well, I will consider it all experience to help me better enjoy tomorrow.

My Life is Messy and I LIKE it That Way!

So lately I've been noticing that there are a few parts of my life that I haven't been keeping as tidy as some may think I should keep them. I think that I'm realizing that my life is messy. Maybe I'm just realizing that LIFE is messy. I'm really not saying that I think it's ok to cop out of trying to maintain an organized life because you have reacurring issues. I'm just saying that I'm becomming aware that no matter how much I try to fix and clean and tidy, there are ALWAYS going to be messy parts of my life, exacerbated by the fact that I am a messy person. I think I am charged with a greater responsibility to try and keep organized, and keep a handle on my life because it is harder for me. The effort it takes me to keep a clean space is probably double what it takes a normal person (quadruple what it takes Erika!) so I am required to work that much harder to maintain that, however, I think the sooner I realize that I need to set my own standards of acceptable and my own realistic goals, the easier I will be able to keep to those standards and reach those goals. I think that I will ALWAYS have a lower standard of what is organized, whether it comes to my car, my closet, or my emotions, but I need to be comfortable with that and work to achieve those goals first. The only time that this is negotiable is when it directly affects someone else's well being. For example, living at home right now requires me to be considerate of other peoples spaces, and therefore their standards of cleanliness. This is something that I forget sometimes, it's so easy to be selfish and think "my space, my problem, my mess". I am learning how to be considerate of other people's standards when they are affected, and learn to work under my OWN expectations when it's just me that's affected. Thus I am trying to achieve a zen-like balance between unselfishness and independance. Needless to say trying to feng-shui at this point would only confuse me.

Thus endeth the longest ramble session I've had in a while...but it sure felt good to get it out of me!

PS - My Star Trek Results!

Your results:
You are Deanna Troi

Deanna Troi 85% Uhura 75% Chekov 60% Jean-Luc Picard 50% James T. Kirk (Captain) 50% Will Riker 45% Beverly Crusher 40% Leonard McCoy (Bones) 40% Spock 37% Geordi LaForge 35% An Expendable Character (Redshirt) 35% Worf 25% Data 25% Mr. Scott 25% Mr. Sulu 0%

You are a caring and loving individual. You understand people's emotions and you are able to comfort and counsel them.

Click here to take the Star Trek Personality Test

My Thoughts on Northern Voice

Ok, so I went to my first blogging conference on Saturday. It was at the UBC Robson Campus in downtown Vancouver, and despite getting a tad lost after taking the train to the wrong stop I made it!

The first full session I attended was called "I'm Too Sexy for my Blog." about blog design. I was really excited to take this session because I hate having the same blog as about 6000 other people on Blogger. However upon completion of the session I don't think it was the right choice for me. I learned that if you don't know C++ computer code, you are pretty much relegated to the templates, or hiring a designer. In retrospect, I probably should have realized this going in, however I was hoping for some cheats on dressing up my blog, a few quick pointers on color changes, or adding your own logos. I realize now that there are no back doors when it comes to web design. I think maybe that session was better suited to those who are ready to shell out some money to create a diva-liscous blog.

I found throughout the day that it was generally assumed that you were familiar with the majority of popular blogging lingo, words such as RSS feeders, Pod-casting, and Technorati tags were tossed around the room with an ease that made me feel like I was in way over my paygrade. Thanks to Darren for taking the time to enlighten me on RSS (I'm now addicted to Bloglines - what a timesaver!) This was probably another thing that I should have taken into consideration when registering. When there are that many people there who have that much cumulative knowledge about technology, it would be asking a lot for them to keep the tech-a-nese to a conversational level. I found myself a little frustrated that I couldn't keep up with the flow of the sessions when I continually didn't understand the terms they were using. This I chalk up to inexperience in the tech. world.

I did learn some cool things about the different usage of blogs, and what type of websites attract the eye, as well as the difference between anti-corporate technology users, and those whose purpose in blogging is mainstream marketing. I didn't meet any new people, partly because I felt too shy to walk up to anyone to introduce myself, partly because nobody felt inclined to come and do the same to me. It seemed most people had come with somebody.

I'm definatly not sorry I went, it was an eye opener in terms of the possibilities concerning blogs, webcasts, audio-visual media etc., however I would probably reconsider registering again until I felt more up with the computer times.

I know this probably was very boring to most of my regular readers, however the organizers of the conference encouraged us to post our feedback on our blogs, so there you have it.

Thank you, and goodnight.

Technorati Test

Ok so I'm at Northern Voice trying to learn things that are way above my paygrade...I mean comprehension level. Like how to post a Technorati tag on my blog, and more importantly, what a technorati tag is? Here goes.

[Northern Voice]

I guess we'll see. Fortunately blogger supports post-publishing edits!

My Non-Valentine's Thought

So Valentines Day.

I remember Valentine's Day the year I lived in Calgary. It was a bad day for me. I had so many people that cared about me, lots going on in my life, and nothing to be generally upset about, but it wasn't enough. I was sad. I felt excluded from a club of blissfully happy-looking people, who had all the same problems and joys as I did. The thing that I did not have was the claim to being the better (or worse) half of a couple.

Thinking about it now that Derek and I are together, it doesn't make sense that I should turn my back on the sadness and frustration I felt that day simply because I have now what I lacked then.

Last year I went to Sobey's on Valentine's Day to pick up a few things for dinner that night. The isles were CRAMMED with more men than I've ever seen in the grocery store at one time. I was outnumbered, and ended up waiting in line for 10 minutes for sour cream. They were all scrambling, desperately clinging to their cozy spot in their bed, dreading the doghouse sentence if the roses weren't quite red enough, or the chocolate had the wrong filling. It just seemed like such a scramble. A hassle to keep their wives, girlfriends, FTMO's happy enough to avoid an argument.

Derek and I don't usually celebrate Valentine's day. It started with him saying "Why do I need a day to tell you that I care about you?" and progressed into us adopting a mandate that we heard on The Bear in Edmonton. A couple who were a little anti-cupid explained how they used Valentine's as a day to call each other the names that they never are allowed to call each other normally without reprocutions. Of course it's more fun to tell people that this is how we celebrate than to actually do it, but you get the idea.

This isn't a rant in as much as I don't care to start a debate on the true meaning of Valentine's Day, or whether it should or should not be celebrated. I guess I just wanted to explore the thought that this day strikes me as one that excludes a whole lot of people, and causes more pain then joy. It seems to me, that as for group of people who's life goal is to show others love, it doesn't make sense to embrace a day that excludes those who may need that love the most! If you know you have someone who loves you, day in, day out then why keep that to yourselves?

This Valentine's Day, and EVERY day for that matter, choose to share the love. Choose a Valentine who isn't your one-and-only, and shower them with Love, Love, Love.

Listen to Dave Matthews, he seems to get it. "shower them with Love, Love, Love...Love, Love is all around"