[5]

Listening to: It's a Kinda Magic by Queen

Has anyone seen Theo's brown dress shoes? He thinks he left them in the hotel in Toronto....

Hmm..

In other news, I'm already pretty close to reaching my goal of 150$ for the CIBC Run for the Cure. If you want to help me out please donate here.

I have been volunteering on both the run and communications committees since May, and I've met some incredible people and learned quite a lot. For example, Parliament is insanely difficult to secure as the starting point with all of their security demands and regulations. It's now been moved to Major's Hill Park because of the complications. Also, the communications committee is trying to plan events for Think Pink week in September (Second Cup is donating some profits on Thursday, September14th, we're having a Breast Cancer Survivor fashion show at Place D'Orleans on Saturday, September 16th at 1:00pm, I am working with the area colleges and universities to promote the run to new students during orientation week, we're working on an event for Sparks St... lots!)

Because I will be busy helping in those aspects I won't actually be running the day of the run (Sunday, October 1st) but I am still raising money for the cause with the work team, who's target is $12, 000! I am also helping to solicit prizes for fund raising there.


In other news, I got a six-month contract! I am now an independent contractor (read: I have to figure out a new way of doing taxes now that I'm invoicing, billing, charging taxes and other complicated forms and paperwork I'm sure!) and no longer an intern. Yay me! Pay raise too ;) The first thing I'm going to buy is this! Ok, maybe I'll pay the rent first.

Alright folks, Rockstar is on soon, so I'm signing off. My money is on Patrice leaving this week. And I can't wait to see what Lukas does. (One of my fave songs Lukas did was the excellent Coldplay song from the Garden State soundtrack - Don't Panic. Is it weird I think a guy in that much makeup is cute?)

[4]

Listening to: Your Wish is My Wish by Sarah Slean

Alright, it's about time I wrote about the fantabulous weekend that was my birthday in Toronto. Let me first make a confession. I have never been to Toronto. I've been to Wonderland once, which is close. I think I was in Missisauga or something once to pick up car parts... Other than Wonderland, the farthest I'd been down the 401 to "visit" was Trenton.

Friday night Theo had his last regular season game (which they won! Go gargs!) so after the game we went out with the team to the bar for a bit and celebrated. We had a cool Rockstar discussion, Mat and I had poutine, and we headed home a little early to pack for our trip.

Up early (6:30am) on Saturday to make it to Toronto before our jam-packed weekend begins. The trip there was surprisingly fast. Mostly because Theo tried to follow the 8 or 10 T-rex's we saw going down the highway. (Kidding! There were only 7.)

We got into downtown Toronto around noon and seeing as our hotel check it was 3pm, but we were going to see Monty Python's Spamalot at 2pm, we parked near the theatre and went to the Eaton's Centre a couple of blocks away to have some lunch.

The Canon Theatre is beautiful and the seats we had were great! The show was hilarious too. If you've seen Monty Python and the Holy Grail, then you'll love this show. It's much the same story line, but updated for both Broadway and for current times. (They slid in a joke on gay rights and the now infamous Zidane head butt.)

Everyone was laughing so much throughout the entire show. It was really well done, the set and costumes were great (they even managed to do that scene with the Black Knight who won't give up expertly! It's only a flesh wound!) It had Monty Python written all over it -- even the intermission was MP style. Of course -- the killer bunny was priceless.

After the show we headed to our hotel in Markham, which was surprisingly close (take the Don Valley Parkway just past the 401) and it wouldn't have taken us long -- except that the DVP is insane with traffic no matter what time of day (oh, just wait, I've got a story about that later.) We checked in, rested a bit, had showers, changed , ate dinner at the restaurant, and then headed back downtown to the Kool Haus for ... wait for it... yes... 311!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Trust me -- it deserves that many exclamation marks!)

For those of you who have somehow managed to know me and NOT know that 311 is a band, my favorite band, whom I've loved since I was 13 years old. For those of you taking notes, that would mean that yes, it's been 10 years, 11 CDs, 2 DVDs, 1 VHS and NO CONCERTS!!! I found it fitting that I finally get to see them the night before my 23rd birthday.

So, my first note is that the Kool Haus sucks as a venue. Well, unless you like mosh pits and general admission only seating. I don't know if I am too old for it, or too spoiled by seeing so many shows at great venues (though I've never been a fan of mosh pits) but I was kind of disappointed in the venue. It had too much of a festival feeling -- being all squished in like sardines and not a great view. At first we had this stellar spot that I thought was far enough back to be out of moshing zone but close enough I could see them well. I was wrong. After about 4 songs Theo gently got me to move back farther before I strangled this guy who was bouncing so much in front of me and not taking the I'm-standing-with-my-elbows-out-as-a-hint-jackass move I was trying to pull.

Panic & the Rebel Emergency opened, they have a similar island jam style as 311 and were pretty good. But the Rolling Stones could have opened and I wouldn't have cared at this point. I was growing impatient. The problem with the audience was that 311's following is mostly male, late teens/early 20s and mostly pot-heads (yes, 311 are marijuana advocates in a way....) So the atmosphere was not as conducive to the type of concert I like best.

However, it should be known that 311 KICKED ASS! They were so good, so smooth, so perfect, and they played a really good mix of old and new songs (Which is awesome, I love their old stuff best ... they have songs from 1988 on... there was a lot to pick from.) As usual, it was too short. But they played nearly two hours so I really can't complain. Bonus of moving a bit farther back was that it wasn't as hot or crowded, which also meant I could get my groove on! I'm a big fan of rock music you can dance to. 311 is 2 guitars, a bass, drums, and a DJ -- but like I mentioned earlier, they are reggae/dancehall influenced so it's got a mellow groove throughout most songs that just makes it perfect to dance around to. I'm sure I looked like an idiot, but Theo stayed within view of me to watch out for me, but not look like he was with me. (Kidding!)

311 have their happy slam dance song, a wickedly creative drum solo where the whole band gets in on it in Applied Science, and some others that are more rock than dancehall... but the whole thing was so surreal and awesome. I still can't believe I finally saw 311!!

Veronica gave me $$$ to buy a shirt at the show but they only had one kind and it was a men's shirt in green, so I opted to wait and buy one online. They are making a new online store, so as soon as it's up I'll order mine!! (Thanks VER!!)

We were both exhausted after the show, it was hot, I danced like a madman, the long drive/day etc... so we really wanted to get back to the hotel and just crash. Oh, this is when I missed Ottawa. It was midnight and there was a traffic jam on the DVP!?!?! WTF? How do people live in Toronto and commute? I don't get it! MIDNIGHT PEOPLE!! GO to bed!

Sunday morning we slept in a bit and had showers and breakfast before packing up to leave. We headed back downtown to the CN Tower (man that's high!) We wanted to go for a tour of the Steam Whistle Brewery, but it only opened at noon, and we were going to see LOTR at 1pm.

Theo got a new bobble head from the Blue Jays stadium, and we walked around downtown a bit before the show. The AIDS conference was starting that day so it was packed. The old harbour front is beautiful, but I find the street car wires are ugly --especially at intersections... my 2 cents. I loved this fountain next to the stadium... It's so cute with all the fishes. Theo is conveniently standing blocking the area of the fountain that had a massive pile of garbage floating in it...

Ah, and now for the much talked about LOTR. The set was incredible. It extended into the audience, had a multiple rotating stage, which raised and lowered in sections (which made for a very good show when they are fighting and chasing hobbits...) The costumes were good. Gollum was INCREDIBLE. His physical performance was stellar, and his voice was sooooo good. He would alter it depending on if he was "Gollum" or "Smeagol" and it just intensified the duality of the character so well. Theo and I both thought it would have been better as a play, not a musical. The songs seem out of place and long too often. Only when the hobbits sing in Bree at the Dancing Pony did the song and dance seem to fit. Had they cut out the songs they could have told more of the story -- or not made it 3 and a half hours long. The neat part about the musical was that the hobbits returned to the shire at the end (I had never read the books, so I didn't know what was missing in the movie version.) I would give the LOTR a C. Whereas Spamalot, like Rent, was so good I'd go back and see it again and again.

The drive home was uneventful, but I was glad to be back in my own bed. It was such a good weekend, and so cool that it was my birthday for it all too!

Ok...enough typing. Until next time!

[3]

Listening to: Girl I Wanna Lay You Down by Jack Johnson and Zach Gill

Ok, I will update on Toronto weekend in my next post when I have more time to write... but for now.

After having my dentist appointment being rescheduled 4 times I finally got all 4 of my wisdom teeth out today. I was really nervous for the procedure (I've never really had anything major done before) and not so much the aftermath (which I imagine is supposed to be the worst part) but it went smoothly. It took only about a half an hour (the longest part was waiting for the freezing to kick in) and only two of the eight needles for freezing kind of hurt.

I felt like my face was the size of a balloon afterwards, but after the freezing wore off I was good. It was a little sore so I took an E-Z Tab Tylenol and as of 8:30 pm I forgot that I'd even had it done!

I ate ice cream and Kraft Dinner and Theo bought me chocolate milk to drink.

Man, I'm so tough! :P

Also -- yesterday I participated in Habitat For Humanity's build in Nepean (I will link to the pictures when they are up) with some folks from Cognos. It was hard work, but very satisfying. In the morning Carol and I helped clean up the outside areas around the house and moved some lumber and siding to make room for the deck lumber that was coming in later that day. When that arrived we moved that from the front of the house where the truck dropped it off to the backyard.

After lunch Carol, Susan and I laid some flooring. This is about when Carol decided to share her wisdom with us -- "Laying flooring is like a husband -- lay it right the first time and you can walk all over it for the rest of your life!" This was hard work because we were bending and hunched over or kneeling a lot, but we did a great job!

Carol even worked so hard the soles of her boots fell apart! So, what else do you do when on a construction site and your work boots fall apart? DUCT TAPE!!

More on tha T DOT latah!!

[2]

Listening to: All Mixed Up by 311

Quick update before I go to bed: I just got back from Toronto where I saw Spamalot!, 311 and the Lord of the Rings musical. I will write a more detailed synopsis of how everything was later when I'm not so tired from a jam-packed weekend.

Spamalot! was hilarious, witty, clever, original and so smart all at once. I'd go see it again and again.

311 was awesome. As most of you know, I've loved them since I was 13 years old - so it's fitting that the first time I see them live is the night before my 23rd birthday! The venue wasn't my cup of tea (general admission only, not great views) but 311's performance was stellar, they mixed up old songs and new, and overall it was thrilling to finally see my fave band in the flesh.

Lord of the Rings was much like how many critics put it -- amazing costumes, set and storyline -- but the singing felt out of place for LOTR for the most part and certain characters were lacking in spunk. Wouldn't go see it again, but enjoyed the experience. Gollum was amazing though.


Pics will come later as well.

Theo and I make excellent travelling partners ;)

[1]

Listening to: Stay (Faraway, So Close) by U2

Hello everyone -- I'm back! Aha! I bet you didn't even know I was gone (except for the few whom I emailed saying I was leaving...)

I have just returned from Kapuskasing, model city of the north! Also, home to Theo's parent's place. We left early on Friday, July 28 and made it to Kap (as the cool kids call it) for dinner. Theo's parents and youngest brother, Mathieu, (and of course Theo and I) went to the cottage right after dinner. It's pretty cool because the entire trip is down the logging roads (Kapuskaing is home to a pulp and paper mill) -- it's a little dusty, but nice scenery.

We went fishing a lot (I have a fishing permit now! Who wants to go fish in the canal?)-- I caught quite a few too! Some were tough. We didn't keep any though.

I got quite the funny tan as well. I had a tan on my arms that stopped at the edge of my shoulders -- from all those evenings watching Theo's baseball in wide-shoulder tank tops. Now, however, I am going with the ever so stylish farmer's tan. I wore a t-shirt to go fishing and got a darker tan... so I have many shades now! I tried to take a picture to show it -- but it didn't turn out well.
We spent much time reading (I read all the issues of Woman's Weekly and Cottage Life that were at the cottage as well as some books for work: The Fall of Advertising and the Rise of PR, and Lapsing into a Comma.)

We went back to Kap on Thursday, went to the museum where Theo worked as a teenager -- it's pretty cool. Has the history of Kap -- and it's in an old steam train!

On Friday we went to the mill for a tour by his dad who works in the paper section -- freaky and cool! There's a lot of steam and big machines that could crush you and some areas are so hot you can hardly breathe -- but it's really amazing to see how complex the operation is. We didn't get to see it all -- it's quite large (sawmill, pulp, paper, recycling, etc...)

Friday we also went to his grandma's for dinner -- yum! There were a lot of people who aren't normally in Kap who were home too -- so it was a nice big gathering.

Saturday morning we got up bright and early again and packed up the car -- this time also with Mathieu, who will be staying with us for a couple of weeks -- and headed off back to Ottawa.

We stopped to take a picture in Moonbeam (just outside of Kap) because I love their Large Object By The Highway:That's all for now.

Oh: for grad pics check them out @ http://flickr.com/photos/laura311/sets/72157594226175887/

For all my pics (sorry -- there aren't a lot up yet) check the main page @
http://flickr.com/photos/laura311