7 years ago
Monday, August 31, 2009
FREAKING OUT
My passport is expired. I can't explain it any simpler than that. My passport is expired and I'm scheduled to get on a flight to San Francisco in 36 hours. I AM FREAKING OUT. Not only am I freaking out, but I'm also baffled at this uncharacteristically disorganized move on my part. This is very unlike me and if I manage to make it to San Francisco, I'm going to have to have a little pep talk with myself when I get back about how stupid this was. I'm going to motor to the passport office for opening tomorrow morning and hope that I can sort this out. And when they ask me (and they WILL) why I didn't renew my expired passport earlier, I'm not even going to have a legitimate excuse...."I don't know, because I'm dumb?" I guess all I can say now is, at least I remembered tonight and not at the airport on Wednesday morning...wish me luck!
Thoughts
Because Luc and I are caucasian, does that mean that we're not allowed to have a week long crazy party of an Indian wedding? Because I kinda want one now.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
35 - A toast to my temporary freedom and many other things!
#35: Celebrate something with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot
Thursday was my last day at my job, a day that I had been anticipating for the past 5 months when I was accepted into my masters program. I had wanted to quit ages ago, but because of the difficult job market I figured it wasn't worth the risk. For once in my life, practicality overruled my emotions and I stayed in that position much longer than I could withstand, resulting in many tears of frustration and too many venting sessions on the drive home. Now I've got one week of complete freedom before school starts, so this champagne celebration was a toast to a few things in my life. First and most importantly we toasted my emancipation from my emotionally draining administrative assistant position, because I will never again have to deal with someone asking me, "where was that piece of paper I had in my hand yesterday?" Secondly, leaving my job also meant one week of vacation time before school starts - one action packed week of friends, wedding celebrations, birthdays, traveling and some deep breaths of relief! And thirdly, we celebrated the start of my school year, a year that is going to be stressful, but the kind of stress that I signed up for! And of course, one of my best friends got married this weekend (a 3-day celebration that will be capped off by a reception in Vancouver this evening), so we drank to the start of her new life with her husband. Cheers!!
Thursday was my last day at my job, a day that I had been anticipating for the past 5 months when I was accepted into my masters program. I had wanted to quit ages ago, but because of the difficult job market I figured it wasn't worth the risk. For once in my life, practicality overruled my emotions and I stayed in that position much longer than I could withstand, resulting in many tears of frustration and too many venting sessions on the drive home. Now I've got one week of complete freedom before school starts, so this champagne celebration was a toast to a few things in my life. First and most importantly we toasted my emancipation from my emotionally draining administrative assistant position, because I will never again have to deal with someone asking me, "where was that piece of paper I had in my hand yesterday?" Secondly, leaving my job also meant one week of vacation time before school starts - one action packed week of friends, wedding celebrations, birthdays, traveling and some deep breaths of relief! And thirdly, we celebrated the start of my school year, a year that is going to be stressful, but the kind of stress that I signed up for! And of course, one of my best friends got married this weekend (a 3-day celebration that will be capped off by a reception in Vancouver this evening), so we drank to the start of her new life with her husband. Cheers!!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Because it's my last day I...
...took an extra long break and didn't care.
...looked at pictures of lol cats when I knew my boss could see my computer screen.
...took sandwiches from a platter before it went into a lunch meeting.
...was treated to a full gossip session from the receptionist complete with all the office scandals and whispers.
...ate a double chocolate chunk brownie.
...gave out more awkward hugs than I care to mention.
...took a bunch of tupperware from the kitchen (people just leave it there....we have 4 cupboards full!)
...will get drunk on champagne tonight!
...looked at pictures of lol cats when I knew my boss could see my computer screen.
...took sandwiches from a platter before it went into a lunch meeting.
...was treated to a full gossip session from the receptionist complete with all the office scandals and whispers.
...ate a double chocolate chunk brownie.
...gave out more awkward hugs than I care to mention.
...took a bunch of tupperware from the kitchen (people just leave it there....we have 4 cupboards full!)
...will get drunk on champagne tonight!
Please open your books to the next chapter
Today is my last day at my job. Tomorrow I will sleep in, this weekend I will go to a 3-day wedding, the week after that I will be in San Francisco and the week after that I start my Masters of Publishing. No more job. To be honest, I don't even know what I'm doing here today. I've trained the new girl, cleaned out my desk, deleted my files, said most of my goodbyes....this may just be longest, most boring day I've ever had here. Worse than the time I had to come in on a holiday to answer the phones....on a holiday....when nobody else was in the office....to answer the phones....so that I could transfer the calls to....voicemail? Oh how I yearn to tell work stories, to talk about the time I had to drive to speedy auto glass to get a windshield repaired, or when I had to arrange a 25 year wedding anniversary, or the afternoon I spent trying to figure out how to fix a ham radio. Those administrative duties, they sure are broad. But no, I can't talk about those and it's probably for the best.
I'm excited to move on to new things; new challenges, new achievements, new stresses, new excitement. This next year will be busy but will involve more things that I love - working on a new degree where I will be studying something I love, planning a wedding with the man whom I love....and a later start time in the morning, and who doesn't love that? It hasn't quite set in yet that I'm making a really big step here by leaving my job and going back to school, and subsequently starting my real career. It hasn't even set in yet that I'll be a married woman next year. We've been doing lots of planning, it's occurred to me that all of these plans will morph into one big party celebrating our marriage, but it just doesn't feel real yet. I'm sure it will feel very real when I'm up to my waist in seating arrangements and food choices and all that fun stuff, but right now this feels a bit surreal, like I'm just going to be back at this desk on Monday doing the same old thing.
I'm excited to move on to new things; new challenges, new achievements, new stresses, new excitement. This next year will be busy but will involve more things that I love - working on a new degree where I will be studying something I love, planning a wedding with the man whom I love....and a later start time in the morning, and who doesn't love that? It hasn't quite set in yet that I'm making a really big step here by leaving my job and going back to school, and subsequently starting my real career. It hasn't even set in yet that I'll be a married woman next year. We've been doing lots of planning, it's occurred to me that all of these plans will morph into one big party celebrating our marriage, but it just doesn't feel real yet. I'm sure it will feel very real when I'm up to my waist in seating arrangements and food choices and all that fun stuff, but right now this feels a bit surreal, like I'm just going to be back at this desk on Monday doing the same old thing.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
I've opened a floodgate
I recently mentioned how I don't blog enough about my upcoming wedding, and now, it's all I'm writing about! I had an idea for centrepieces last night and it involves birdcages. Since we've already got the birdie theme going on with the stationary that I've designed, I think that birdcage centrepieces would fit in nicely. I envision a whimsical bed of white roses with a birdcage nestled in the centre. Inside the birdcage I would put either an aubergine candle holder or a pillar candle (whichever looks best).
I like the vintage feel of a wrought-iron birdcage, and coupled with a bed of white roses, I think it would turn out quite elegant and interesting. I'm HOPING that it will turn out quite elegant and interesting! So now the search is on - I need approximately 10-12 cool-looking birdcages....that don't cost an arm and a leg.
I like the vintage feel of a wrought-iron birdcage, and coupled with a bed of white roses, I think it would turn out quite elegant and interesting. I'm HOPING that it will turn out quite elegant and interesting! So now the search is on - I need approximately 10-12 cool-looking birdcages....that don't cost an arm and a leg.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
The wedding factory
Sunday afternoon was spent finalizing the guest list and prepping our save the dates. I had to type out every single address and print them onto the envelopes one by one....by one....by one.....it was tedious and nearly drove me insane. Almost as tedious as cutting out, by hand, 90 stamps, 90 return address stickers and 90 save the date cards. Don't even get me started on the numerous paper cutter debacles or the issues with placing a finicky jpeg into an avery return address template, or the non-functionality of a mail merge using custom sized envelopes, OR the anger that can be brought on by a printer that just DOES NOT want to print things centered like they should be! Don't get me started!!! I bitch and complain, but I still love it.
I was considering asking my bridesmaids over one night this week so we could tag-team this save the date project, but I didn't want their first big bridesmaid task to be so lame! And unfortunately, these are not tasks that can be completed after consuming the requisite 5 glasses of wine involved in bridesmaid get-togethers. I'm still not done; we have yet to gather up every last address and I have about 30 more save the date cards to cut out. But here's a peek:
I was considering asking my bridesmaids over one night this week so we could tag-team this save the date project, but I didn't want their first big bridesmaid task to be so lame! And unfortunately, these are not tasks that can be completed after consuming the requisite 5 glasses of wine involved in bridesmaid get-togethers. I'm still not done; we have yet to gather up every last address and I have about 30 more save the date cards to cut out. But here's a peek:
Monday, August 24, 2009
#44 - Short and sweet
44: Write the story of how Luc and I met
I'm thick in the middle of sending out our save the dates - which means I have to finish our wedding website since it's listed on the cards. Some things can wait (registry, hotel bookings) and have been noted as such on the site, but some things had to be tended to (the homepage banner which will be done next week and "our story"). Here is a succinct version of how Luc and I met going to school in Quebec in May 2005.
---
In 2005, Kristen signed up for a French-study program but was put on the waiting list. Disappointed, she made other plans for the summer and got on with her life.
Over in Saskatoon, Luc had signed up for the same program, and upon only getting his 3rd choice of school, decided that he would not participate. The students were chosen through a lottery, and Luc and Kristen had both drawn the short straw...at first, that is.
A few days prior to the start of the program, Kristen got a call from the administrators informing her that a spot had opened (only her 3rd choice of school) and it was hers for the taking. She was remiss to accept the spot at first, but decided that it was an opportunity that would not come around again, so she bought a plane ticket, said goodbye to her friends, and 3 days later arrived in the Montreal airport.
Luc was also grappling with a similar decision; do I stay or do I go? In the final days, Luc changed his mind and took a chance, abandoning Saskatoon for 5 weeks of school in Trois Rivieres. He was settling for his third choice of school, but he had heard that the program was just one big party anyway and thought it beat 5 weeks of working.
During the first week of the program, Luc and Kristen met at a party in the residence buildings. She was misinformed and thought he was a Newfie, and he thought she was cute for showing up to a party in sweatpants. (editor’s note: had she known it was a party she was going to, she would have donned the proper apparel).
Lookout readers because here come the clichés! They hit it off, sparks flew, it was love at first sight, and the two were inseparable. Excuse the cheese, but Kristen and Luc really are best friends in love. The two were smitten – they spent every day together for the remainder of the program; whispering grammatically incorrect sweet nothings into each other’s ears (en francais! But of course!), holding hands on the midnight streets outside of the residence buildings and sharing muslix in the cafeteria. They had the Quebecois version of a French love story.
Facing the final days of the program, they began to make plans to see each other again that summer. What followed were countless flights back and forth, snail mail, e-mail, text messages, phone calls, messenger pigeons…anything to bridge the gaps between seeing each other. In April 2006, Kristen got on her last solo flight to Saskatoon and returned with a green Sunfire packed to the ceiling with boxes and the love of her life behind the wheel.
Four years, one week and 2 days after Luc and Kristen’s first kiss, Luc got down on one knee with a stunning diamond ring and asked Kristen if she would be his wife. Through happy tears she said “yes” and fell into Luc’s arms where she would stay forever.
I'm thick in the middle of sending out our save the dates - which means I have to finish our wedding website since it's listed on the cards. Some things can wait (registry, hotel bookings) and have been noted as such on the site, but some things had to be tended to (the homepage banner which will be done next week and "our story"). Here is a succinct version of how Luc and I met going to school in Quebec in May 2005.
---
In 2005, Kristen signed up for a French-study program but was put on the waiting list. Disappointed, she made other plans for the summer and got on with her life.
Over in Saskatoon, Luc had signed up for the same program, and upon only getting his 3rd choice of school, decided that he would not participate. The students were chosen through a lottery, and Luc and Kristen had both drawn the short straw...at first, that is.
A few days prior to the start of the program, Kristen got a call from the administrators informing her that a spot had opened (only her 3rd choice of school) and it was hers for the taking. She was remiss to accept the spot at first, but decided that it was an opportunity that would not come around again, so she bought a plane ticket, said goodbye to her friends, and 3 days later arrived in the Montreal airport.
Luc was also grappling with a similar decision; do I stay or do I go? In the final days, Luc changed his mind and took a chance, abandoning Saskatoon for 5 weeks of school in Trois Rivieres. He was settling for his third choice of school, but he had heard that the program was just one big party anyway and thought it beat 5 weeks of working.
During the first week of the program, Luc and Kristen met at a party in the residence buildings. She was misinformed and thought he was a Newfie, and he thought she was cute for showing up to a party in sweatpants. (editor’s note: had she known it was a party she was going to, she would have donned the proper apparel).
Lookout readers because here come the clichés! They hit it off, sparks flew, it was love at first sight, and the two were inseparable. Excuse the cheese, but Kristen and Luc really are best friends in love. The two were smitten – they spent every day together for the remainder of the program; whispering grammatically incorrect sweet nothings into each other’s ears (en francais! But of course!), holding hands on the midnight streets outside of the residence buildings and sharing muslix in the cafeteria. They had the Quebecois version of a French love story.
Facing the final days of the program, they began to make plans to see each other again that summer. What followed were countless flights back and forth, snail mail, e-mail, text messages, phone calls, messenger pigeons…anything to bridge the gaps between seeing each other. In April 2006, Kristen got on her last solo flight to Saskatoon and returned with a green Sunfire packed to the ceiling with boxes and the love of her life behind the wheel.
Four years, one week and 2 days after Luc and Kristen’s first kiss, Luc got down on one knee with a stunning diamond ring and asked Kristen if she would be his wife. Through happy tears she said “yes” and fell into Luc’s arms where she would stay forever.
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