Parental Units

This past weekend I stepped away from the computer to visit my parents. Growing up, I never wondered if I was different, for I always knew. My parents are beyond eccentric and I never doubted where I got the "weirdness" from. I drove the three and a half hours up into the B.C mountains to see them. The drive is always gorgeous, but it isn't the only thing I love about my parents place. Here are a few of my favorite things:


The reservoir. It truly is breathtaking to look at. No matter if it is winter and ice cloaks the fish underneath or summer with the muskrats go swimming in it, it is wonderful to lay my eyes upon. The res takes up a lot of my parents' property, but it is one of the best parts of it:



The happy face my mother has painted on their water well. There is something about it that always makes me smile:


Random gifts. This time I made off with gunpowder tea, a tea ball, a book about the life and times of Adolf Hitler, and this owl trivet (which I simply adore):
Random boat pictures around their house. This is one of them, though it certainly isn't the ONLY one:


This face at the dinner table. This is Mitsy and one of the four Barkowskis. Noisy? Yes. Adorable? Oh my, you wouldn't even believe it:
Bread. My mom made me this bread, by hand! Not that bread machine stuff, and it had raisins and seeds and flax and everything in it. Tasty.:

Pornography In The Park

Very little in life disturbs me. I figure to each their own and if it isn't hurting anyone or thing, so be it. Live and let live.

One thing that does disturb me is the gentleman in my neighborhood who thinks it is acceptable to read pornography at the park. We have this expanse of land across the street from our condo and it is here that I have seen a man sitting on the bench reading pornography. Children play here, people walk their dogs here, and this gentleman jerks off here.

What the fuck?

I will be frank with you, I do believe he is mentally challenged. And so, I haven't beaten him to a pulp. I mean he has to be mentally challenged, right? I don't think any person in a fully functioning frame of mind would think this is OK. It is not ok!

I fear I am going to have to say something to him.

What the hell is this world coming to?

Just Another Day Around The Office

I work in an office. There are ups and downs to this. Ups: some cool people, free tampons, my own work space, listening to my MP3 all day and not having anyone really bug me. Downs: sitting on my arse all day, listening to some of the office banter, staring out the window on gorgeous days like today. Hey, at least I have a window seat.

That said, there is something that bothers me immensely about my place of employment. People bring treats in and put them on the filing cabinet. They call this place, where the treats go, the "Usual Spot". This annoys me. Not sure why, it just does.

Well, often if you wander in you will find donuts, chocolates, candy, cookies in this spot. I can never eat any of it and I walk on past without a second thought. This morning I go waltzing past the "Usual Spot" to grab something from the printer and do you want to know what is sitting on the cabinets for everyone to share? Corn Pops.

Yep. Corn Pops. And not a big box of Corn Pops, nope, a single serving container of Corn Pops. Needless to say, I had to stop and check this out. I mean, come on! And low and behold, the Corn Pops were open and some of them were eaten. Wow. Just, WOW.

And thus commences another fun filled day at the office.

Things That Make Me Physically Uncomfortable

Certain things in life make me uncomfortable, perhaps irrationally uncomfortable.
While Maria Von Trapp sang about a few of her favorite things, here are a few of the things that make me cringes.

1. Hoarders and the act of hoarding: This makes me cringe. The idea of someone simply having mounds of stuff makes my skin crawl. I feel claustrophobic and sick to my stomach. And then people wonder why I go on culling binges and pitch unnecessary junk from my home. When I see the show hoarders I want to cry.

2. Clipping Nails: Not too sure what it is about this one, oh yeah...the sound. When I hear the sound and think about that remnant of nail flying through the air, I just *shudder*. It seriously makes me want to wretch.

3. Pregnancy: Don't get me wrong. Babies are awesome, pregnant women rule! But there is something about the idea of a living being growing inside a person that freaks me out. Sort of reminds me of something alien. My friend is pregnant and there is this little chart that tells you the changes your baby is going through. And I'm sorry, but knowing the baby is growing nails today gives me the willies. I try not to think about it too much.

4. Breaking Teeth: I have dreams about my teeth breaking, shattering and falling out all the time. The idea of having my teeth fall out makes me anxious. I feel like jumping out of my skin, just typing this makes me uncomfortable.

5. Airplanes: I don't like them. They make me nervous. It isn't natural. I don't hyperventilate, I don't need medication to fly on them, but still...they freak me out. Yeah, yeah, I know all the statistics, it is highly unlikely...blah blah blah.

6. Eating Disorders: I don't get them and they make me uncomfortable. I do not like seeing people dictating who they are by what they eat. Calorie counters make me agitated and knowing they are secretly calculating the amount I am eating gives me the creeps. Seeing really skinny people irks me, I do not think it normal to be able to see someones spine. Have you ever seen the Machinist? This makes me very, very uncomfortable: *cringes*

7. People: I hate being in large groups. The thought of crowds makes me want to curl up in my bed and clench my eyes shut. I think, and this is just personal speculation, crowds make me uncomfortable because I can't control them. If a fight were suddenly to break out, I wouldn't be able to calm the situation and if they started flee I wouldn't be able to stop them from trampling people to death.

8. Stupidity: Which really means people, right? Ignorance and selfishness are also linked to this. Why can't people think beyond their own backyard?

9. Ridiculous shoes: When I see shoes like this:EEEEK! It makes me want to cut their feet off so they wouldn't do this to their toes anymore.

10. Bukkake: Seriously, this freaks me out like you wouldn't believe, and by freaks out, I mean disgusts.

Now I am uber uncomfortable, to the point where I have to finish this blog, close the browser window and rock myself for a short while.

Made Me Laugh

At work I decided to send an email to all my closest comrades to share with them the new emoti-smiley-con-thing i learned how to do.
,___,
(O,o)
/)__)
^ ^
Fancy huh?!

Well this is the email I get back from Christene: