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dolariIt's about time I got back into the swing of posting here, and this "weekend" is a good starting point. My job has just kept me too busy, and my after-work time has been really cut back due to the the commuting into downtown (eats up 2 hours round trip).
This weekend, was another trip to Canada, my fifth I think. I woke up bright and early after just five hours of sleep...and promptly fell back into bed.
An hour later, i rushed out the door and began the trip up to Canada. I left about 1PM, getting there about 3:30. The whole trip up was grey and dreary - breaking up once I got closer to Bellingham (I'm closer to heaven, and the clouds parted, just like in The Simpsons opening credits).
I'm really surprised at how quickly it gets dark up here. There's a BEAUTIFUL sunset outisde, ful of oranges and purples and blues....and it's 4:30. And all through the day, you get a feeling of twilight, likeit never quite "Brightens" into day. I had the same disconnect in Pennsylvania when I lived there, but it's even more noticable here since I'm so farther north (and in Vancouver even MORE so, as Canada is an entire nation north of Buffalo). I wonder how long the night'll be when we hit December 22nd. :)
The trip up was nice - with all the work the truck has had it ran like gangbusters. That is, till I got to the border. I'm a lot more at ease now crossing the border. I'm friendly, do the yes sir, no sir, thing. Generally just try to be pleasant, non-suspicious, and, well, normal. I get through just fine.
I pulled up to the border (Welcoming myself to Canada just before hitting customs), when the first thing I hear is "What happened to your doorhandle?" from the Customs agent (my door handle has been broken for years, occasionally glued shut, sometimes even repaired). I just smiled and said "She's a 16 year old truck, she's got a few quirks" but deep down, my mind was racing - "A mexican, in a 16 year old beat up pickup, with Texas plates, that crosses constantly, now with a broken door handle."
Canadian Customs tends to be a LOT more forgiving than American customs. The guard just joked with me "You don't know your own strength!" We both just laughed...but deep down, I was only thinking "What the heck will the American customs guys say."
I drove into Surrey and made it to Emily's. Her window was wide open so in my sleep-deprived mind, it was a good idea to play with her, and just sit in the window staring at her for a few minutes. I didn't realize she'd just seen a screamer video and seeing her visibly jump wa sa shock, I figured she knew I was right there.
After some calming down, hand holding and Welcome To Canada kisses, I took a few minutes to relax and catch my breath, which was a fatal thing to do. My body decided "Hey, it's SLEEPY TIME!" and wanted desperately to take a nap. We were supposed to get together with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
jessie_c that evening, and suddenly my mind was turning into meat jello.
We did make it, where I was caught offguard that she wanted to hold a cooking lesson RIGHT THEN AND THERE for Country Captain Chicken. My brain just wasn't up for that - especially on am oment's notice, so I just watched intently. It was good though. :D
For once our conversation wasn't on US politics, but Canadian, as they were in the middle of what the US would call a Constitutional Crisis (Dunno, what that'd be after the Canadian Exchange Rate), where the Prime Minister wants to dissolve Parliament because the opposition coalition against him wants to dissolve him. It's an interesting scenario, "Let's hold an election....next month! Then dissolve the newly elected Parliament when they start to rise up against me!" Kinda scary when you think about it...but with all the dismissals and yelling and poking and prodding, there's a decided amount of Non-legislating, and the economy continues to tumble in The Great White North.
A nice dinner of Country Captain Chicken and hot tea later, and my head was fnially working in a better space. We went grocery shopping, then made some rice crispy squares (holy cow that's easy to make!). We headed home (bringing some Tim Horton's Ice Capps - I AM SLAVE TO THE HORTON'S), and called it an early night.
Woke up the next day to have dinner with our friend Khyle, from Second Life. You know - the main thing about getting together with Second Life friends...they'er nothing like their avatars. Mind you, Khyle is a sort of an antlered animalish creature in SL...and some people in the real world aren't built like that. But then I'm no redheaded firebrand or brunette petite thing either.
We had a Sushi Boat.
Really.
Take a look.
We had a blast, and went for ice cream (mind you, it's about 40 degrees all day), afterwards. Smurf tastes like bubblegum and cotton candy.
After saying our goodbnyes, we headed to Emily's doctor's appointment, with a sidetrip to a Payless Shoe Source for new sneakers (Thank you for the lovely Christmas present, Jessie!). I finally have smoe good white shoes (with pink trim). I've always bought these white canvas shoes for YEARS...since at least 2003. But they're flimsy and wear out quickly. But at the same time, they'er so small, they make my feet look small compared to my pants, so I kept buying them. Not to mention those were the shoes I saw on the ads for other things I bought. This time, Big Ass Running Shoes, instead of the canvas shoes. What I lose in daintiness, I make up for with the pink. Not that I was very dainty to begin with....
We headed into Vancouver for a doctor's appointment for Emily (I thought it was a TG clinic because there was a cross dresser there, and what looked like another transwoman. Turns out it's just a free clinic. I waited in the lobby while Emily was in, when suddenly she pokes her head out and asks me to follow her in. Once I'm in, Emily sits me down and tells me that the free clinic would actually help me out if I needed it. The Doctor says it didn't matter if I was a US Citizen, if I needed some basic healthcare, they'd do it. Mind you, my insurance kicks in in January - but if they pull the same "PREEXISTING CONDITION" crap, I can always run up to Canada. I LOVE YOU, SOCIALIZED MEDICINE!
From there, we hit a meeting of the planning committee of...well...let's just say a celebration of transgender people. Cause then name they currently have (and are debating changing) is, frankly....well....not a good name. I do not like working in groups. I find that usually they fall apart and disintegrate because someone doesn't like someone else, or the leaders become more imoprtant than the causes, or an ego goes out of control (I've said the only group leader I trust is me - and while you can say that's MY ego gone nuts, I make sure I'm never more important than the cause). That said, this group has some good folks in it, and it it can survive for any length of time, the results'll be totally worth it. Just...change the name, please.
That said, I really don't want much to do with it. I'll be happy to help out, and give you some art, advertise it, make a page or two for you...but I don't work well in groups, and would much rather be asked to do X Y and Z, rather than work behind the scenes and organizing or running anything. I do my own thing - but I'm happy to supplement and share for your cause.
The meeting ended, we went grocery shopping for Canada Only items, like I do almost every time I'm up here. Some odd flavored potato chips (General Tao's?! Curry Cpice?!), Five Alive (Gods, I love that stuff) and a Humongoid Box of Shreddies.
We drove home, spent a little tmie together, kissed her goodbye and drove to the border. The US border guard didn't bat an eye (Note to self - get the door handle fixed).
I'm home now...missing Canada, and waiting for the day I go there, and don't come back....
This weekend, was another trip to Canada, my fifth I think. I woke up bright and early after just five hours of sleep...and promptly fell back into bed.
An hour later, i rushed out the door and began the trip up to Canada. I left about 1PM, getting there about 3:30. The whole trip up was grey and dreary - breaking up once I got closer to Bellingham (I'm closer to heaven, and the clouds parted, just like in The Simpsons opening credits).
I'm really surprised at how quickly it gets dark up here. There's a BEAUTIFUL sunset outisde, ful of oranges and purples and blues....and it's 4:30. And all through the day, you get a feeling of twilight, likeit never quite "Brightens" into day. I had the same disconnect in Pennsylvania when I lived there, but it's even more noticable here since I'm so farther north (and in Vancouver even MORE so, as Canada is an entire nation north of Buffalo). I wonder how long the night'll be when we hit December 22nd. :)
The trip up was nice - with all the work the truck has had it ran like gangbusters. That is, till I got to the border. I'm a lot more at ease now crossing the border. I'm friendly, do the yes sir, no sir, thing. Generally just try to be pleasant, non-suspicious, and, well, normal. I get through just fine.
I pulled up to the border (Welcoming myself to Canada just before hitting customs), when the first thing I hear is "What happened to your doorhandle?" from the Customs agent (my door handle has been broken for years, occasionally glued shut, sometimes even repaired). I just smiled and said "She's a 16 year old truck, she's got a few quirks" but deep down, my mind was racing - "A mexican, in a 16 year old beat up pickup, with Texas plates, that crosses constantly, now with a broken door handle."
Canadian Customs tends to be a LOT more forgiving than American customs. The guard just joked with me "You don't know your own strength!" We both just laughed...but deep down, I was only thinking "What the heck will the American customs guys say."
I drove into Surrey and made it to Emily's. Her window was wide open so in my sleep-deprived mind, it was a good idea to play with her, and just sit in the window staring at her for a few minutes. I didn't realize she'd just seen a screamer video and seeing her visibly jump wa sa shock, I figured she knew I was right there.
After some calming down, hand holding and Welcome To Canada kisses, I took a few minutes to relax and catch my breath, which was a fatal thing to do. My body decided "Hey, it's SLEEPY TIME!" and wanted desperately to take a nap. We were supposed to get together with
jessie_c that evening, and suddenly my mind was turning into meat jello.We did make it, where I was caught offguard that she wanted to hold a cooking lesson RIGHT THEN AND THERE for Country Captain Chicken. My brain just wasn't up for that - especially on am oment's notice, so I just watched intently. It was good though. :D
For once our conversation wasn't on US politics, but Canadian, as they were in the middle of what the US would call a Constitutional Crisis (Dunno, what that'd be after the Canadian Exchange Rate), where the Prime Minister wants to dissolve Parliament because the opposition coalition against him wants to dissolve him. It's an interesting scenario, "Let's hold an election....next month! Then dissolve the newly elected Parliament when they start to rise up against me!" Kinda scary when you think about it...but with all the dismissals and yelling and poking and prodding, there's a decided amount of Non-legislating, and the economy continues to tumble in The Great White North.
A nice dinner of Country Captain Chicken and hot tea later, and my head was fnially working in a better space. We went grocery shopping, then made some rice crispy squares (holy cow that's easy to make!). We headed home (bringing some Tim Horton's Ice Capps - I AM SLAVE TO THE HORTON'S), and called it an early night.
Woke up the next day to have dinner with our friend Khyle, from Second Life. You know - the main thing about getting together with Second Life friends...they'er nothing like their avatars. Mind you, Khyle is a sort of an antlered animalish creature in SL...and some people in the real world aren't built like that. But then I'm no redheaded firebrand or brunette petite thing either.
We had a Sushi Boat.
Really.
Take a look.
We had a blast, and went for ice cream (mind you, it's about 40 degrees all day), afterwards. Smurf tastes like bubblegum and cotton candy.
After saying our goodbnyes, we headed to Emily's doctor's appointment, with a sidetrip to a Payless Shoe Source for new sneakers (Thank you for the lovely Christmas present, Jessie!). I finally have smoe good white shoes (with pink trim). I've always bought these white canvas shoes for YEARS...since at least 2003. But they're flimsy and wear out quickly. But at the same time, they'er so small, they make my feet look small compared to my pants, so I kept buying them. Not to mention those were the shoes I saw on the ads for other things I bought. This time, Big Ass Running Shoes, instead of the canvas shoes. What I lose in daintiness, I make up for with the pink. Not that I was very dainty to begin with....
We headed into Vancouver for a doctor's appointment for Emily (I thought it was a TG clinic because there was a cross dresser there, and what looked like another transwoman. Turns out it's just a free clinic. I waited in the lobby while Emily was in, when suddenly she pokes her head out and asks me to follow her in. Once I'm in, Emily sits me down and tells me that the free clinic would actually help me out if I needed it. The Doctor says it didn't matter if I was a US Citizen, if I needed some basic healthcare, they'd do it. Mind you, my insurance kicks in in January - but if they pull the same "PREEXISTING CONDITION" crap, I can always run up to Canada. I LOVE YOU, SOCIALIZED MEDICINE!
From there, we hit a meeting of the planning committee of...well...let's just say a celebration of transgender people. Cause then name they currently have (and are debating changing) is, frankly....well....not a good name. I do not like working in groups. I find that usually they fall apart and disintegrate because someone doesn't like someone else, or the leaders become more imoprtant than the causes, or an ego goes out of control (I've said the only group leader I trust is me - and while you can say that's MY ego gone nuts, I make sure I'm never more important than the cause). That said, this group has some good folks in it, and it it can survive for any length of time, the results'll be totally worth it. Just...change the name, please.
That said, I really don't want much to do with it. I'll be happy to help out, and give you some art, advertise it, make a page or two for you...but I don't work well in groups, and would much rather be asked to do X Y and Z, rather than work behind the scenes and organizing or running anything. I do my own thing - but I'm happy to supplement and share for your cause.
The meeting ended, we went grocery shopping for Canada Only items, like I do almost every time I'm up here. Some odd flavored potato chips (General Tao's?! Curry Cpice?!), Five Alive (Gods, I love that stuff) and a Humongoid Box of Shreddies.
We drove home, spent a little tmie together, kissed her goodbye and drove to the border. The US border guard didn't bat an eye (Note to self - get the door handle fixed).
I'm home now...missing Canada, and waiting for the day I go there, and don't come back....
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no subject
Date: 2008-12-05 04:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-12-05 05:44 pm (UTC)Also, awesome sushi boat is awesome <3