Okay now, if I was this baby's mother, I'd think this was indicitative of some pretty amazing daycare! Talk about dedication!

crazy
people are so picky these days...

How to Freak my Mum out (and make her laugh)
- by Franklin Kent

Charity sent me this news about Alberta Report finally biting the dust.

About 7 or 8 years ago I was really worried about paying the rent. I ate at friend's houses on the sly and scraped up enough money to feed my dog. I didn't splurge on things like electricity. I was worried because my coffee shop job couldn't pay enough to rent a three bedroom house with no roommates (one was on the way and the other decided to go to Hawaii instead...)

As a result, I scrambled to get another job and ended up working as a telemarketer with a publication that I had an argument with during the last school semester. Alberta Report, aka The Report, was an ultra-conservative outlet for the rednecks in Alberta.
(their definition, not mine)

It was definitely strange to work there. They treated me like a little girl whose only goal was to work for them forever. Apparently, I was quite a good sales person. I could sell Encyclopedias to lonely old people like nobody's business. (yay me)
I felt like I was selling my soul to the devil. These were the same people who tried to shut down one of my favorite classes in university concerning queer theory and medieval theatre (it may sound far fetched but if you think about it... fascinating - and very useful in understanding scenes we take for granted).

Regardless, I got my first job at a restaurant soon after my start at the magazine. Too bad, they were considering letting me do some writing... That would have been interesting. They thought I should drop out of university - that it was for "ivory tower intellectuals with no link to the real people."
blah blah blah

I'm a little sad it's gone. I always found it an interesting read. I didn't agree with most of things they printed but it's a little like keeping around copies of Mein Kampf. You need to see what everyone's agenda is to be able to understand where you stand and what you need to fight for.

For the last couple of weeks I have been trying to pack up as much as possible before the move. This house is quite large and there will be a lot of cleaning to do. We aren't filthy people but there are little areas that you just don't get to when you lead a busy life.

The extraordinary thing about packing early is that in an effort to leave the objects we use the most you realize how much you really don't need.

For instance:

Why do I have two staple removers? Why do I even have one? Why can't I use my fingernail? In fact, I do use my fingernail! I didn't even know I owned a staple remover...

In the past couple of weeks while the five different teapots have been packed and the ka-zillion boxes of tea were wrapped up I didn't once get the urge to make that orange mango tea exclusively from Murchies...

Believe it or not, one can survive without a collection of silk scarves and vintage lingerie at one's fingertips...

I'll bet D is grinning right now.
He would love for me to get rid of all this stuff.
He thinks I accumulate! Living with my father or my sister would drive him insane.

After, it seemed, about a zillion people recomending the movie, Kissing Jessica Stein to me, I decided to finally watch it last night.

You would have thought I loved it. Far too many of my friends said that I would. They said that it reminded them of me. They said that I would love the main character....

I don't think my friends know me very well.

I liked the way it was filmed. I liked the soundtrack. I liked the scenery. I loved the main character's apartment (all those books, all those bookshelves! sigh...)
The main character? Jessica Stein? She was annoying.

So I'm left thinking, am I that neurotic? What was it about this character that reminded people of me? Do I come across as sexually repressed? Was this a hint?

Perhaps I'll just look at who was doing the recommending. If I view it this way it looks a hell of a lot different - and very revealing. That's it Ada, don't look inward... turn the mirror around and anaylze everyone else. Healthy.
Maybe I'll forget the whole thing.   I feel like watching a good Woody Allen film.

(I've seen other pages with this and I thought it would be fun...)

LAYER ONE:

Name: Ada
Birth date: August 8th, 1973
Birthplace: Quebec City, Quebec
Current Location: Victoria, B.C.
Eye Color: brown
Hair Color: dark brown
Height: 5'4"
Righty or Lefty: righty
Zodiac Sign: leo

LAYER TWO:

Your heritage: Lebanese and Albertan (really, that is it's own heritage in itself)
The shoes you wore today: brown leather sandals
Your fears: Something horrible happening to Franklin or D that I won't be able to protect them from
Your perfect pizza: spinach, tuna and anchovies (I know, I know, you're disgusted)
Goal you'd like to achieve: to be content

LAYER THREE:

Your most overused phrase in an online messenger: btw
Your thoughts first waking up: what bloody time is it?!?!
Your best physical feature: people compliment me on my shoulders, my hands, my voice, my eyes, my hair, my mouth... should I go on?
Your bedtime: 9/10 pm
Your most missed memory: hard to recall... funny that.

LAYER FOUR:

Pepsi or Coke: is there really a difference?
McDonald's or Burger King: neither - yuk!
Single or group dates: hmmmm, what kind of dates?
Adidas or Nike: Adidas
Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: whatever's cheaper
Chocolate or vanilla: vanilla
Cappuccino or coffee: coffee

LAYER FIVE:

Smoke: no no no no no
Cuss: yes, but that should be changing soon, dammit
Sing: all the time - to Frank only
Take a shower everyday: yes
Have a crush(es): oh yes
Do you think you've been in love: I am
Want to go to college: I will probably always be a student in some way or another
Liked high school: I hardly remember it
Want to get married: I am - and I love it
Believe in yourself: most of the time
Get motion sickness: it's possible
Think you're attractive: yes
Think you're a health freak: When it comes to Franklin, yes.
Get along with your parent(s): I think so
Like thunderstorms: yes, as long as I'm not in the middle of the ocean
Play an instrument: yes

LAYER SIX:

In the past month...

Drank alcohol: one night, yes - and it was fun! but I'm still breastfeeding so it's rare
Smoked: no no no no
Done a drug: yes
Had Sex: yes
Made Out: not enough - I can't ever get enough of making out
Gone on a date: yes
Gone to the mall: yes
Eaten an entire box of Oreos: no, not Oreos...
Eaten sushi: yes - homemade even! (without the raw fish)
Been on stage: yes
Been dumped: no, not in the past month
Gone skating: no
Made homemade cookies: no
Gone skinny dipping: no
Dyed your hair: no
Stolen anything: a peanut from the bulk aisle at the market?

LAYER SEVEN:

Ever...

Played a game that required removal of clothing: yes
If so, was it mixed company: yes, me and a whole bunch of gay guys
Been trashed or extremely intoxicated: yes - not my best moments
Been caught "doing something": haha, yes...
Been called a tease: not that I can ever remember
Gotten beaten up: no
Changed who you were to fit in: that sounds so painful!

LAYER EIGHT:

Age you hope to be married: 25 was the magic number
Numbers and Names of Children: one (so far), Franklin
Describe your Dream Wedding: close friends and family, outside on a hill with a beautiful view, jazz playing, llama's fighting...
How do you want to die: very, very old
Where (did) you want to go to college: University of Alberta and University of Victoria
What do you want to be when you grow up: loved
What country would you most like to visit: Iceland

LAYER NINE:

In a boy...

Best eye color: hazel
Best hair color: brown
Short or long hair: short - or at least not ponytail length
Height: 5'7"
Best weight: thin and a bit muscular
Best articles of clothing: soft, worn T-shirts and jeans
Best first date location: as long as we're laughing, I don't care
Best first kiss location: see above

LAYER TEN:

Number of drugs taken illegally: I don't think I take drugs illegally... but the number of illegal drugs taken?: 6
Number of people I could trust with my life: what a thing to have to think about... my family, D's family... about 15 people
Number of CDs that I own: if we include D's collection - well over 800. If we only count mine, about 20
Number of piercings: ever? that would be 9 - a bunch in my ears (during the eighties) and one in my left nipple (during the ninties)
Number of tattoos: zero
Number of times my name has appeared in the newspaper: no idea
Number of scars on my body: probably about 5 or 6 - most from skiing
Number of things in my past that I regret: none - but there are a couple things I wonder about

I know that ol'Martha Stewart is a talented and smart woman who might or might not be deserving of all the hub bub going on about her insider trading and obstruction of justice mishap but I find this pretty funny.

Yesterday, for Father's day, Franklin and I went down to Speaker's Corner at the local TV station and told the world (or at least those in the world that like to watch drunk people spew on about Gordon Cambpell) that it was D's very first Father's Day and that we loved him very much.

Well, I said it, Franklin tried to eat the camera and gave out a "ka ka ka da da pbssssbt!"

I wonder when it will be on TV?

Does anyone know when they finish screening them?

I watched Adaptation on Thursday night. It is a seriously good movie.
I think it is a webloggers film. Really.
It's all about taking the personal and making it a public creativity. Aren't we all writing ourselves into our own scripts? Using the dreaded "voice-over"? Searching for wit and drama in the mundane of real-life? I'm willing to bet a large percentage of bloggers fictionalize certain parts of their posts in order to give the readers a little "bang in the end".

I dunno - just a thought.

Speaking of movies, tonight a friend of ours is bringing over his large screen TV and another friend is providing his DVD player so we can all watch Battle Royale.
I am excited. I looked for it awhile ago but it is only available in DVD where we are. Does this mean I will have to break-down and purchase a DVD player soon? D will be so happy. I tried to buy a Baby Einstein video the other day and it wasn't available in VHS either.

Jeez. I am still clinging to my walkman. Why buy new REM when I have perfectly good cassettes?

...because by now, the cassette sounds like crap Ada.

I just have to share this..

Yesterday evening while Franklin was frolicking naked upstairs
(what else do people do when they are completely naked... ?)
we decided to capture his wobbly crawl on video. As D was filming and the two of us were coaxing him to inch toward the camera a funny expression came over his face. His eyes started to glass over a bit and he gave out a little grunt...

yup

Franklin pooped on the carpet - ON FILM!
A nice sized little orange and brown specimen resting on the floor as he finally decided to crawl toward his Father.

sigh What memories we will have!

All family members can expect to get this momentous occasion in the mail soon.

Ai Yi Yi! It's busy here!

Daycare still isn't sorted out but I think I may have found a solution that will satisfy everyone. I don't want to mention it here yet though - I don't want to jinx anything.

We have found a place to live though!
We were accepted into a Capital Regional District Housing complex. I am so thankful. The rent is more than reasonable, the townhouse is nice and spacious with tons of storage, there are kids running around everywhere, and there is a wonderful park and garry oak forest next door!

We'll have that down-payment for our own house in no time!

... ack! moving count-down: 20 meeeeasly days!!!

In the middle of deep Victoria suburbia, between appointments seeing daycares and a prospective homes, I, cool Mom extraodinare, revved my engine and peeled rubber next to a truck load of construction workers.

I got a standing ovation and a couple of whistles.

I didn't mean to peel rubber, I was startled by a man talking to me in the middle of the street asking for my number of all things!

honest

...but it was fun - and nice to know I'm still sexy with a kid in the backseat and singing along with Anne Murray - There's a Hippo in my Tub.

Whenever I am amongst friends I would say that I am pretty out-going. I don't hold back on the conversation. I am willing to talk about anything from vaginas and nipple hair to the effects terrorism has had on immigration.

Yet, when I am placed in a setting with a large number of people I will clam right up. It is quite rare to hear me talk in class - although I always feel like I have a ton of things to say. It is also quite rare to see me boogie it up on the dance floor unless there are a couple other hundred people out there with me.
I just get kinda quiet in a crowd of more than twenty people and there is a slight chance of all sets of eyes on me.
ooooh, not good.
Needless to say, walking down the aisle for our wedding was not too much fun.

This afternoon, Franklin and I went to the park to meet with our pre-natal group. Whereas just a couple of the Moms are usually free each week, this time everyone showed up. There was quite a loud cloud of squeals and squeaks coming from our corner of the playground.

It seems Franklin has taken on my shyness of crowds. All he wanted to do was sit between my legs and suck on a book. Of course, it doesn't help that two of the children there (a set of incredibly cute and very out-going twins) found that whatever Frank had in his hand was what they wanted. It was hard to try and let him fend for himself. They didn't seem too interested in his book though - phew.

About a week after Franklin was born I dragged my incredibly sore butt over to the University Day Care Services in order to put Frank on the waiting list for Infant Care. It's expensive but very good. I wanted a place where I could go and visit him on my lunch hour and since I work at the university...

Back then, this visit almost did me in for the week. It wasn't enough to just sign up. I was required to do the entire tour just to place him on the list. I did my best to keep up enough energy to ask all the questions I needed to have answered.
Nevertheless, I was impressed - even in my "just-had-a-baby-two-seconds-ago" fog.
Why did you put yourself through all this Ada? Well, the waiting list for this Daycare is so long that I needed to get in as early as possible. Once it was done I heaved a huge sigh of relief.

About a week later, I received a package in the mail asking for additional information about Franklin. They assured me that he was still on the waiting list but that they just needed these forms filled out - that they forgot to give me while I was there...

I'm sure you know what I'm, going to say.

They forgot to put me on the waiting list.
I find this out last week.
Last week.

The earliest I can get in now is January. I need care in September. My tidy little plan is ruined. I'm scrambling for infant care in a city which has just had one of their biggest baby booms in years.
Out of 22 centres called so far I have only found one space - and I have to decide fast if I want him in there because there are other people who might take the spot before I even get to take a tour.

I feel like marching down to that University Daycare Centre and having a temper tantrum.