It's my blog and I'll vent if I want to...

I might be a little bit ridiculous. I changed by blog background again, but I just couldn't help myself; the possibilities with Blogger's new design templates are endless. I think a background-change could occur every month if I don't get ahold of myself. (I don't love the one I have now, so give it a few weeks....)

OK, I'm obviously bored out of my skull and I need a job stat or I just might go crazy. Fortunately, I can officially begin my job-hunt next week, if my interview with Immigration Canada goes well this weekend (please, please, please). I've been able to keep myself productive and busy on nice days, but it seems like for every sunny day in Toronto, there's a rainy day that follows it. Note: I'm totally unmotivated and useless on rainy days. And, yes, I'm blaming the city for such wretched weather and its subsequent effects. (That's right: I said wretched.)

To add to my miserable feelings regarding Toronto, the G20 summit is coming to town this weekend and the city may as well be under lockdown. Roads have already been shut down, there are 9-foot fences lacing almost every street in our area, and herds of police officers are standing on every corner and everywhere in between. Did I mention the summit doesn't start until Saturday? The protestors have already begun their protesting, but this is Canada, so it will all be peaceful, right? (Which is why I'm sure the city felt the need to spend 1 billion dollars on security, but I'm not paying taxes yet, so I don't really care about that.) To make matters worse, over 4,000 troops will be filing into town over the next few days. Ugh. Why couldn't they have chosen Ottawa? 


On a lighter note, Ken and I are leaving icky Toronto before anymore G20 madness strikes and driving down to Michigan tomorrow to spend a few days with my parents. I'm looking forward to visiting, shopping with only 6% sales tax, eating lots of The Parlour's ice cream (hopefully), and just having a break from my otherwise boring life.


There. A semi-public whining session always makes me feel a little better.

The Most Optimistic Post Ever

I have a massive picture post coming soon. I'm getting internet on my laptop next week (finally!), so I'll be able to hook you all up with some beautiful pictures of Busan, maybe some pictures of my trip to Japan, and definitely a few pictures of my crazy cute kids. I know you can hardly wait.

I think I'm a little bit homesick these days. I'm not feeling it too hardcore, but I'm starting to get a little bored with the weekend scene here. It consists of alcohol, alcohol, and more alcohol. I don't mind going out for drinks every now and then, but everyone here goes out every Friday, Saturday, and sometimes Sunday. I'm not kidding when I say most people my age here live in a constant state of drunkeness and hangovers. I've never been much of a partier, so I usually just stay home and watch movies on the weekends. It's starting to get old and it makes me miss Nashville all the more.

I'm PMSing right now so I think I'm a little more emotional than usual. Besides my recent bout of homesickness, I've been crying over the most ridiculous things the last few days. I started yoga last week and discovered (not surprisingly) that I'm not flexible... at all. My instuctor had no qualms about telling me that I looked ridiculous during class (which I was well aware of, as I was placed right next to a huge mirror) and her comments definitely rubbed me the wrong way. I burst into tears on my walk home simply because I'm not good at yoga (did I mention that I'm a beginner?).

I started reading Oliver Twist (Dickens) last week. I didn't even make it through the first chapter without puddling up. Poor little Oliver. I read the second and third chapters and had to put the book down before it threw me into a state of hopeless depression. The world is so unjust and I'm so emotional right now. Bad combination.

I can't wait until this stage of the month is over. I love being a woman, but I could do without this aspect of womanhood.

My Crazy Car Horn

I was running a little late to work, as usual. But of course, as fate would have it, the traffic was exceptionally bad that morning. I was already feeling a little rushed (thanks to my dysfunctional alarm clock that didn't feel the need to wake me up until 8 o'clock that morning), so the traffic only put me on edge. I began to check the clock on my car radio obsessively at every other minute, and when the car in front of me quit moving altogether, I subconsciously started drumming my fingers nervously on the steering wheel. You've GOT to be kidding me. Why aren't you people at work already? The traffic finally started to pick up again, thanks be to God. I sped up as much as the cars surrounding me would allow, and impatiently jerked the wheel towards my exit. I went speeding down Briley Parkway, made a hasty right onto Knights of Columbus Boulevard, connected quickly to McGavock, and took off once again at lightning speed. For all intents and purposes, I should have been pulled over, but fate finally seemed to be taking my side for a few minutes. I approached the McGavock Pike/Century Boulevard intersection, flipped on my left blinker light, and stopped behind a gold Nissan Maxima at the red light. The light was a quick one (Thank goodness!), and before I knew it I was staring at a green arrow... but the car in front of me wasn't moving (No, no, no. GO!!!). I waited a few seconds, trying to be patient, before I decided to give my horn a little tap to give the lady in front of me a... let's call it... a "helpful hint". My motives were harmless, but the action itself proved to be anything but. I tapped the button on my steering wheel, and to my utmost horror, it stuck in the down position. My horn was loudly blaring for the entire world to hear and I couldn't get it to stop. After pounding the steering wheel a few times, it finally came loose and stopped making the obnoxious sound, but it was too late. The damage was done. The woman in front of me spun around in her car seat, shook her fist at me, and went racing off. Totally and utterly humiliated, I followed suit, keeping a safe distance behind my poor, horn-honked victim. But as I began to get closer and closer to my place of employment, I began to realize that the gold Maxima seemed to be heading in the same direction. Please don't let her work at Nelson, PLEASE don't let her work at Nelson. To my total horror, the Maxima pulled into the Nelson parking lot. Oh Lord. I slowly pulled into the parking lot and began to search for a place to park. This can't be happening. The Maxima pulled into one of only two spots left, which just happened to be side by side. I drove around the parking lot once more in an attempt to find another place to park my car. ANY place! I'll park on the street!! But alas, another space was not to be found. I sheepishly pulled into the spot next to the assaulted Maxima and its driver, just as she was climbing out of her car. I slowly opened the door and crawled out of my car, hoping to go unnoticed. I followed the lady into the building from what I thought to be a safe distance, but as I entered into the foyer I found her standing in front of the elevators. Oh no! The elevator doors slid open and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. I nervously glanced in her direction and made brief eye-contact. She glared back at me through her square glasses; she was pissed. She stomped forward into the elevator as I stood only inches from the door, totally paralyzed. Do I get on this thing with her? Do I wait for the next one? I took a deep breath and stepped forward into the elevator. The doors slid shut. Floor 1... Floor 2... "Nice day, isn't it?" I heard myself saying. What? Liz, you just blared your horn at this woman and all you can think to say is "Nice day"?? The woman looked up from the newspaper she was reading and, once again, glared at me. No response. I leaned against the elevator wall in defeat and total embarrassment. The elevator came to a screeching halt at the 5th floor, the doors slid back open, and the woman marched off the elevator without so much as a glance in my direction. I need to get my car horn fixed.