Last weekend I made another batch of lime pops because delicious. There was extra goo, so I put them in a silicone ice cube tray. Result: CUTE!
Also, delicious! Hooray for happy accidents!
Okay, back to moping about the telephone.
Category Archives: everyday kimli
reality bites
As we near the start of fall, I’m beginning to worry that I’m not going to get to go to London this year (as I have for the two years previous).
Even though I had no plans concrete cotton candy or otherwise to go to overseas this year, I’ve been quietly scheming in the back of my mind since last October, hoping that some way, somehow, I’d find a reason/the money/an excuse to go. I crossed my fingers and desperately wished that things would just sort of .. happen, but it’s almost September and no magical genie or raise or random strange happening has materialized. I’ve got no real feasible way to get to London, and that’s making my heart ache: I want to be back there so very badly I could cry. I’m drastically close to throwing caution to the wind and following my heart, even if only for a week or so .. I could do it, if I forgot about everything for a little while. I could take the cheapest of uncomfortable, no-frills, baby-packed flights and stay at a hostel or in the London equivalent of the Cecil. Hell, I could even be rom-com-style foolish and spend money I don’t have for an actual room; one with a lumpy bed and no hot water and a family of raccoons living in the closet. I could go a week without eating and live on excitement only; soaking up history and culture and things built before 1985 and not out of glass. I could do all these things.
But I probably won’t.
I don’t know when I gained a sense of responsibility, but I’m finding it incredibly inconvenient – it gets in my way and stops me from doing the things I desperately want to do: own a pug, go to London, adopt all the cats, eat nothing but tacos, travel on a whim, do crazy things for the sake of the stories I could tell. I want all of these things, but I also want a home to come back to .. so I can’t have them.
I wonder if I could use the “well, you got to go to Edmonton so now I’m gonna go to London” excuse.
I could sell all my things. I have a lot of things, and a flight to London is only $280 (plus $604 in fees).
I should get off the internet before I click buttons I shouldn’t click.
There’s still time .. this could still happen, right?
#longing
video game feels
Did you play Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor? Did you love it, but really wish you didn’t have to play as a spider because spiders are terrifying? Are you still slightly annoyed that, after at least a half dozen play throughs since launch, you don’t actually know what the secret is?
You’re gonna want to go buy Gone Home, sit yourself in front of your computer, and play it all the way through.
I did just that this afternoon, and it was amazing. It gave me feels. It was what more games should be. It neatly wrapped things up (well, most things). It didn’t make me remember a random code I found 8 rooms ago to unlock a shed to get the wrench to open the cover of the well to find the missing puzzle piece. I loved this game.
Seriously, check it out. The voice acting is fantastic, the game tells a beautiful story, and Fullbright did an amazing job with the music, the ambiance, and the setting. I rarely recommend non-mobile games these days (Gone Home is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux) because my computer is little more than a big internet box I use to talk to strangers, but I am highly recommending this one. It’s awesome. I want to hug them all (and then revive my underground ‘zine).
common cents
So. The internet. You may not have noticed this, but I use the internet a lot. I am connected 24/7, and use the internet like an extension of my arm (an extension that just happens to have a great deal of porn). My internet use extends to meatspace as well: when I’m not in front of a computer, I use my phone to access any kind of information imaginable. I am one of THOSE people, and I make no apology for it: it’s just what I do.
My internetting does not stop when I travel. For this reason, I long ago signed up for Roger’s US Data Roaming Add On: for an extra $10 a month, I am charged $1 for every MB I use instead of the standard $3/MB. This sucks, but welcome to Canada where you pay more for connectivity (an intangible necessity) than you do food (seriously, I pay $215 per month for connectivity at home and on my phone, and it was an additional $100 until Ed’s phone was paid for by his work).
Recently, Rogers has updated their US Roaming Data plans. They’ve discontinued the $10/month add on, and instead will charge you $7.99 for up to 50MB of data per day the instant you use your first roaming KB. If you go over 50MB, they’ll charge you another $7.99. Many people are upset by this as they are Amish and only want to check email once a day but will have to pay $7.99 regardless if they use 1MB or 50MB, but it’s handy for those of us who aren’t 85 and refer to video games as “the Nintendos”. It’d be perfect for someone like me, because while I very well may use more than 50MB a day, it’d be unusual to go over 100 (and if I did, okay – if it happened regularly and/or I knew I was travelling to the US just to use the internet all day long, I’d make other data arrangements). $16 for a weekend of data use is reasonable (by Canadian standards).
SO. This past weekend, I was in Seattle for two days. During that time, I used 70MB of data, which should cost me $16 per the new rules. At most, it should cost $24 (assuming I used over 50MB on Day 1, and the remainder on Day 2). I can live with this.
Naturally, it’s not that easy. You see, I still pay the $10/month for a non-existent plan. Because I pay that $10/m (and have been doing so for the last 3+ years), I will be charged $1/MB .. to the tune of $70. All because I already pay more for my phone than most people. And because I was never informed that this new $7.99/MB/Day plan existed at all until I did some research on my own.
I am not happy about this. I reached out to Rogers on Twitter, and they confirmed that I’ll be charged the $70 for two days of internet use because of my existing non-existent plan. This really sucks, and is one of those things that will drive me to get a US SIM Card so I can be more in charge of my data use, as well as research alternative options so I can cancel my Rogers contract when it’s up next year. A little understanding in this situation would go a long way (and I’ll overlook the fact I’ve been paying a largely unnecessary $10/m for years), but if they’re going to stick their feet in the mud and abide by the rules instead of common sense .. well, then I’ll know where I stand as a customer.
Why don’t I live in Europe, again?
rejection
On Thursday morning, I received word that I had been rejected by Skynet for the job I had applied for. While I told myself I didn’t really mind because it was always a super long shot, I am apparently not above lying to myself: I was actually pretty crushed (and by “pretty crushed” I mean “illogically inconsolable”). I shrugged it off for the entire workday, but later that evening I when I was unable to properly do a u-turn (long story), I burst into tears and was thoroughly convinced that I am an utter failure; a complete fraud who has no future doing anything at all and no one will ever want me ever again, even retroactively. I cried and wailed and was very glad no one but an extremely confused Ed was around to witness my pathetic display of the feels.
In my defence, this rejection stung a lot more than others have in the past simply because I was given the “lol no” *after* I had submitted my work samples. I *like* my work (and most people think I’m really good at what I do), so being rejected after showing off was like a kick to my metaphorical balls. It made me sad – really, really sad. Pathetically sad. I was a wreck.
Luckily, that afternoon in a huff I had decided to throw caution to the wind and demand adventure. Ed and I threw a change of underwear (and 15 device adapters) into backpacks and ran away to Seattle for the night. We hung out with our favourite Americans, saw all the things, and had some Good Times; life disappointments and endless worrying aside. We had so much fun that we’re gonna do it all over again in two weeks (we can’t get enough of our Americans), and I’m slightly more upbeat about the whole thing than I was 48 hours ago. I’m sure that will change one way or another as I either get over it/myself or be rejected for more out-of-my-league jobs, but we’ll jump off that bridge when we get to it.
I’ll post more words on jobs later, including some words about why I’m looking for work (and being utterly rejected) in the US when I still have a job that I love in Vancouver (and also what Ed thinks of all this), but for now here are some of the neat places we went this weekend:
- Rachel’s Ginger Beer – if you love ginger beer or simply buying things in growlers, this place is awesome. They’ve got many different flavours of craft-brewed ginger beer on tap, and it’s delicious as all hell: spicy and refreshing, with a big kick. I wish we had purchased some to bring home, but we’ll be back in a couple weeks so I’ll do it then.
- Otherworlds – A shop in Edmonds that sells steampunky things with a heavy emphasis on unrepentant Firefly worship. Every inch of every surface has amazing things to look at (I am utterly in love with the light switch covers), and if you’re any kind of nerd it’s an awesome side trip to make.
- EMP Museum – I love this place, to the point of buying a membership for Ed and I so we can go again and again and again. The new Fantasy exhibit is worth making a trip for, and there’s always a million things to see.
- Cactus – Forget the Cactus Club; this place is AMAZING. Doug and Ali took us here for brunch on Saturday, and it was probably the best breakfast I’ve ever had. I want to go back and try their regular menu, because if it’s anything like their brunch offering I may never leave. SO GOOD!
Need to plan more impromptu getaways. They go a long way in keeping me sane (especially when I HAVE NO FUTURE).
dark crystal map!
vintage umbrellas!
a surefire way to get me to put out!
here are some vegetables!
purely hypothetical
I am researching US work visas, for purely hypothetical reasons. Hypothetically, if I were to work in the United States, I would need a hypothetical employer to sponsor my hypothetical application to work for their hypothetical American company. The sponsor isn’t enough though: you also need to be armed with an arsenal of hypothetical documents proving your hypothetical qualifications AND you must fall under the list of approved hypothetical professions such as:
- Accountant
- Architect
- Computer
Yeah, I got this in the hypothetical BAG. Even if they do find me lacking as a hypothetical computer, I’m still okay – further down the list is “Technical Publications Writer”. That’s me!
I’d rather be a computer, though.
If none of my hypothetical musings entertain you, how about this instead: Marks and Spencer is offering FREE shipping to Canada, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. The site claims it’s for a limited time, but the promo has apparently been running since March 8th so do what you will with this news. And no, they generally won’t ship food. And yes, I am still desperate to be back in London. Homesickness for a place you’ve been twice is weird, yo. And I’m starting to run out of my favourite mascara and eyeliner, which can only be purchased in the UK. LIFE IS HYPOTHETICALLY HARD, even if you’re a computer.
pretty pretty pretty
#twittersilence
Many people are talking about #twittersilence; one woman’s idea to prove a point and get her way by doing nothing at all. I personally think the idea is ludicrous – when in history has the silent treatment ever overcome anything – but contrary to what some people are saying, there ARE a few times when it is wholly appropriate to be silent/stay off Twitter. Here is a handy list for you to refer to at any time, or feel free to reach out to me at @kimli for some help:
Appropriate Times for Twitter Silence
- During sex (apparently it’s rude to tweet during intercourse)
- When you’re on the West Coast and you won’t see <hot TV show> for three hours and want to avoid spoilers
- When you’re on the East Coast and have seen <hot TV show> before the rest of the country and can’t believe they did <plot twist>
- While asleep (scheduled tweets are the first step in the terrible Rise of the Machines)
- After you’ve died (Roger Ebert was brilliant and I loved his Twitter feed, but it is simultaneously startling and sad to see “him” continue to tweet after death)
- During any sort of performance or viewing, be it a movie, the opera, a funeral, or a concert: believe me, the world can wait until the show is over before we see that duck-faced selfie
In all seriousness, being quiet about injustice is the worst possible way to deal with it, and exactly what “they” want. When you don’t call attention to awful behaviour, they win. Stand up. Speak out. You have a voice for a reason – never, ever simply sit back and take it.
And don’t fucking tweet during a movie, you jackass.
life skills
At what point in a person’s life do they stop being senselessly pleased at accomplishing small, run-of-the-mill tasks? Last night I successfully navigated my way home from the bowels of South Vancouver at 2 in the morning, by alien bus and a cab – and I am pleased as punch at myself for doing so. It’s pretty stupid (not to mention fairly insulting), as people complete amazing journeys and overcome insurmountable odds every day, yet I am patting myself on the back for basically crossing the street without a grown-up. How I am able to navigate the world without a helmet and a chaperone, I’ll never know.
My ride home fell through last night when the beer bong (did you know that is a thing? I did not know that was an actual thing; I thought it was something invented by Hollywood for the frat bro movie genre) came out, so I caught the last bus out of Marpole and found myself wandering the fragrant streets of Main and Hastings at 1:30 in the morning. I fully intended to hop the 135 bus home from there, but my stop was overflowing with humanity in varying states of inebriation. I was more than a little tired of being the only sober face in the crowd by then, so I opted to hail a cab instead and made it home safely in 15 minutes or so. I’m a little gun shy when it comes to taking taxis – for starters, I really do hate to be an inconvenience to people (even if their job is to be inconvenienced by me), and also ever since I had a cab driver try to invite himself up to my hotel room the first time I was in Toronto (doing many things for the first time: travelling, business tripping, taking a cab by myself, etc). Still, I was inordinately pleased with myself for successfully hailing a cab and getting home in one piece. I’m such an adorable little broken and socially inept simpleton!
I don’t know if it was because this is Pride weekend or if it is the normal state of Hastings and Main at 1:30 in the morning, but there were so many cross-dressed prostitutes out! They all had better legs than me. In fact, that was the easiest way to spot them: see some excellent legs strutting about on a pair of terrifying shoes, realize it’s a man, still be jealous of the excellent legs.
Speaking of Pride, I am my annual depressed self that I am not downtown, revelling in the festivities. I desperately want to Pride it up with the rest of the city, but I am so bad in crowds (and triple that when I’m by myself). Most of the people I know either don’t do Pride, or they’ve got group plans that I don’t want to intrude upon .. so I stay home and alternate between feeling sorry for myself and angry at my inability to handle seething throngs of thongs. If only there was some kind of substance I could take that would ease my overwhelming anxiety – some sort of medicinal herb or distilled fermented liquid or even an assortment of chemicals designed to bind to specific sites on my gamma-amino-butyric acid receptor – but I can’t for the life of me think of anything like that, so here I am; alone and not covered in rainbows.
I’m starting to think it’s isn’t much fun to be as broken as I am, no matter how I try to convince myself and the internet otherwise.
Adventures in Babysitting aside, I did have fun last night. I met some very cool people I hope to see again for additional awesome conversations and spent some Quality Time with some of my favourite people. My 3pm nudity does belie the plans I have to get out of the house today for fresh air and picture taking, but this was all a part of my Sunday strategy: sleep, laundry, and too much time spent inside my head. Nothing is all bad by any stretch of the imagination; it’s just a little lonely sometimes (and subsequently gets Ace of Base stuck in my head for hours thanks to some amazing logic gymnastics and the 90s fused to my bones like a kitschy and less lethal form of Wolverine’s adamantium).
Happy Pride, everyone!
the red badge of failure
I took my motorcycle skills test this morning, and I failed spectacularly.
Logically, I know this isn’t a big deal. It was my first time taking the test, I was nervous, a lot of people fail it the first time (including the two dudes who tested before me; they were there for their second and third attempts respectively), chin up lil’ lady you can try again in a week. I know all this, logically. I can choose to be calm and collected about this, practice what I messed up on, and just try again next week: no harm, no foul. Logic!
Naturally, I am beating myself up and freaking out and foreseeing a future in which I am forced to hitchhike my way around the city, inevitably ending up in the trunk of an axe murderer’s sedan and never heard from again. I am angry at myself for failing and for letting something as stupid as an extra traffic cone throw me so badly off my game (I failed to successfully navigate a tight u-turn – something I had practiced and repeatedly nailed for hours the night before). I am sad that I have to wait a week before trying again. I am annoyed that legally, I am facing the next week with no transportation (Ed is driving to Edmonton for a week tomorrow, leaving me with no car and a scooter I shouldn’t ride). I have all the feels: I AM NOT USED TO FAILING! I am Good At Things! I shouldn’t have failed! I am overly miserable about this, and feeling as though I’ve failed LIFE ITSELF instead of just a notoriously tricky skills test using skills you generally don’t use in real life. It’s like trigonometry: sure, maybe someday I will find myself in a life-or-death situation that can only be resolved by calculating the ratio of the adjacent leg to the hypotenuse and/or successfully navigating a slalom of small traffic cones on my scooter, but it’s somewhat unlikely. I’m onto you, skills test: you are the useless applied mathematics of motorcycle licensing, and you will not trip me up again.
I’m retaking the test next Friday, and I am going to kick it’s ass. In the meantime, I am going to feel sorry for myself and eat chocolate (I have a 5-day weekend in which to wallow). I WILL NOT FAIL AGAIN!
.. but if I do, I can just keep retaking the test. It doesn’t cost anything until I pass, so there’s that. I’m still mad at myself, though. I hate sucking.
so tired i forgot to title
I am very, very bad at sleep.
oh, this isn’t good at *all*
I bought myself a Fitbit several weeks ago because gadget, but I was also curious about my sleeping habits. I knew that I was a restless sleeper who occasionally suffered from insomnia, but I was probably still getting enough sleep because most of the time I feel okay in the morning. I’m just doing this for science (and because I like sleeping with technology strapped to my arm). Let’s learn!
.. and now I’ve learned that I’m REALLY FUCKING BAD at sleeping! In addition to going to sleep times WAY too late, I drink caffeine all day (and night) long and tend to do most of my deep thinking while I’m supposed to be counting sheep. It’s pretty clear now that what I just wrote off as my not being a morning person is really a severe inability to sleep and STAY asleep (unless it’s the middle of the afternoon and I’m taking a 3-hour nap). Something has to change: I don’t ever wanna feel like I did that day do right now on my minimal amount of rest (all my best sleep came after I was supposed to be at work, but I dragged my carcass into the office around 11am because I am a trooper). I’m struggling to keep my eyes open, I can’t complete sentences, I feel utterly useless, and everything is confusing. Where am I? Is it my turn to mayonnaise?
Starting this weekend, I am going to try to cut off my caffeine consumption after 7pm, be in bed by 10:30, and turn off all my devices by 11. I NEED to get more sleep. I’m about to become very, very busy at work and I don’t have time to be stupid (I’ll leave that to others).
I am so fucking tired.
delicious juice dot com 