Standardization, please!

Some things really should just be standardized already.

Seriously? I’m 24 and starting to get crotchety in my old age.

And if the world could somehow come together on a couple of these things, I would be eternally grateful.

• Electronics cords. I cannot for the life of me figure out why there are so many little attachment do-dads out there. You can have two cell phones from the exact same manufacturer, and the jacks will be COMPLETELY different. And even when the bloody things LOOK the same, sometimes the voltages are different. To the naked eye, my two laptops have the same power cord… but unless I’m careful I could blow one of them up, because the voltage is significantly different. Yah, okay. Maybe I shouldn’t own two laptops and avoid that problem from square one, but still. It’s ridiculous.
• While I’m on the topic of power cords, let’s talk plugs. Why why WHY do we need to have different types of plugs between North America, Europe, the UK… and beyond? I gather it has something to do with the infrastructure and less with general flighty-ness like the power cord conundrum, but you’d think we could come up with a better solution than converters and adapters, in this day and age.
• Security procedures. Okay. So you go through security in Canada and you have to remove your liquids and gels and laptops/camcorders. In the states, it’s your shoes. In Europe, you are allowed to bring in liquids with more than 100 ml as long as it’s been sealed in a duty-free bag. Not the case in North America.
• Airline rules. Same deal. If they are going to make such a big deal of what you can and cannot do when on board, couldn’t they see to make it a general code of practise? This one isn’t even standardized by country! West Jet allows you to have pets on board, Air Canada doesn’t. You can use your cell phone as soon as the plane lands on United Airlines, not until you get into the terminal for others. Air Canada lets you use earbud earphones (to enjoy their on-board entertainment system, of course) at all times, but no other airline I’ve been on recently lets you wear them during takeoff/landing.
• Debit Cards/Interac: everthing else is so fluid across borders, but the rules about bank account access cards just don’t follow from country to country, it seems. Maybe it’s just that Canada doesn’t have bank cards linked to major credit cards, or the right security chips… but it seems so odd to this debit-card addict that cash or credit seem to be the only option when travelling.

Can you tell I’ve been flying around a lot??

Edmonton Airport: FAIL

So I'm not too impressed with the Edmonton Airport right now.

First of all, the airport is located waaay the hell outside the town. And you have three options to get from the airport to anywhere else in the city.

• rent a car
• take the shuttle
• take a taxi

Car rentals in Edmonton right night are about $100/day.
The shuttle won't take me to a private residence, actually they will, but I have to rent out the whole van.
Taxis cost $58 dollars each direction.

Talk about unreasonable.

Edmonton, you are now on my black-list.

Take a tour of the Garden District

Here!

That's right, new photos from the New Orleans trip are up, this time of the BEAUTIFUL Garden District area.

Enjoy!

Sully's famous twin

These "blue dog" paintings are EVERYWHERE in NOLA. There are galleries dedicated to him. There are huge paintings on the exterior walls of hotels. There are books in the local bookstores.

Who knew Sully had a blue-hued doppelgänger ?

Be it ever so humble

You know, "they" are so wrong.

"They" say you can never go home again. And while a couple years ago, I would have agreed.... "they" simply just don't have the right place to go home TO.

I miss the island. I really truly do. The reason I've not been online blogging since I got home was because I've been outside enjoying the green life.

Make that lovin' it.

It's been hectic this past week.

80th birthday celebrations. Driving across provinces in mini-vans with extended family. University graduations.

And tomorrow I'll be touching down in the Big Easy for some good eatins. And excellent times.

But really, I kind of wish I were just going back to the island for another week. Because its just been glorious. Walking around on sidewalks. Playing ball with the pup in - IMAGINE - the GRASS. Reading on a spring morning out on the back lawn.

If ever I understood, it's now. Really.

There's no place like home.

Sweet, glorious sunshine....

HMMMM.... Where would I like to be right now?

Round-about route

Yep, that's the route I'm taking from Rankin Inlet to Charlottetown on Friday/Saturday. And I MEAN Friday AND Saturday. I leave Rankin on Friday after work, arrive in Edmonton at 9pm, depart Edmonton at midnight, arrive in Toronto at 6am before taking off 3 hours later and arriving home in the lovely, quaint, Charlottetown airport at noon.

I'm certainly making my aeroplan points work for me on this flight. I just checked it on Expedia, and it came to $3100. Yikes! I really honestly think that the best value-for-dollar Aeroplan tickets are through Canada's north. Shit, for 25,000 points, the farthest you can get is a "long-haul" flight within North America. And you could fly from Newfoundland to Los Angelas for less than $2000 (off-sale).

But when I booked the tickets, First Air didn't have their flight to Winnipeg... and Calm Air wasn't accepting Aeroplan redemptions... so I really had no choice (though I would have preferred to go through Ottawa). It will be hard for the pup, I'm sure (and probably for me too) but I'll just pass out on the plane once I get to Edmonton. It's not like Air Canada feeds us anyway.

So I'm heading home, sweet home. To my dear, fair isle.... and I'm waaay too ready. I'll be home for a week or so, before darting off to New Orleans for about the same amount of time. Then back to the island for another day or two, to pick up the pup and head back up north.

Yet again, zooming across the country. What can I say, I like to travel :)

Hammer-time!

Nothing makes me laugh more than a MC HAMMER slide.




Oh baby. I'm sooooo doing the MC Hammer Slide allll the way around Toronto this week. Did I mention I'm going to Toronto? Yes. Yes. I did.

I'm going for union training (talk about fun timing, downsizing anyone?) but have many excursions planned with one of the condiments including a Jay's game and Medevial Times. It will be a gong show, and I can't wait. And I leave tomorrow.

See y'all on the flipside, suckas!

Iqaluit is...

A nice place to walk around (especially when it is only -14)

A city with some pretty decent restaurants... for it's size

Really frustrating when you can hear the woman in the room next to you snore the night away

Fun because you (if you are me) get to meet up with people / friends you've not seen in a year (or more)

Full of endless wireless internet opportunities... even though there's no free wireless at the highrise anymore

Got the best value per dollar taxi cab ride in Canada. Six bucks from Apex? Ok!

A not bad place to spend the weekend... Especially when you get a per diem.

AND I swear to god if this woman snores all night again I'm going to ask for a new room tomorrow. Sweet mother of god ...

Save the date Jackie-style!

So I was going to wait until I had plane tickets and/or a hotel room booked, but I let the cat outta the bag when I was talking with TB Thursday morning (no, we don't just call one another to gossip - though there was a LITTLE bit of gossip shared - it was primarily about WORK!) so what's the point of keeping it quiet now?

Anyways so....

I'm coming to Iqaluit!!! Not for long, just for a weekend, from the 13-15th of March (probably coming back on the 16th... I'm not sure, as I said, the flights aren't booked).

So some kind of social gathering is most likely in order. I haven't been to the I-dot in ... oh wow... like a year and a half. I'm not entirely sure how much time I'll have. I'm going for Nunavut Curling Association meetings, so I'm sure there'll be lots of dry days, and hopefully not-so-dry evenings :)

So Iqaluimmivut (sure, why not?) if you wanna have a little bloggy convention or drinks or eats or ... snowman building... or whatever you crazy kids do in the territory's capital... let me know. I'm game!

Escape to the land of coral

Haha, as I wrote the title for this blog post, I was thinking "hmmm... wonder if Mr. Meandering Michael thinks I'm swiping his Queensland idea" ... but I'm not. I'm talking about a veeeryyy different type of coral.

I'm speaking of Coral Harbour, of course!

For those who aren't really all that familiar with Coral Harbour, it's located on Southampton Island, which juts out into the middle of Hudson Bay. I think it's probably the farthest "into" Hudson's Bay I'll ever get... being as most of the other little islands are uninhabited... or Sanikiluaq.

And being as it took me about a year and a half to get to Coral... and very little news-worthy takes place in Sani.... I think it's safe to say that I'll never be further out again.

So yes, I'm here for work. We happen to have a crazy shortage of reporters in Iqaluit right now (training, babies popping out, deaths in the family... broken legs... um... other natural disasters) and so we are in desperate need of stories... and the best place to send this reporter for tons of stories with quick turn-arounds is a meeting. And lo and behold, the Kivalliq Mayor's meeting is being held this week in Coral Harbour.

Yah, I know. Everyone hates meetings. But I heart them. They may be a bit tedious... but arm me with a mug full o' coffee... and a backup can of sugarfree Redbull (yes, disgusting, but necessary when you are still writing stories after 12 hours of work...) and I'm good to go. It's one-stop-shopping at its finest.

So I've been boarding with this sweet older couple in town. He's a justice of the peace, and she's cute as a button. They make me breakkie in the morning (eggs, toast, bacon/sausage... you sure you don't want cereal too??) and dinner at night... which is why I've been eating so much caribou meat! But that's okay with me, I actually really like caribou (as long as it's cooked). And it's also how I ended up eating igunak.

So for those of you who don't know, igunak is "raw walrus meat which has been wrapped and buried and left to decompose for at least a year." Sounds tasty eh? Well, as the story goes I actually didn't KNOW it was igunak until AFTER I tried it, they told me it was just regular muktah.

(And I don't actually really care for muktah, but I have a rule where if I'm offered something, especially as a guest, I try it.)

But then when the daughter was asking her mom if she wanted some, she called it igunak. And the man who offered it to me said it was probably a little "strong" for me haha. And then asked if I knew how they made it strong and I was right by answering that they wrapped and "aged it" or something along those lines.

So while I never really had any interest in trying igunak... I did, unintentionally, last night... and I will probably not partake again. I tried it. Then covertly hid what was left in the pouch of my hoodie, and disposed of it in the washroom. I don't think I fooled anyone though, haha.

But I have to say, I quite like it here. I don't know if I'd really want to live here... maybe a tad small (less than a thousand people here)... but the people are just so sweet... driving me to the hamlet office (even though it's only a five minute walk away...) loaning me a router (my Qiniq one of course managed to die as soon as I left Rankin. And that was the ONLY way I was going to be able to file items for news....man was I panic-ing about that one). Just really nice people being kind to a newcomer in town.

Much better that the "Coral Horror" stories I'd heard before I left.

Oh, and Jason from Igloolik... if you'd like to send me your mailing address, I'll send your prize... how did you know I was in Coral!??

Markets and Mexican Mores

Nearly had a bit of a crisis today. And my nearly, I mean I did... but managed to get myself out of it with just a very minor loss. And a renewed faith in the goodness of people everywhere.

So I went to the neighbouring town, La Penita today. Every Thursday the town has a market with vendors hawking everything from silver jewellery to donuts to sombreros. I had put off buying much of anything until today because I wanted to see what the grand selection was before settling on one single item.

I took a shuttle there, and a good chunk o' money was spent. I left with many shiny things and some cozy things and a couple pretty sculpture things.

I even "haggled" a bit, but not in the way I think of haggling. For me, it just means striking up a conversation and only paying what I can afford... and getting a discount for "pretty blue eyes." LOL. Those vendors really know how to flatter a lady :)

When I decided to leave, I meandered my way up the main street, snapping photos as I went. I reached the public bus back to Rincon de Guaybitos, and fumbled for my bus fare while stepping on the toes of a surly Mexican woman... before cramming myself in with the rest of my fellow bus riders.

It was a quick 10 minute ride back, and pretty uneventful... up until I reached the lobby of my resort and realized I was down a bag.

No, not the bag with the colourful Mexican blankets.

Not the bag with my pretty sculptures.

But the bag I brought WITH me to the market... yep, my purse.

A;LKDJFLAJDFOIAJSDLFKJASDKLJL *aka* ugragh!!!!

Luckily, I had PURPOSEFULLY emptied my wallet of all ID, credit cards, bank cards, valuable documents/passport when I first arrived... anticipating some sort of worst-case-scenario. I stored them in my room's safe. So all that was in my purse after the market were 1 bank card, 1 credit card, my keys and 100 pesos (aka 10 dollars).

So that was good...

Except for the keys part. My room keys and safe keys were also in my purse. NOT good. That meant if the person who found my purse was sneaky they could break into my room (has the room number engraved into it) and get into my safe.

So I talk to reception, they go into crisis management mode, calling the bus company... and I sit outside on the street curb waiting for the bus to make its way back.

After an hour, and enlisting a bellboy's help to speak with the bus drivers... and many false alarms later... I finally *think* I see the bus I took... climb aboard, make the international sign for "sad pathetic tourist who forgot her purse" ... and the unilingual-spanish driver points to the corner of the bus... where my PURSE LIES.

Yep, unreal.

I rifle through it; credit card, bank card keys and water bottle are all intact. My 100 pesos was missing, but I didn't care. As far as I was concerned I was going to give it as a reward anyways... so whoever turned it in just helped themselves. The bellboy says he thinks the bus driver took it, because he said something along the lines of "I don't know if the money is still in there..." which is kind of shady, but frankly I don't care.

It seems I dodged yet another bullet (I once actually left my passport and travellers cheques in a Marks and Spencer change room when I was in Colchester, England... and they came back to me in perfect shape), and I'm reminded how people really are inherently good. Oh, and how lucky I am.

Oh, Meh-hee-co, mi amore....

LOST in Mexico

Okay, I admit it. Like KOTN, I too... am a Lost-addict.

Maybe not to the same degree, but I've been watching the show since it first aired (I think I actually saw the premiere live... I'm a sucker for shows that are a little bit mystery, a little bit paranormal, and a lot intense) .

Lost has gotten a bad rap the past couple years. The show has a lot of potential, but they have drawn out some of the plot lines for YEARS. And I'm not talking about on-again off-again relationship plot lines (though, plenty of those too). I'm talking about "secrets" that we first were given a taste of in Season 1 ... and now entering Season 5 are only beginning to get answered.

Last year's writer's strike didn't help. I basically gave up on trying to figure out when the freaking show was on (back in the days when I didn't watch much TV, unless it was to watch something SPECIFIC) and said "whatever, I'll just watch the DVD when it comes out."

It was going to be the show's next-to-last chance. If Season 4 sucked, I was on my way out the door. Off the island. See ya.

We finished Season 4 before Christmas, and I tell you... truncated season or not, I was impressed. I was back to the tried and true tradition of yelling "WHAT?!" at the TV screen, and watching multiple episodes a night because I was so hooked.

The show premieres this Thursday, for it's fifth (of seven? That's what I've heard anyways) season.

And I'm in Mexico.

Without my laptop.

*Waaaaaaaahhhhhh.

So I have a couple options:

• I could wait till I get to Edmonton and try and download it there.
• I could try and find someone who has taped the episode (but I don't have a VCR so...)
• I could try and locate a TV with an American channel in Mexico...

But none of those feels all that likely right now. Here's hoping I solve THIS mystery (ha-ha) before Thursday comes....

Sincerely,
Lost without LOST in Mexico.

Bloggers unite! (and then tie-one-on?)

Once upon a time, many moons ago, I used to have a running tally/casual competition with a fellow blogger/friend re: how many of the Nunavut bloggers we had met in person/"knew" (and by "knew" I mean... outside the Facebook/blogspot domain).

At the time I think my tally was... five? Maybe six? Not many. And most were unintentional... and either through work or my month-long-stay in Iqaluit.

Well, all that's about to change.

Tonite, is the inaugural "Name of Town Withheld" blogging symposium. It is to be held at one of the finest establishments NTW (also known as YK) has to offer... complete with food NOT from the Co-op Inns North (where your food is guaranteed to be over-salted and under-cooked)... AND BEVVIES WITH DINNER!

For those who have never been to Rankin, there's something you should know: we don't have any bars or restaurants that serve alcohol in town. We have the legion that is (sometimes) open on Friday nights, but beyond that you have to supply your own liquids (and not from a normal liquor store either, you have to order over the phone or in person from Churchill or Iqaluit).

Now I'm not a CRAZY HUGE drinker, but sometimes a girl just wants a pretty drink. Or a mojito. Or an icy brewski. Mmmm or a daiquiri.

Okay, I'm getting a little carried away here, I'll have plenty of time for that (and more) in MEXICO, but I'm really crazy pumped for our blogging dinner.

Can't wait to meetchas all!!

And also, I may or may not have decided that Megan is the grown-up version of me. I hope you're not weirded out by this (*creepy creepy creepy* - you have to say that in a sinister voice, while drumming your fingers on your lips, all creepy-like. Just so you know) but that's the truth.

So yah, because the older version of me won the NWT BLOGGING AWARD FOR BEST BLOG... you obviously should go VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITE NUNAVUT BLOG, HERE!

**Finally, not sure how much internet access I'll have in Mexico. I'm trying to avoid taking my laptop etc. so I've set up some random posts and if I have internet I'm sure I'll be able to find something to write about**

Backup flight plan

Just in case Canadian North cancells my flight on Friday to Yellowknife... my Mom has offered to attach a couple balloons to this sucker and float the thing up to me as an escape plan:

Yep! Dug up from the archives of my parent's photo album... My First Bike (complete with My First Training Wheels, My First Banana Seat and My First Clicky-Wheel Beads)!!


Contrary to what it might look like in the above photo, I actually loved that bike. Man I was a pouty kid, couldn't even muster up a grin for the camera. Brat. :P

In case you are wondering, I must have been maybe 5 in this photo. Where did all that cuteness go??? Also, I had some indisputable fashion sense.

Vacation nit-pick-ing

So I've been stressing out about my vacation.

Yep, that's right. I'm a complete-and-utter-moron for doing it, but for some reason I couldn't help myself. It's like a little scab. If I were wise (and listened to mommy) I would just leave the bloody thing (ha-ha) alone. But no. I'm a turd. So I pick-pick-pick.

Okay, it's not QUITE like picking at a scab. Stressing about my vacation planning doesn't make me bleed (yet). But it's totally not necessary. The vacation would have been fine if I didn't start nit-picking. But I did, and so I got all stressed, and had to start writing down an "agenda" for my 9-hour stay in Edmonton.

Yep. I've lost it.

Okay, but here's the deal. I arrive in Edmonton at 8am (assuming Canadian North takes off and arrives on time) and then take off for Mexico at 17:50. I want to do some running around town (hair cut and general "southern transformation" activities - come on, you know we all do it. We wear ratty sweats in the North, then pretty shoes, blazers and cashmere scarves once we reach "civilization" once more) so I rented a car. No biggie. 30 bucks. I can handle that. That's how much it would cost me to take the shuttle into town and then back to the airport - not to mention the misc. running around, that would probably have to be done in cabs. I pat myself on the back for the wise choice.

But then I get to thinking. I don't have a lot of time. And I have a lot of things on my to-do list. And I've never been to Edmonton. And I HATE getting lost. Maybe I'll rent a GPS unit. But then I thought some more (yep, burnin' rubber all around). There have been MANY occasions recently where a GPS would come in handy. The UK trip comes to mind. As well my Winnipeg visits. I seem to be spending a lot of time in unfamiliar cities as of late. And renting adds up. We didn't get one in the UK because it was going to cost more than the rental did. Ridiculous. And post-Christmas sales were good... so I started (just this week) looking into them.

Okay long, (boring shopping) story short: Futureshit doesn't let you pick up in store. Bestbuy didn't have any of the ones I wanted in stock. The Source was being a turd. Amazon only had ones that were more than 300 bucks. There was no guarantee I'd be able to find a reasonably-priced GPS by just driving around the Edmonton outskirts (probably getting lost and missing appointments on the way). So time was ticking. I start plugging in random key words like "gps, canada, fast, ship, PLEASE!" and hit the jackpot. Expresspost shipping. On sale. And more than enough time for it to get here.

So that's good.

In the end, I think I have it all figured out. One appointment at 10. Another at 2. Hit Shopper's Drug Mart before appointment. McDonald's in-between, Walmart on the way back (maybe). And little Tom-Tom to get me there seamlessly.

Now I just have to decide what the hell I'm packing for clothes(Canadian North and Air Transat have VERY DIFFERENT baggage allowances), what books I'm going to bring (probably the hardest decision... got to have the right "mood" and I'm a big reader, so who knows how many I'll go through, sitting on the beach)... and I have to figure out what I'm doing with the dog...

And CRAP. I have to get my keyboard repaired on my laptop too. Yeesh. Apparently the stressing out has only just begun...

:)

Preparations continue...

Okay, yes I've been slacking on my blogging duties. But there's a good reason:



If you have ANY IDEA how hard it is to type without a space bar, you should feel very sympathetic right now. Because it's pretty near god-damn impossible to do. Instead of having this three-and-a-half inch button that you gently tap to get a space in-between every word...

YOU HAVE THIS LITTLE 5-MILLIMETER NUBBIN THAT YOU HAVE TO HIT SQUARE ON THE NOSE.

So yah, don't think I'm a bad blogger, just think how much it sucks that we don't have a computer repair place in Rankin. And the dumbest part of all? It came off because of that stupid little insignificant white hair you see in the photo.

Sully's of course, and I took off the space bar to clean underneath it, and now I can't get it back on again. GRRR. Trust me, it's harder than you think.

But on to the real entry...

So it took a couple weeks, but my vacation is now more or less together, and I'm just fixing up dinner arrangements and the like.

Unfortunately, despite all my nagging, bribing, and offering of totally-inappropriate sexual favours, the condiment reunion didn't come together (which reminds me, Kara, I still have to answer your question... that will be my next post, I promise!).

Which is too bad, for many reasons... but there's nothing to do but whine about it, and I think the girls feel guilty enough as is.

So after much humming and hawing...

I'm headed on my very first all-inclusive vacation to the pacific coast of Mexico in just 19 days!!!! Eeee!

Yep, I gave in. I spend WEEKS bitching about how expensive all the vacations were... and how they charge that "you suck for travelling by yourself" penalty fee... but when it came down to it, and I did the math, flying to a city and staying in a 1-star hotel (aka hostel with private room) was going to cost the same as going to an all-inclusive resort in Mexico. And that's not counting meals. Or any activities.

So instead, I've chosen to be pampered and hassle-free for a week. I can't freakin' wait.

I'll be honest, I really need this vacation. Some junk has been piling up over here in Rankin and I was VERY NEAR a burnout-and-leave earlier in December. I *think* (and hope) that the worst is over, but I feel like in the process I let a bunch of people down, and shirked on some of my commitments. I'm sorry to those it affected, but I need to put me first for a little bit. I hope to come back refreshed and with a more positive outlook.

ANYWAYS, most everything is figured out. I leave on the 16th from Rankin (a friday), meet and greet and have dinner with Madam Megan over in the snow-covered-hills, spend the night with JS v.1.0 (I'm JS v.2.0 - natch) then get on another plane bound for Edmonton in the early-AM. Then I spend from 8:30-5:30 at the Edmonton Airport (not sure what the hell I'll do then, but somehow getting my laptop space bar repaired is on the top of my list) and then I fly direct to Puerto Vallarta, arrive at almost-midnight... then hop on a bus and drive to my little resort in Rincon de Guayabitos - on the beach in a "fishing village".

I'm there until the next Sunday when I leave at 1am direct to Edmonton... arrive in the wee hours of the morning. I then plan to rent a car for the day, spend the night with my cousin and her son, do some damage at the West Edmonton Mall... and call it a day, before heading back to Rankin and work on Monday the 26th.

A week on the beach, good food and good friends ... and I should come back to Skankin' Rankin a much happier person. Horray!

And, obligatory puppy photo - in a rare "sleepy" moment.

Unravelling...

I don't know why, but I have this insatiable urge to do something wild, crazy... even irrational.
I just want to pick up and go.

Where? When? How? I don't know. I don't care. I just want to go.

Part of me wants to go far away. To escape.
Another part wants to go somewhere very familiar. To be home.
And yet another part wants to go somewhere that ISN'T home, but ISN'T completely foreign. Some place comfortable.

So what's keeping me? Ummm. The fact that I have to bring home the bacon. Or is it bread? Bring home the bacon, put bread on the table.

Oh mixing metaphors. So much fun.

But really? This whole "working for a living" is pretty dumb. You work away so much of your life, and why? Besides paying non-fun things like bills... the point is so that you have the means to do the things you like... Right?

At least that's the way thing were when we were kids. Want something? Get a job. Earn some cash from that paper route, buy that doo-dad. Rinse. Repeat.

So if we carry that logic over... we work so we can do the things we DO want. But WHEN? When when when?

Maybe I just have it all wrong. We don't work so we can do what we WANT. We work so we can LIVE.

Maybe I'm just lazy.

Maybe I lack "drive"

Maybe I'm just in a slump.

And before you go blaming it on the weather... no. It's not the weather. It's got nothing to do with this town, it has nothing to do with the arctic. It's just... I feel restless. And listless. How can you feel both restless and listless at the same time? I have no idea. But it's happened.

Maybe it's a natural part of the Jackie-cycle...

"I want, I want, I want..."

Gawd I'm such a whiner. I'm annoying MYSELF. Why do you guys come here to read / listen to me whine?

So I'm feeling restless. I'm feeling listless. I'm feeling stir crazy. I'm feeling like I need to get out of town for a bit. And I have the money to do it too... but I just don't have the TIME. I am saving up my vacation days for a trip "out and over" (aka home) in May. And the way I have it worked out is perfect ... I think.

So I can't really leave. Not really. Even though I could use it, need it, not to mention want it etc. So I guess I'll just dream of it for now. But six months does seem like an awful long time to wait. And dream.





Okay. I'm done bitching. This might have to be nominated for "most incoherent post ever" but then, I did kind of warn you with the title.

A rock and a hard place

I am so stressed out right now, it's not even funny.

And the worst part is I'm stressed out about something that should be a PLEASURE to think about. But it's not.

I think I'm going to just start hating vacation. It seems to make more sense.

So CBC North staff are given a stipend twice a year to help offset travel costs. That money appears on a paycheque in October and then again in April. In order to get that money, you have to sign a form. And you also get two "travel days" because, as we all know, it takes usually a full day to arrive "down south".

Pretty sweet deal.

But here's the catch. You have to use that stipend (aka you have to LEAVE the territory) before the next one is issued or it becomes taxable income. Otherwise its tax-free.

And now the complication: I had planned on staying in the North for Christmas. It was going to suck. I have acknowledged that. It might very well kill me. I had come to terms with that as well. But I have to have my "first Christmas away from the family" some time. And it looked like 2008 was going to be it.

The trade-off was I was going to try to go to PEI in the spring/late winter. A year is a long time to go without seeing your dad and your grandfather.

But my sister graduates this year. And I missed her high school graduation and prom because I was in France. I can't miss her university graduation. Her graduation is in May.

And the boy and I had talked about going on vacation in April and/or August.

And there had been tentative discussions of a condiment reunion (perhaps somewhere HOT) this year during Robyn's spring break. But those were very tentative plans.

And my mom just pointed out that while I had used up all my vacation (and even had to take days without pay) in August... the way the vacation is set up this year I would only have to take the 29-31st off to get over a week off (CBC gives employees the 25th, 26th and 1st and 2nd). Meaning I would have enough time to go home to PEI after all, with only taking a few days off.

Oh, and I've also got to try and juggle the cost of a plane ticket out of here with the temptation to use the extra cash to pay off debts and the like.

I just can't deal with all this. No matter what I do, no matter what I decide I am going to disappoint someone. And in the end it just seems like I'm going on vacations for OTHER people. And I don't have enough time or money to do all of them.

So I'm tempted to just become a hermit and build myself an igloo and live in it for the next year so I don't have to deal with any of this.

Sick in Scotland

A longer entry will follow... I wrote it this AM but in my stupor, left it with my bags at the hostel, where I am not... and then decided to write a blog entry.

Oh well.

Synopsis:

I either have a serious case of allergies kicking my ass... or a head cold. It's probably been a full year since my allergies have killed me (bonus for the North: nothing really GROWS there... and so no seasonal allergies), so I can't really tell which one is at fault.

Either way, my throat hurts, my ears are plugged, my nose is stuffy and I'm VERY dopey. I hit the drug store this AM as soon as it opened and stocked up on whatever I could find, and have been chugging back orange juice in hopes it might boost my immune system.

All I have to say is that I'm glad to be in an english-speaking country while feeling like this. If I were in France or Greece right now, life would be much less bearable... the pharmacies there are "talk to a person behind a counter in a language you don't speak and hope you are given the right non-prescription medication." Very tricky.

But I'm alive. A bit groggy, and a tad tired, but alive.