I feel super dirty.

While driving home through New Westminster yesterday, I saw PF's secret couple, Jeff and Judy (two J's...how fun), walking along Royal Avenue, holding hands. I felt like a voyeur, or a peeping tom. But in a way, it was quite sweet and really life-affirming that those two crazy kids have found each other.

But I still feel dirty.

A horrible thing happened today.

I came home from work/slavery (there's a story to save for later), and after dinner, while I was washing the dishes, my dad picked up a pile of papers from the kitchen table and asked "So when did you write this?"

Instantly, my mind was racing, trying to remember what I've written recently. I looked at my mother's face for a clue. She was holding four aces and not showing it.

I thought to myself "Shit, now what do I do?"

So I asked my dad what he was holding. They explained that they had found it lying around, it's a story I wrote for school. Of course, I'm wondering which one it is. Sometimes the parents don't fair too well when their kids tell stories. However, this turned out okay. It was the story I handed in last week for the "family incident" assignment.

My dad said that my mother laughed to herself while she read through it. No, he said "giggled", and she immediately got pissed because Marian does not giggle; that would be childish. I was glad that she enjoyed the story. I'm not going to go into the details because I want to see if everyone in class can tell this time that I wrote it. We'll see.

She's in the kitchen right now laughing as she reads it the third time. I guess that we needed this break. Tomorrow is my cousin's service and my dad is going for back surgery on Thursday. The fun assignment I got earlier this week at the magazine listed dramatically into the danger zone, but I managed to get it upright by the end of the day. I hope that it stays that way. I'm writing health tips for the alive calendar which will go out to customers and clients next year. My name probably won't be on it, but it will be something different to put in my portfolio.

She's reading James' travel story from last week. I thought that she would be laughing more.

My string of short entries continues.

I forgot that I was going to post this weeks ago. Here's a link to Knuston Hall, which is where my infamous travel story took place. If you click on "facilities" in the left tool bar, and then click "grounds and gardens", you can find more photos of the place. Despite whatever negative feelings my story might have conjured, for me, this place brings back nothing but good memories. I admit that some things that happened there were really strange and border on dysfunctional. But still, it was a good time. Perhaps I'll get off my lazy ass and post some photos.

On the other hand, my cousin with the brain tumour died early on Thursday. In the end, I think that he was tired. I know that he was in a lot of pain. It was unfortunate that he got sick, but at the risk of sounding a bit heartless, I'm glad that it is over.

And to add to the festivities...my dad is going in for back surgery next week.

I need a huge umbrella because the shit is pouring down.

Good news...it cost just $906 to fix my car. Bad news...that was just the alternator and the brakes. But at least I feel safer.

I really, really hate Personal Therapy class.

My family incident is shite and unfinished.

I wish that I could care less.

I'm shitting my pants because I just sat down to write my about my "family incident" for Calvin's class, and I realized that the one I had in mind might not be significant enough. I'm trying to steer away from the blood and the drama...I think that I'm getting a reputation...so I was thinking that I could write about a happy-ish incident. But now that I read that the assignment sheet says that the event should be significant, I realize that unless I get a little creative, then the story I had in mind is rather minor.

The problem is that my memory really sucks, and I don't want to have to ask my mommy what I should write about. Maybe I'll pull out some old photo albums and see what comes up. Wish me luck.

PS: After all the complaining about the car, I went to the casino yesterday and won $240. That'll probably go to the car, so...not a huge gain.

For all of you out there who don't have a car, here's a little secret: owning a car sucks.

It sucks ass; it sucks gas; and sometime this week, it will suck a lot of cash out of my bank account.

The fucker started a pity spiral on Thursday when the battery light came on. I took it to the car-fixer yesterday, who gleefully told me that the alternator needs replacing ($400 + labour), the front brakes need doing (about $250), the cushings/bushing (I have no idea) need doing (another few hundred $), and he reminded me that the last time I was in, the oil pan busted (I can't remember, but I think that was around $400). I'm looking at a minimum of $1,000, here, which seriously throws a monkey wrench into used book buying. Meanwhile, I'm sure that the car-fixer was so excited that he probably had a hard-on.

Bastard.

I started a new deodorant today. It smells like Windex. Who the hell makes deodorant that smells like Windex? Who brought that up at a meeting, and who were the idiots who said, "Fuck, YA! Pits that smell like Windex!Good idea."

And the sad part is that I'm too cheap to just throw it away and start over.

I know, I know. I've badgered other people into posting, namely meladuck and Brat, and then disappeared. It's completely unfair. But just so you know...I do appreciate being able to keep up with you all.

There's two things that are causing my blogging glut...too much time and too little time. The lovely, enjoyable internship continues long after we finished our hours. Last week, we got to attend a company "community" day (which involved listening to accountants drone about numbers, and salesmen drone about sales), but there was a free dinner at the end, so who's going to pass on that? Then on Friday, we went rowing at the Delta Rowing Club (on Deas Island) as part of our editorial retreat. It didn't rain; we stayed in the boat; no one got wet or hurt. In all, it was a good day. The bigger picture of the internship is that the editing, proofreading, writing, and researching all continue, as do the cake parties. Someone brought in taffy today, so everyone was snacking. Not a lot of conversations, though, due to the stickiness.

And I'm working 2 nights at the golf course. Not fun. I hate weddings. Everyone feels that they're so special when they get married. Talk to me in 25 years when you're still together (hell, I'll take 5 years), and then I'll think you're special. I'm hoping to be able to quit that soon. I'll miss the benefits (40% off at Future Shop), but I won't miss the assholes. By that I mean the customers, not the staff. The staff is great. (I edited an essay for a friend...now they all want help. How much should I charge them because I'm not going out to dinner with all of them.)

I got an email from ex-classmate Barb Dowman. She sounds busy and probably happier. We're talking about meeting for lunch. I'll report back after I see her (she's writing for the Ministry of Health).

Other than that, I'm enjoying Personal Therapy on Wednesday nights. The homework sucks, but it's a good time to get together and see people (I still miss EvilXine). I can't wait to hear Ed's comments. Last week he threatened not to say anything...please help us convince him that not only is he funny, but he has good things to say.

I'm getting bleary-eyed. Time to go. See you all on Wednesday (and maybe Saturday).