Friday Was My Day

I volunteered yesterday and it was great. I saw some people I hadn't seen in a while, got complimented on my haircut, and was able to give the right information to someone who needed it.

One nice thing about volunteering is the flexibility. If I am sick or busy I can phone in and say I can't make it. My position isn't essential but it makes things easier for my coworkers.

I think a number of volunteers quit after the funding for honorariums dried up. The cash wasn't great, but it helped and it was an incentive for many. I realized that the money was secondary to the work and social aspects. The place is an 'anchor' for me as it keeps me grounded and "forces" me to be more social.

After work a coworker/friend and I went to the WIN discount store on Pandora. I bought a pullover shirt for about five bucks and a belt for seven. The "biker belt" is made of thick black leather and has studs on it. It should last a long time.

My friend and I then went to Szechuan City for supper. I ate a lot and enjoyed myself. I think I could live on the prawns, the sweet and sour pork, and the mango pudding/jelly thingy.

I hope your weekend is going well.

Cheers.

My Birthday

Yesterday was my birthday and I turned 21 again (hehe, yeah right). I wanted to relax a bit, read, and catch up with BBD blogging but things didn't work out that way. I relaxed and finished my novel but instead of blogging I cleaned my bathroom.

I was ready to go eat and my parents called to wish me happy birthday. I was on the phone for quite a while and we had a good visit. They even sang "Happy Birthday" for me. :)

I finally got to go eat at 9pm. OSF had some new desert selections so I tried cheesecake with strawberries and ice cream. It was delicious!

I didn't get a photo of my treat so I made the following 3D cake for you to savor. It took forever to get what I wanted. For the cake/icing I used a texture representing snow covered rock.



Now I am ready to get back to my blog projects and have lots to do.

Cheers.

Nice Day

I caught the 27 bus to Hillside Centre after my late lunch. I haven't been there for months. I had a good browsing session in Bolen Books but didn't buy anything.

I had a snack at the Tim Horton's in the food court. I haven't had their donuts in ages! I had a old fashioned glazed donut and a Boston Cream Pie donut. I used to love the latter but now they taste too sweet.

I caught the number 4 bus downtown and transferred to get home.

Today was a nice day.

UnSick

The last two days haven't been fun. I wanted to go to my Friday volunteer job but was too tired. I tried to sleep but that is hard with stomach problems. Every time I rolled over I aggravated my stomach. I also was coughing up stomach acid. Meh, what a pain.

Yesterday, I caught up on sleep and then went out for pasta. I didn't have anything spicy and I cut back on the coffee. So far I feel fine.

I have blog projects to work on and other things to attend to. I hope the rest of the weekend goes well.

Yesterday In Cockney And Redneck

Cockney

Yesterday several fings were irritatin' me. One of them bein' a spam...er "blogger" 'oo bypassed word verification ter spam a blog, init?The final stror came wen I came across an example blog I fought were a spam bog.

I ended up bloggin' wile angry and tired. That is never a right good idea. I deleted the post I wrote because it bovvered me. I may use parts of it in anuvver post.

Yesterday weren't all bad. I got ter practise readin' some Dutch.(Thanks Men! Blimey!) I'm still pretty weak at it but I'm learnin' and I use Babelfish wen I cop stuck, right?

Redneck

Yestiddy sevahal thin's were irritatin' me. One of them bein' a spam, dawgone it...er "blogger" who bypassed wo'd vahificashun t'spam a blog, acco'din' t' th' code o' th' heells! Th' final straw came when ah came acrost an example blog ah thunk was a spam blog, acco'din' t' th' code o' th' heells!

Ah ended up bloggin' while angry an' tired, cuss it all t' tarnation. Thet is nevah a fine idea. ah deleted th' post ah wrote on account o' it bothard me. ah may use parts of it in t'other post.

Yestiddy warn't all bad, cuss it all t' tarnation. ah gotta prackise readin' some Dutch.(Thanks Men! Fry mah hide!) ah's still purdy weak at it but ah's larnin'an' ah use Babe'fish when ah git stuck. Shet mah mouth!
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This post was created using The Dialectizer - which I have mentioned before in this blog. Thanks to Comyn for reminding me of it.

A Busy Day Made Me Tired

Today was a good day and a busy one. I was at my usual Friday volunteer job and the shift went well. Afterwards I had an early supper with a friend and we talked about computer stuff and other topics. One of the things we discussed was whether or not to create a mental health group blog.

I have another blog to list a BBD but I need to email the blogger for some info first. I wrote a post the other day saying 33 blogs were listed. Already that post is out of date. The directory continues to grow.

I added an "ad free blog" icon to the sidebar. I decided to express my opinion about ads on blogs. I am not totally against advertising but get tired of being bombarded by ads. Free services like Blogger are a nice change from commercial sites and it is a shame that adverts compete with content for space and our attention spans.

I would like to mention another addition to the sidebar. I added a mini survey about how you read Firemind. Please take some time to check it out.

Snow And Other Oddities

It snowed yesterday and things were a little slow at some businesses. Victoria didn't quite disappear but many of us stayed inside so it might as well have. Some brave souls went out to see how much snow we had accumulated.

It might have been snowing outside but I was 'steaming' inside. People seem to think Christmas cards and/or presents are a currency you exchange for phone calls, letters, or emails. They're not. They are gifts. Furthermore, people who only acknowledge me every few months can wait a week or two for my email.

I was thinking about the Christmas card issue when I visited MySpace for the first time in two weeks. Most of the bulletins were from one friend who hasn't said hello since November. I felt like he was demanding attention but not willing to reach out to people. I thought of deleting him as a contact but then decided to just write a quick note to everyone saying hello. The note became a 'say hello or delete me' post. The guy IMed me and we chatted for about 30 minutes. It was nice.

The last 24 hours have been so odd.

Ordinary Day With A Brash Rash

Today wasn't too bad. I did some clean up and marveled at all the paper I had accumulated. Luckily I found a bill I overlooked and paid it! ^__^

I popped up town and took care of the bill and a few other things and then went for a Cafe Mocha. I looked at books and magazines but didn't buy anything.

I have a rash in an embarrassing place. It itches at the worst times but luckily I haven't had to hide in a corner to take care of it. Haha.

Cheers.

Blogging Away The Cold

It is cold outside and the snow is still around. I didn't venture out much except to eat some Fish & Chips. LJ has posted some photos of Victoria in the snow.

Except for a slight headache I am fine. Men-a-men, however was sick today. Stop in and wish him a speedy recovery.

I stopped in at Shutterview to read Nic's latest post. He posted another funny video in his Fresh Faced Comic series.

I haven't played around with my art programs recently because I have been busy with blogs. I did find time to give one artist some feedback. Check out Duncan's drawing and give him some feedback.

When my blogfriends check their stats they may see readers coming from my blog. That may be boring compared to some things statcounters can show. My latest funny keyword search is:

does laughing create braincells?

I say it does - I mean the person was smart enough to find Firemind and hopefully will have a laugh while reading here. They might even learn something. ^__^

Cheers.

Bombs

Bombs by firemind.

I went to "Navy Days" a while ago at Ogden Point.

I had an interesting discussion with the guy at this display.

There was an armoured suit there and a remotely controlled tracked vehicle too.

I only took a few photos. They can be found at my Flickr site.

Fun Days

I have been feeling okay these last few days. I have been tired at times, and I was lonesome last night, but over all things have been fine.

Yesterday I had a nice chat with a friend I hadn't talked to for a while. I then got about two hours sleep and went to breakfast and work. My volunteer shift went well and set the tone for the rest of the day - which was busy but not overwhelming.

Last night I was going to blog and noticed that I was close to writing my 1100th post. I thought about how different things were now from when I wrote my 1000th post and that made me sad. Things are fine but just different and I am still trying to implement some of the changes I want. Part of me says I should be patient with myself. Part of me wants me to "get on with it".

I have been wondering if it is time to change things with this blog. I do have more things to write here though. Posts that wouldn't fit somewhere else.

Today I rested a lot and went out for dinner. Tonight I had a very funny chat with another friend I haven't talked to for a while. It was good to laugh!

I hope you are all well.

Cheers.

Been Busy

My weekend was a busy one and good for the most part. I had one bad morning where I couldn't stop brooding and being angry but I got through that.

Friday: I volunteered and it was busy but not too hectic. I signed up to attend a conference in November.

Saturday: I went to "Navy Days" at Ogden Point and looked at military equipment and displays. I also talked to some interesting people and took photos. Most of the Armed Forces units in Victoria participated.

Sunday: The morning was rough and I didn't sleep at all. I managed to have lunch with friends and then slept a lot later.

These last few days I have been thinking and when I had enough of that I have been reading novels.

Sometimes things seem over but then come back. Luckily the hard things come back easier each time. Decisions hurt but the alternative is to let indecision fester and burn. The main thing is that as my mind clears a little more I can see beyond the past and present and hope for the future. I am not turning my back on anyone but helping myself. Sometimes I have to over-react to get the painful things done.

There is someone I need to talk to but I am nervous about it. It is time.

Been Sick

I guess 'sick' is the word for it. I haven't felt well these last few days and spent most of the time asleep. The good news is I ate some food this morning and held it down. I also feel better.

I may post a pic later.

My Colour Is Blue

I am fighting a cold or something right now. I felt run-down and sore when I was writing the previous post. I took one of those blue nighttime cold caplets and read for a few hours. I then set my alarm and slept for 7 or 8 hours. I felt better when I woke up but didn't have any energy. I rested all day and finally went for some fish and chips. I didn't feel too bad.

Last night I was starting to feel worn again so I lay down and read. I couldn't sleep. I decided to have another blue pill and a snack. The medicine may be premature but I hate being sick. I have too many things to do without worrying about being sick. Thinking about illness and about other things was making me feel blue - in the I-am-depressed sense

Writing always helps a bit when I am feeling down. I was starting this post and thought about the different meanings of blue. Then I thought of the Blue Sky. In that sense it is a 'nice' sense of blue. It is cheery and safe in moderate amounts. It comes when darkness has passed but always leaves. It is like living with depression or another illness.

I sometimes get nervous when I get sick. It's not bad when it is just a cold or something mild. When I get the stomach heaving cramps or nausea I sweat as much from fear as from fever. Those were the symptoms I felt just before I went into a coma-like state while being rushed to the hospital. I was suffering from pneumonia in both lungs.

Being sick is one time I hate being independent. There is no one around to take care of me and catch me if I fall. Being blue due to depression seems easy compared to being physically ill. The truth is that fevers break or people die. Depression can last a lifetime and influence your job, your education, and your relationships.

There is one thing depression has over physical illness: it doesn't scare me. It hurts, and can be frustrating, but I can always push it away. I can do this myself. When I had pneumonia I would have died without help. I lost my independence in order to live.

I have often wondered why blue is one of my favourite colours.

Monday

I went out for brunch and then went up town. I started with a jacket but stepped back inside to take it off because it was so warm.

I stopped in at the office to pick up some information about an agency. I visited for a while and then helped out for a little bit. Idle hands get put to work. ^__^

I wandered over to A&B Sound and checked out Tegan and Sara CDs. Next I went to the Starbucks inside Chapters. I had a latte and sat in one of the window seats watching people walking in the street.

People watching can be fun. Everyone has their own style of clothes, or hair, and their own mannerisms. Looking from the second floor window at Chapters: I see them as small glimpses of individual stories moving through my perceptions. Another way to see it is that they are all aspects of my story. Bits of setting and plot giving texture to something bigger.

I walked home and was happy to provide a much needed nose scratch to one of the carriage horses that work in the area. The horse gave me a "don't stop" look when I pulled my hand away.

Last night I read, chatted with friends, and listened to music.

A Good Day

Sunday (yesterday) was a good day. It wasn't an easy day but it was good.

In the early morning I got to talk with one friend and deal with some things. Last night I talked with another and this helped too. One thing friends are good for is helping people work out problems.

I feel like I am doing something to help myself rather than just sit still and fret over what happens to me. The more important a change is to me: the more I want to think it through before acting. Sometimes that doesn't work.

I think I am making progress.

Last night I worked on things a different way. I took a break from them.

I popped online, checked movie times, said a quick "hello" to a friend, and then dashed off to catch the bus.

The movie I saw was Flyboys and I really enjoyed it. The movie is about American fighter pilots who fought for France in WW1. The characters are interesting and the action is exciting (just remember your air-sickness bag, LOL).

That was my day.

Cheers.

Mixed Feelings

Yesterday, I finally caught up on my sleep. The mix of stress and lack of sleep was wearing me down but I made up for it by being comatose for a long time. When I woke up I went out to eat and had to pace myself so I wouldn't get sick. Things worked out okay.

Today was volunteer day and I was happy to go to the office. For a while it was very busy and we had some intense people to deal with. I was happy when the day was done.

I wandered around visiting bookstores until I was hungry. I had bangers and mash for dinner at the pub. It was great.

When I got home I got playing around with some code for a website and found I could do some extra stuff with it. (No, I am not turning into a hacker. Haha.) Some sites are poorly designed.

I am still adapting to the changes in my friends. I will be fine but things seem odd now.

Rest Fixes Stress

I finally got to talk to someone the other day and a 'switch' went off inside and my stress left me. Weird but true. Sometimes that is how my mind works.

I was planning on going to a volunteer function on Wednesday but my body wouldn't let me. All I could do was sleep and rest and dream. Sometimes sleep is a refuge and sometimes it is a re-charger for the brain. These last few days it has been a bit of both.

Now I just have to figure out what needs to be done and to get to it.

Doctor Soup

Today I went to see the doctor to renew a prescription. My old doctor has moved away so I had to get to know my new one. He seems okay. We went over a lot of stuff in the 15 minutes I was there. At one point he asked if I was single and I said I was but wanted to meet someone. He gave me a one sentence reminder about safe sex and condoms.

While I was waiting for the doctor I weighed myself on a scale. I usually weigh around 180 lbs but I am now 175 (80 kilos). I must be doing something right. ^_^

I had a snack afterwards and then went to a bookstore for a while. When I came out it was raining and I had just missed the bus. As I waited I noticed I was hungry again. I was going to go to the grocery but decided to eat uptown.

I didn't mind eating out since I cooked supper yesterday. I combined canned potatoes and a can of cream of mushroom soup. I was chatting with a friend as I made it and he kept going "Eeewww" when I described my 'Potato Mushroom Soup'. The soup was actually okay if somewhat boring. Things could have been worse. I could have been combining olives and cream or ketchup and cheesecake. Just thinking about these makes me go "Eeeeww!" ^__^

Cheers.

Making Progress

This morning I am feeling down but that is due to emotional fatigue and general depression. It is a pain but not like what I went through a few days ago. I know what I have to do in the next couple of days and that should help with this.

I have browsed several blogs but haven't had time to really catch up on my reading. I hope to do that in the next few days. I have been able to talk to family and friends.

I had a nice long talk with my parents on Monday. I wondered if it would be about what I have been feeling lately, but it was more of the usual sharing of time and news. I haven't talked to my parents about 'problems' for years.

I had a nice chat with Stephen that same night. It was fun to catch up on news and joke around. As usual our conversation turned to his art classes and I checked out his latest work. I figured out most of the components in this picture. Can you?

I have been thinking about what I want to blog about. Several friends have commented/asked questions about my Directions post so I plan a "Directions 2" to add to it. I will also write about some of my memories such as the time I climbed a mountain and when I went ghost hunting in York.

Many of you know Shogun through this blog, his blog, or our group blogs. Lately he has been struggling to keep his blog going and finally decided to stop blogging - at least for now. He gave me permission to write a post to follow up the ones I wrote in July.

This weekend I felt like I was trapped between the past and the future. Now I feel like I am going forward again.

Cheers.