Last Day in Boston

Today is our last day in Boston. Sad, but true. Bruce is just finishing up at his conference and then it's off to catch the train to New York! Wish us luck...we have way too much crap to lug along with us! How does luggage grow so much?! Anyway, we got up early to head to North Boston (Little Italy to tourists) for a latte and something sweet for breakfast! We ended up at Mike's Pastries, a little gem in North Boston! Bruce and I swear that Mafia were sitting right beside us - classic! We strolled back to Government Centre to catch the subway and stumbled across the Auschwitz memorial, which was beautiful and very intense. We also happened by a fresh market just across from Dirty Nelly's (an Irish pub). When Bruce attended his morning session I walked down Newbury Street as the sun was out and it was beautiful! Then I strolled down the street and happened upon a beautiful old church and took some pictures. I kept exploring and came across the Church of Science, not Scientology, as their faith is based on the Bible apparently. Who knew?! In any event, the building was spectucular - if only I had discovered it earlier I could have taken a free tour. Oh well, I have to save something for when we visit again! Right now I'm waiting for Bruce in the lobby so we can embark on our adventure to the train station! Next stop - NEW YORK!!!

More of Boston

So it's my fifth day in Boston and my first day completely on my own in Boston. Bruce's conference started today. We had breakfast together and then I hit the gym, which is the nicest hotel gym I have ever seen! I freshened up and then hopped on the 'T' heading to the Museum of Science. Unfortunately it would have been way more fun if I had someone to play with there. It's really geared towards kids and it's fantastic! But again, I was bored as there was nobody to share it with. So I hopped back on the 'T' and got off at Government Centre to visit Faneuil Market. Had a bite to eat and then decided I'd just go for a walk. I have to confess something very silly. I still don't know how to cross a street here...I mean legally. There's walk signs on at the same time going across the street both ways...people cross when the hand's flashing. I just go with people. I figure as long as I'm in the middle of the crowd I have a chance of surviving a car strike! Ha ha ha! Anyway, I stumbled across the Boston Common and then Commonwealth Avenue. I just kept walking and then all of a sudden I recognised a neighbourhood - I had walked all the way back to our hotel! We're off to dinner with my cousin and her husband tonight, Italian food on Newbury Street. It's finally warming up so I hope New York is more in Spring when we finally get there!

Boston

We made it! It took us most of the day Saturday to get here but we're here! We got to our hotel at about 7 pm and unpacked our suitcases and ventured out to find some dinner. We ended up eating at this little Thai restaurant and it was delicious! On our way bak we passed the Mandarin Oriental hotel and there was a Ferrari, a Rolls Royce and the poor man's car here is a Mercedes Benz! Absolutely nuts! Bruce wants to go to that restaurant/bar in the hotel. For what I don't know...he didn't bring nice enough shoes. Ha ha ha!

Tomorrow we're heading to Boston Common, Faneuil Hall, and the USS Constitution. Monday we're gonna head on over to Harvard and check it out. So much to see here and I found a fabulous mall attached to the hotel! I don't even have to go outside! Watch out! I knew we should've called VISA to tell them we'd be in Boston and New York...hope they don't freeze my credit card - I'm gonna need it!

Getting Ready

Well it's less than two days until we go to Boston! I finally started packing! I know there's nothing like the last minute...well that's in my world. Bruce's world is different. He literally waits until the last minute...he's not even home tonight. In his defense, he is very busy and has a lot on his plate. I wish I could pack for him but I don't know what he wants to bring. Sigh...

I picked up some US cash, emptied the garbages, packed Neko's stuff, did a load of dishes, a load of laundry, watered plants and vacuumed. There's nothing worse than coming home from a vacation to a dirty house, who wants to work after you finally reached a state of relaxed normal...is that a state?! In any event, we get in just after midnight on the 31st and we're both off to work the next day! By the time we pick up our bags, get through customs and make the drive back to the north end of the city, it'll be close to 2am! I usually get up at 5:45 to go to work...should be interesting!!!

Luck of the Irish

So wouldn't you know that yesterday was my lucky day...timing couldn't be more appropriate! I won second prize in the United Way prize board - $50 cash!!! Wooohooo! I've never won anything before, well not totally true...I've won coffee and donuts on Roll Up the Rim to Win (not this time around though, I think it was last year now). Anyway, I blew it all already! Yup, nothing like free money to help you kick start the economy. Ok...fifty bucks probably won't be that much of a kick but how about a nudge? A poke? No? Sigh. Well my hair is happy, I spent $40 on a haircut and the leftover went to coffees and Timbits for work. It was fun while it lasted!

I'm Gonna Pump You Up!

You better believe it! The Bowflex came today!!! Totally awesome! Bruce and I started putting it together at about 5:45 and now his dad and he are finishing it up (it's 8:15)! Not that we couldn't do it by ourselves as it's not all that hard but we were missing a couple of tools and since Bruce's dad is the handiest of handy men, a call was warranted for some help!

Once it's all put together, we'll need to sit down and watch the instructional video that came with it. This puts IKEA to shame! Not only did we get detailed instructions, all the bolts and nuts etc. were labelled, and we got a DVD to watch about it! I'm so pumped just thinking about it! The really nice thing about this is that I can come home from work, put whatever meat in the sink to thaw or put some veggies in the oven while I go upstairs to work out. I can even hear the oven timer from up there! I seriously think I'll be able to shave off some serious time in my schedule after work...and get cut doing it!!! Ok, ok, don't hold me to that last comment just in case I don't see those kind of results right away!

Something Out of My Norm

Bruce and I spent the weekend at NAIT attending a photography workshop with Jesh de Rox and Rob & Lauren. This isn't something I regularly do - attend photography sessions - it takes me out of my element and I tend to get very shy around people who are photographers because I don't want them to think I don't know anything or that I'm a spy! However, I got lots out of this weekend and it was nice not running around doing chores and really fun spending some quality time, sharing new and interesting information together!


Jesh de Rox not only has a kick-ass name but he is also a very talented and gifted artist! He spent the majority of his presentation talking about being authentic, practicing bravery, what genius means. I thought his lecture could cross many disciplines, it was not soley photography based. You could apply his ideas to almost any segment of your life. I found that refreshing that even though you came to a photography lecture, you walked away with some life lessons! You know I'm all about life lessons!

Rob & Lauren are also fabulous photographers and we have spent some time with them before at one of their 'chill sessions'. They focused more on the business side of photography and I found myself taking more notes on Sunday than Saturday. They were generous with their thoughts, tips and ideas. All in all, the weekend was a really good mix of thinking of who you are when you click that shutter and how your branding attracts the kind of clients that you want to work with! I also really enjoyed sharing Bruce's world a little more and am really happy that he invites me in to that world!

I Just Love a Deal

I am a savvy shopper! Yup, that's right...if there's a deal I'll find it...I'll track it down, I'll make something work for me! Just bought a Bowflex! Yup - watch out! I'm gonna get pumped! I figure I may as well put my Health and Wellness account to work for me...end of this fiscal year with the new one just around the corner and my ability to bridge my purchase, divide the remainder in half cuz I'm gonna share it with Bruce and we're gonna be a couple to be reckoned with! Oh that's not a threat - that there's a promise! Ha!

Oh and I found a hotel room in Banff for $70 when we go for a friend's wedding in April! There was 'stay at the Springs for over $300', a steal of a deal at Banff Delta for $170 but c'mon...I'm a professional! You know it...$70 for a room at Bumper's Inn with a queen size bed and a hair dryer in the bathroom! Wooohooo! This year's all about cutting back and saving money. I even bought a different type of margarine at Sobey's today because it was a dollar cheaper...I can spend that dollar on a chance to win the money board at work! That could turn into thousands! It's just like that trade-up game! What's tomorrow gonna bring?!

I Like Being an Adult

So I kinda had an a-ha moment this afternoon. I had to go to this meeting for my manager and an old manager of mine was there. An old manager that I didn't get along with...at all. Anyway, I didn't want to talk to her so, I didn't! Isn't that awesome?! Oh...the a-ha moment? Realizing that I'm an adult and if I don't want to talk to someone I don't have to! Kind of funny if you think about it though. That's kind of a childish thing to do...not talking to someone cuz you don't like them. I may have got reprimanded for that when Iwas little but now that I'm an adult...I can act like a kid! Hmmm...

It's Official

Yup, you read right. It's official. I am officially an adult! I paid my ticket. I went down to the courthouse this morning and met with a Justice of the Peace to discuss that pesky bus lane ticket I got a few weeks back. I'm gonna sound pretty snobby when I say this next thing but so be it - I was the best dressed one in line at traffic court! Ha ha ha! Some guy was talking about how he got a $175 ticket for walking home drunk. Can you believe it?! He told the cops that he shoulda just drove home, and the cop screamed, "You would've driven drunk?" And the guy said at least he could've avoided them. The Justice of the Peace knocked $58 off my ticket but the demerits stayed - damn! Apparently you have 14 demerits to lose on a license but the good news is if you do lose some, they're only lost for two years and then they're wiped out and you're good to go!

The best thing happened at work today - the power went out for almost an entire hour! I felt like I was eight again...it was like...recess! It wasn't dark or anything cuz it was daytime and there's lots of windows but the computers weren't working, the photocopiers didn't work, you couldn't get hot water but it wasn't even an hour so that didn't matter all that much. However, I did make sure people knew to ration their snacks and eased their minds by letting them know I could make a fire in a garbage can if need be! Always looking out for my neighbour!

Gotta run. The timer just went off and I have to get my lemon poppy seed loaf outta the oven so I can bring it to work to share with my friends! Night!

“We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.”

- Buddha

Not Enough Time in the Day

I've said it before and I'll say it again...sometimes work gets in the way of my day! If I didn't have to be at work I could accomplish so much more in a day. If they gave me a day off in the middle of the week, I'd venture to say that I'd be twice as productive at work. I wouldn't be making up to-do lists of things I need to get done in my normal life while I'm supposed to be focused on answering those darn written questions for return!

I have two books from the library that I need to finish reading...but work's getting in the way. However, they're from the library at work...so technically they're work-related. Do you think they'd buy that?! Gotta make some time for those gems...ones on rediscovering joy and wonder (cuz you know work sucks the life right outta ya) and the other is on Monster Bosses (surviving when your boss is a nightmare). Definately some good reading ahead of me!

Since we're on the subject of work, I think I'll vocalize how blind upper management is. Screw upper management, management overall...that is at least in my area. When asked for your opinion, you'd expect that the person asking actually wants to know and cares about what you have to say otherwise why ask the question, right?! Apparently not so. I think they ask because they are taught to, make sure you ask so you can check it off your list. It's almost as good as reporting on your performance management contract that you sent me a thank you card. Aren't you supposed to send a thank you card to show that you're sincerely grateful for what someone has done for you? Well if you're management you send a card so you can get a check mark - there's no sincerity in any of it! How can I give you honesty when I know you're closing your eyes or turning your head just enough so that you can't hear what I have to say?!

Enough ranting already...I have to finish my to-do list and get reading! Damn work.