Month: June 2013

The Daily EO: June 25th, 2013

You know that moment when you realize “It’s too late now”? I unfortunately had one of those when I watched the student awkwardly chop a hunk off my hair that I really don’t think was supposed to be removed.

There wasn’t much I could do at that point – and I wondered about where the instructor was, but I went through the stages of grief pretty quickly.

What? Did you really just do that? You stupid girl! I wonder if I can get a discount on my next hair cut? Alas, I am not as pretty as I was once. Well, it will grow back.

June 24th, 2013 Extra-ordinary: My psychology degree comes through.

The Daily EO: June 24th, 2013

For some reason the city of Vancouver decided to shut down Powell from today until summer 2014. The signs state “find an alternative route”. I ranted like a fool to Emile when they first put the signs up, claiming the start of a letter writing campaign and predicting the uprising of the people. But unlike HST, nobody seemed too concerned with the new traffic direction we were having to take.

I hate driving down Hastings as it bunch of pedestrian controlled green lights. It takes forever and my commute just got worse. Sigh.

June 24th, 2013, Extra-ordinary: Turns out that traffic is pretty quiet anywhere out of the city at 7 am.

The Daily EO: June 23rd, 2013

Emile and I went to the ScotiaBank 5K this weekend.  And it hurt me.  My butt is sore, my legs are sore, my shoulders.  My pride a little.  What seemed like something I should easily do, was really difficult.  But I did it.

June 23rd, 2013 Extra-Ordinary:

Scotiabank Vancouver 5K:  Vancouver, British Columbia, June 23, 2013 (5K)

Emile Results:
Time:  26:14
Overall Finish:  99th
Gender Finish:  75th
Category Finish:  9th

Susan Results:
Time:  34:25 (weirdly tied with Chocolate Race Results)
Overall Finish:  517th
Gender Finish:  294th
Category Finish:  34th

The Daily EO: June 21st, 2013

In Gastown tonight there was a music festival that shut down Water Street.  150 independent musical acts in about 15 different pavilions.  This was a dream come true for Emile – a large group of people, late evening light and music.  His camera and he were anxious to get going.

It ran from 5-10, and I arrived home at 6 frazzled due to ridiculous traffic.  And I didn’t want to go out, I wanted to rant about something that upset me earlier in the day.

He listened, wisely took my side and waited patiently while I spewed forth.

June 21st, 2013 Extra-Ordinary:  A Husband that will listen to me even when he’d rather be doing something else.  Anything else.

The Daily EO: June 20th, 2013

Recently, my friend Dianna stopped by for a visit on her way to China.  She travels there often for business and Vancouver is a nice stop over from Ontario – especially when she has never been to Vancouver before.  We spent a lot of time hanging out, walking through the city and catching up.  Our her last night here, we went to Steamworks Pub (not Steamworks Bath House which is altogether a different place and would not be of interest to either of us).

After a long day of walking, some refreshments were needed, so quickly drinks were consumed and of course, then trips to the bathrooms.  Steamworks bathroom is quite nice – large and the stalls are made of highly finished – and reflective – wood product.  I wandered down the aisle looking for the best stall.  I am not really sure I one knows, but you just know which stall is appropriate.

I was half way down the aisle when I noticed a sign on one of the stall doors.  It looked like this:

imagesCAU7RDJ2

I stopped, and hesitated.  It couldn’t mean. . ?  I slowly pushed the door open and discovered this:

photo 1
Blurry – a couple of White Russians.

Two toilets in one stall with a small dividing wall for . . . um. . . privacy?  I asked my friend Dianna to join me for a demonstration.  Because as you may recall – the wood was HIGHLY reflective.  So, this is what you would see whilst using the stall. (don’t be afraid to look at the picture.  We kept our pants on – this is a demonstration only).

photo 2
We were high fiving, but the mirror like reflective surface bounced back my flash

June 20th, 2013 Extra-Ordinary:  There is a stereotype about women going to the bathroom together – and it may be true – but it does not mean we Go to the Bathroom together.  Weird.

The Daily EO: June 19th, 2013

On Monday, Emile asked me if I wanted to do a 5K this weekend – his company would pay the entrance fee.   On Monday – as you’ll recall – I was being audited and feeling guilty about not answering my grandfather’s call.    So, I said, “What the hell?  Sign me up”.

June 19th, 2013 Extra-Ordinary:  This doesn’t seem like the best idea today.

The Daily EO: June 18, 2013

Sue – thinking about you right now for some reason.

This innocuous message showed up in my email from my Linked In account.  Probably because I refuse to get a FaceBook account, but couldn’t search for employment without Linked In.  FaceBook – the place where people you don’t want to find you, find you.

Anyways, this was from an ex-boyfriend.  From university days.  Who belonged to the sailing club as an instructor and decided that one of his students . .  lets call her Poolie. . . needed some personal battening of her hatches.  But, he was a good guy . .  because he admitted his indiscretion.  Right?

The best part – and the worst – is that after he and Poolie separated, he “missed me” and I some how let myself get involved again.  Really?  Where’s your self esteem, Susan?  Eventually he then “missed her” and returned to and married Poolie.  I generally have mostly forgotten and mostly forgiven this incident – though Alanis Morissette’s “You Oughta Know” still reminds me of this time.   The whole cliché thing led to much better things – like best friend Lisa, leaving BC to get my MBA in Ontario, getting a spine and then marrying the perfect man for me who does not have his head turned by pretty little paper dolls like Poolie.  Looking back, I would do it all again for twice as long to get what I have now.

We’ve actually in the last 15 years or so, communicated with each other via email (during the High Fidelity stage of my life), but not someone who I . . well, trust much.

So, not unwelcome, but certainly not a great reconnection.  “Hey remember that time that you crushed my little tender heart – those were the best times, eh?”   “You still married to that other woman?”   “So, um . . . yeah. . .”  Just weird.

Anyways, then I had to decide.  Do I ignore or accept?  Ignore is the same as refusing in Linked In and wasn’t sure that I wanted him to think that I couldn’t handle it.  18 years later, am I not over it?  I am, so what is the harm in accepting?  But then he want to talk.   God.  Not sure I want to.

Wonder if he ever got that front tooth fixed properly – the one that only a mother or infatuation could overlook.  Yes, I noticed it buddy, but I just was dazzled because I was I nitwit.

June 18, 2013 Extra-Ordinary:  Accepted the invitation, because I know I can brag about my life if he wants to talk.  Too bad that made me find out that we live in the same city now.  Sigh.

The Daily EO: June 17th, 2013

I cried at my desk today.

I had a very important all day customer visit and audit happening that we had been prepping for months for.  So much so, that I was sick of talking about it.  Sick of the action items, just sick of it.  But finally, the day had arrived.

My grandfather was the former Superintendent of the City of Burnaby Waterworks.  He started his career working for the city and retired from the city 49 1/2 years later.  I’m so proud of the man he was and what he did.  I am proud of the man he is.   You don’t spend your career in sewers and waste management without becoming an expert.  So, when we had our little flood over the weekend, I told him about it because I knew it was something he could relate to.   I can’t claim the same expertise with plumbing and sewers, so I could only tell him what was happening – not the cause or resolution.

When Grandpa went to bed Sunday night, he didn’t know why the water problem was a problem, or what we were doing about it.  As I spend my entire day touring and meeting, and quickly checking emails in between meetings, my grandfather pondered the situation at my work.  Was it a break on the city side?  Did we share the building with someone else?  Was there a blockage?  Is a pipe broken?  Has the issue been resolved?

So, he began calling me.

I will tell you this.  When either my grandpa or grandma calls, I answer it no matter how tired I am, or what I am doing.  I answer that call.  But today I could not.

And so, because I wasn’t answering the phone, grandpa started to get a little agitated.  Wanted to know the situation.  What he could do.  Did we find the entrance to the tank?  Could we get the right wrench to get the bolt off?  Were the sump pumps running?

But I wasn’t there to answer the calls.

I don’t find it funny or cute that my grandpa was so intent in getting the information that he wanted.  I saw the man he was – the capable and strong one that could have helped his granddaughter’s company deal with something that is his expertise.   But instead he couldn’t help, he couldn’t get in his car and drive over like he would have years before.  He just wanted me to answer the calls and tell him exactly what was happening.

And so, when I finally had a chance to check my phone and see all the calls and messages, the tears came.  Stress of the audit, not enough sleep, too much work, worry?

I think it is because I didn’t answer the call.

June 17th, 2013 Extra-Ordinary:  Answer the call.

The Daily EO: June 16th, 2013

After cancelling my nail appointment last Saturday to help my grandmother get to the hospital, I was looking a little ragged.  I did seriously consider if I could get my nails done and then head to her place to decide what to do.  But I was a good granddaughter.  So, I rescheduled my appointment for today.

What is it with us humans?  Why can we not stop picking at things hanging out there, leave things along, no we have to keep picking and proding and poking at stuff until our hems are hanging , mosquito bites are bleeding and your nails are all ragged.

I figured I needed a little down time after another ridiculous week.  While sat waiting for my appointment, I got an email telling me that the production floor sewer had backed up and the place was flooded.  Tell me what they makes you think?  Well, it made me think of the place full of dirty filthy water as team members sloshed through in knee high boots with little pieces of poop floating by.   Facilities is not my responsibility, no, but I work there, and honestly all I could think is “oh, god, I’m going to have to reschedule all the lines again.”

So, while I sat having my nails done, I was wondering about poop.  How much, where was it, what is happening, etc.  This made my hour of relaxation a little less relaxing.

The nail salon I go to is run by a person of Asian descent and most of her employees are also.  For many of whom, English is a second language.  So other languages swirl around.  Sometimes this can make for difficult small talk.  So can poop distraction.

I was pulled out of my poop thoughts by the technician saying:

“You the way?”

“Pardon?”

“YOU the Way?”  (accompanied by a shaking of the front of her shirt)

Um.  . . .”I’m sorry, Pardon me?”

“The Way!  Lose the Way?”

Oh!  “Did I lose weight!?”  Well, I look sunken, sallow, stressed, and rather terrible I thought, but no, I didn’t lose weight.  Maybe my head shrunk.

“You look good.”

“Well . . . um. . . .thanks.  No, I don’t think so.  But thanks.”

That was unexpected.

Hmmmm.

June 16th, 2013 Extra-Ordinary:  I lost weight apparently (or started dressing better), and the reports of a flood were sensationalized.   No poop, no dirty water.  Just a little clean water up a couple of drains.