A tangent and an Easter Memory

It’s Easter Monday and I am working from home. Surprisingly I am getting a lot done. I was going to take the whole day off but my conscience got the better of me. I ended up taking part of the morning off; due to me sleeping in until 8:30am and having my friend Crystal call me to say Happy Easter. Now the funny thing is that she woke me up from a deep sleep and I can not remember the beginning of our conversation. I was still half a sleep. In my sleepy haze, I believe she said Happy Easter. We ended up talking on the phone for more than thirty five minutes. Thanks Crystal, I really needed to talk to you.

Wow, that was one of the longest telephone calls I have had in a long time. Usually when I talk to anyone in Ontario, we end up having a five to ten minute conversation. I blame it on them because I try to keep the conversation going but they never have anything to add or contribute. Plus there seems to be nothing new happing in their lives. Nevertheless, I don’t believe that. Oh well, at least I have my Edmonton friends and they like to talk to me on the phone. Especially Ellie, she will call me and leave hilarious messages on my phone or intrigue me in an enlightening phone conversation; even when we had just seen each other a few hours earlier.

However, I do have one family member that defies this. I love how my big brother, Bob, calls me anytime of the day, including 1:30 am my time. Actually, I have come accustomed to these late night calls and miss them when they don’t happen. We usually talk about what he or I have done that day or night, and then the conversation always navigates to Hockey. Yep, the Oilers didn’t make it to the playoffs this year, but neither did Toronto. Ha, told you they wouldn’t make it, Bob! Lately I have even started calling him late at night too. It’s a way for me to think that I am back in Ontario, only minutes away from my family and friends.

Ah, I got off on a phone call tangent. I initially started talking about Easter, so I will now finish this entry talking about it. Easter weekend is almost as big as Thanksgiving weekend in my family. We always have people over and my mom cooks a feast fit to feed an army. I have one Easter memory that stands out. It involves my sister, me and the Easter bunny (now referred as Mr. B in the remainder of this blog). One Easter when we were a lot younger, my sister woke me up early, informing me that Mr. B had brought us a whole bunch of chocolates and gifts. As we snuck down stairs, making sure not to disturb mommy and daddy (and Mr. B if he was still there), Tina filled me in on what he had brought us. We both received really cool bright rain boots, since we were a fan of puddle jumping. We also got some clothes (Mr. B. must have known we were rapidly growing out of our Gem Doll jogging suits), and a lot of chocolate eggs and bunnies. However, to my great disappointment, by the time we got to the place where Mr. B. supposedly put our goodies, they were mysteriously gone!!! Nothing was in sight. Tina was surprised and insisted that they were there when she went up stairs to get me. The only sensible solution was that Mr. B. knew that Tina was going to go get me so he took everything back. In his mind, Tina's mad dash to get me was bad, for it wasn't morning yet and we should still be in bed. Therefore, we were bad girls. Thus, we sadly snuck back upstairs, understanding that we were in the wrong and would not get anything for Easter that year. By the time we made it done stairs the next morning we were not expecting anything. But to our surprise, everything was back! Mr. B must have forgiven us and returned everything. How kind!

It wasn’t until years later, that mom and dad filled us in on what really happened that morning. In fact, when Tina first came upstairs to get me, mom and dad knew what she was up to and decided to trick us by hiding everything; knowing that we would think that Mr. B. did it. They really got us with that trick.

Computer Communication

You know, I sometimes hate all these modern internet writing communications, such as MSN and Facebook. I am not including Blogger or Myspace in this rant because they are forms of internet journals; not quick back and forth communication devices. MSN and Facebook are impersonal, a waste of time (or a way to procrastinate) and they are negatively affecting our writing skills. People are starting to rely on myriad abbreviations (lol-laugh out loud, ttyl-talk to you later, omg-oh my gosh, etc.) in their internet chat. The worst thing of all is that I have even heard people use these abbreviations in oral communications. Plus, due to the short, abrupt messages, it is really hard to understand sarcasm and emotions via MSN and Facebook; especially without the help of body language.

I will admit that I use two of these internet communications, but only as a way to quickly communicate with someone. For instances, if I need a coffee break I simple MSN Ellie, Mika, or someone else, requesting their company to Tim Hortons. I also use it to ask quick questions, instead of going up or down the stairs to a friend’s office or say a quick hi to family members in Ontario. But I will not carry on a four hour conversation with these people. I do not talk for hours on MSN because there is only so much you can say and read before you are bored; I use the phone (if my family/friends ever pick up or return my phone call; in which, half the time they don’t). Yes I can see people using these devices as a way to save money, but honestly, how much do you save?

Recently, I have been trying to get a hold of a friend in Ontario. I have tried phoning her but she never calls me back. I have tried sending her messages via Facebook, but she replies to everyone else but me. Lately I could really talk to her, however she is unreachable. I shouldn’t take this lake of communication response to heart because I do not know the whole story. But for some reason I am! I cannot stop thinking that I have upset her for some God forsaken reason. Darn-it, why is she not calling me? I strongly dislike these modern internet communications, yet I use them everyday!

Tattoo Anyone?

Today, while I was staring off in space (trying to figure out how to do an analysis), my eyes fell onto a coffee cup my friend Ellie gave me. The cup has three tropical frogs performing “hear, see, and speak no evil motions”. I love it. So I took a five minute break and googled the “no evil motions”. Wow, I hit the jackpot. There are t-shirts and tattoos of these three “no evil frogs”. I think that I will get a t-shirt with these adorable frogs on it. Well, if I don’t end up ordering one online, I will make my own. How hard can it be?

Now what about a tattoo in this design? I do want a frog tattoo, but is this exactly what I want? Maybe. I am definitely leading towards getting it. However it may be too large and conspicuous for my first tattoo. Initially I wanted a frog or a bunch of little frogs, on my foot/ankle, but now that I have seen this tattoo, I don’t know. Since tattoos are permanent, lets just say that I will be sleeping on it (for countless nights) and doing my homework before I jump the gun and get one.

I have numerous friends that have them. My friend Eryn has an angel on her right shoulder; Julie has a maple leaf on her lower back (I think); and Connie has a tattoo of a turtle on her upper back, between her shoulder blades. Eryn and Julies are smaller and less conspicuous while Connie’s is a little bolder. Connie’s is quite colourful, large (a little smaller than my hand) and really well done. She loves her turtles, just as much as I love frogs. All of these girls got a tattoo that meant something to them and have not regrets.

More recently, Ellie told me that when her mom comes to visit (this September) they are thinking of getting matching tattoos. That is the most endearing thing I have heard in a long time. Yet, I am kinda jealous. I wonder if my mom would ever do that with me. Mom, would you? Ellie and her mom are indecision on what they want to get. I know that both women love the band U2, thus they are thinking of tattooing something that is associated with the band. Actually, U2 is Ellie’s favorite band. She has seen them perform three or four times. However, Ellie has also expressed interest in tattooing a fish on her ankle; since she studies them. Furthermore, Cecilia (Ellie’s mom) has mentioned that she wanted an Elvis Presley head. You couldn’t find two things farther apart in similarity if you tried. Trying to find a tattoo that mother and daughter both want may prove more difficult then these two women think. Ah, but they will prevail.