Stop Working Now, says Derek Foster

The other day I went to the mall to get KFC because I worked late yet again and was in need of chicken for dinner.

They had a waiting period (10 minutes-ish) so I went to Coles. I hit the Business section, then Travel section. The Travel selections in that particular mall really sucked. So I moved on to the Business section, and this booked was literally right in my face.

I figured... I want to "Stop Working Now" too! I have been saying this for YEARS.

Paid for the book, picked up the chicken, went home and had dinner, finished the book at 11:30 PM same night, updated my investments based on the recommendations from the book by 12:30 AM, then went to bed.

It's a good book. One of those "wow I learned something new from this book" book.

Pick up a copy. But don't be obsessive and finish it on same day as you bought it (like I did). I'm a bit of a weirdo.

Antidote to Long Work Day

If you need some pep during a particularly long ass work day, listen to Slacker Radio.

Basic service is free, no installation required, listen using your Web Browser of choice (I prefer Mozilla).

My favourite station is 80s alternative. It reminds me of my childhood days back in the Philippines when I was between 4 yrs old to 11 yrs old and really into The Cure, Psychedlic Furs, Tears for Fears, etc.

Parenthood

SOMETIMES I REALLY SERIOUSLY HATE BEING A MOTHER.

Sloth, Gluttony

I'm back, but only for a bit. Because I'm exhausted.

I slept until 1:30 ish today to make up for a massive sleep deficit. I feel great. I don't care if you think I am a sloth. I am not doing anything today other than reading newspapers that I missed the entire week (and eating and watching TV). They pile up like crazy when I am working too much. Greggy doesn't recycle them because he knows how I like to read the newspapers even if the news is outdated. I like to go back in time.

(Tangent - It would be really great if I can cryogenically freeze my body when I turn 40 yrs old in 5 years. I would instruct to be thawed out 100 years from now. Kinda like Demolition Man. I would like to see if we would have flying cars and teleportation available in 2111. I hate commuting.)

 
Revelation: Nobody told me Liz Taylor died on Thursday! Not even my husband Greggy who is addicted to news radio (also his obsession with weather updates fascinates me).

I've been drinking all sorts of green tea as now I am convinced it has helped me get rid of some of the toxins in my body that was probably due to all the fast food junk food I have been eating over last few weeks. My favourite so far is Tetley Lemon Green tea which tastes amazing if you mix it with a hint of Splenda French Vanilla sugar. This replaced my morning coffee. I drink decaf green tea at night. Did I tell you I am a bit obsessive about things?

 

 

 

I've been having allergic reactions. Self-diagnosing courtesy of Google and obsession lead me to something called perioral dermatitis. It sounds scary. I had it for a week, now it's gone but I think it is a sign of something.

The above has not stopped me from getting Popeye's Chicken last Thursday which made T all giddy with excitement. It is a poor substitute for the New Orlean's grub we feasted on when we were in, uhm, New Orleans. But still, it brought back memories.

I'm too lazy to cook anything tonight and, well, I need to get groceries tomorrow since we are out of the stuff that I would typically "cook" for our meals (thank you President's Choice and M&M Meat Shops).

The alternative is Retroburger. My loving husband will go on a mission to get me a cheeseburger and feta poutine. Are you jealous?

Breaking Up

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I am breaking up with junk food soon.

Due to the craziness of my work life, professional schedule and being a mom to 16-year-old teenage girl, for the last three weeks I've had to rely on Kentucky Fried Chicken, Retro Burger, Movie theatre pop corn and hot dog, chocolates of all kind and McDonald's for sustenance.

Out of control and in need of an intervention.

I'm quitting cold turkey.

Scope of my cold turkey quitting only includes junk food. I need the continuous service and convenience of "good take-out" like Congee Star, Memories of Japan, Pho Saigon, Limeleaf and Arkadia.

Otherwise dinner will be a big huge disaster.

Worth mentioning: Our cat (Mitzy Pepper Pie), who has 99.5% white fur, now has a strange grey streak on the left side of her body. We have no idea how she got that. Greggy assumed she rolled all over the snowy slush that he tracked into the basement office. Greggy said it will go away.

I told him I think we need to shave that part of her body so it'll grow back all nice and clean, just like when the neighbour's cat Wilson had to get her fur shaved (assuming that was due to a flea problem).

I also suggested to Greggy that we bring Pepper to Petsmart as they have a cat grooming service. Greggy said she will be traumatized, so I am left helpless. You would know this bothers me because I am like that Martin dude in Sleeping With the Enemy.

I hope Pepper's constant need to lick her fur clean works. Let's keep it PG 13 people, no dirty jokes please.

Valentine's Day 2011

Source:foodnetwork.com

Greggy and I don't typically go overboard with Valentine's Day shtuff. We really don't believe in the commercialism of it all.

We think every day should be Valentine's day. And every day should be Christmas. Same goes for New Year. And maybe every day should be summer and we should have four day weekends and really I need to be able to eat what I want and not gain any weight and I feel I shouldn't have to exercise at all but I have to.

I digress!

Back to the topic on hand, every day is Valentine's day for me and Greggy. We love each other so much in a very easy, natural, "don't-have-to-pretend-we-like-being-with-each-other-cause-we-really-do-without-faking-it-and-don't-have-to-change-who-we-are-to-get-along-and-we-respect-and-trust-each-other-wholeheartedly" kinda way.

Yes, this is a throw up in your mouth moment.

Anyway, for V-day, we had a random, totally unplanned, no reservations on Valentine's day dinner at Oliver & Bonacini Cafe Grill on Front St. Then we went to see Gipsy Kings at Sony Centre because Greggy loves them.

The best thing about V-day night (other than us spending time together) was the Tuna Lettuce Wraps at O&B. Imagine how your taste buds will love you for eating citrus soy dipped Ahi tuna with avocado, crispy taro, miso dressing and pickled ginger, nestled inside a perfect boston bib lettuce leaf.

source:oliverbonacini.com

Then feel and dream the taste of their velvety smooth Signature Thai Red Curry with Shrimp and Chicken breast entree, served with Basmati rice and crispy stir-fried Asian vegetables.

No dessert, my skinny jeans were getting too tight, but I had two Margarita on the rocks served in a glass with salted rim.

At the end of the Gipsy Kings concert, we went outside and saw about 6 or 7 white Mercedes and Lexus SUVs. (By the way, the band name is spelled "Gipsy" with an "i" instead of "Gypsy" and it's not a typo you crazy editorial type people and journalism graduates)

For a split second I thought it was for us! But it wasn't! And that was ok!

In conclusion, every day should be Valentine's day and go get some O&B Tuna Wraps.

Hell Week

This is what my week was like:

Source:rcspiritualdirection.com

When I feel better, I will write about surviving on take-out all week, centering yourself when you want to kill everyone, Retro Burger's Feta Poutine and being recognized as a Blogger chick by totally random strangers.

Snowmageddon 2011 Toronto Mass Hysteria

I found it very amusing that people (including my husband) were having massive panic attacks about today's snow storm. For days now, that's all I heard everywhere - at work, at my chiropractor's, during my dad's birthday lunch on Sunday, in the elevator - like, literally everywhere, every day since last Sunday.

Source:weblogs.baltimoresun.com

I think it's great... all the snow, I mean.

That's only because I worked from home today. And because I'm not in charge of shoveling. And because it looks very pretty outside right at this very moment.

And now... for the saddest news ever... I have never... not even once... made a snow angel... or snow man... in my entire life. Sigh.

Outside my front door

Amateur Movie Reviews - 6 - The Rite, Inception

I watched Inception twice: once in the theatre when it was just released and last night at home with Greggy. I still don't see what the big deal is other than the really cool effects, skinny Heath Hedger look-a-like Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Eames. I really liked Eames.

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The Rite was alright (are you throwing up in your mouth?) and Anthony Hopkins is creepy in the film.

And so are demons. Demons are very creepy and scary, but thank God (yes, pun intended) that I believe there is a higher being that ultimately looks out for the good of all mankind and the universe, including, but not limited to, parallel universes... plus I'm a good person overall, so... I feel somewhat... safe (*gulp*).

I closed my eyes the whole time so I only saw 5% of it. Plus it was set in Rome, and I'm still angry about that whole Roman trip cancellation thing.

Source:deskofbrian.com

Cyberpunk

I have a feeling I am not 100% human.

Source:darkart.cz

Retro Burger... Deep Fried Mars Bar...So Good

retroburger.ca

It's Sunday, -18 degrees and sunny. Because our family is a bit... odd... this was how we spent our day:

- 8:30 AM - Workout (Greggy goes to Xtreme Fitness, I work out in our home gym)

- 11:30 AM - Dentist (Yes, our Dentist takes us in on Sundays)

- 12:30 PM - Urban Sun (Vitamin D for long cold Canadian winters)

- 1:00 PM - Retro Burger (Kennedy Rd. & Eglinton)

I've been wanting to try Retro Burger ever since I saw the Toronto Star article about this humble joint. What I didn't remember (seriously!) is that the article was about Retro Burger selling Deep Fried Mars Bars.

I swear we went for the burgers and not the evil Deep Fried Mars Bar! I got a bacon cheeseburger with a side of onion rings (both decent), and Greggy got the Philly Cheesesteak with a side of Greek salad, to offset the guilt.

I liked Greggy's Philly Cheesesteak better than my bacon cheeseburger, and I vowed that next time I will get the Cheesesteak... I kept thinking "I should have ordered the Cheesesteak! I should have ordered the Cheesesteak damnit!!!!"

Source:pinoyfoodcritic.com

Then innocently, almost shyly, Greggy said: "Look honey, they sell Deep Fried Mars Bars..."

I was super excited because I have never had a Deep Fried Mars Bar before! I used to think that that was just a British or Scottish thing and that it would be gross and yucky and so bad for you and why would anyone want it???!?

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But we bought one, and shared it, and it was deeeliciousss and very very bad, like... Catholic sinner guilt bad.

We enjoyed every sinful bite.

Our Dentist would not have approved of it.

Source:boingboing.net

Is It Me?

Or are teenagers annoying and self-centered?

Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints!!!!

Source:thenextweb.com

M & M Meat Shops Saved My Life

Die-hard vegetarians and pescetarians - don't let the "meat" part of M & M Meat Shops fool you.

In my attempts at simplifying my life and outsourcing most of my domestic responsibilities, I've looked for solutions that will help me with my daily dinner dilemmas (aka DDD). Do you remember the crazy amount of money that I spend every month on food alone?

Anyway, I tested some of M & M's products last weekend and was pleased with the results. Typically I always have to put my own stamp on premade food, but was pleasantly surprised when all I had to do with M & M's Chicken N' Dumplings was add freshly squeezed lemon after it came out of the oven.

Also tried their Supreme Homestyle Meatloaf and Grilled Vegetables, both were a hit with Greggy and T!!!

The best part about M & M products?

- They are super easy to prepare. How hard is it to preheat the oven and stick the product in there per the number of minutes outlined on the user-friendly instructions label?

- Ingredients are all natural. Like, if I cannot pronounce the ingredient listed on the box, I will not buy the product.

- A generous dinner for four days and three people cost me just $87 all in. We spend more than that in one restaurant dinner for two people!

- I can call-ahead (my preferred store is the one near my Shiatsu therapist) and order over the phone. When I get there, my order is already packaged and all I have to do is pay for it and put the bags in my car.

I can go on and on about the benefits of M & M... and no I don't work for them and I don't own a franchise.

But what I really value most above all? Getting a few hours of my time back and not being stressed out about dinner.

This is my love letter to M & M.

Tonight: Flattened Chicken, Gourmet Stuffed Potatoes, Spinach & Feta Supreme Side. And Jeff Lewis' Flipping Out.

Source:dipity.com

Excuses, Excuses

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Here are the Top Four reasons why I have been slacking on my blog entries:

1) I went back to work after being on vacation for three weeks

2) It's snowing outside

Source:atheana.smugmug.com

 
3) I have been obsessing over all-beef hotdogs and southern fried chicken

Source:foodnetwork.com

4) I have been waking up at 5:00 AM every other morning so I can run for 30 minutes with two pound arm weights on, do 20 minutes worth of stretches, followed by 8 minutes of Obusforme bliss.

I think these are very good excuses.

Gabriel Allon (Daniel Silva)

I'm dying for a new espionage movie and Jason Bourne-esque obsession.

Would some hot shot movie studio exec please contact Daniel Silva already?

The Allon Dossier

Prince of Fire

Full Name: 

Gabriel Allon

Height: 

Medium

Weight: 

Medium

Eyes: 

Green

Hair: 

Black with gray temples

Place of Birth: 

Jezreel Valley, Israel

Date of Birth: 

Unknown

Higher Education: 

Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, Jerusalem

Known Residences: 

Cornwall, Venice, Jerusalem

Current Residence: 

Thought to be living in Italy under Vatican protection

Employer: 

Office of Intelligence and Special Tasks, Israel

Status: 

Semi-retired

Area of Expertise: 

Intelligence collection, special investigations, kidnap and capture, interrogation, assassination

First Known Op:

Wrath of God, 1972-1975; personally liquidated six terrorists responsible for Munich Olympics massacre

Weapon of Choice:

Beretta

Known Aliases:

Mario Delvecchio, Alessio Vianelli, Heinrich Kiever, Johannes Klemp, Natan Golani, Ehud Landau, Gideon Argov

Cover:

Art Restorer

Area of Expertise:

Italian Old Master

Favorite Painters:

Titian, Bellini, Caravaggio

Favorite Opera:

La Bohème

Languages:

English, Hebrew, German, Italian, French

Last Known Op:

The Kharkov Affair, Moscow

Known Associates:

Ari Shamron, former chief of Israeli intelligence
Uzi Navot, chief of Israeli Special Ops
Eli Lavon, Office surveillance specialist
Chiara Zolli, Office field operative (also known as Chiara Allon)
Mikhail Abramov, Office assassin and field operative
Yossi Gavish, Office analyst and field operative
Dina Sarid, Office terrorism analyst and field operative
Yaakov Rossman, Shin Bet officer on loan to the Office
Rimona Stern, AMAN analyst on loan to the Office
Julian Isherwood, London art dealer
Francesco Tiepolo, prominent Venetian restorer
Adrian Carter, deputy director for operations, CIA
Sarah Bancroft, Counterterrorism Center operative, CIA
Graham Seymour, deputy director, MI5
Monsignor Luigi Donati, papal private secretary
Pietro Lucchesi, His Holiness Pope Paul VII

Family:

Parents deceased; first wife seriously wounded in 1991 bombing in Vienna; only son killed in same attack; rumored to have recently wed Office field operative Chiara Zolli.

Amateur Movie Reviews - 5 - Black Swan

Source:wallpapersmovie.com

Go see it now. Seriously.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

There is a saying that a picture is worth a thousand words, but really I'm just being lazy.

So here is a montage of our Cuban Christmas:

Fam-O-Lee

Playa Pesquero

T & E

Langosta!

An Attempt at Perspective

Everyone knows we were ready for a Roman Holiday, but sadly Heathrow was not ready for us.

Source:bbc.co.uk

However, I also believe that things happen for a reason (today is cliche day!). Get this:

When we were in Cuba, there were several British tourists that we spoke to about the Heathrow airport shutdown. All of them had horror stories about the craziness they encountered on December 19 when we were supposed to fly from Toronto to London to catch our connecting flight to Rome.

Some were trapped on the runway inside a British Airways plane for 14 hours! Others had to wait for 4-5 days before they can get a flight out of Heathrow. Another person told me she had to drive from Heathrow to Gatwick, then stay for 2 days in a dingy motel before she was able to fly out.

The Brits we talked to in Cuba were generally enraged and embarrassed of their country. One couple even said that England is now a third world country (too funny, we know it's not but they were really passionate when they said it).

Lesson learned for us? Don't fly through London during winter.

Source:digitalgroup.info

When we returned home on December 26, my parents told us about the Swiss and Chilean Embassy bombings in Rome on December 23.

Both embassies were less than 30 minutes from our Piazza Di San Cosimato apartment rental.

Souce:myfitv.com

Are you familiar with the term "Causal Determinism"?

Determinism (specifically causal determinism) is the concept that events within a given paradigm are bound by causality in such a way that any state (of an object or event) is, to some large degree, determined by prior states.

Something to ponder, n'est pas?

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What a Difference a Day Makes

So... we were super prepared and very much looking forward to our Roman Holiday... for months now, right? I seem to recall geekily triangulating the grocery stores around the amazing apartment we were supposed to stay in...

But then Mother Nature decided she did not want us in Europe this time around, so she sent an angry snow storm towards UK and its environs and shut down Heathrow.

Source:ctv.ca

I got the cancellation notice from British Airways last night. I was heartbroken, furious, disappointed, and... did I say heartbroken already? I called itravel2000.com to see what our options are (there were none that worked for us), so feeling defeated (and annoyed) I finally decided to opt for the full refund.

Source:wannasmile.wordpress.com

Note to the rude and bitchy itravel2000.com Sales Rep who wasn't helpful at all: I'm sorry that you had to stay an extra 10 minutes past your skeleton shift to talk to me. Your manager and the Executives of itravel2000.com should expect a nice long letter from me next week.

Anyway, I just couldn't accept that our travel plans were 86d. I just couldn't. I'm not one to just give up. I spent the whole night looking for an alternative arrangement. I'm obsessive about this. I would have been more enraged if I just stayed put this week. I would have obsessed and obsessed over it and likely I would have driven Greggy and T and my parents bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S.


So for the same price as my airfare refund, I found a good deal to go on nice warm holiday on the beach from December 21 to December 26. Over the last few weeks I have been buying specific items for a European winter holiday, some of which I won't be able to use on this trip on account of the warm vs. cold destination and all. Oh well.

Source:hirsutehistory.com

I called itravel2000.com on Sunday morning to book it. Yes, this sounds a bit masochistic, but really since I booked my original flight with them and since I'm expecting the refund from them, it was going to be easier for me to track the credits / debits to / from my Visa. 

And you know what? I had a pleasant experience with a gentleman of a Sales Rep; his management should expect a letter from me too.

Very Excited!

How can I possibly focus when I am super excited about my 3 week vacation starting next week! And Rome, oh Rome...  so looking forward to meeting you.

Source:tostayornottostay.blogspot.com

Amateur Movie Reviews - 4 - Hereafter

T randomly asked me to go to the movies this past Sunday - totally unplanned, so I had to make adjustments to my somewhat-already-planned-ish alone time avec moi.

The only movie I was even remotely interested in watching was Hereafter.

Source:beyondhollywood.com

*SPOILER ALERT*

Here is the movie in a nutshell:

- Really awesome Tsunami opening scene.

- Devastatingly sad Marcus (twin brother to Jason, who died instantly after being struck by a car in the middle of London while running away from bullies on his way home from the "chemist" (pharmacist) after picking up his heroin-addicted uber alcoholic mom's prescription to block opiates and other nasty stuff from further entering into her bloodstream)

- Marie LeLay, the pretty, gap-toothed, hard news Host slash she was sleeping with the TV Producer and experienced "in between state of consciousness and nothingness" after being crushed by the Tsunami mentioned above, while buying gifts for her TV Producer lover's kids because he was too sleepy and hungry to do it. TV Producer was also apparently lazy as hell when he asked her to get the hotel to settle the bill and send some breakfast into their room WHILE SHE WAS ON HER WAY TO BUY GIFTS FOR HIS KIDS. I think the Tsunami was his setup, perhaps a way of getting rid of her without having to have that "we need to talk" talk.

- Blue-eyed Asian chick who replaced Marie LeLay as TV Host because Marie was going bananas and obsessing about her Flatliners-esque experience. And... you will be shocked by this... surprisingly, lazy questionable TV Producer was also sleeping with her!

- Psychic George, played by Matt Damon, who communicates with dead people, after he takes living people's hands to "make a connection". He can't have a normal life, let alone a relationship, especially when TMI reality check sets in three minutes after holding their hands.

Dear Matt: You had me at hello when you were Jason Bourne, really. When I obsess about me being Jason Bourne, I always picture you. But, dude, did you really have to take this part?  I know it's hard to say no to Clint Eastwood, but...seriously... there were way too many "George eating by himself in his tiny San Francisco kitchen" scenes. You're lonely. I get it. I totally clued in after the first kitchen scene. I liked it better when you were a lethal assassin.

- Dude from Jerry McGuire, Psychic George's chubby brother, constantly peer-pressured George to monetize his Dion Warwick abilities. I will always remember him as Bob Sugar.

- And finally, Bryce Dallas Howard (daughter of Ron Howard - gosh... I just found this out like two seconds ago (thanks IMDB!)), playing creepy, needy, close-talker girl Melanie.

And - OMG - I just totally clued in that she played the crazy redhead vampire chick in that horrible movie Eclipse!

In conclusion, Gran Torino is way better - go see that one instead.