How to Break the Rule in 37 Easy Steps

Hello Blog Fans

I know it's Tuesday and that this should be a "Random Passage Tuesday" post, but I fear peering into my past today would be bad for my fragile state of mind. Instead I hope you enjoy this keen post!

 The following are the steps you will need to have picture perfect kind of day like I had today...and today isn't even over...

1.) Wake up and 9:00am because you stayed up until 12:40am watching 3 episodes of Breaking Bad Season 3.
2.) Make coffee and go back to bed and watch the last 3 episodes of Breaking Bad Season 3.
3.) Crawl out of bed close to noon, make plans to have a shower, and walk down to the store.
4.) Look at your bathroom ceiling and get distracted.
5.) Go to your basement and bring up the step ladder. This will be the first step required to begin the process of painting the ceiling of bathroom.
6.) Lean the step ladder against wall, notice the light in your bedroom is still on, and get distracted.
7.) Decide to make bed.
8.) Fill closet with all those pillows you just can't seem to get to sleep without and get distracted.
9.) Decide to put on music, but instead check your email and facebook. Spend at least an hour chatting online.
10.) Think again about choosing music and get the rest of supplies from the basement to paint ceiling of bathroom (and when you say paint, you mean touch up around the edges where you got blue paint on the ceiling from when you painted the walls of your bathroom blue LAST OCTOBER), but first don't forget to
11.) Make your bed.
12.) And search for your painting clothes.
13.) Take at least 3 tries to put on painting pants. Remember that large hole you have in the knee? You will need time to repeatedly put your foot through the giant hole of your painting pants. If you can almost fall down while doing so, this will add some drama to dressing.
14.) Finally find music to paint by on Songza (Angry 90's music which you will actually find in the "Cooking with Friends" Activity listings).
15.) After you have placed the step ladder precariously in the tub, negotiate your way up it without spilling paint, and successfully deposit white paint on a blue wall instead of the ceiling within seconds. Remember to forget the paper towel.
16.) Carefully negotiate the step ladder (in as safe a manner as you would expect a step ladder to be in a tub) to find paper towel.
17.) Find the paper towel.
18.) Get paper towel that sucks and will force you to once again leave the bathroom (while carefully avoiding falling off your ladder and hitting you head on the shower pole) to find better paper towel that will not smear the successfully deposited white paint on blue paint, but instead take it off.
19.) Once you find better paper towel, negotiate ladder once again, step in puddle of water on the side of your shower, and turn the shower head away from your face so that you don't hit your face or your arm on it while trying to paint.
20.) After you discover that the first brush blows, try a different brush. In fact why not try a series of brushes?
21.) Deposit more white paint on blue wall to add a blast of further exasperation to your painting experience.
22.) When you find that not being able to paint straight loses its edge of fun find a piece of cardboard to hold on wall under where you are painting even though you know that some of it will leak under the cardboard and put white paint on the blue wall.
23.) After proving yourself right, find more paper towel. Try not to get distracted by the amount of grime and dust that you may discover is living on the top edge of your shower.
24.) Have you wiped the cardboard clean of paint? Decided holding is for suckers? Why not search around for some painter's tape and at least make the attempt to do this job properly.
25.) When you can't locate your roll of blue painter's tape, locate 2 empty rolls of masking tape. This will be sure to inject frustration and a sense of  "Why am I trying to do this now?" into your painting experience.
26.) If at this point you realize you are actually angry that you can't find tape and you are now seething while standing in your bathroom with blue flecked ceiling and white flecked walls, why not throw the empty rolls of tape into the garbage in the bathroom?
27.) Excellent, now that you've done that. Do it again because even though you may be standing OVER THE GARBAGE CAN you will somehow MISS the garbage can.
28.) Once the empty rolls of masking tape are firmly affixed in the garbage can, move away and make sure that you ram, with a great amount of speed and conviction, the top of your head into the bottom right hand corner of your medicine cabinet.
29.) This will hurt.
30.) A LOT.
31.) But you'll power through if you then slump to the floor, lean on the closet door and cry, cry, cry for at least...oh say...10 minutes will do.
32.) Once you're feeling better, make a final attempt to paint the blue away from the ceiling with a touch of white. However, after negotiating your way up the step ladder, hit your head, rather hard, the shower bar that you have thus far managed to avoid making contact with and yet this time up the ladder you completely forgot about.
33.) Take the smallest brush in your possession and carefully start the painting process again. Get white on the blue wall immediately. This will lead you to instead clean the grime mixed with dust (and blue paint from last year's painting experience) off the top of the shower wall which is frankly distracting and really gross. As a bonus bit of risk, use a razor blade to help ease the grime off the porcelain...or whatever material your shower is made of...
34.) Let out a huge sigh and decide that you're done. Painting, no matter how much the sight of blue on white bothers you, may not be working in your favour today. You've waited a year, what is another little while going to matter? If you're going to do it, do it right.
35.)  Next, somehow mange to clean up the paint without spilling it or inflicting more injury upon your person.
36.) Make yourself a coffee and go back to part 2 of step 3: make plans to have a shower.
37.) Once you are unclothed, and have run the water in the tub, pull on the shower lever. Ooops! Did you forget to turn the shower head BACK to its normal position? Did you get a shot of freezing cold water land on your back? Did you quickly put the lever down and then pull it up again for reasons that are unknown and you will question later, thereby spraying yourself, and your bathroom floor, with cold water, a SECOND time before realizing exactly why your shower head attacked you? Excellent! When you have completed step 37 to perfection, you will have successfully followed all the steps to a picture perfect kind of day.

I would strongly suggest NOT getting right into Breaking Bad Season 4 this evening, but we both know you're going to do it anyway, right?

Here's to good days, bad days and breaking the rules

Or in this case, just one Rule,

Me

Cin

Random Passage Tuesday: A New Kids Introspective

Hello All

And Welcome to another Random Passage Tuesday!

If you recall, my last RPT was on July, 1st. I took one of my diaries out, opened it to a random entry and found myself eyes to memory with a New Kids concert. However, as it was Canada Day, I decided to do a not so random passage and purposely picked a Canada Day passage from 1987.

Now, the other day at work (and for those who don't know, I work in a fabulous used clothing store called Global Styles) I found this bad boy.

 

There was no question that I had to buy this shirt. In fact, I think I used to own one just like it. When I picked it up and took it home, I decided that my next RPT must be my returning to that above mentioned passage, and transcribing it for your reading pleasure. And as luck or kismet or coincidence or whatever would have it, today, Tuesday, August, 5/14, actually marks the 24th anniversary of the day I went to this New Kids on the Block concert.

As a side note, and therefore before I get to the good stuff, the shirt I'm sporting (oh yes, I'm still wearing it as I write this post) is actually from a different tour...their "Hangin' Tough" tour...which I did go to...5 months before the one I'm about to recall, verbatim, for you. I just thought I would point that out in case there are some of you out there who would know that fact and call me on it. Ok, enough stalling, to the post!

Monday, August 6/1990

...Danny said "This is the time during the show when I strip." & he took his 2 shirts off!! Oh my god! What a body!! Donnie almost always had his shirt off! HE's so good! His sticks* had glow in the dark things on them & lights were all off so all you could see was his sticks! It was cool! Just before they sang "say^with me baby." everyone except Jordon said they were going to use them for a large trick. So they close donnie in the the box they formed with cards. (Joe had a jack on his card & Jordon told him to stop making such a jack of himself!) Then they dropped the cards & donnie was gone but then he suddenly appeared! He had a special belt around his waist with ropes on it & it was attached to a moving trolley thing on the cieling of the stage! It was so funny! He hung upsidedown & everyother position while he sang! It was great! Danny did some breaking+ dancing too! It was amazing he didn't hurt himself on the wet stage. (out of passage interjection: the concert was outside and it was f'in raining. Crazy raining.) Almost at the beginning of the concert they introduced their band. And they have a sitar in their band (which I found amusing because of Paul** at work.) Joe & Donnie kept arguing about whether it was a guitar or a sitar. Donnie would say "It's a guitar." & Joe then yelled "Sitar" "guitar!" "sitar!" "guitar!" "sitar!" It was hyllerious#!

I then go on and on for another 2 pages (in total this entry was 12 pages) and as you can guess, it's all brilliant prose, but before I leave you to think over today's RPT, I have one more passage to share, and believe me, it's worth the read.

He (Donnie) was saying that the other day  he read in the paper that New Kids on the block fans were not very intelligent & he didn't think that was a fair thing to say because were didn't do drugs, we were posotive minded people & we weren't pregidice! So that means that people who aren't intelligent are the ones who say we aren't. Because they're the ones that said New kids wouldn't last  & yet after 3 years they're still #1!!! And they weren't going to listen to them anymore & they were going to always keep "Hangin' Tough!" & and then they sang it!

And so, my friends, that ends this Random Passage Tuesday. Well almost ends. I believe I have some notes...

* I have no memory of what these stick I speak of were.
^ that would actually be "Stay" not "Say". Sorry about that true NKOTB fans.
+ I'm sure I meant break dancing. I was probably just so caught up in my entry that I added the "ing" without thought or reason.
# I think we know that as "hilarious" as that sitar guitar chat battle was, the funniest thing about that memory is how badly I spelt hilarious.
** Paul was a guy (and probably still is a guy) I worked with at Innis Road Golfland (ow-I've got some memories of that place somewhere) and he was OBSESSED with Ravi Shankar.

Ok, I'm am all done. Thanks for joining me today.

Here's to days that are journal worthy.

Here's to ignoring the haters.

Here's to "Hangin' Tough"

Cin

The Accidental Tourist

Hello all

Yes, yes. I know the title of this post is also the name of  a movie starring...I want to say William, no John Hurt and Barbara Hershey I think. And technically when I'm in Ottawa (which is the place from where the facts of this post will be drawn from), I'm not a tourist. I've lived there. We go there often. We stay with family (lucky them!). But that's the title you're getting so enjoy or mope. Makes no never mind to - NO, wait. It is William Hurt.

There's no doubt about it folks, I am accident prone. My body moves about space in such a way that sometimes I think parts of it are magnetically drawn, in a mysterious and disturbing way, to solid objects. I'm not alone in this so please don't think I think that I'm special. It's just that sometimes, it really gets on my nerves.

While in Ottawa, I injured myself three times and we were only there for a week. Once in the bathroom, once in the kitchen, and once in the living room. Let me tell you the tale and for the added ingredient of fun, I've included photos.

Once upon a time there was a bathroom that I have been in about a thousand times.

I was doing my normal bedtime routine (brushing, thinking about flossing) and upon finishing my teeth regime, I turned to use the toilette before retiring to bed because that's what I do. As I turned to my right, I connected head to wall with this.

I have been near this bit of wall the same amount of times I've been in this bathroom. I have leaned on it when my back was sore, leaned against it when I was sick, been near it enough that I am perfectly aware of it's existence in the bathroom. It's a part of the good and bad of my bathroom experience and I thought we had an understanding that pain from it was not on the table. Clearly it felt differently because that night  it decided to get nasty and leap in my way. While half asleep and already feeling moo, I did this...

See where I'm pointing? I slammed my forehead onto the edge of this wall. Let me tell you, it smarted rightly and I don't mind letting it be known that I said some very choice words out loud for the wall to hear. Take that wall!

The next day, while rummaging for lettuce (the only way to look for lettuce) in the fridge, I hit my head again.

Right below the instructions for how to cook Sean's aunt's delicious apple pie to golden perfection, just left of where my poor head had had a date with the edge of the wall, I rammed my forehead mountain goat like into the freezer door. I reeled back and almost cried and not because it hurt, which is did, but because I was highly ticked off that once again, my lack of spacial relations and body magnetism worked together to bring me pain.

For the next few days, I did ok. I managed to walk through the world without hitting everything as I strolled  near it. However, the second to last night we were there, I had an unfortunate encounter with this bit of evil.

Oh yes, my friends. You now what's coming. I had a run in with a rocking chair. Below are pictures of Sean performing a dramatic reenactment of my encounter with said rocking chair.

Now while these pictures are colourful, blurry, and entertaining, they are false. This is what I would call "an exaggerated and controversial retelling" of the incident. The truth of the matter is that as I sat down I somehow manged to get my right foot under the right rung, foot thingy and rocked forward on it as I placed myself fully onto the seat. Boy, bloody HOWDY did it hurt. I tried, I really tried to keep the swearing in, but there was no way to stop the words from bursting forth. I wouldn't say I cursed a blue streak because it was only one phrase, but it was given a lot of loud air. I would post a picture to prove I have a bruise, but I couldn't get a picture that really showcased it. I'm VERY pale and at best picture reveals my unflattering, pasty glow.

The next day, as well as bruise, (seriously, I do have one. Trust me) I almost had an aversion to shoes which made my day challenging as I needed to wear shoes on purpose in order to drive to the liquor store so that I could purchase a most delicious bottle of, not found in my local liquor store, Honey Badger Red Wine. It's the ultimate yum in a bottle.

And there ends my week of injuries. I have managed to not hurt myself too much upon my return home. However, it is only a matter of time before my body feels the pull of sharp, hard things and I - you know, I'm going to stop there. This blog post is taking a turn I hadn't intended.

Here's to being clumsy.

Here's to being creative.

Cin

Random Passage Tuesday: OH! It's Canada Day!

Hello All!

It's been a while since I've done post so let's get on with it!

Danny said "This is the time during the show when I strip." and he took his -

Wait, wait, wait. Hold the post. It's Tuesday and so I should be posting a random diary passage, but it's also Canada Day, so instead I'm going to do "Specific Passage Tuesday" and share with you a passage from July, 1/1987: The day my family and I left Victoria, BC to begin our 4 year stint in Ottawa, ON.

I warn you, that this diary entry, the first entry in this diary (just to lend another layer of learning), may be considered "Too Much Information", but in my first Random Passage Tuesday post I promised to transcribe what was on the page verbatim so verbatim is what you're going to get.

***

Check out the inside cover. Did I have low self esteem 

or was 

I really obsessed with lighters?

Canada Day, July, 1/1987

Today Dear Diary we left the island headed on a long sweaty hot trip to Ottawa wear my new home is now located*. We travelled for about 5 hours. I am now in Salmon Arm and staying at the Best Western. WE we left the island I didn't want to cry or be really happy. I guess I didn't really know how I felt but after I went swimming at the motel I suddenly  start to cry and realized tht I was very sad & that I really wanted to be back in Victoria where I had lived for 14y. 4m. & 15 days. Also today I guess you could say that I became a mature young lady. I got my period after we had dinner. It's not a very heavy flow of blood and not a lot of pain. My Mum & Dad took me out to get pads and pantie liners. Well that's about it talk to you tomorrow.

(* Yes, yes, I know. I was way off on the "wear" and the sentence sounds like my new home was located elsewhere before it got moved to Ottawa.)

 ***

And that, my friends, was my day exactly 27 years ago. Today I expect my day to be a lot different except that, like that July 1st I said goodbye to all I had ever known, it's going to be a very sweaty hot one. And I'd just like to add that this was one of the most significant days of my life. I didn't realize it then and in fact wouldn't realize it until we moved back to Victoria 4 years later that this move away from all I'd known to the unknown gave me the foundation to become very adaptable and good with change. Most change, big change. Small changes can throw me such as putting the vegetable peeler in a new location every time you dry to dishes...I'm not on board with that kind of change. (It goes in the small flower pot that's ON the counter, OK???) But, big changes, I accept and embrace because life is about growing as a person and you don't grow, if you don't accept change.

Now, before I let you get back to your Canada Day Shenanigans, I am aware that some of you, who are in the know, may be hoping for a Canada Day Dress Photo (see the page I've set up specifically for these pictures) but last year, the 10th anniversary, was the finale. I'll still snap a picture of Sorcha for posterity, but the dress has most definitely been retired.

Enjoy your day, my friends,

And Happy "Cindy Became a Mature Young Woman Day" to you all.

Cin

This One's for Margaret

   On any given Saturday morning you can find me sitting on the couch in my robe, clutching a cup of fresh coffee and chatting away with one of my favourite people. Her name is Margaret and she is pretty much the best mother-in-law anyone could ask for.

I first met Margaret not as his girlfriend, but as a classmate of Sean's. I remember when I shook her hand that I felt the moment of our meeting was very special and that for some reason it was very important that she like me. Just over a month later, I had dinner at their home as Sean's girlfriend and she made me so comfortable and welcome that by the end of evening I knew I'd found my second family.

But that's Margaret. She's just one of those people that makes  you feel like everything in your life that is good is worth celebrating. Whether you've just gotten a new pair of shoes that you're totally jazzed about because not only are they pretty, they are also comfortable or you've just landed a job you really wanted, Margaret is your champion. A few weeks ago I was telling a friend of mine about how enthusiastic Margaret is and said to my friend that even if you'd done something as simple as switch breakfast cereals, but it was a change that you made you a happier person, she'd be the one to share this news with because she'd be right there with you and happy that you found something good about breakfast.

The opposite is also true. Cut off in traffic? She's got some curse words to add to your story that you may not have thought of! Publicly embarrassed yourself in a way that makes you want to go live out the rest of your days in a cave on a remote island? She'll empathize with a tale of her own. Had pretty much the worst day of your life? Margaret will offer you genuine sympathy even though her own personal and present story could knock you sideways.

To call Margaret a story teller is an understatement. She's a story teller and keeper of tales. Not just of her own but of her, but of the history of her family and many friends. When she talks of her parents, her sisters, and growing up in Weston, ON. you live the events with her. The house she grew up in becomes your house. The memories she shares become your own.

And, Margaret loves to hear your stories too. Often when she calls I will say to her, "Oh! I have an awesome story for you!" and she will usually say, "Oh good!" and settle in. She'll listen with her usual enthusiasm and laugh at all the right parts, but you know you've told a really good story when you get to the climax of the tale and from the receiver you hear…nothing. This silence is actually the sound of Margaret laughing so hard that there is no noise coming out of her. This could go on for a few seconds and is followed by a gasp and more laughter as she remembers to breathe. It's a beautiful sound.

She is an incredibly thoughtful person. It doesn't seem to matter what she is going through, she will remember to call you to wish you good luck on the first day of your new job, or to wish good luck to a grandchild on a the first day of school or school play. Birthday's are filled with many happy greetings and a song. And more often then not, the phone calls are simply because she is thinking of you and wants to know how you are.

Family and good friends mean everything to her. She's a ferociously devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and all other titles she proudly wears. To be part of her inner circle is to be a part of a very special relationship. For good or ill, you know where you stand with Margaret. Be true and honest with her and you will have no better friend. However, wrong her or hurt someone dear to her and you may find yourself looking into the circle you were once a part of.

Margaret is also never a person to keep a positive observation to herself. If she likes the shirt your wearing, or your new hair cut, or she just in general thinks you look nice, or that you've done something worthy of mentioning, she will tell you. For those of us who know her, we know that compliments back to Margaret are not always taken seriously. But, Margaret is beautiful. She is more beautiful than I know she will ever allow herself to believe. We all see it even if she doesn't. She says that my daughter's eyes dance, that Sorcha's soul lives right there on the surface of them for all to see. Well that trait, and one of Sorcha's most wonderful, is something she inherited from Margaret. Her is soul is always there, watching you. It's not hidden. It's never in darkness.

Life is complex, deliciously amazing and scary, and at times deeply sad. We often question the cruel state of things, shout into the deep chasm of what seems unforgiving and pound our fits on the wall that sometimes blocks all hope. We question why over and over even though we know that there is no answer or no reason.

However, to Margaret there is always a silver lining. She said to me not long ago, "You have to dance, Cin. You dance when you can."

So, I will. No matter how hard things get I will dance.

And in the silence, I will hear her laughter.

Margaret, I love you and this is for you.

xoxo,

Cin

Cindy's Cover Ups featuring "Faith" by good ol' George Michael

Hello All

And welcome to another: Cindy's Cover Ups!

This post features a video of yours truly taking a popular song and either butchering it or maybe, making it...well, not better, but very different from the original.

Today's song is "Faith" by George Michael and is a tie in to my last blog post which featured, in recaptured memoratic glory, actual documented fact that I went to see good ol' George many a moon ago. 

After I linked my Facebook to my blog post, my friend Wendy declared for all my 100ish friends to see that she was not a George Michael fan. She said his music makes her angry? Is that what she said? I suppose I could go back and check her comment, but that smacks of effort.

So, without further ramblings, I give you my version of "Faith".

And see you next time, on The Blog of Cindy Rule.

                                 

A fine good day to you all,

Cin

Random Passage Tuesday: You Gotta Have Faith

Hello there folks

Today is a very special day. It's "Random Passage Tuesday"; a new feature on my blog in which I will pick a "Random Passage" from one of the diaries I chronicled my teenage angst in and share it with you for your empathy or sympathy or general amusement. (or perhaps a combination of all three).

First up, I'm going to give a taste of my first time. No, no...not THAT first time. My first concert! On Aug. 25/88, my good friend Cyn and I braved the crowds and the pouring rain at the Ottawa-EX to partake in the event that was "The Faith Tour". OH yes. We got our screams ready, our loins hot and our blinders on for the wonder that was George Michael in a leather jacket, mirrored sunglasses, black cowboy boots with silver tips, and tight, tight jeans. Because it was my first concert and because I never forget it, I wrote a six page, crammed up writing diary entry detailing everything I could remember about that night.

And today, I'd like to share just a few passages with you which will be brought to you verbatim and in full, blushing, cringing memory, along with all the horrendous grammatical/spelling errors that I managed to produce.

Enjoy...

Aug, 25/88 

Back then, I thought this look was HOT!

Hello Diary! Today was great! Cynthia and I went shopping and then to the X, went on loads of rides & had loads of fun! (We went on the carosel twice and this one guy obviously thought we were idiots.) But today didn't compare to tonight, no tonight had to be the most exciting, superb, awesomest, coolest, narliest, (And every other word to describe how great a person's night could possibly be) night of my entire life!! The George Michael concert was the reason!! It was great! I had the time of my life! He is sooo gorgeous, sooo sexy, a great singer, cool dancer (I especially liked the pelvic thrusts and from the reaction of about 95% of the crowd, they did too!) and an all round awesome entertainer and he has such a cool deep english accent! I love it when he asked if we were having a great time, when he said "Excuse me if I fall on my ass a few times during the performence tonight, but it's as wet here as it is up there.", the way he said "dance" and "dancers, and I loved it when he gave a nice big wave to the people in the stands. I especially loved it when He looked up at section B and waved!

And it goes on and on for a few pages...let's skip to the middle.

At the concert there were some boring people who just stood there or plugged there ears or gave us dirty looks because were were screaming! But I didn't care! Nope all you have to do is listen to my voice! In fact practically the only time Cynthia and I weren't screaming or cheering (not during the slow songs) was when he asked how many people played the guitar! All we did was turned and look at each other and say not me!

And now, for the ending...

Should I buy it...again?

I bought a T-shirt ($23) with a picture of him on it and with these symbols on it  It's a great picture of him on it! And Cynthia bough at $15 book with lots of pictures of him in it which she is going to photo copy for me! After he sang his second to last song HE said Thanks-you very much, goodnight and the kept us waiting for what seemed like forever before he came back out and did his encore. But anyways, I had the best time of my life tonight  ("A good time! A great time!") and the memories of this probably once in a life time experience are sure to stay with me...forever!


And there you go. Your first "Random Passage Tuesday" featuring snippets from my George Michael concert experience. "Now Cin, " you may be asking yourself, "did your good friend Cynthia actually photocopy pictures out that concert book for you?" Damn right she did and those marvelous pictures of G.M. hung in my grade 10 locker all year! And we're still friends, right Cyn? Unless...after this she's pretending she doesn't know me...

And you may also be asking "Hey Cin, so did the memories of this, your first concert, indeed stay with you?" Why yes, dear reader, they did...sort of. I remember being drenched because of the rain and too hot in my black jeans and purple sweater. I remember screaming a lot and getting laryngitis. I remember the wave he gave to our section and how special he made Cyn and I feel and I remember thinking that life really couldn't get better than this. Reading the entry certainly helped fill the memory gaps, but honestly, the essence of that night, the thrill of being there at that show has never left me and every time I go to a concert I think of that concert. After all, it was my first and you never forget your first.

Until next "Random Passage Tuesday",

I ask, do any of you have dusty, teenage diaries lurking in a storage box somewhere??

Cin