The only drama I have is from TV

Yup, that's right, not much going on here. Okay, so I'm living in a beautiful area and enjoying a nice sunny day (from the inside), my parents are arriving this evening for a visit, I like to think I do meaningful work, and I don't really have much negativity in my life. Despite all that, I feel as though I'm missing quite a bit, as in the relationship department, and usually I would turn to TV to make up for that, but seeing as I don't exactly have that available, movies have been the replacement.

Then, I discovered that ABC is offering most of their fall primetime lineup online! Beautiful!! I now don't feel as left out of the rest of the world and have been able to watch the first two episodes of Grey's!! It's amazing, this internet thing! So, now when I feel like my life is missing some drama, I can just tune in online and pretend I'm Meredith. BTW - that was a nice little way to tie up the last episode, all wet and ripped and in a towel. Yummmy!!!

Let's see, I did go to a dinner at a colleague's house. It was interesting. He grew up here in Maine, but came back from living abroad just a few years ago, so is still settling in with his family. Anyway, they had a little dinner party and invited myself, Pete (my supervisor), and some people from the Christmas Cove area. Well, you know that world of yuppies that you always hear about but don't really ever believe is real? Where they play tennis in the morning, then go sailing in the afternoon, only to tie up the evening with thrilling conversation about their last trip to Belgium over cocktails? Well, it's real and I have experienced it. I mean full sweater-on-the-shoulders-and-penny-loafers kind of yuppiedom. It was rather surreal. And since then, I've heard about how closely related the family is to the aristocratic society of Europe, meaning the wife is an actual countess and is related to the Emporer Franz Ferdinand. I guess I knew that these people had to exist, but really? So, anyway, I've been exposed to a whole new world up here. I had a goal to meet a Kennedy, but this'll do, I think.

So, that's about all from the small-town-Midwestern girl. Has anyone heard from Dave? Does he still exist? Maybe more than one circle of friends is too much for him. :-s It's too bad, 'cause I quite liked the guy. Well, I'm glad the rest of us (and Sue?) are still communicating. Much love.

BAD SKUNK!

Maggie got sprayed by a skunk tonight. It was a stressful ordeal. She hates baths, I wouldn't let her touch anything - no couch, no bed... She only got sprayed on the snout and it's one of the least stinky skunk sprays I've ever smelled, but it still stressed me out and sucked large. She still smells a bit, but I think the oil is gone (after scrubbing with dog shampoo, dish soap and a baking soda/vinegar concoction). She doesn't seem to be transferring the smell to anything. Apparently it can last for two months!!! CRAZY. And extremely not cool.

Remi with a beard.

The title says it all.

Two weeks ago I asked Remi to grow a beard. After 10 days, he returned to Vancouver and this is what I saw:

I'm still trying to decide how I felt about it ;)

Uhhh, for those of you who are not observant

It took me a few trys but I did figure out that my post did go up, it's just below Remi's, since I started it a day ago!

Use the scroll buttons!

Hello all...

You know I'm bored when I start blogging here, too.
Just checked out your pictures Kat, there all pretty cool. I have to say your picture of the mussel long-line is pretty good. I want it. Actually, if you can email it to me (full size, massonr@yahoo.com), I'd be more than thrilled. I'm starting to like this aquaculture stuff (especially shellfish). Incidentally, in the picture of the salmon/trout/char, some of those fish are invasive. Want to hear one of my pet peeves? of course you don't, but that doesn't matter. Everyone get's in a stink about certain invasives (i.e. zebra mussels) as they should, but then they actively go out and implant others that are no less harmful. I heard of a guy who got a major fine for "overfishing" rainbow trout in Ontario. He was actually doing the province a favour. Oh well.

Thats it for now.

Rémi

P.S. I have a job.

P.P.S. Kat, you posted your blog as a draft...

Watching seals and answering questions

Hey everyone! I know I've been absent from posting for too long now, as we all have, but I'm here to do my part. Hopefully this assault of posts will goad Dave and Sue to get their fingers typing.

Let's see, what can I talk about? Life in Maine is still good. Summer has ended so there are less people around, both visitors and researchers. We are having less people coming into the Center, probably because the Fall season is just beginning and the trees are just starting to change. That means it's less busy, and thus I am writing you all from work. Also, there are way less people around base (home), so it's much quieter and lonelier. Amanda came to visit at just the right time so that I could get used to the absence of people while still having a friend around. Suzanne, my present roomie, and I are getting to know each other so I don't feel as lonesome as I could. What is interesting is that on my days off, when I could get out and do some sightseeing/touring, I usually end up just being lazy and relaxing around base. I scold myself about it, but I think what partly causes it is that at work I constantly have to be presentable and chatty and I don't really feel like doing that when I don't have to. Or, since I just don't have anyone around to motivate me or pal around with, I stay at home and read or watch a movie. So, I'm starting to get really bored with just being by myself a lot.

But, don't think that I don't get out at all. I am still participating in rowing with the other women of Rockland. We are really coming along, but I don't think they will be competing until the spring, after I'm gone, which kinda sucks, but I still like it just for the experience. I'm not surprised Amanda didn't mention that she went rowing with me while she was out here, as it is probably an experience that she would rather forget, but she did very well. She just took a beating starting out. I've also gotten Suzanne involved in it, so it's given us something to talk about. Anyway, last night we went out and we finally got a device to measure how fast we could go and we hit 5.2 knots. And that's missing a person, so we were pleased. And I had my first experience at rowing stroke, which is the person that all the others follow. Apparently I did a pretty good job, but at the time I felt like I was awful. There's a lot of pressure involved when everyone is watching you and you have to constantly keep track of the rate and length of your stroke. But I'd do it again, especially if it kept one of the other women who comes with us from doing it. She's the hardest person to follow, always changing her rate and burying her oar (rowing too deep in the water). So, rowing continues to be something I look forward to.

As you all know, I'm staying in Maine until the end of October. My parents are planning on coming out at the end of the month. I'm looking forward to that, since we are hoping to go to Acadia National Park. And they'll be wanting to eat out, so I'll definitely take advantage of that!

...

Okay, so I just took a break from writing to close up shop on Friday night and I ended up going to see The Devil Wears Prada. It was good; Meryl Streep makes an excellent snotty boss. It was rather predictable, but good entertainment nonetheless.

Speaking of movies, I've seen a lot lately. Over Labor Day weekend, the local movie rental store had a special of 4 new releases for $12.99 and all customers got a free past prime rental, so I ended up coming home with 5 movies one night! I saw Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (which is excellent, everyone should see it!), The Brother's Grimm (you can't go wrong with Matt and Heath), Kinsey (interesting, shocking, cheesy, and funny all rolled into one), Saved (good ol' satire of fundamentalists), and Memoirs of a Geisha (so beautiful, I want to be Gong Li rightnow!). I have also watched Wild Things (better than I imagined, despite the cheesy sex scenes) and a couple others that were okay. Of even greater interest is that I bought AD season 3 and have rediscovered just how upsetting it is that there won't be any more. As far as I'm concerned, it's worth buying just to see Tobias and George Michael do battle as Mole vs. Jetboy. Not that's classic!

...

Okay, another break, again to close down shop. When I got home I was accosted by Ayla, the property manager's 6-year-old daughter, and had to hear all about her rat, Smokey (which is the most darling rat I've met, and was scared out of it's little head when Ayla started tossing her in the air!) and from that point on I was stuck. Don't get me wrong, Ayla's great, but once she decides she likes you, she NEVER lets go. I finally bribed her with a popcicle and showed her home after a couple hours so that Suzanne and I could eat dinner and watch Cruel Intentions. I don't know how many times I've seen that movie, but it's entertaining everytime. I know you hear me, Sue!

So, anyway, I guess I should wrap this up before I keep delaying my official posting of it. I hope that tides everyone over for a few days, while I compile more goingson to write about. Now, it'd just be nice to hear from the REST of the group. Dave - your excuse of the wedding is over! Sue - I know you have more time on your hands now than you did earlier in the summer!

Okay, so as Miranda Priestly would say, "that's all."

Much love to all.

Harumph!!!

Ok, I'm very disappointed in everyone. Where are you guys!!?? Sue, how was the move? Dave, how was the wedding (*ahem* and the new girl??)? Kat, how's the rowing?? Amanda, where's your damn post?? And how was organic?

COME ON GUYS! I'm in this apartment, it's just me and Maggers, and talk to her as I might, she doesn't exactly provide stimulating conversation (although her little grunts and growls are cute)... I'm also like a bazillion miles away, so... I miss you guys!

Not much to speak of here... School is going well. I'm feeling pretty upbeat today, so that's a nice change. I've been in the dumps the last few days because of organic chemistry, but I've had a change of heart. Yes, it sucks. No, I don't want to take it, but I have to, so I'll take it standing up, thankyouverymuch. Also the TA is oober cute (sorry, Remi, but you're on the island and a girl's gotta look!) and he said that the profs ask the TAs to look for marks. Even though half the class (that's hardly an exaggeration either, sadly) fails, the profs really want people to pass.

Enough of that! I'm starting to make some friends here, which is nice. While some of the students in my pharmacy class seem to have the second year mentality, there are quite a few mature students with the same work ethic, etc. as myself, so that's nice. I think this is really going to be a great year.

OK, I'm seriously procrastinating. Back to chemistry!

I'd like to leave you with a picture though, so I'll find one... OK, a few (mind my quadruple chin).

Here's your bird-ass Dave... What exactly were you tring to achieve here??

No, I'm not dead!

Hey, all!! I know it's been FOREVER since I've posted, but I have been a very busy girl. Remi and I moved all our stuff over to Vancouver last weekend (so we didn't have internet last week), I've been trying to get ready for school and get a job for Vancouver (I found two actually) and now we're setting up (it's almost done!) our new apartment. That's a brief run-down...

To elaborate, I'm ready for school, ish. I'm scared to death, but it'll be fine (as everyone keeps telling me). I had an orientation day last Monday, so I got to talk to some of the second year pharm students and meet some of the people in my class. They all seem pretty cool, so that's good. I also learned that I might be able to get out of a couple more classes, but it's going to be a bit of a fight. We'll just have to wait and see.

In other news... I have two jobs lined up. One shift a week at two different Shoppers Drug Marts in town. The first one is right on campus and I can walk over after my last class on Friday, so it's perfect. The other one is not opened yet. It's a new one they're putting in a huge medical clinic they're building near Vancouver General Hospital. I only wanted to do one or the other, but this job sounds way too cool. They will be dealing with a lot of discharge medication, IV bags, chemo meds, etc. Very interesting to a nerd like me ;)

Umm... Remi had his contract extended at Malaspina. That means that he's staying on the island with some friends until end of Sept-Oct. We're not sure which yet. He also got an ambiguous email today from someone in the Centre for Shellfish Research about teaching short term classes, so... I don't think that's an opportunity he can pass up, it's too much of a resume booster, so he might be there even longer. I'm not happy about it, but it will really advance his career.

That's about it for now. Maggie seems to be adjusting just fine to the new surroundings. OH! Speaking of Maggie... She was attacked by two bull mastifs last weekend. Luckily she (and I - who was on the ground trying to pry those big dogs teeth from my Maggie's neck) are ok. It was the craziest thing I've ever seen. They pushed past their owner out of a half-closed van door and ran straight for Maggie. SCARY. I couldn't find a really good picture of one, but google it. They're big, mean looking dogs, who I'm sure could be really great pets if they were properly trained, but since people in our old neighbourhood use dogs as guard dogs instead of socializing them, they're viscious killers. I called animal control and the dogs are now classed as "viscous" and the owner's were fined $200/dog. Next time they do something like this it's $1000/dog.

Anyway, I'm off. I should be organizing my office for school on Monday. Get posting guys!! Amanda, how the hell are you? Sue/Dave, where the hell are you??

sarah