Congratulations!

To my little brother, who got accepted at Concordia yesterday. 

Your big (little) sister is proud of you!

Bisous.

Postscript

Happy birthday, Mum! 

Part 2 - Cancer ...

... deserves a swift kick in the ass.

Maria, a friend and also a fashion goddess at LouLou, blogs today about a new fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society. In light of the news I've received in the last week, I encourage those of you in la belle province to run, not walk, to your nearest Archambault or Blank to get the yellow scarf - as of April 1st. This is no April Fool's joke either. 

You can also visit http://www.yellow-united.ca/ for more info - you'll likely see people selling daffodils in the coming weeks. 

Help send funds to those hot, hot scientists out there who devote their lives to finding cures.

-x

Cancer ...

... sucks. 

In the past week, I have found out that 2 friends of mine have cancer. Two! In one week! WHAT. THE. FUCK. I am in shock.

One has lymphoblastic leukemia and the other Hodgkin's. 

Both have just turned 25 years old and are undergoing/about to undergo the biggest battle of their lives. Dramatic? Perhaps. But this is cancer, an aggressive, heartless, and brutal mother fucker.  

These friends of mine are strong (and brave!) individuals. I know that they will put up a tough fight and kick the shit out of their cancers.  

I'm sending only positive thoughts their way and, even though you don't know them, I hope that you will too. 

Fuck you, cancer.

---

p.s. Yes, this does put things in perspective for me. Whining about my project taking so long to be reviewed and then being rejected? Who the fuck cares? All the other meaningless, trivial things that I bitch about? Who the fuck cares.

New direction

First and foremost, a huge thanks to the lovely Dr. Isis for adding ladylaptop (aka labmate and partner in crime when it comes to stalking our supervisor) and I to her list of women she adores. I am honoured and touched to have made that list. What a great way to start the weekend!

For those of you that visit me here at blogspot, you'll notice that I have played around with the layout slightly. I'm clearly a noob when it comes to anything related to computer science: it took me nearly 2 hours of meddling to make the blog post section 150 pixels wider. I know, I lead an exciting life - what a way to spend a Friday night. I did get caught up on my Thursday night shows (hockey takes precedence over primetime tv, especially when my boys are fighting for a playoff spot). I'll make up for it tomorrow.

Next: I have been reflecting as to whether I should be taking a new direction with this blog. I realize that few people are interested in the mundane aspects of my life - it's not like I'm a celebrity with paparazzi chasing after me in hopes of getting a crotch shot or filming me stumbling drunkenly out of a club. I also realize that I complain a fair amount about, well, everything. Some of it beyond my control. Most of it my own doing. 

I can't promise that I'll cut these things out of my blog. I'll surely continue to blog about the random things going on in my corner of the universe (namely the Habs' quest for the playoffs and the latest with the (in limbo) thesis). However, in the coming days/weeks, I'd like get nerdier up in here. I have a whole pile of articles sitting on my computer that are dying to be read. There is some sexy science going on in the world of Nutrition and I'd like to share it with my fans, my friends, and passer-by. So stay tuned!

And now, it is wayyyyy past my bedtime. Also, my neighbour cooked eggs and the smell is making me gag. Sweet dreams!

x-ine makes it big!

Today, I sent my idol Dr. Isis a link to my friend's blog, which featured what I consider a hot pair of shoes. 

She posted my entire email and proceeded to shower me with compliments. *blushes*

I also think she may think I am a Dominatrix who owns assless leather chaps. And I'm ok with that. *cracks whip*

I adore you too, Dr. Isis! Gros bisous.

Message for Tequila & Other Stuff

My darling Tequila, you are adorable. I love your little white tuxedo and white socks and especially your one white eyebrow. I love when you snuggle in bed with me on cold, miserable mornings. I love that you are always purring because you are a happy (and spoiled) cat.

But would you PLEASE stop jumping on my desk every 20 minutes to lie down on my books or my keyboard? I know you crave attention (again, spoiled) but I'm not getting any work done. 

If this continues, I'm going to start going to school to work more often. Which means you'll be alone all day, every day. You won't like that because I know you're needy. This is your last chance.

...

I have a feeling my pleas to my cat are falling on deaf ears. He does whatever the hell he wants (case in point: he just jumped on my desk AGAIN). 

---

Other stuff: 

• I've started my 2009 outdoor running season (if you follow my tweets, you'll know about that already). The first two runs were brutal, mainly because the conditions on the mountain were deplorable. Even though it's technically spring, winter tends to linger around these parts. It's a muddy, icy mess on the trail. But yesterday was a breakthrough: I ran all the way to Beaver Lake and back without completely soaked feet and without feeling like my lungs would exlpode. 
  
• Family times are fast approaching: my cousin is visiting from Vancouver next week and I am really excited. We'll be able to cheer the Habs into the playoffs together. WHOO! 
• My friend's wedding is about 6 weeks away, which means I have to save my pennies. I have a $200 bridesmaid's dress to pay for and a bachelorette party to help plan. Strippers and pole dancing and booze, oh my! 
• Mon beau chum and I scored tickets to see U2 in Boston this September. ROAD TRIP! WHOOOOOOO!!!
• I just found out my aunt went to see Fleetwood Mac last night. I am mad jealous because I keep hearing how awesome the show was.
• Lent is almost over! Thank God, because I NEED CHOCOLATE.

This post has nothing to do with school but I DON'T CARE. Know why? BECAUSE.... It's almost the weekend. All aboard the weekend train! WHOO WHOO!  

Out to lunch

Well, it's back to waiting for me. 

I've just submitted my proposal to two other communities within the Cree Nation, and until I hear from them, I'm just bumming around. 

I should be getting some lab training at some point, but our postdoc wants to get some new experiments up and running before he brings me in. Something about tweaking and I presume not wanting to look like he has no idea what he is doing in front of me? 

Very well then. I will continue to spend my mornings sleeping in / reading blogs / checking out FML, Twitter, Facebook / drinking tea and then maybe squeeze in some reading and go for a jog. Wait a minute. I've been doing that for the last fucking year! WOW NOTHING HAS CHANGED! Go figure. 

I need a vacation. 

Hot off the presses

La belle province has just released its budget and it's nothing but bad news.

Here are some of the highlights:

- deficit until 2013-2014 ($4 BILLION dollars per year for the next 4 years = $12 BILLION dollars in debt)

- 1% increase in QST effective 2011 (i.e., we'll be at 8.5%)

- increase in fees (licenses, etc. will now cost significantly more to obtain and renew. Nice.)

So basically, as I understand it, we'll be paying even MORE to the government (as if we don't pay them enough) and the province will STILL be in debt. Tax cuts? Not anytime soon!

Good timing for people losing their jobs left and right. Something about a recession? 

As usual, it's Ottawa's fault for not giving us enough money. And these guys want to separate/no longer be dependent on Canada's handouts?

Yeah. Fuck you, Quebec.

x-ine searches for a career

Yes, I am well aware that given my current situation, looking for a job should be the least of my concerns. Seeing as this time next year I will probably still be working on a thesis (whether it's my baby or the lab stuff is still anyone's guess), I guess it may be a little premature. 

But as I've alluded to many times before, I hate not knowing. So I took it upon myself to make an appearance at Grad Career Week. Our Career Planning Service organized a series of "cafés" - round-table discussions with people in different fields - where you can learn more about how these people got to where they are today. 

So I met some interesting people and made some great contacts. And now I feel a little less hopeless and lost. 

On an exciting note, I do have an interview coming up in April. 

!!!

For the Olympics! I was skeptical that anything would come of the phone interview I had last month, but lo and behold, my inbox was graced with an invitation to attend a "Creating Team 2010" session. How cool would it be to get behind the scenes at the Olympics?! fucking awesome, that's what.

Top o' the morning to ya....

Happy Saint Paddy's Day! 

Weekend void

Well, my plan was to get some serious work done this weekend because the end of my week was a little less productive than I would have liked (not in terms of shopping though, I did a lot of that! Oh, and working out - I have no more excuses to NOT go to the gym, which is great because my gut is growing). 

But ... well, on Friday it was a friend's birthday, so we went to a party and got drunk. I slept in until almost 1. Then to the gym, groceries, cat litter run (my life is so glamorous), shower, supper with mon beau chum (who knew Basha was so good? Not me!), and watched the Habs lose again (letting Marty B. get his 551st win to tie Saint-Patrick)

Then, to celebrate some nice purchases, we went out on Saint-Laurent (by the way, apparently you need reservations to get into B-side now - wtf) and got drunk. This time around, my body rejected the excessive alcohol intake and today has been a hangover day. I did manage to crawl out of bed and get some fresh air, and - little did I know - there was a gang of anti-police brutality rioters literally following me as I walked home. I heard about it from my bro, who stopped in for a visit because he was following the riot and taking pictures (a budding photo-journalist?). We ate some KD (*cringes*) and I updated him on the school situation (update: there is no update). 

Then I sat on my ass and watched Degrassi (don't judge me!) while catching up on the blogs I follow. 

And there you have it - my weekend synopsis. Not a single ounce of work completed. Instead, I did work of another kind - preparing my liver for the booze onslaught that comes with Saint Patrick's Day. Whooo! 

And now, it's minutes to midnight which means the weekend is over. Back to the grind tomorrow. Sigh.

You thought your life was bad?

Oh, FML:

Today, my girlfriend dumped me proclaiming she wanted someone more like her "Edward". I asked her who Edward was. She held up a copy her "Twilight" book. She was talking about a fictional vampire. FML

For this and other stories like it, I encourage you to visit fuck my life.

You'll instantly feel less bad about yourself... Or maybe you'll feel worse. Either way, it's hilarious and a great new way to waste time (as if failblog, lolcats, twitter, fb, (other time wasting websites) aren't enough).

Happy Friday!  

Au revoir, Carbo

With about 16 games left in the season, Gainey has decided to give Carbo the axe. 

Not surprised. Though I am surprised it took this long to happen. 

I like Carbo. But he lost the team somewhere along the way and we all know you can't fire the whole team, so the coach has to go. 

Amazing how he went from coach-of-the-year contender/superhero to superzero in less than a year. And incredibly sad. 

Good-bye, Guy. I'll miss your sexy Hermès ties. 

Daylight saved, not my beauty sleep

Although this whole daylight savings thing makes me feel optimistic about the arrival spring (however, the snow squall raging right now makes me doubt it), I can't stand losing the precious hour of sleep that comes with putting the clocks forward. 

So, there was no way in hell that I was getting up at 7 am (which feels like 6 am) this morning. So I didn't. In fact, I didn't bother getting up until 8:20 (which feels like 7:20) and that's because I thought I would be able to make it on the 9:15 shuttle. I performed a mad dash to get showered, dressed, and presentable (totally smudging my mascara in the process) until I realized that I could care less about catching the shuttle. So I didn't. 

Anyway, in EXCITING NEWS, today is the day that I officially get out of limbo. Postdoc1 (we have 2 - 1 has been around longer so he gets the distinction of being Postdoc1) and I are meeting our supervisor today and we'll finally figure out what the next year of my life will be looking like. The prospect of really moving forward excites me. 

In the meantime, winter is still hanging on and I am so over it. I busted out my leather jacket this weekend, so returning to the parka and boots today did not impress me. I don't know if I can take another 2 weeks of this season. It's time for pastels and cute flats! And playoff hockey (if the Habs can keep winning)!

What's cooler than being cool?

"Fucking fraite." 

That summed up the last day of February. It was a fucking cold night for La nuit blanche, but a good one nonetheless (plus the Habs won their fourth in a row against the #1 team in the NHL which made it EXTRA awesome). Suggestion: how about an all-nighter IN THE SUMMER??!!! Just a thought.

And, cool person that I am, I made a spectacular dive on the ice as I ran to get into my friend's car on our way to the Biodome (as if it wasn't embarrassing enough that I had just mistook someone else waiting in a car outside my apartment for him). I can feel the bruise forming on my ass cheek. Shame on me. 

Finally, I really need a good pair of socks. First the killer heel blisters that refuse to heal (I've had them for 2 weeks and today is the first time they haven't hurt me. Progress I say!) and then near frostbite last night. In my thermal North Face boots I had bought for up north. Clearly I'm not doing something right. I'm a failure.

And now, for some pictures. Enjoy!

  

The Big O by night - visited the Biodome in the dark - lots of bats!

Sea of humanity seeking warmth in the heated lamp dome. In the background: a mini-rave.

The ferris wheel at the Old Port.