Life fail (and the re-write).

[ iPhone glowiness. the OC Transpo never looked so good ] 

Returned last week after a 4-day road trip to Ottawa to see the folks, get wrinkly from hours in the hot tub, and to collect my husband. I dragged Mere along, and the dogs, of course. We back-to-back partied with music boys. Thursday, with Arkells. And Friday, with the best darn little Toronto (worldwide) band around (ever). Kay, yeah, we've established I'm biased. 

[ you don't know from jokes. ]

Sweet Thing played Ottawa, which I always love, of course. Tons of catching up with high school friends and extended family. Yay! Mom and dad (and the in-laws) opted out due to old-people reasons (the show started at midnight). Can't blame them, really.

I haven't blogged in over a week! Ack.

Busy-busy with blogTO stuff lately (yeah, giving precedence to things that make money). Oh, did I tell you that I only lasted 2 weeks as a "full time" employee? It killlllllls me to think that I "failed" in a way, but really, it was my decision. I'm one of those annoying over-achiever types*, so not excelling at something makes me CRAZY. I just couldn't maintain the volume of work required of me (no matter what the salary might be). I felt like the quality of my writing was suffering because of it. 

And, I work to live. So a 93-hour work week just isn't my thing.

If I ever DO become a "live to work" person, it'll be on my terms. Giving myself 24/7 to a company will only happen when I'm the boss. So, it's a bit of a bummer, sure. But I'm still writing for blogTO pretty consistently, and I may work up to writing a bit more in the new year.

In fact, I'm working on a gift-a-day guide right now! Shopping AND writing for a living? I mean, c'mon, could it get any better? OK, it could. Not being broke would be nice. 

For now, I'm trying to figure out life in general. I pretty much came to a decision, though...

I am making a go of this pet business. It's what I want to do, right? So why the heck am I waiting?! This is the time, if any. I obviously need income of sorts (in addition to blogTO), but I may be on to something there... more later! Alex's music career is STILL less than lucrative so I'm not quite a kept woman yet. Dudes, get famous, OK?

Speaking of Sweet Thing, I'm acting as merch girl for a few shows this month, including 2 next week. I've done so many free things for the boys over the years that I really don't feel bad being paid for this (considering they'd pay someone else anyway). Might as well be me, right? Plus, they ALWAYS balance when I work merch because I'm super-anal and math-y. Of course I WON'T be at the merch table for the Mod Club show on the 17th. It's the dance floor for me. Meet me there?

Also, their new vid comes out ever so soon! It appeared in sneak-peek fashion on ET Canada last night but I forgot to watch. Bad wife. Bad. But I did see the first rough cut and it's ever so adorable. I can't wait to see the final!

Me again. Working on some more travel pet water bowls. They seem to be getting some attention and I sold two last week. They'll be a good item for Spring when I plan to start approaching stores. Oh, and I think I'm setting my sights on a One of a Kind Show booth for next Christmas. I really only work well when I have actual deadlines. 

My brother is here to take another Japanese language test at York. But I'm not allowed to talk about him on my blog, so that is all. Shh. He's leaving tomorrow and Alex and I are having a Christmas day (tree-trimming, cookie making, hot-chocolate drinking). And Christmas movies! Wheee!

Already watched Home Alone, thanks to a little mid-afternoon movie-fest at Miranda's on Sunday. Too fun. (More please.) NetFlix has a serious xmas-movie-drought, and Queen Video, too. Not sure what we'll do. Counting on good ol' basic cable (which we've canceled but still seem to be receiving).

Too long. Bah. OK, but I needed to talk all of that through. It helps me vent and organize my brain. Ahhhhhh. 

Bed.

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*In the 10th grade, my horrible English teacher tried to give me a 53% at mid-term, even though I was a straight-A student at that point and had ended my 9th grade year with an English mark in the 90s. He didn't like my "style". He should have been a math teacher. I re-wrote every essay and paper from the beginning of the year until that point and ended the semester with a mark in the 80s.

"Some teachers are trying to low-ball me, Daddy. And I know how you say, 'Never accept a first offer', so I figure these grades are just a jumping off point to start negotiations."

(Clueless, 1995)