Hold me closer, tiny dancer.

It's too weird that I haven't been all bandwife-y lately, right?

I admit it's been a while since I so much as casually mentioned a certain band. THE band, obvi: The Mister's (Wonder)-bread-and-(i-cant-believe-it's-not)-butter and the fodder for many a dramatic post. Really, a huge inspiration for this blog, at least in the affecting-me kind of way (because obviously it's all about me). Annnnnyway, I've been mum for a reason. While I can't really get into specifics, let's just say that the boys are on a bit of an "indefinite hiatus". That's what I'm allowed to say (and I'm trying to be less mouthy and rebellious). 

No rehearsing, no recording, no shows, no tours. 

 { why is this not happening? like, now? cold case. }

(If you know me in real life, I've undoubtedly blabbed the whole story in person. If I haven't, we clearly need to do coffee. Stat!)

What does this all mean in the grand scheme of life/music for Alex and me? We still don't know. But while Sweet Thing is on an unspecified break, I do know that I have a lot less me-time and it's making me squirm. 

Look at me! I soaked pillows upon pillows with fat tears feeling sorry for myself and my tragic lonely bandwife condition. Now I'm complaining that I never get the house to myself? Can you believe this girl?! Impossible to satisfy. I also know that I really, really, REALLY miss it. It = everything. Especially the cheering. Oh dear. I'm a piece of work.

 

{ I mean, who ARE these people!? }

  
I should be less self-involved. This big empty space is his burden, not mine. During this weird limbo stage in his life, Alex is contemplating this: what, oh what, to DO with all of this free time! 

Well.

Write an album, of course. 

I'm sure he'd rather I not trumpet this fact to the masses (or the 8 people who read my blog) but it's his fault for marrying an oversharer/big-mouth. INYOFACESUCKA! 

He's built himself a "music room" in our unfinished basement. I am convinced that mold spores will be the cause of his untimely death. But he's a badass musician, right? A big middle-finger/crotch-grab to death!!! Not really. He's just SO desperate for his own space that he's willing to make himself a little sick for it. Sigh. We need to move.

 

{ really? unfit for humans. even for THIS caveman. }

So the music plays on, Sweet Thing or no Sweet Thing. It's a good thing. I think. It's the only "career" he really wants. But I'm pushing for a more stable Plan B in case the music thing doesn't work out. I sound un-supportive. Oh no, no. It's not for any lack of faith in his awesomeness, just complete disdain for the pathetic, crumbling music industry (especially in Canada). 

Sure, I married the creative left-brain type. I AM the creative left-brain type: "Spontaneity! Romantic poverty! Starving for art! Love is all you need!" But that side of me is very equally balanced by my plan-ahead, pragmatic right-brain: "Investments! Budgets! Colour-coded file folders! 5-year plans!"

And this side of me is displeased. But he's trying. He has a solid background in the tv biz and is going through the soul-crushing task of writing endless cover letters and applying for roles for which he's hella-overqualified. I can't believe we're back HERE again.

And what of me? Since my bandwife role has been stripped bare, I feel disconnected from his music-life. 

 { scruffy beards and wayward dress-straps? we belong in a green room }

So I've asked to help. 

We've already decided that if the solo thing takes off, I'd be his daily biz manager (ahem, nagging wife with additional accounting duties) and responsible for all of his big-upping (I'm experienced). But what about now? Oh, well, y'know, I'm just going to...

WRITE LYRICS! 


So excited. He's agreed to give me 2 unfinished songs and I get to pen the words! Are you really understanding how awesome this is?!? Don't laugh. This part requires little to no musical ability (and I have little to no musical ability, emphasis on "no"). I'm not a bad poet and I love words to death, so I might actually pull this off. The vocal melody is there, so easy-peasy, yeah? Also, if we write a hit, I'll rake in the royalties. Ha.

John's Imagine was based on Yoko's imagination, after all. I need to live up to my handle.

Get outta my head!

I don't profess to be very ahead of the curve, musically. I married into music, but it hasn't rubbed off (yet). I still listen to songs I loved in high school and I "discover" new bands after the entire world already has.

So I found a couple of awesome songs this summer on the internetz (and via some of my more musically-cool friends), and for no good reason I'm compelled to create a playlist of great summer-y songs that are sticking in my head these days. Nostalgia for the days when Vicky and I used to tape Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots off the radio while tanning on my roof, maybe? The early 90s. Simpler times.

So, yeah. My (hypothetical/just-in-time-for-fall) summer 2011 mix-tape. A little old. A little new(-ish). A lot of nepotism:

1. Morgan Cameron Ross, Let it Go - This dude is my dog walker. Only in movies, right? No really, he is. Even though he hangs with my pups every day, I wouldn't include him on this list if I didn't love his songs. And I do.
2. Foster The People, Houdini - Yup, officially my favourite band of the moment. (Yes I know that they've been around like forevs. And they're everyone's fave. What did I tell you? I'm behind.)
3. Brett Dennen - Comeback Kid (That's My Dog) - Found this baby all by myself (for once) and I'm in love. It's no secret that I love my red-heads, but this boy has serious talent, too.
4. Marina and the Diamonds, Oh No! - Sadly, we missed the opener when we went to see Katy (my lady) Perry this summer. Tragically, the opener was Marina. I was a late-bloomer, but I seriously love this song. New single has addiction-potential too... Radioactive.
5. Sweet Thing, Permanent Honeymoon - If you thought I was above including my husband in this list, you were wrong. This number isn't officially a Sweet Thing song since it hasn't yet been recorded, but I betcha this live-show fave will make it on album #2.
6. Arkells, On Paper - More nepotism. But totally earned, though. I've practically watched these guys grow up (*exaggeration). Ahhh, Silver Dollar days. Love at first listen.
7. Architecture in Helsinki, Escapee - I've been smitten with this song all summer thanks to my boss/former personal DJ. Thanks, Jamie! p.s. I miss you as my DJ.
8. Hooded Fang, Laughing - Caught Hooded Fang at Hillside, one of this summer's highlights. Totally catchy and lovely.
9. Oh No! Yoko, 90s Kids - I probably could have birthed these dudes. Found them via meddling on Twitter/Googling myself (err, Yoko) and think this song is totally fun even if I can't relate to the lyrics (I was born in the 70s).
10. Eliza Doolittle, Skinny Genes - Scored a pre-released promo copy of Eliza's album in 2010 thanks to vicarious music connections. I've been humming this non-stop since last December.
11. Phoenix, If I Ever Feel Better - Can I just say that I was a Phoenix fan long before the whole planet fell in love with Phoenix? I even introduced them to Alex. It's all I've got. Let me have this one. This is one of the great Phoenix oldies and I'm still not sick of it, summer after summer.
12. Lisa Mitchell, Coin Laundry - Serious girl-crushing.
13. Rural Alberta Advantage, In The Summertime - Maybe it's because I think Amy is super-duper cute. Or maybe it's because these kids have serious talent. Or maybe because I'm a prairies' kid, too. OK, it's all three. Either way, this might be a way older RAA song, but I'm still loving it.
14. Brooke Fraser, Something in the Water - Very sweet.
15. Maroon 5, Moves like Jagger - Guilty pleasure. Don't hate.

Hmmm, so I miss making mix-tapes. Miss Christmas has a mix-tape club. I might copy her. Who wants in? Secret handshakes!

Summertimes.

 

I must be in a good mood.

Either that, or I've broken the seal.

Whatever. Two blogs in one week? I'm making up for my silent treatment, maybe.

The blooms are blooming and our basement is flooding every second day. Must be spring (or dare I say... summer?)! Finally. Wet basements aside, I'm punch-drunk on sunshine and am happy-happy to have bike-season back.

I decided I've had enough with winter. Forever. But without winters, there wouldn't be springs, and I'd be awfully sad about that. Catch 22.

So, now that chirping birds and emerging freckles and cotton maxi dresses are here to stay (for 4 or 5 months at least) I'm getting out in the world again. While last summer, my social life and exploration was forced upon me by my blogTO gig, this year I'm making a conscious effort to get outside.

My ice-cream and sweat-pants phase is over. The "break up" with the band is now at the "let's be friends" stage, and I like it. It's a good place. I've fallen out of love with this bandwife thing. I wish I could be a normal fan. Because I still would be, you know. The biggest.

Maybe the warm weather is getting to my head. While I had resolved to attend fewer shows to keep more of an arm's length with this whole band business, I couldn't turn down music in the sunshine. I attended their latest gig - an outdoor show celebrating the Parks Canada Centennial - but as a support to Alex and to mess around with my camera some more. Right. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I did mange to get some decent shots out of the day (to further corroborate my motives):

Also, I'm regaining my drinking legs (much like sea legs but boozier). This may or may not be a good thing, but it appears to be a necessity in my line of work: I roll with the boys and I need to be one of them. They like social functions that pretend to be work.

The summer is looking good for my social health. That is: if I can actually swing tag-along trips to many of the band's shows (they're hitting the summer festival circuit), plan a few girl-only weekends, and man-up for work socials. I've been relying on the safety of my little cocoon for too long. Alex likes to keep me there, but it's distracting for both of us to spend so much time closed off together from the world. As much as we like it.


So, hi. I'm available. Ready. Willing. Invite me out again, because I'm saying yes-yes-yes these days. And I won't even be close to being the first to dive into a cab.
 

It's not you. It's me.

Dear Sweet Thing,

It's been swell, but I think we've outgrown each other. I'm moving on. Can we still be friends?

Forever Your Yoko Ono,

Dayna

This blog wasn't initially created as a promotion tool for the band (well, not primarily, anyway). And frankly, at this point, they don't really need it. They have legit marketing people in their entourage, as well as their own social networking outlets. No, this blog is about me. M-E. And because my life is so tightly woven with the happenings of the band, they tend to have a pretty strong supporting role in my posts. It's inevitable.

Let me be clear: I may have married 1/5 of the band, but I in no way represent them, nor do any of my opinions reflect theirs (necessarily). I do just genuinely believe in them, and for selfish reasons I know that their success = Alex's success = my success. That's just the way marriage works. It's a "we" thing. But maybe I overstep my boundaries because I'm privy to more information than the average fan or music-media outlet? I don't mean to. I'm just sharing everything about my life, which happens to include my relationship with a music-man. Is it OK to be truly-madly!-DEEPLY! in love with Alex but to fall (a little) out of love with the rest of it?

I get the Yoko rap, unfairly. The choice of name for this blog was intended to be tongue-in-cheek, but Yoko: I feel you, dog. This is a way, way, WAY awkward position. Especially being the only legit wife (so far). But I've been really supportive, insanely understanding, and non-meddling. Really, i have. I used to think of it this way: I am in first wife position and Sweet Thing is Alex's concubine - this other woman with whom I had to share and play nicely. Now, I know that the band is actually the first wife, and I've been demoted. Not because Alex loves me any less. It just has to be that way. She gets first dibs and I'm OK with that. 

I reiterated to him yesterday that I am fully in favour of him spending more and more waking hours on band stuff. He already works so hard. Big, big things are imminent. The more he works now, the better chances they/he/we have for a comfortable future. And remember, eventually it'll be my turn.

I can't really talk about my reasons (it's oversharing that gets me in trouble), but I'm steering this blog back to its original intent, with a focus on what it's like being me. The bandwife condition. I'm distancing myself from Sweet Thing, because, well, I am. It's like a really clean break-up. We'll still be friends, of course. After I'm done licking my wounds. I will continue to tweet great band news, post photos when I snap them, and share videos and links on Facebook. But, this break-up is for the best. I'm reclaiming this blog as mine; the disassociation gives me more freedom.

It's not my job to act as a marketing arm of the band, and I've never been asked to do it. And because I'm just so bloody awkward, my helpful intentions are frequently misinterpreted. It IS my job, however, to be a rock for my husband and support him in whatever he does. It's also my job to think about myself and to not count on Alex's success. Not rocket science, right? Maybe it's not my time to pursue my own big dream in a real/all-encompassing way just yet, but it doesn't mean that my own pursuits (as tadpole as they may be so far) are meaningless.

Monday, I start a new "real" job as the EA to the President of a big Canadian bath & beauty company. I'm getting more wholesale interest in Dudley & Bea. I'm staying on as a freelance writer with blogTO. I'm considering a one-hour bike commute to work. I'm practicing hot yoga again. While Alex will be spending a lot of time on the road with Wife #1 (and no room for stowaways), I need to divert focus away from feeling left out and lonely. 

It's energy better spent on me.

Images: pages from If We Ever Break Up, This is My Book by Jason Logan.

Sa-weet!

 [ happy, happy! ]

So, I guess all of my fretting over interview attire and cutting my Ottawa vacay short were not in vain! I landed the job! OK, it's not official yet - still waiting on the offer letter and am in the middle of negotiating a post-Fashion Week start date ('cause I'm covering it for blogTO!!), but it's probably safe to break the news. And, really, I've been unemployed/freelance/self-employed for a whole YEAR, so obviously it's big news that I'm dying to share (and I'm bad at secrets).

So, back to the 9-to-5. I wasn't entirely convinced, at first, that I wanted to work a full time office job, but it sunk in as a necessity over the holidays, and now? Now, I'm excited about it. Pencil skirts! Office coffee! Co-worker chatter! A sense of purpose? Yeah, I've had some lows lately, and I think that the working-from-home thing, combined with being pretty broke was getting to me. I'm the designated breadwinner for the next couple of years, while Sweet Thing makes their steady climb to music fame (*fingers crossed*) and the Mister starts bringing in some dough.

 

[ Alex soundchecks somewhere far from here. He'll be back. Photo c/o Sweet Thing ]

The challenge - and I'm ready for it - will be balance. I want to ride the momentum of Dudley & Bea and keep working at it in my spare time. I'd love to keep writing, too (Alex is somewhere out in the world frowning right now). It's ambitious, but I'm pretty adept at multi-tasking. Idle hands are not my friends.

This good news opened another door: since I'm no longer bogged down with job hunting, and I don't start work right away, I can spare a few days to hit the road with the boys on their mini tour south! First stop? New York! I'm hitching a ride and then staying for a bit to visit one of my bestest girls (a one-time Canadian transplant high-ranking in my favourite-people-ever list).

 [ getting in trouble in NYC is the most fun with Tabor ]

The guys will continue on to play some Austin, TX shows during SXSW. This little jaunt comes on the heels of their latest cross-country tour with Down With Webster. They play their final show tonight at Massey Hall in TO! So, Alex is back in the city after being away from me for 3 weeks, but I can't see him yet. I've been trumped by soundcheck. The truth: I took too long to get ready and missed a little window. He'll be on his way home very, very soon, though. FINALLY!

I have a feeling that this will be a good year for the band (and maybe bad for me, if that includes a lot of touring). It will all pay off, though. Right? Right? They just played Much Music AND Breakfast Television. Leah just heard Change of Seasons on a Disney program. We also heard it landed a spot on 18 to Life although I've yet to hear it. The little song that could.

2011 is looking up. My mom was right. "You'll be fine."

Bummersville.

Glass? Half empty.

So, it's REALLY unusual for me to get in a long term funk like this. I have swinging ups and downs, sure, but I usually level out in the optimistic range. Being unemployed for almost a year (mostly my own fault) has finally taken it's toll. And it's not like I've been watching soaps. I've filled nearly every day of the past year with writing, launching my little pet biz, supporting rock-star hubby's burgeoning music career, and to a lesser extent, applying for "real" jobs.

I feel like a big flake. I declared war on 9-to-5 pressure in the fall and decided I wouldn't go back to a full-time job. I just wouldn't!! I thought I could piece together little bits and pieces of jobs (once my EI ran out) while launching my business. Then: we maxed out our joint credit card. How did this happen? I'm usually on top of our financial situation, as depressing as it is, but I let it slip probably because it was too scary to face. Reality: I needed a full time job. If Alex's own "career" was more stable, I could put our little family on the line and take some career risks, but he's taking a big enough leap that it would just be silly to try to do the same right now. I'm trying not to be resentful. Of course, the deal is that I'll have my turn one day, once he's raking in the sweet, sweet music dough. That's always been the plan.

But what if he doesn't? Ever? It's a possibility that my glass-half-full outlook couldn't ever entertain. Until now. I never doubted Sweet Thing's ability to "make it" and if it were entirely up to them, I still wouldn't. But the music biz is tough, my pets. Especially in our "home and native land". This year's rough itinerary is promising, though: releasing another single (or two), a couple of big summer festivals, a jaunt south and maybe some overseas action. But, since I'm in a "dark place", I'm skeptical. 

I'm being dramatic. I'm not exactly a candidate for suicide-watch. In fact, you'd probably only notice that I was a bit in the dumps if you really, really, really knew me. Liz figured me out right away. And I'm thankful for our Skype talks.

I guess that's why I haven't been writing. My blogTO contributions have slowed and I have been neglecting this blog, too. All in favour of good things, though: spending tons of quality time with Alex before he left on tour (this is day 3 of 32), applying for real jobs, interviewing for said real jobs, and building a productivity-friendly work space. (I will post photos soon!)

So, yes, things are looking up. Maybe that's why I'm back in over-sharing mode. It's an effort to snap myself out of uncharacteristic negativity. 

---

More blogs coming soon: interview style, Sweet Thing update, small space decor (on a dime), and MORE! (I have some catching up to do, don't I?)

Fresh-pressed!

Yet more great press! This time on the Sweet Thing front. Remember how the boys played the Joe Fresh flagship opening in Vancouver in the fall (and how I scored a new coat for being such a patient lonely bandwife)? Well, Owen got snapped by Flare (2nd from the right, at the top). Oh, that face!

Intervention.

It's Wednesday, and Alex is at the Horseshoe jamming with the boys of Dwayne Gretzky. I would normally be there, but not tonight. Why? I'm still dying of embarrassment. I'm still of the "I'll never drink again" mindset. Here's why.

I'm not technically addicted to anything, except maybe caffeine. And shoes. And curry. 

 

 

 [ My drugs. Photos via: shoptometrist, mrs.january, saffron ]

OK, rephrased: I am not addicted to anything that will kill me. Has anyone ever OD'd on fashion or spicy food? Probably not. In terms of "substances" (y'know, the ones that DO kill), I'm an in-moderation kind of a girl. I'm probably even on the lower end of the alcohol consumption spectrum among my peers. 

(I have no supporting statistics whatsoever)

But still.

I can't help but have flashbacks of some of the worst episodes of "Intervention" (another healthy addiction of mine) when I think about Friday night. Sure, drinking too much and falling on your face  once in a while is OK. Right? Even at my age? 12 years into my drinking-age years? I clearly don't need an intervention, then. We're all allowed the odd slip up, aren't we? Or am I just too old for this?

This is the question I've been mulling since Friday.

Via texts/tweets on Saturday and Sunday, I was consoled with amused pity. I even had three friend requests on Facebook. People still wanted to be virtual friends even though I was a complete trainwreck in person? I guess I was pretty fun prior to face-flopping. The message was clear: "It happens to everyone, Dayna."

But does it? I am racking my brain to remember the last time one of my late-twenties/thirty-something friends ended up face down in a bar bathroom. It's a college-age right of passage. Until we get our drinking legs, there are bound to be a few spills. But still, I know my rules by now (Slow down. Drink water. No shots. Avoid hard liquor. Say no.) and yet, probably once a year, I forget.

It happened so quickly, apparently. Let me paint a picture: 

Friday night. Mod Club. A gaggle of my Besties. Sweet Thing's last show of 2010. New shoes. Glittery skirt. Dancing. So far, so good.

Here's where it went wrong: I happened to end up in possession of the last handful of wristbands for the after-party. Obviously this made me momentarily very popular. Everyone felt the need to thank me with drinks (really guys, just a hug next time, kay?). Can one turn down an already-purchased vodka-soda? Problem #2: two of my biggest bad influences (also two of my favourite people) were there and we hadn't spent much time together lately. Obviously shots were in order, according to bad influence #1. Do you see where this is going? Yup. Jäger-bombs. 

The scene went from me having the best time of life to being too drunk to stand. Alex came to rescue me after Tyler noticed me slumped over in a chair and I had apparently just taken a huge flop on the ground.

Social-etiquette-fail. 

Fast-forward to the next day. I don't remember much except for flashes as Alex filled in the gaps. Horrifying memories were flooding back. Throwing up in front of half of the band and their tour manager (nice first impression, Day). I vaguely remember a fall. But then, to my mortification, as purple-y mystery bruises began to form, I noticed a conflict: the two grapefruit-sized bruises on my knees, a welt on my elbow, a bruise on my shoulder blade and a sore tailbone couldn't possibly have been sustained during the same fall. So, I wiped out TWICE?! At least twice. Good lord. 

Graphic...

(Take THAT, Miss "Medium Party" Cheesbrough :)

An incoherent outgoing text message to Alex ("take me hokebBBLpp" translation: "take me home"), cell-phone photo evidence (care of Alex) and stained-forever tights confirmed it. I was toast.

My hangover lasted two days. I slept through a photography class, hair appointment and dinner date. I was pretty much the most useless human being. Like, ever. I deserved the punishment, of course. 

While everyone was pretty forgiving and sympathetic (while enjoying a bit of a laugh), I can't help but still feel completely horrified. Telling this story on the WORLD WIDE WEB (!!!) is not meant to gain any sympathy or to glamourize the incident in any way. It's actually more of a confession/apology. And to seriously ask the question: DOES it happen to all of us? Or do I disproportionally end up this way far more frequently than the people in my circles? I mean, guys, I'm frickin' 31. THIRTY-one. 

(Please comment. I want actual recent humiliation stories. Your pain is my comfort!)

Analysis: I'm stubborn and strong-willed, generally. But I'm weak to the power of suggestion. 

Examples:

    Me: "I can't afford them. I shouldn't" (re: buying shoes)

    Mom: "Oh, buy them. I'll throw in twenty bucks"

OR

    Me: "We really should cook dinner tonight. We've eaten way too much take-out."

    Alex: (puppy-dog eyes)

In both cases, I cave. Waaaaaaay too easily. I guess my protests are hollow. It was the same on Friday. My efforts to curb the drink flow were easily rebuked. Not that I'm blaming anyone else for my stupidity of course. 

Conclusion: I'm just not really that convincing as a responsible person, I guess.

But I WANT to be. Really, I do. And at my age, I should be. New Year's Resolutions, perhaps?

In the meantime...

Formal apology: To birthday-boy Owen and the rest of Sweet Thing (except Alex - he puked on my birthday and this was payback), I'm very embarrassed and so sorry to have created a complete spectacle of myself at your party. To fellow party-timers, the Mod Club, our cab driver, my stylist, Mark & Elena, and everyone I met for the first time that night, I also apologize. 

Alex says it's unnecessary but I'm just licking my wounds.

Live!

 

[ arkells ]

(Kay, so this didn't turn out as planned. 

I WAS live blogging, until the merch table had a burst of activity and I didn't get a chance to post. Close your eyes and pretend it's yesterday.)

Friday, 10:38 PM, a little place called Hamilton:

I'm blogging live from Hamilton Place Theatre while working merch for Sweet Thing. Oh, technology. 

Arkells are up now, after performances by Huron and of course my Mister's band. During the (inevitable) encore,  a whole mess of band boys will be amassing on stage for a Bryan Adams cover. I know this because (deja vu), I did this whole thing last night. This is actually the third Sweet Thing/Arkells mash-up I've seen this month and, oh, only the five HUNDREDTH time in the last four years.

[ sweet thing, huron ]

 

I never get tired of it. But yes, i am finally wearing ear plugs (thanks, Max) because any more of this and I'll be deaf by 40. 

'Fraid i can't share pics as I'm stuck behind the merch table at the very back of the space and left my DSLR at home (STILL no decent camera bag). But I assure you, there is some great energy in here!

---

(live again)


Saturday, 3:25, my living room:

Be sure to vote for SWEET THING 
for best album on Chart Attack's site! They're currently in THIRD place! Amazing!

Oh, and I just realized that while I promoted the crap out of this on Facebook and Twitter, I completely forgot to blog it! Sweet  Thing's newest single, Lazy Susan, now has a video! Morgan directed it, and it's pretty much the best yet. Watch it here or here!

 [ big front page feature on ET Canada's site! ]

Some other videos to check out as well:

"In Studio: Sweet Thing" by the National Post 

Interview with Mix 97 Belleville

Oh, and the boys have a Wikipedia page now, too!

 [ Alex and Mini Alex. Is this my future? ]

[photos/videos via: live885.com,  globaltv.com, VEVO, sweetthingmusic.ca (Mark Cohene), exclaim.ca]

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.

---

*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) 

Outta here!

[ Sweet Thing soundchecks for Strombo, and I'm there! ]

Alex is gonzo. Glad it's this week and not last week when i was in the middle of meltdown central. Not pretty. Not pretty at all.

 [ via Justin Blyth ]

Last week, he did all of the following:

• sweeping
• dishes
• dog walking
• breakfast-making
• sanity-keeping
• sympathy-doling

It was nice.

Now I'm on my own. I hired back our old dog walkers just to ease the burden this week. My pups are lovely but they are a big gigantic handful. Make that two.

But, well, he's gone for a very good reason. And I'm kind of getting used to this tour business now. I don't even cry anymore. I replace his space in the bed with extra pillows and two dogs (roughly resembling his shape under dim lit conditions), and go on with my life.

Sweet Thing is heading West to break more hearts and win over more radio big-wigs. I just can't quite understand why they're not ridiculously famous yet. Someone mustn't be doing their job. I mean, REALLY. (shut up, I am not biased)

Last night they slept in my home town - Portage La Prairie, Manitoba. Yessiree, they did. Jealous. I said that they should go have coffee with Shannon or breakfast at Smitty's or a stroll in Island Park or tea with the Bird family. 'Cause that's what I would have done. But they're on a beeline for the coast, and I imagine that they probably didn't stay for sightseeing. There's not much to it unless you have nostalgia, anyway.

[ my old house, via GoogleMaps Street View ]

It's pretty rad that they're opening for Metric - their first stadium show! The tour opener is another  Down With Webster gig, then they'll be headlining it back across the country. They're playing another of my hometowns, Ottawa, on the last leg. (I was a military brat. "Home" is subjective) You can see the full list of shows here.

Oh, and I mentioned these two amazing videos on FB and Twitter, but thought I'd remind you again. If you missed the performance on George Strombolopoulos Tonight, you can watch it here. 

Aaaaand, Change of Seasons is featured in the trailer of a new Rachel McAdams/Harrison Ford/Diane Lane flick. Check out the trailer here.

[ still from Morning Glory ]

Also, stay tuned for a NEW video, possibly the best yet. I saw a rough cut, because those are the perks of bandwifedom, obvs. This is a hilarious still from the shoot:

[ via Sweet Thing on Facebook ]

Whew. Mouthful. I'm off to soak in the bath (definitely), eat something sensible for dinner (maybe) and then head out to cover an event for blogTO.