I'M GOING TO CELTIC TIGER!!!

What, you may be asking is that??? Only the most amazing event EVER!! Michael Flatley!! (Riverdance! Lord of the Dance!) And he's coming to Winnipeg on October 11 to the MTS Centre to perform Celtic Tiger!!!
The MTS Centre event page for Celtic Tiger
I'm SO EXCITED!!! I can go! I made it work in my budget so I can go!! It's all Celtic music and dancing and pyrotechnics!! I'm so psyched! There's a short video clip on the next website, just click on Celtic Tiger Preview Video when you get there.
Celtic Tiger Preview Video webpage
I'm going to be in heaven!! It's going to be awesome!! I'm SO EXCITED!!

who knew it had come to this...

Now I realize that this doesn't happen to everyone... maybe it's just me. I am almost ashamed to admit this fact, and not at the same time... See, the thing is, I have now frequented a place enough times, that I'm considered a regular. A REGULAR!! I had this odd feeling in the pit of my stomach that I should rebel and never come there again to prove I'm NOT a regular, but I like their food... The restaurant in question is in the building where I work, and I can't afford going there every single day, but apparently I've come enough times that today, the manager recognized me and made my lunch on the house because I'd come so often that they wanted to say thanks.

I almost cried. One, because, I don't have a million dollars yet and so any place I can save money is quite awesome... so this was a huge blessing. Then, two, tears of sadness because my life has become predictable again and now I'm showing up somewhere on a regular basis. I hate the word regular. Regular. Blech! Makes me think of whether people are going to the bathroom regularly or not...

Is this a good thing? Should I be proud of my 'regular" status? Because before this, I used to eat lunch in my car with a book. I know, "loner freak"... thank you for witholding your comments. So, now, I've ventured to a restaurant and eat there by myself with a book. I'm not looking for pity, I'm completely content with my self and I have no problems going into a restaurant and eating by myself. I also am capable of going to a movie by myself... It's not like you have deep discussions with someone when you go to a movie with them... The only thing you miss out on is someone else's opinion of the movie afterwards. Gosh, am I a loner?

This restaurant thing got me thinking! But, if somehow one of them that works there reads this, please know I love the restaurant and the staff are incredibly friendly and it's fun and I'll keep coming. Some of them even say hi sometimes... Although I don't remember all their names. I'd like to though... One day... But, I'm usually reading a book. Most of my good quality reading time is done sitting and waiting for my food... or while eating my food... or afterwards wondering how I ate so much food... It gets me somewhere where there's noise and talking and people around, and it's louder than sitting in the office working all day infront of a computer listening to to the hard drive thing hum persistently louder by the week. It's not like there's people I know within a million block radius that I could go for lunch with... And I don't like staying in the empty office during lunch. Hmmm... I think I'm okay with this.

My life has settled down enough, that I'm a regular somewhere... It's like a warm fuzzy in itself. I used to be a regular at the 7-11 near my house when I lived in Transcona; that was the lady that called me sweetie... or some other term of endearment. I still remember her though. She was nice. And now I frequent the 7-11 near my new house... so I've settled down. Gosh, I feel like an elderly woman. I don't know... Now I'm rambling. I'm a regular. And today I got blessed for that and didn't have to pay for my meal. And I got time to read my book again. I like my life.

who likes adding images? me!!!!

House. The best show in the entire world. It's on Tuesdays at 8 pm on channel 9. Well, channel 9 for those of us who have farmer vision. So, I don't know what it is for those of you who have the time to justify buying satellite or cable... Global? Whatever. Anyways, it's really interesting and medical and funny and has witty dialogue and I love Hugh Laurie's character, because he's shockingly cynical mostly all the time. Then, Gilmore Girls is on at 9 pm on the same channel. Somebody in the TV heaven is smiling down on me. My favorite shows, back to back, on a night that I don't have a million things planned on. It's beautiful. I'm a happy person.

So... I'm taking a sign language course at Red River College on Saturdays... and so that's a ton of fun... I was so nervous when I went into it because I'm left-handed and I've only ever seen right-handed people doing sign language with their right hand. So I was all worried I'd confuse every deaf person I came in contact with and somehow inadvertently swear at them.

But I found out, whether you're left-handed, right-handed, or ambidextrous, as long as you keep the same hand as the dominant hand in every sign, you're FINE! So, that made me very happy. And, my teacher is deaf and that totally challenges our class (all 7 of us) to learn through something other than hearing. He's a really good teacher and one day I hope to be fluent in sign language.

This is the book I'm reading right now, along with a few others. I finished "Monster" by Frank Peretti, and it was really good. I know all of his books are like allegories, there's some hidden meaning behind them, but I still haven't quite figured out what the hidden meaning is behind this book. If you read it and find it, let me know... I feel kind of stupid not knowing how I'm supposed to see God and Satan behind it all because it just seemed like a mystery fiction that mentioned God in some of the dialogue... I don't know. Let me know! But now I'm reading "The Rainmaker" by John Grisham. Apparently there was a movie made in 1997 starring Matt Damon... I'll watch it after I read the book and be thoroughly disappointed once again about how badly different the movie is from the book... Alas, such is life.

daily fix

the best cookie in the entire world

You must click on the picture to truly understand it's oatmeal raisiny goodness.
This is the best cookie in the entire world. I'm serious, folks, if you like oatmeal raisin cookies, you will never look at another one besides this brand once you eat these. Found at 7-11, (possibly other places, I have poorly done the research), they are the best cookies in the entire world. And you might be thinking, hmm... should I buy two?? Oh yes!! But only if the second one is going to be eaten at a much later time because one is often enough. I'm telling you folks, this is the real deal!! You will never be hungry again! These cookies are AMAZING. I'm done now...

Captain Shiny Girl... and the Avenging Toilet Paper Rolls

It was a normal morning for Captain Shiny Girl, as she got up that morning. No one would have thought that in only 5 minutes from then, she'd be creating a havoc like World War 3. Captain Shiny Girl couldn't have known that her choices that morning would affect her whole entire life!! So, she got up, after hitting the snooze button on her alarm clock 5 times, and jumped out of bed... Well, more slid and fell onto the floor... Nonetheless, she left the comfortable warm cozy covers of her blanket and the chill from the air conditioning that was always on even when it's minus 10 outside hit her and her eyes were opened. Needless to say, our hero was not the most awake this morning. Which should excuse her following actions.

She slowly stumbled into the bathroom and found yet again, an empty toilet paper roll. For some reason it had become an increasing phenomenon that who ever used the bathroom before Captain Shiny Girl always managed to use just enough toilet paper that they never finished the roll, but left one toilet paper square on the roll to convey the image that they were not responsible for using up the toilet paper and therefore, changing the toilet paper roll. Alas, our hero was reduced to such duties as changing the roll, YET AGAIN.

It must be made known before I continue that Captain Shiny Girl was not the most awake this particular morning, and had she been awake, would have chosen more carefully her next choice of action. She opened the cupboard where the horde of toilet paper rolls was kept and reached in and grabbed one. Little did she know that by doing so, she was comitting an act that has defied generations for years... separating a toilet paper roll family.

"Mom? What's going on? Why is she opening the cupboard door??!! They just put Uncle Tommy out there yesterday!! They've used him all up already??" Little Jimmy TPR (Toilet Paper Roll... quite a respectable last name, but too long to use here) whispered, in a panicked voice.

"It's okay son," boomed Granpappy TPR. "Be strong! Just try and look less fluffy, they won't pick you!"

"Oh Granpappy! He's just a young'un! He still has the 'soft and strong for a comfy clean' look! He hasn't become old and wise and 'luxuriously soft and thick' like you!! They'll pick him for sure!! He's a goner!!" wailed Momma TPR. She held her little roll close, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Now, Momma, it's going to be okay. We'll push one of the cousins to the front... they have 'gentle care for the skin' and will do just as fine... Our Little Jimmy won't be picked today... Don't worry!" comforted Poppa TPR. He looked out as Captain Shiny Girl drowsily peered down into their little home.

The little toilet paper family huddled together in fear as Captain Shiny Girl looked down sleepily into the cupboard and reached in to grab one of the toilet paper rolls. Her hand slowly reached out and grabbed aimlessly at Granpappy TPR.

Granpappy looked back at his family as he slowly rose out of the cupboard.

"Farewell, my friends! I go on to a better place." Granpappy TPR called as he drifted out of sight.

This all had proved to be too much for Momma TPR and Little Jimmy...

"NOOO!!!" They screamed and launched themselves at Captain Shiny Girl's departing hand, which clutched in it's grasp their beloved Granpappy, while dragging along one of the sleeping, unsuspecting cousins.

Somehow, although Captain Shiny Girl was never quite sure on the actual events, the TPR family managed to knock Granpappy onto the floor while replacing him with Cousin Beaufort TPR. The TPR family, now on the floor, after realizing they had no legs with which to get themselves back into the cupboard, breathed heavily and awaited their doom. However, probably because of Captain Shiny Girl's lack of sleep and awakeness at the moment, she didn't notice the little reconnaissance mission that had gone down and put Cousin Beaufort on the toilet paper holder. Then turning around, she saw the three escapees on the floor and picked them up and put them back in their cupboard home with their relieved family.

"Whew! That was too close for comfort!" Granpappy whistled, resting now in the safety of their humble abode... "We're going to have to move further to the back to avoid a episode like that again in the near future... I don't think my heart can handle it!"

Poppa TPR gathered his family in for a group hug and then they were enveloped in darkness once again as Captain Shiny Girl closed the cupboard door.

Morale of the story: Pick your toilet paper wisely.

© 2005 Crystal Hyde ... I mean, Captain Shiny Girl

things that go bump in the night

I'm reading this book right now, (I actually started it today) because I really like Frank Peretti... and I love his writing style, but it's scary!! I was going to read it last night because I was oddly wide awake at 11 pm last night, even though I knew I had to wake up at 6 am the next morning... So I started reading and by the second page, I had to put it down and read some peace verses in my Bible so I'd just go to sleep instead of trying to attempt to read the Monster book.

I was reading it on the bus this morning and just about missed my stop because I was so into the book! It's awesome!! I hope Beck doesn't die... (the main character's wife) because she got taken away by the scary monster... I'll keep you posted... Actually, go read it yourself! I read his book "The Oath" a while ago, and then too... I started reading it one evening and got to page 200ish and then had to skip to the end because I was so jumpy and jittery that I wouldn't have been able to sleep that night had I not read the last chapter. It was still intense, but atleast I knew it ended relatively okay...

Hmmm... I just got a craving for Subway... Maybe that's what I'll have for lunch.

Just Like Coke

So, last night, I went to see "Just Like Heaven" with a bunch of people... and, minus a few extremely cheesy moments, it was actually pretty good. I liked it. And, I'm NOT a huge fan of girly, romantic, cheesy, fluffy movies... I prefer ones that make me think and jump and want to drive really fast. But, I do occasionally like these "girly" movies, and this one was cute. I was a little afraid at one point that it was going to be like "City of Angels" where Seth becomes human and they have the longest sex scene known to man because he's now being touched for the first time... Blech. ANYWAYS, "Just Like Heaven" didn't have that, so it was good. I did laugh a lot, so it was a good movie.

SAVE THE... wait... elephants??

Treadmill arrives to help Alaska's only elephant fight battle of the bulge

Scottish team wins elephant polo match in Thailand for the 2nd straight year

Oookay... Now folks, I'm sorry, maybe I'm in a cynical mood again, but both of these stories had a similar theme... yes I know, ELEPHANTS, but both of them focused on something else as well. MONEY. Both of them had tons of money being poured into elephants or a charity for elephants. Now, don't get me wrong, I like elephants, I think they're amazing animals and God was very creative and He did amazing at the elephants... I could've done without spiders, but that's another story for another time... So, I like elephants, I do... but, why is there tons of money going to elephants while there's still people not getting enough to eat right here in Winnipeg!!

I know that I'm picking one side of the fence to argue right now. Many people will agree with me that more money should go to feed PEOPLE, instead of saving every other mammal on the planet. There's so many activists fighting for the rights of the seals or birds or bugs...(the bug one's actually funny). What about the kids starving or being left home alone for 3 weeks?

Yup, I know... now I'll go to the other side of the fence. I do believe that we should care for the environment, don't idle your car, don't litter, don't kick the dog... all those good things. God gave us the planet for a reason, to take care of it! And we've managed to bomb it, microwave it, pollute it, and melt it to the point that now we have all these people running around chaining themselves to trees or boats or whatever and being radical for that... But seriously folks, the earth was built to last... I don't think we're going to destroy it. (Side note if you go the "destroy it" website, I don't think the earth has been around for billions and billions of years.)

Radical. Agitator. Rebel. People who try to get a point across using any possible means. I think the passion behind their actions is awesome, their actions not always so positive, but the fact that they want something done so much that they'll do anything for it. If they could curve that to aggressively pursuing a cause that's worth fighting for and doesn't get them arrested, then they'd have my support. What's a cause worth fighting for? Something that's worth aggressively pursuing? I think that depends on the person. For me, I have a passion and love for abused children, for homeless people, for prostitutes, for children with special needs, geriatrics patients with no family that come visit them. But that's just me. You probably have something that angers you when you see it happening and you wish you could do something to stop it.

I'm not saying chain yourself to the Golden Boy and yell... I'm just saying, what's stopping you? Fear of man? (Once again, fear of breaking the law is a healthy fear... the police WILL stop you if you're breaking the law.) But fear of embarrassment? Fear of looking stupid? Fear of standing up?

You only live once! You only get today once! What are you doing with today? How do you know that the people you're passing on the street aren't thinking, nobody loves me, I might as well die... and one smile could keep them going for one more day... I don't want to mess up any more days by focusing on what I'm getting out of life... I want to give. Again, I'm not saying go preach hell and brimstone on the street corner... Just love on people!! Every single person on the earth was created with the basic need to be loved. And we've got Christ's love in us, so we should be able to love on them. Just smile at someone today that you don't know... maybe they'll say hi, you'll keep the conversation going, and who knows? Maybe they'll ask about God. Maybe you'll mention Him. Maybe not. Doesn't matter. Just takes the focus off you and puts it on Him.

Jurassic Park 4: Hidden in Winnipeg

Okay, you know how your brain just kind of justifies certain sounds it hears in the background? It's probably a subconscious thing, that the sounds you hear, it sort of tunes out the ones that you hear all the time... that's why people can fall asleep eventually to their normal house surroundings, but if you go to someone else's house for night, nope... new sounds. So, yesterday, I heard this weird sound twice while I was at work... and my brain's immediate thought was... oh, that's just a raptor sneezing. And I kept working, and then I had to freeze... because I had to talk to my brain for a second... "What did you just say?" "That was a raptor sneezing." "But we're not even outside!!!" "I know, it's in the other room..." "Ohhh...... WHAT??"

So, I turned around, because my over-imaginative part of my brain shut off for a second and reason kicked in, because no way was there a raptor in the office. I still don't know what the odd sound was... maybe it was a raptor. Maybe we'll never know. The reason I brought this up is because I'm alone at work again and there's things making funny sounds. Again. I actually jumped the second time, because nothing should be making noise right now on it's own because no one else is here.

There was this one time, I was at a different job filing something, and out of the corner of my eye something purple walked past but I didn't turn and look... My brain registered the image as a sasquatch. That was the thought that went through my head, "Oh that's just a sasquatch walking past..." I actually had to stop there again and be like, what the heck??

I think I watch too much TV. And yet I don't watch that much TV, but I think what I do watch, I absorb too much of, and then my imagination runs with it. I know I'm sounding like a psycho and the guys in white coats are going to come crashing through the door any second... I don't care!! Next time my brain does something like this again, I'll let you know.

wait, does this count??

Just now, the phone rang and the lady, with a Southern accent, was asking for "Supreme Contacts". I don't know what that is, but it's not our company. And so, then she listed our number and asked again if that was us... I said no, that's our number, but that's not who we are. We hung up... and then I started thinking. Supreme Contacts. I know God, and He's Supreme... Maybe I can call her back and say "I know a supreme contact and I can hook you up with Him??!!" Well... I thought it was funny.

the lettuce chased the frozen dinner... but i caught them both.

So, yesterday was one of the longest days I've ever experienced. I got out of work at 5:30, and was shocked because getting off the bus in the morning was a complete blur to me. Does that ever happen to you? I couldn't remember walking into work this morning! Craziness!! I didn't get a lot of sleep the night before either so that might have had something to do with it. But, the day had lasted so long and crawled by so fast, that my memories of the morning and eating Fruit Loops seemed like a completely different day. Does that happen to anyone else?? I did go grocery shopping last night though, and bought many good food items so I can make my lunches and take them to work... I was very proud of myself. And I made chicken last night, on a George Forman grill, and it was YUMMY. I had another moment of extreme pride. Good pride, I think, because most of the food I used to eat was microwaveable and in containers found in the frozen foods section. I was happy! And then, I made my lunch today and I felt very responsible. I know that sounds corny, but I was happy. I'm used to just buying things and sticking them in a microwave, but today, I will eat a sandwich that I made myself along with fruit that I put in a container! You can laugh at me if you want, but it's an accomplishment to me.

But anyways, back to yesterday... there's days when the time just seems to go by SO slowly!! And yup, you guessed it, yesterday was one of them. Anyways, I need to start work now, but today will go by a lot faster... until tonight, because I'm hanging out with Becca tonight and I'm excited. But, until then, maybe work could just go faster...

Which made me think about that story about the guy who wants to be able to fast-forward certain parts of his life, and the guy shows up with the ball and the string coming out of it.. and all you have to do is pull the string and it'll fast-forward through whatever's boring... so he pulls the string whenever he's bored... But then, he gets to the end of his life a lot quicker and can't put all the string in the ball again... and he missed out on so much. Gosh! If I could just fast-forward today... sigh. Oh well. I like the little moments, because those memories last longer than any planned event.

at odds with the world

You ever have one of those days when you feel at odds with the world? Like you woke up, and somehow offended the world and now the whole day, you walk around going, "I'm not sure what I did or didn't do, but the world doesn't seem to like me today". Well, okay, my day's not that bad, but that fuzzy, light-headed, out-of-it feeling when you're not sure what to do with yourself... I'm having one of those moments today.

I'm pretty sure I convinced the lady waiting at the bus stop with me this morning that I was just recently released from the mental institute. I walked over to the bus stop completely normal. And then, because I felt out of it and blech, started walking along the curbs and falling off... C'mon, everyone's walked along them at some point, but usually not by yourself. So, anyways, I was doing this, and then finally I just stood still on one of them and tried to balance while still waiting for the bus. Good times. One person walked by us and I said nothing. But then, I started thinking, I wonder what these people's mornings are like and maybe they'd cheer up by a happy "Good Morning!" So, the next guy to walk by... I said "Good Morning!" and I think he had a heart attack. He mumbled in my direction and then walked really fast away. So, feeling more like I've offended the universe, I said nothing when the next person walked by and continued to attempt to balance on the curb/parking stopper/bumper hitter thing I was standing on. (The sidewalk is right beside a parking lot so it was those things... I'm blanking on what they're called today.) Hence why I think the lady waiting with me thought I was nuts. I felt really out of sorts by the time I got on the bus, and the bus always is full when I get on so there's a ton of people standing and me with my backpack, I just kept getting in the way or getting squished or doing the squishing or dropping my backpack or....BAH. Just was one of those mornings when... I don't know, the world rotated backwards or something for a little bit...

Anyways... today was one of those days that if I could've hid in my room the whole day, I would have definitely taken the option. And, not that I didn't pray when I got up and I did my devos and all that... I guess it was just one of those off days, you know? I don't know if this makes sense... But I send an apology out to that lady at the bus stop, because I didn't say "Good Morning" to her.

oh gosh...

So, I have an active imagination. And... it's rather visual, so word pictures are great for me, because they work. I find them hilarious. But some things... some things aren't as fun. Like today, someone said they were so hungry that they could "...eat their face off". Now, I know what she meant... she meant eat a ton of food. But, the thought that popped in my head was wow, that would be hard to eat your face off... gross. That's what happened!

Okay, side note... Backstreet Boys is playing on the radio right now, and it's like a flashback to being in Grade whatever it was when they were cool... it's the song, "I Want It That Way"... I'm ashamed, I still know all the words.

Also the saying, "that's about as helpful as a hole in the head". Want to know what that brings to mind? The scene from "Sixth Sense" when that guy comes out of the room and is talking to Hayley Joel Osmond's character and then turns around he's been playing with his dad's gun and just blew the back of his head off.

"That scared the crap out of me." Seriously... if that actually happened? Everyone who got frightened would all a sudden have quite heavier pants.

I've just blanked on all the other ones I thought of.. shoot. My mind is a complete blank... OO! There's one! "My mind is a complete blank!" No it's not!! I just can't remember those right now.

You are my fire... my one desire... you are... (keychange and a lot louder) Ain't nothing but a heartache... Ain't nothing but a mistake... I never want to hear you say... I want it that way. Sigh.

when the world seems crazy...

I'm having one of those days again... where my brain feels fuzzy and my eyes won't focus and I'm sleepy. BLECH I hate this feeling. And, you know, I'm joyful on the inside... it's just one of those moments where it's a little harder to put it out on the outside. Luckily, I'm all by myself today... so I can sit here, coughing (my body's fighting some sort of something involving sore throats and coughing up NOTHING except more itchy feelings in the back of my throat). It's kind of cold outside! I used to like the weather a lot more, but now that I'm taking the bus places... the cold outdoors is not so peaceful and friendly. My thoughts of moving to a rainy climate are slowly fading... and anywhere near an ocean isn't high on my list of priorities right now because I've seen the pictures from the hurricane down south... And I'm rambling...