Ok, so I am not a Trek fan, but you can not be my age and not know SOMETHING about the original show. It's pop culture. So here is my quick review as a person not all that interested in Star Trek...
If I had to choose a favorite character from the original series it would have to be Spock. Even as a kid I was attracted to black hair and pale (if not slightly teal) skin. I think Leonard Nemoy is probably a real cool guy too. The fellow who played Spock in the prequel was GREAT! I wish that make-up would have worked on his teeth though so he and "old Spock" would have had similar tooth shapes. I found this bit of incontinuity distracting.
The Romulan ship was scary as hell. Eric Bana has such a non-descript face that it took me 30 minutes to figure out he was even in the movie.
And finally, Chekhov. Wow, I really hated how they cast that one. Original Chekov was cute and Davie Jones like. Young Chekhov was just annoying. Seriously, if I have to hate anything about this movie, it would have to be the casting of Chekov.
I enjoyed all the inside-ish jokes and I was shocked that no one spoke the "Space...the final frontier..." speech along with Spock. I was in my head.
A book I helped produce is now available on Amazon. One of my paintings is also featured in the book, as well as art from other Vancouver artists.
Finally.
Zazzle has been bagless for what seems like about a year. Recently the supply has been restocked and Zazzle has bags to print on again.
Luckily, they redeemed themselves by adding an organic grocery bag into the selection...
Yeah, that was me. I was the person who walked around the duvet aisle just as you yanked that expensive sheet set out of the plastic wrap. I saw you toss the wrap to the floor but you stopped trying to stuff the sheet set in your bag when you saw me. And yes, I had no business poking at the pillows, but I knew you REALLLY wanted me gone, so I stuck around for a few minutes...just looking at things. I also noticed you quickly grabbed up that wrapper and stuck it between the comforters.
When I left you I went straight to a sales clerk and described you to a T. Woman, very tan, around 55, short hair, about my heightth, big black bag, hanging around the bed linens. They alerted everyone - including the security staff.
I think if I had been shopping in a place that charged ridiculous prices for such things, like a Holt and Renfrew, I probably would have given you the thumbs up and known that you were probably being watched and taped by security. Getting away with that would have been a show of skill like in Ocean's 11. The fact that you were stealing from a place like Homesense, where everything is already so cheap it hurts just pissed me off!
and Australia!!!
I have been selling things on Zazzle for about 2 years and the down side of that is the shipping cost from the US to Canada is NUTS!
I didn't get an email or announcement of any kind from Zazzle about it (typical), but I just found out that Zazzle has a Canadian store portal now. They are also running a FREE SHIPPING special. YES, I SAID FREE SHIPPING. Prices are all in Canadian $$$ and the HST is included!
To qualify for this free shipping offer, one or more Zazzle products must be purchased. Free shipping offer does not apply photo sculptures. The coupon code FREESHIPTOCA must be entered during checkout to receive the offer. The free shipping offer is for standard shipping to Canadian addresses only. Shipping charges will apply to oversized orders and orders being shipped on an expedited basis. Offer is valid from May 18, 2009 at 12:01am PDT through June 1, 2009 at 11:59pm PDT. Your order must be placed during that time to qualify for this special offer. This offer does not apply to past purchases and may not be combined with any other Zazzle promotional or discount offers. Offer valid on Zazzle.ca only.
So, if any of my Canadian friends out there have seen things in my store (shoes, shirt, mugs, what not) or any other shop on ZAZZLE - NOW IS THE TIME TO BUY!
Look at that BabyFear shirt!!!
Wicked Striped Zombie Stompers Keds Shoe by VeryScaryCarnival
Design your own unique shoes at zazzle.com
T-shirts, Party Invites and Shoes. They are a bloody mess.
Do you hold grudges against people? Tell us about an incident if you do, and if you don't, tell us how you rise above it.
Submitted by Sophie.
Is it considered a grudge if you simply wipe them from your radar...forget you ever knew them...Stop being their friend. Or does a grudge include a certain amount of retaliation other than sending "I hate you" vibes through the atmosphere. In order for it to be a TRUE grudge, do I have to spend the rest of my life thinking of ways I could hurt the person or can I just avoid them and ignore them?
Here's why:
1. My boobs hurt. I mentioned yesterday that I had a most undignified encounter at the Gyn clinic here in Vancouver. My breasts are still bruised and throbbing from that gorilla pawed breast exam I was given. I called the director of the clinic today just to let them know that one of the resident doctors there really needs to be schooled on how NOT to damage breast tissue while looking for damaged breast tissue. She was nice and seemed sincerely concerned about my whole experience - not just the bruising. Which lessened my irritation...but I am still irritated.
2. The Zazzle forum and how it is moderated. Who ever is in charge goes beyond the call of duty when it comes to removing posts that do not praise Zazzle or rank a certain level of ass kissery. Countless posts of mine have been removed since I joined up with Zazzle and today was just the last straw. Here is the ironic part...The post that was removed today was a quick note I put in the FEEDBACK AND SUGGESTIONS forum. I gave the feedback that I was irritated because my posts routinely disappear or are moved without warning and my suggestion was that Zazzle forum take on the formula that every other forum I have ever participated in do - let the community know that the post was removed and/or where it was moved. Within say, 10 minutes, this post was DELETED from the boards!
I followed up with a post titled, "ha ha real funny" and made the comment that it was real clever to remove my post and all - very dismissive of you.
I then posted a quick goodbye to the forum, stating why I was leaving: that the moderator who found the need to remove my posts finally did it. I had finally gotten the hint that I was not welcome on the Zazzle forum and that the moderator had won.
Well, that lasted about 5 minutes before it was removed too. Way to go, Zazzle Forum! I would say I was boycotting the Zazzle forum due to censorship, but I have been removed so often there it's sort of like I wasn't there to begin with...
3. Miss USA and all things Gay. My irritation over this is that I have yet to hear anyone point out the obvious.
All this hoo ha over something a beauty pageant contestant said...sheesh. I am not cheesed at that brainless silicon vat for giving her opinion! I am not offended by her opinion! She delivered her opinion with the oratory skills of a preschooler who missed nap time and THAT is what offends me. Opposite Marriage??? W T F? Seriously, if you feel strongly about something - be able to defend it with a little finess. I am so hoping that conservatives do not put this girl on their flag simply because she is not a hag.
Besides this, the question was posed to her by Perez Hilton??? What the hell is he doing at a beauty pageant that is supposed to represent the wholesomeness of America? This is the guy who made his name drawing wangs on celebrities faces, for crying out loud! On top of it, he is no more informed or articulate than the beauty contestant! I've seen him on talk shows, he's an idiot!
Then there is Donald Trump...
So, I've been living in Canada for about 5 years and ever so often I have to remind myself about this. I say it that way because life here isn't that much different than in the States (ooooh, Canadians don't like that kind of talk). Truth is Vancouver is a lot like any other big city: Ethnic variations, tall buildings, lots of traffic and homeless people. You can find that stuff in the States too!
The most obvious differences are that I am not beat over the head with religion and every 6 weeks there seems to be some sort of an election. Seriously, I do not know how anything gets done around here when the government is in a constant state of flux - but things do get done.
I have said many times that if I didn't hear Rush (the band not the fat headed radio commentator and Republican scapegoat*) just about every time I turned on a radio I would forget I was in Canada at all...but in reality it's hard to go through a day of random radio listening in Arkansas without hearing Rush or Bryan Adams or Loverboy for that matter. BTW - I am not a fan of Rush, never have...never will. Sorry Shaun.
To me, Canada and the USA are enough alike to fool you into a false sense of security so that when you hit a bump it is so jarring you go flying over the handle bars and hit your head on a fire hydrant. The things I miss about the States are things I really REALLY miss. These aren't luxury items or services - these are just things that I have become accustomed to and if I had done deep research I might not have been as thrilled about living here had I known. I realize that I didn't research these things because I guess I could not imagine life without them so CERTAINLY it would not be an issue. This is the definition of taking things for granted???
First off. Gynecologists
Canada why don't you give your women real gynecologists? I mean, come on. Yeah, I know, you heard this rant about a year ago...well too bad because I am bitching about it again! And in about a year, you will hear it again!
I had the WORST experience at a clinic last night - yeah, I said NIGHT. Who gets a pap smear at 6:30pm?
Ok, I waited over an hour because my file got misplaced. Because of that error I was rushed through the procedure and not even given a drape. I spent the breast exam trying to keep my hoo hoo covered by an inch of hospital gown and my hand. I was wanting to discuss some things about this, that and the other - NO TIME!!! I had to suggest the breast exam. No urine test, blood drawn or blood pressure taking - something my home GYN always did. I am not even sure what they were checking in my urine and blood, but it seemed like a normal thing to do.
I woke up this morning to pain under my arms and both breasts feel like 10 lb bags of bruise. The breast exam was one of the roughest I have ever encountered. I mean, this reminded me of something that happened to me in High School! There were other things that made this experience really uncomfortable, and I won't go into them, but if a little kid with a goat on a rope had walked in during the proceedings, I am not sure I would have been all that surprised.
During this embarrassing and undignified ordeal I was told that a Gynocologist was only called in when surgery was needed. WTF?
It's funny, because while I was complaining to the resident (yeah, they sprung that on me too) performing my pap smear and breast exam about not having a regular gyn
to take my lady problems to - she was trying to convince me that the
service I was getting in Canada was BETTER than having my own gyn. It seems that
Canada has brainwashed its ladies in to thinking that any old doctor
is good enough when it comes to their vagina, while American women have been brainwashed into thinking you need a special doctor for your special area. My experiences up here so far keep telling me that my vagina is 100% correct and 100% American and probably does not think of itself as a Canadian citizen, and never will. It doesn't like a Rush, either. If it could fly a flag, that flag would be Old Glory. I should send a postcard to Dr. Skokos and tell him we miss him very much.
What else do I miss? TARGET!
Kick Wal-Mart out of here and build me a Target!
Shopping in Vancouver absolutely SUCKS. Matter of fact, it is so bad that I have another Dr. I go to who would rather talk about shopping in the States than why I am there to see her. Seriously, I go in for one thing and end up talking about where I got my shoes or if I go to Seattle much for shopping. Yeah, I want HER to do my next pap smear...
Aaaaanyway...I am not even a shopping hound. I really don't like spending money, but damn why is it so hard in this town to find stuff? It's a big metroplitan area, why are there so many shitty stores here? Zellers??? Good lord, you advertise yourself like you are Target, but the store is 5 notches below the worst K-mart! Shhhh, I bought Tim's Christmas watch at Zellers...
What else...The people.
I like my new Canadian friends, but I miss my old American friends. I knew that I would have to leave people behind so I was prepared for that. I was prepared to start over and make a new scene for myself.
Truth is, my new Canadian friends can't replace my old American friends. I don't have a Canadian Holly to spend afternoons drinking champagne and talking about stuff. I don't have a Canadian Ellen to trade snide and snarky remarks and meet for cheese dip. I don't have a Canadian Sondra to get all goth with either. I don't have Canadian versions of any of my friends. Friends are hard to make here. People come and go. People are spread out all over the town. Luckily, the best friend I have came with me.
* you watch...when the whole thing goes pear shaped...well, more pear shaped than you could imagine...it is going to be All His Fault.
