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Looks like I’ll need a passport to visit Canada. At least, that’s the new law. Before, you could get by on flashing your driver’s license and birth certificate and answering a few questions. Of course, all these changes are brought to you by HOMELAND SECURITY! Go fig. Personally, I think it is ridiculous that people live in such fear. The way I see it, if a terrorist has plans on making the jaunt across the big pond, more than likely, he’ll find a way in. I’m not saying one shouldn’t be safe and take some precautions, but I remember after September 11, all you saw on CNN were military folks with big guns standing alert, a major land mark hovering in the background. Oh, and who could forget the terrorist threat levels? OH MY SWEET GOD IT’S BEEN MOVED UP TO ORANGE! COME ON, KIDS! LET’S THROW ON THE GAS MASKS AND HIDE IN THE BASEMENT! As far as I’m concerned, it’s nothing but the U.S. government playing on people’s fear.

So I’m starting to really dig Oprah After the Show. It’s one thing I never thought I’d get into, but I really like the fact that it’s just a bunch of people talking, unlike your regular talk show.

Anyone else ready for Friday? This week’s gone by pretty quick so far. I’ve been steadily busy and have been learning a ton. The apartment’s coming along; it’s not so much box central anymore. The living room isn’t arranged how I’d like it, but I haven’t figured out what to do with it. Same with the bedroom. There’s plenty of time for that, I suppose. I’m looking forward to a weekend without any plans, for once. I’m sure that’ll change soon enough.

I’m cruising to work this morning, listening to the best radio station ever invented and somewhere in the middle of the Fremont Bridge, “Bittersweet Symphony” from The Verve came on. It’s a song I love to wail to, and for some unknown reason, it makes me really happy and puts me in a great mood. Then, right after, “Ordinary World” from Duran Duran. Could my day get any better? My question to you is this: What is your song - the song that just does it for you when you hear it? Let me know.

P.S. - Charity, I heard “The Globe” on 94.7 today. It’s the first time I’ve actually heard it on the radio since I was in your bedroom rocking out to it! Made me think of you. Hope you’re well.

Oh.my.hell. Muscles. Screaming at me.

We got moved, with the help of very good friends of ours. It is amazing how much crap you cart around with you and never realize it until you have to move! Regardless, a lot of it is staying in the garage. Pictures will be posted once this place gets into some type of order. I am currently amidst a sea of boxes. Let me just tell you though, how wonderful it is to be back in the old hood. Where I started. In case you didn’t know, Matt and I moved to the same apartment complex Jeff and I lived in upon moving to Oregon the first time around, four years ago this month. It was a great complex, surrounded by wonderful amenities and a quiet wooded atmosphere. We shared the apartment as roommates for about a year, and went our separate ways. I’ve always missed this neighbourhood in some way or another. So, four years later when the talk of a move out of our Vancouver apartment started to surface, for fun, I took Matt to see the place, and here we are. Living here. It feels like things have come full circle somehow, and it’s nice. I have to say that I’m very pleased with how our furniture looks in this place. I promised pics, just let me get out of the natural disaster zone first.

Oh, and uh. Regarding me dropping fat from my ass. I kind of blew it this week, and I know I’ve gained an amount that I’m mortified of telling you about. This week was hell with the move, and taking little things from apartment complex A to apartment complex B. We ate out literally every single day the last week. Ugh. Since we’ve moved here, we’ve made a pact not to be so lazy and cook more. Once I’ve surpassed the 279.5 mark, I will begin updating the Minus Jenn section again.

Packing. Eating horribly. Packing some more. Lifting. Packing. A bit of unpacking. Packing some more. See you Saturday, at some point, in non-ghettoville.

Ever just wish you had that cd containing the perfect road trip music? Maybe someone else could help you with that.

I think this Burn It will be awesome. Matt did it last year, and we wound up getting five or six cds back from all over. There’s something very personal about making a mix cd containing all your favourite tunes to give to someone. Time, effort, and personal touch all go into the perfect mix cd. It’s fun to get to know someone without ever meeting them. And, you just might find a new favourite band. Sign up! It’s free!

Have you seen Google’s latest project? Go check it out. I was able to bring up a satellite image of my hometown - population 1200. Can you see your home? Go find out! Go here, then click the link titled “Satellite.” I was even able to get a zoomed in picture of where we currently live.

Some people are worried this could lead to, or be, privacy infringement. What do you think?

The Pope’s death has effected me in a way I wasn’t really ready for, but welcome. As I sit here and watch his processional, Swiss guards and Cardinals carrying his body through the Square into St. Peter Bascilica, I’m more sad than I ever thought possible. I am not Catholic. I know very little about Pope John Paul. I did not follow his word. Yet I see his body devoid of soul which makes us who we are, and I feel as though a very close part of my family has passed on. A man who stands for everything good; a man who has helped so many is gone. I must remind myself that this is only temporary; I will meet him in the next life. I look forward to this moment wholeheartedly, but for now, I cannot help but grieve. The world will miss you, John Paul. Peace be with you.

With mercury we measure pain
as we measure the heat of bodies and air;
but this is not how to discover our limits–
you think you are the center of things.
If you could only grasp that you are not:
the center is He,
and He, too, finds no love—
why don’t you see?
The human heart–what is it for?
Cosmic temperature. Heart. Mercury.

“Girl Disappointed in Love”– Pope John Paul II

I am sitting on the couch this lovely semi-sunny evening watching THE BIG GAME between North Carolina and Illinois. Help. Me.

Today went surprisingly fast. Things are busy at work. I’m not sure what I think of my new team. People-wise, things are cool. I just think I have to review the stupidest most fraudulent files I’ve ever seen. It’s almost funny, the things I’ve seen. Instead of giving me a real W2 from a very large corporation, I get something half-assed done up by the Account Executive or broker’s office themselves, more than likely, from Turbo Tax. Hmm. Right. So I call them out on this. I hear, “Oh, well, this is how *insert giant corporation here* does their W2s.” “Mmm. That’s why it says Turbo Tax at the bottom.” Silence. It’s just annoying, because they’re screwing themselves, our company, and it’s such a waste of time because I end up having to take the file to our fraud department, where it winds up getting declined, and my good ol’ account executive who thought they could run one past me just wound up wasting everyone’s time. This has happened numerous times. Upper management is actually looking at blowing away the whole region I’m underwriting for altogether. I hope they do. It’s nothing but a mess.

So. Shopping. Because I’m an HGTV nut, I want to redecorate. Which makes me want a house. Alas, we’re not at that point yet, but we will be in a few years. For now, I’ll have to settle with little things I can actually do within an apartment.

Sorry I’m not that exciting. I’m ready for a vacation.

I’m having kind of a blah moment. It’s been a long week. There’s the Terri Schiavo thing that finally came to an end, the Pope’s passing, and all this has caused me to reflect. I really miss my dad. He and Jo will be coming to stay about 80 miles from where we live, working over the summer. This was unexpected, but I’m incredibly happy about this. It’s been a really long time since I’ve gotten to spend more than a few hours with him at a time. I’m hoping this summer, we’ll get to spend a decent amount of time together. I just really miss him, and the longer we’re apart, I feel as though there’s a part of me that is sort of incomplete when I don’t get to see him regularly. Bring on the summer, because I’m ready already.

On a brighter note, we managed to move some little things over to the new place. Wound up purchasing a new entertainment center, mainly because the old antique banker desk we have our TV currently sitting on won’t fit down the hall. I was a bit worried about our kitchen; our current kitchen has tons more space than the one we’re moving into. With a few alterations, though, we managed to make it work. In ways, I think what will be our current kitchen will be cooler than what we have now. Ah, well. One more week! As of next Saturday, we’ll officially be in our new place. I’m sure there will be pictures to come.

One question: Does anyone else get choked up when watching Extreme Home Makeover?