Friday, September 29, 2006

Random Thoughts from a Sinus-Addled Mind

I covet the soundtrack for The Last Kiss. Oh Zach Braff, why don't you come and be my personal DJ? And bring along a copy of said soundtrack, because I have no spare money with which to buy it.

Can you imagine how much that would cost? At this point in his career, more money than I've ever seen.

Sinuses suck. What do they do, anyway?

According to Wikipedia, lots of things.

I've been playing my entire iTunes Library, and am now listening to "Santa Can You Hear Me?" by pre-Fed Britney. And I'm not changing it, because I love this song. Oh pre-Fed Britney. If only you knew.

The Folio Society's new prospectus for the year includes Pride and Prejudice, and Cold Comfort Farm. I also covet these.

The Girls are going for drinks tonight, and I don't even have the energy to go downstairs.

I have a sneaking suspicion that I may have to wear a "uniform" shirt tomorrow. I have seen the shirts, and am dreading having to wear them.

My skin has been drier since returning from Asia than ever before. Household moisturizer use has hit an all-time high.

It's 9:00 PM, and I'm falling asleep.

Gah

It's 5:48 AM, and I'm awake. Not because there's something I needed to get up for, mind you. There's no fun early mornin plan, or even some sort of sadistic early morning work out regime. No, I'm awake because sometime between 12 midnight and 5 AM, while I was sleeping, my sinuses (my maxillary sinuses, specifically. Those are the ones on either side of the nose) have staged a coup, in a bid for total body domination. Actually, it's really only my right maxillary sinus. The left one is calmly waiting, ready to strike when needed. My sinus (and nose) actually hurt enough that I woke up at 5 AM. I don't think I've ever been woken up by getting sick. I've woken up at the usual time and found myself sick. I've also gone to sleep sick and woken up in the middle of the night feeling like crap and needing a cold cloth for my head, etc etc. But this is a definite milestone in the saga of illnesses in the life of Jan. I'm sure there's a party going on somewhere.

Possibly in my right sinus.

Kettle's boiling. I'm making tea. Wish me well.

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Tales from a Wine Store

"Do you have Castilla di [something Italian-sounding]?"
In my head - That sounds Italian. God I hope it's Italian.
"...All our Italian wines are just over there"

(Myself and Coworker) "Whaat the hell is this thing?"
"Oh, they're supposed to stop the drips from going all the way down the bottle to the table. Basically they're drip stoppers"
"What a stupid unnecessary $15...thing."
"Yeah"
(Customer picks one up) "Oh my god, what a great idea!"
(Us) "I know, isn't it?"

"Have you tried this one? Do you know what it's like?"
"You know, I haven't had a chance to try that one yet, but I've heard great things." - Huh, so we have a red wine with a butterfly on the label. Noted.

"So, how's it going selling wine?"
"Well apart from the fact that I know nothing, have tried about 1% of the wines we carry and have no inclination to try anymore of them, fantastic."
"...Good times."

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Phew

Now I'm watching CSI:NY. This show is waaay more chill. At least as chill as a show that features people dying can be. Ugh, why is nothing funny on on Wednesday nights? Why isn't The Office on on Wednesdays? Who does Pam CHOOSE?!

Eeihh

Say that word out loud, and you're making the same face I am as I watch the season premiere of Criminal Minds (I'm typing this during the commercial breaks). Seriously, I'm switching to Numb3rs, another crime-y show, to calm my nerves every once in a while.

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Asia 2006, Part One - Taiwan

After gliding smoothly through my flights and connections on the first leg of my trip, I arrived in Taipei International Airport at the absurd hour of 6:00 AM. Immediately after stepping off the plane, the sher humidity of the air hit me. It was also quite warm, considering it was barely daytime, but the humidity was like walking in a wall of steam.

After going through Taiwan immigration and collecting my bag, I went outside and met with my aunt, who I would be staying with. She was happy that my flight was early, since it meant we'd be able to skip rush hour (a way bigger deal than in Vancouver, I later learned). The drive from the airport was kind of fascinating to me; it was the first time I'd been in Taiwan since I was four. It was surprisingly green, with palm trees and huge lush ferns, the size of my bedroom. And morning glories everywhere, but not white like in the endowment lands. Here, they were mauve running into deep violet. Temples seem to pop up almost randomly, bursts of colour with grand curving sculptures of dragons and lions. The occasional abandoned highrise crops up. Slowly, the green countryside fades into gray cityscape.

And this is one hell of a city.

Taipei is everything you expect from a large asian city; street markets, food kiosks, huge shopping malls, and absolutely teeming with people. Cars, buses, trucks, motorcycles, scooters, it doesn't seem like any of the road is empty. The whole city is packed with things to look at and smells seem to radiate from every alley (thankfully, a good portion of these odors are at least not unpleasant. Some of them smell so good you want to chase them down). It's only gotten hotter out, and it's cloudy today; I can't imagine what it would feel like under open sunshine.

After eating as many lychees as my post-flight stomach will allow (my aunt had very thoughtfully bought crates of them in preparation for my arrival), I take a nap. It's only 10 AM when I wake up; it feels like I slept over night. I'm told to get ready; we're going to lunch with my aunt's friends.

Monday, September 11, 2006

Home Update: Week 1

I arrived back in Vancouver on Saturday the 2nd, at about 10 pm (well, I arrived at 8:30, but certain events meant that it was 10 by the time I got out of the airport). Since then, it's been a marathon of me seeing almost everyone I've missed over my trip, and trying to get a handle on my new job, as a retail associate at a specialty wine store. Because no one knows more about wine than I do. Except maybe everyone. Seriously, could I be less qualified for this job? I think I need to take a wine tasting course, because thre is no way I have a clue what is going one. Shiraz? Merlot? Cabernet Sauvignon? I can spell them without looking them up, but that (and the fact that they are reds and not whites) pretty much encapsulates me knowledge of them. Oh well. Here's to learning about something new!

Here goes nothing.

Friday, September 08, 2006

I May Be The Last One To The Party, But...

If you haven't yet, go see An Inconvenient Truth. Trust me, it is absolutely horrifying to see how glaciers have receded, lakes have dried out, and rainfall has changed and moved. But you need to see it, we all do. And while you're at it, go to www.climatecrisis.net. Things are changing, and faster than any government, newspaper or television newscast seems willing to admit.

Monday, September 04, 2006

HOME!

After 66 days away, I am finally back home. The trip was amazing, and since I enjoyed pretty good health the whole time, I have now come down with the flu/intense allergies/malaria. Only time will tell. I'll write more later, but right now I'm a little tired. But people, call me! I'm home, and my phone has lost a lot of your phone numbers!