Fun Fun Fun

Oh Halloween, I love you so much!

Here we are as Janis & Elvis:

Here we are as Rizzo & Danny:


Hope your Halloween was spook-tacular! :)

My Foot Is Sore

Since getting my tattoo last week, my foot has swelled and bruised and the tattoo has wept.

I've never had this experience with a tattoo. And it's not like I'm new at this. I had 7 tattoos done before this one so I felt pretty confident in what to expect.

Um yeah, it feels like a horse stomped on my foot. I'm quite surprised at the amount of pain I'm experiencing. Usually I can just walk around with a broken foot and not really notice.

I googled "foot tattoo healing" and I don't like what I read. Apparently the foot is the most difficult spot on the body to heal after a tattoo.

Ugh.

But even if I had known this prior to getting it done, I still would have gotten it on my foot.

And even having said that, I think I'm allowed to complain a bit.

Oh Toronto

Self-inflected wounds always bleed the hardest.

Geez Toronto....

Now I'm really, REALLY glad I'm moving.

New Faces

Ontario goes to the polls today for municipal elections. There are a whopping 40 candidates in the Toronto race. That's just not necessary.

I voted in the advanced polls a few weeks ago and got to try out the nifty new touch screen polling stations.

I threw my vote to Joe Pantalone, aka Joey Pants, aka the deputy mayor. The polls say he's got no real shot at winning but I don't care. At least I will have the right to complain when someone else wins because I actually cast my vote.

But I will only have a new Toronto mayor for nine weeks. And then, my mayor will be whoever the residents of St. Catharines elect.

I really hope that jackass Rob Ford doesn't win. Because even though I won't be living in the Tdot anymore, my friends still will be and I don't want the city to suck even worse after I'm gone.

Oh Go Suck On It

"I'm always shocked by people who talk about not being middle-aged...People are always like, 'Thirty-five is not middle-aged.' I'm like, 'Double it.' "

– Julianne Moore, who turns 50 in December, to Allure.

20 10 2010

Today is cool for three reasons.

The first reason is the date - 20·10·2010. And please note, I've posted this at 20:10 (8:10pm for those who aren't down with the military way of telling time).

The second reason is today a bunch of people banded together to raise awareness on an important issue affecting LGBT youth - suicide because of bullying.

It's #SpiritDay and those participating have worn purple and changed their Facebook and Twitter profile pictures to this:

The internet is awesome for grassroots movements. Earlier this month it began on YouTube with the "It Gets Better" project.

I have a lot of LGBT friends who I'm sure were bullied as teens. But they made it through those awful years and became the super awesome, fun loving people they are today. People I am proud to call friends and who I love with all my heart.

To all the LGBT youth - BE PROUD! We love you exactly as you are. And I promise, it gets better!

And to all those bullies out there - go suck a lemon. Seriously. Every time you open your mouth to say something mean, stick a lemon in it and suck until you get canker sores.

And the third reason is because I got a tattoo to honour Jelly's mom.

That's How He Rolls

I went up to Yonge & Eglinton to meet a former coworker for lunch today. Y&E has to be one of the busiest intersections in all of Toronto, both traffic and pedestrians.

There was a young man in a wheelchair in front of me as we both crossed Eglinton, moving north on the west side of Yonge.

As we got to the corner, there was a large group of people waiting to cross east who were blocking the sidewalk.

Most of them were aware enough to move out of the way. However, there was one douche ticket who stood his ground.

So the guy in the wheelchair did the only thing that should have been done - rolled right over that asshole's foot! I laughed so loud! I was gonna high five the guy for his awesomeness but he wheeled away pretty fast.

I hope that asshat learned his lesson. Don't fuck with physically challenged people. They are way more badass than anyone gives them credit for.

It's All Good

My Dad loves me again.

We saw him briefly on Saturday afternoon and we had dinner with him last night. He was totally normal again. He gave me big hugs and kisses the way he always does when he sees me. He was engaged in the conversation at dinner and had a big smile on his face.

Whew.

I hope he never gets mad at me again.

Sweet Face

The subway ride into work can be really interesting and wonderful - that is, when I'm not being shoved, stepped on and/or yelled at.

This morning I had a small, sweet moment on the train.

There was a young, black woman with Down Syndrome standing just across from me. She was wearing a pink raincoat, blue jeans, and a Hannah Montana backpack. She was listening to a CD Walkman. Yup, an honest-to-goodness Walkman.

As people boarded the train, she would smile and make eye contact with them. When another black woman boarded, she struck up a conversation with her. Her eyes were wide and bright, like she was talking to a much loved older sister.

As she got off at Spadina station, be-bopping to the music in her headphones, the rest of the riders made way for her to exit.

I wish everyone would be that kind every day to everybody.

Cold Turkey

On Saturday night we had our family Thanksgiving dinner at my little brother and girlfriend's new house.

My Dad hasn't spoken to me since the email I sent him last week. I knew I would be met with a less than friendly reception, however I didn't anticipate he would just flat out ignore me. He ignored my sister-in-law as well, who had taken my side in the battle.

I forced him into a hug when he arrived, after which he plunked himself down on the arm chair, away from the rest of us.

The rest of us were drinking, nibbling on snacks and chatting before dinner. He just sat there, silent.

At dinner, I made sure to sit beside him so that I could force him into a conversation. And yeah, he gave me two word answers to everything I asked him. He should have saved himself the effort of forming actual words and just grunted angrily at me.

The minute dessert was finished, he got up to leave. I again, forced him into a hug. He shook The Comedian's hand and said it was nice to see him. At least his anger didn't extend on to my boyfriend by association.

I hope my Dad gets over this sooner rather than later. I know what I did was awful, but I had no choice. His safety was my number one concern. I hope he knows I did it out of love for him.

Another Angel

I just received the devastating news of the passing of Jelly's mother.

She was like a second mother to me. I've called her "Mommy" since high school. She loved me as if I were one of her own.

She loved music. That's one of the things we bonded over. She took me to many musicals in high school. One of my favourite memories was seeing "Forever Plaid" with her at Art Park in Lewiston, NY. I was actually brought on to the stage at one point in the show and joined the cast for a rendition of "Heart and Soul". She was so proud of me!

She loved to travel. She went to Japan around the time I was graduating from high school. I remember sitting around the kitchen table, practicing conversational Japanese with her. We learned how to ask where the bathroom is and how to order beer. She brought me back these, which I have kept to this day.

She has been suffering from MS since the late eighties. She was diagnosed as chronic progressive. She eventually ended up in a wheelchair and later in a nursing home.

I can't remember when it was that I saw her last. I think it was in the spring of this year. Jelly and I went to see her at the nursing home.

We sat around and talked and ate chocolate and then took her outside to the courtyard. We sat under the gazebo and talked and laughed and then she got tired. We wheeled her back to her room and made sure to get her what she needed before we left.

I gave her a hug and a kiss and told her she looked great.

"Bye Mommy, see you soon!"

"See you soon Paprika!"

I never got around to visiting again. And I am so heart broken that I didn't.

The worst part of this story was that Jelly was in Florida when her mom passed away. This was the first vacation she's ever taken with her husband and kids. And I know one of the reasons it took until now for them to take a vacation is because Jelly had to be around to take care of her mother. Jelly has been her mother's primary care giver for the better part of Jelly's adult life.

I wish I could transport myself to Jelly's side, scoop her up, and tuck her inside my heart to protect her.

There isn't going to be a formal funeral as she didn't want everyone to stand around crying over her. She's already been cremated and her ashes will be interred by the family on Tuesday. There will be a memorial service at the church she used to attend in our hometown on Saturday October 16th. My family, The Comedian, Blondo and I will all of course be there.

I think she's up in heaven hanging out with my mom now. They are probably singing songs together and watching over me and Jelly.

RIP JRS. Sweet dreams. xoxoxo

BOOM

Over the last week and a half, I've been dealing with a family crisis. My father decided it would be a good idea to welcome in a homeless woman to help her "get back on her feet". This woman is a known drug user and prostitute. But somehow she managed to convince my kind-hearted father she is simply misunderstood.

I cannot describe to you the shit storm this has stirred up between my father, myself, my brothers and all our significant others.

My father is mad at all of us for questioning his judgement. Seriously Dad? SERIOUSLY?!

My brothers are mad at me for going immediately to red alert upon learning of this. Seriously Brothers? SERIOUSLY?!

My brothers' significant others are mad at my brothers for not going immediately to red alert. Good girls!

And The Comedian has been my rock in all of this. He has been kind, supportive and completely calm through out. I'm seriously shocked he has not broken up with me at this point after witnessing a screaming match between me and one of my brothers on Sunday night.

Today I decided to throw down the gauntlet to end this insanity once and for all. I sent a lengthy email copying everyone on it making it clear to my father that if he does not tell this woman to leave immediately, I will cut him out of my life forever. I told him he had to choose, and if he chose her, that would be the end of our relationship.

The email was mean and nasty and 100% an ultimatum. But I would rather deal with the fall out from that than having to deal with the police phoning me to tell me they've recovered my father's body because that woman's pimp came by looking for his money and drugs.

The email worked. Within two hours, my father sent an email confirming the woman is now gone. I'm not sure how mad he really is at me because he signed the email "Love, Dad" as he always does in every email he's ever sent to me.

However my brothers hate me now and sent me separate emails to that effect. According to both of them, I'm a horrible person for forcing my father into a corner, my email was out of line and completely uncalled for and I should apologize immediately.

But I'm not going to. Because I knew it would be the only way to get through to my father. I'm just glad he didn't prove me wrong because I know how stubborn he can be. I was only 99% sure he'd pick me over that woman.

I don't think we'll be having Thanksgiving dinner as a family this weekend....