That Grrl

Castles in the Air

2009-11-20T22:03:00.000-05:00

There is more pleasure to building castles in the air than on the ground. - Edward Gibbon

Automatic Scans and Updates Really SUCK!

2009-11-19T12:32:00.000-05:00

Shampoo build up sucks. It makes me feel grungy even though I just had a shower and shampoo last night. I will have to find a different shampoo. I used to get a lovely citrus one for occasions such as this. I haven't seen that one for years though. I miss the great smell of it.

I am tired but have a lot to get done. My computer, however, has decided now is a great time to do some fricking scan or update on something. Last time it did this (when I actually let it run on) I was waiting over an hour. Why do they think this is a good idea? Don't they understand that when I turn on the computer it is for the purpose of doing something with it. Something other than sitting here yelling at it about sucking and being sucking slow.

Urrrrggghhhh!

The Town That Time Forgot

2009-11-14T13:57:00.001-05:00

The Town That Time Forgot
Originally uploaded by Tom Zsolt

I don't know what town it is. But I like the photo.

Crochet a Poppy Pin

2009-11-11T18:24:00.001-05:00

Red Poppy group on Flickr, mostly real flowers rather than designs or art/ crafts.

Flowers by Irene has a pretty knit/ crochet poppy.

Frayed at the Edges makes a knit poppy.

Erssie Knits has a crochet poppy but the pattern is not available on the site.

Seawood has crochet poppies (flowers) with a big button in the middle.

Kittyboo Crochet has a nice poppy pattern:

A little poppy brooch, made by me, using Rowan Cashsoft yarn. Here is the (very rough and ready) pattern using UK terms:

Make 2.
Ch 6. SS into 1st stitch to form a ring.
24 dc into ring.
DC into each DC, increasing every other stitch to get 36 stitches.
1 ch [1 dc 1 tr 7dbltr 1 tr 1dc 1ss] 3 times with last ss into 1st ch.
Fasten off.
Join the two pieces.

For the centre I really just made it up as I went along. It’s a bit hard to describe but I basically made lots of loops and tied them together (a bit like making a tassle) then cut off the tops and stitched into the centre of the poppy.

Curious and Crafty Readers has the loveliest crochet poppy pattern of them all, I think. Here is the centre and the other page has extra finishing touches.

Lovely Handmade Poppies

2009-11-11T17:34:00.000-05:00

These are made by Croshay. You can order and see more of her work at Croshay Design.

Brushed Felt Poppy Pin

2009-11-11T17:28:00.001-05:00

Felt poppy pin
Originally uploaded by dragonflyducky

Fabric Poppy Brooch

2009-11-11T17:26:00.001-05:00

Poppy - handmade brooch
Originally uploaded by Traxa

Crochet Poppy Brooch

2009-11-11T17:25:00.003-05:00

Hand crochet PENDANT or BROOCH - FREE SHIPPING
Originally uploaded by hotbeads

Felt Poppies as a Brooch

2009-11-11T17:25:00.001-05:00

trailing poppies
Originally uploaded by lilfishstudios

eDesign Course

2009-11-04T23:20:00.000-05:00

e-Design Web Specialist

Diploma, Co-op

Graduates of the e-Design Web Specialist program are trained to pursue a career in the development of both static and database-driven websites. A graduate plans, designs, implements, and configures websites, databases, and the networks supporting or hosting the sites.

The e-Design Web Specialist program offers a unique balance of state-of-the-art training in website planning and development, professional business skills (communications, documentation, and group dynamics), graphic design, and database design. Upon successful completion of the program, an optional four-to-six week, full-time placement can be arranged at the student's request.

Last updated: Sunday, September 13, 2009

Last year they told me this course was no longer being offered. Now it says it was updated as recently as September. So someone is screwing up! I sent in my address and will see if they send the information.

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-30T23:39:00.002-04:00

Day of the Ladybugs

2009-10-21T13:56:00.001-04:00

Day of the Ladybugs
Originally uploaded by That Canadian Grrl

They were all over the front of the house yesterday. None around today. I think they came for the heat. Today it's raining, all day so far.

Clothes Swapping

2009-10-20T14:17:00.000-04:00

Do you want to swap clothes? Support a new idea for a site where women can swap clothes and accessories. Contact Lindsay for more information, read the forum post at CMF Ads to see what her ideas are.

Copy & Paste

2009-10-15T15:37:00.000-04:00

Found this on an abandoned blog:

A popular motivational speaker was entertaining his Audience. He Said: "The best years of my life were spent in the arms of a woman who wasn't my wife!".The audience was in silence and shock. The speaker added: "And that woman was my mother!"
Laughter and Applause!!!

A week later, a top manager trained by the Motivational speaker tried to crack this very effective joke At home. He was a bit foggy after a drink. He said loudly to His wife who was preparing dinner, "The greatest years of my life were spent in the arms of a woman who was not my Wife!"

The wife went; "ahhhh!" with shock and rage.

Standing there for 20 seconds trying to recall the second Half of the joke, the manager finally blurted out "...and I can't remember who she was!"

By the time the manager regained his consciousness, he was on a hospital bed nursing burns from boiling water.

Moral of the story...
Don't Copy if you can't PASTE

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-10-11T13:59:00.001-04:00

Happy Thanksgiving. We are doing the dinner today. Just about to crack open the first bottle of wine.

Zack's Pumpkin Spice Birthday Cake

2009-10-09T17:31:00.000-04:00

This is the original recipe. Of course, I had to fiddle with it.

First, no pecans cause my brother is allergic to any nuts except peanuts. He may not even be here for the cake but you never know if plans will change or he could be by and hope for leftover cake the next day.

Other changes: added some vanilla (real vanilla not extract), added cocoa powder and did not have ground cloves. Also, because it's Thanksgiving we have lots of pumpkin all cooked from fresh pumpkin so I did not use any pumpkin out of a can for this recipe.

I probably won't serve it with a brick of cream cheese and fruit. It's a birthday cake! We have candles and I have icing sugar, butter and cocoa powder to make some chocolate icing.

PUMPKIN GINGER PECAN LOAF

Serve with a brick of cream cheese (soft, for spreading) and fruit.

1/2 cup soft butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 2/3 cup unsifted flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/3 cup water
1 cup cooked, mashed pumpkin
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

Cream together butter and sugar with electric mixer. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until mixture is light and fluffy.

Sift together dry ingredients, add to creamed mixture alternately with water. Beat well after each addition. Add pumpkin and beat until well blended. Stir in chopped pecans. Turn into greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pan and spread smooth.

Bake in moderate oven (350°F) 60 to 70 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out on rack to cool thoroughly.

Makes 1 loaf.

Hermitized!

2009-10-05T18:41:00.000-04:00

When you really think about it some of the stuff we cook/ bake is really kind of odd. Who ever got the idea to wrap fruit up in sugar and dough and then bake it for an hour? If you had never eaten a pie, would that sound just great and delicious to you?

We will be doing the Canadian Thanksgiving this coming weekend. The pie baking has begun. From Friday until sometime late on Sunday the house will be full of people. Times like these make me wonder if I was really meant to be a hermit. I know I'm not the social butterfly type. But, I never feel more like disappearing through a crack in the floor than when I am surrounded by family. Mostly they mean well. Mostly they don't feel any need to censor themselves. Mostly they seem to look at me as if I'm the goodie goodie version of the black sheep of the family.

Anyway, enough about that.

Would you like to be a hermit? I think I would not like the grubby part of it. I'd rather have a shower, a hot one. I'd rather have lovely scented soap and shampoo. But it would be nice to be alone. There is something about being alone that makes me feel myself.

How Addicted to Twitter and Facebook are You?

2009-10-03T00:37:00.000-04:00

As seen on Lady Banana's blog:

Created by The Oatmeal

Created by The Oatmeal

$102

Created by WhatsMyTwitterAccountWorth.com

A Technorati Author

2009-10-02T20:48:00.000-04:00

Looks like I'm going to be a Technorati author. I had an email from them today saying they would send more information, including how to officially sign up. I'm not sure how it will work out but it will be interesting. :)

My Comment is Inappropriate???

2009-10-02T02:16:00.000-04:00

I do not like comment moderation, especially the automatic kind. I have had to resort to using it on my WordPress blog because WordPress is a target in itself. Here I get almost zero comment spam. On Word Grrls I get about a hundred a day. It's bonkers. Still, I moderate and watch for anything missed by the bot. I do not use word or other verification or CAPTCHA's.

Tonight I tried to leave a comment on another site, Never Say Diet. I came to the site from a post on Twitter. I read the blog post and clicked in to leave a comment. I gave my name, email address and website. Then I did the math question to verify my comment and then I was given this lovely note:

Your posting was blocked by our spam filter.

Your posting on Never Say Diet from xxx.xx.xx.xx has been automatically flagged by our spam filters as being inappropriate for this website.

At Never Say Diet we work very hard behind the scenes to keep our web pages free of spam. Unfortunately, sometimes we accidentally block legitimate content. If you are attempting to post legitimate content to this website, you can help us to improve our spam filters by emailing the following information to a site administrator:

So my comment is inappropriate? In what way would that be?

Maybe the sales woman was shorter and didn't understand the idea of taller women needing larger sizes. If she only looked at you for fit versus flab she could have goofed up. I like Skinny Large. It's like me when I order a large latte with skim milk.

Ooooh Yeah. Just highly toxic, nearly pornographic in nature! Remove the children from the room!

I sent the automated reply note to the admin, it asked me to justify myself. To prove that I'm not a spammer. I chose not to.

What is really annoying is that they may be passing my IP address to spam watch lists now. That really does piss me off. I've never left a spam comment and now I am being painted with that brush for some pissy site who can't be bothered to moderate their own comments.

If a site doesn't want comments they should just say so upfront, or turn them off.Why piss off readers, especially the readers who choose to leave comments.

I applied to 9Rules for Word Grrls

2009-10-01T02:48:00.002-04:00

Word Grrls is about creative writing inspiration with the focus on writing prompts/ exercises. I've been writing on the web since 1998. I admit I can be opinionated (some claim eccentric and some are kind and say I'm wise) but I love web writing and publishing, particularly blogging. To me blogging is still about free writing and creativity.

I have been publishing Word Grrls with a daily entry since November 2007. Before that it was weekly. I'm used to having a publishing schedule and I like the discipline of having that schedule to stick to.

I would very much like to be part of 9Rules and the community here. Not only as a help in promoting Word Grrls but to be part of something bigger again. I miss working within a larger network of sites. People get a lot of feedback and push to keep going in an active community. I also like to be part of building something. I was an active editor at Dmoz.org for over ten years cause I enjoyed tidying and adding to the categories and finding new ideas and hobbies for myself.

I can't pick a favourite post. In a blog each post should be able to stand on it's own. Most people only skim the first post before they decide to read more or click off. I like my current post about the goldfish. It may be a bit dorky but it was what I thought about at the time I saw the baby goldfish in the backyard pond.

I don't know what else to babble on about. I've done more than a few sentences. I would appreciate to hear back from someone. I applied March 8th 2009 and was pretty disappointed when nothing happened and there were no updates on the 9Rules blog. I really hope 9Rules is going to revamp and start up again. Being part of 9Rules was one of the goals I had for this blog at the time I started it. :)

You Too Could Do The Inkblot Test

2009-09-24T03:47:00.002-04:00

You Are Driven and Focused

You view people with optimism. You have many meaningful relationships in your life.

You had more conflict with your father than your mother. Your relationship with him was healthy but challenging.

You deal with stress in a fairly normal way. Stress presents a struggle for you, but you're usually able to neutralize your emotions.

You are the type of person who knows how to get a lot done. However, sometimes you can't help but get overwhelmed by life.

The Inkblot Test

The First Rule of Blogthings Is: You Don't Talk About Blogthings

Your Name is Yellow

Your name tells people that you are welcoming and cheerful. You are open to all the love in the world.

You are a warm person who can't help but make others feel comforted. You are truly radiant.

People see you as someone who has figured out the secrets to life. While that's not true, you do try to remain positive in the face of adversity.

You are the sunshine in other people's lives. You make more of a difference than you realize.

What Color Is Your Name?

Blogthings: Quizzes and Tests and Memes, Oh My!

Steamy and Dreamy

2009-09-20T16:07:00.000-04:00

It's been a really long time since I had an erotic dream, about ten or more years. People seem to write about sex as if they are doing it daily, depending on what kind of site you are reading. I'm more like a born again virgin. Anyway, I was surprised to have a steamy dream. The man was someone I know but now that I am more awake I can't remember who he was, just a dim kind of feeling that it was the body and personality of someone I know. Kind of odd.

Of course I don't remember all the details. But, it started out in the backyard of a house with a long yard. He was doing some kind of work and I brought out liquid refreshment of some kind. We got talking a bit. He somehow mentioned dating and his lack of "friends". I scoffed and said I had even less friendship of that kind. He was nice and said that was surprising. Then he touched me in a nice, friendly way. I looked at him and smiled or something, can't think of what happened but we went inside the house and then inside the bed and then he was inside me. It was nice. That kind of comfortable, smooth, cuddly sex where you feel valued, even a little adored.

When I woke up one of my nipples was hard. That is only interesting because I've come to think of them as pretty damn lazy these past dozen or so years.

So a good time was had by all. I went back to sleep and the dream continued a bit more, but no sex just talk of doing it again. Probably a good thing I can't remember who he was. I wonder if it is connected to the fact that the first boy who kissed me died recently. My Mother noticed the obituary in the newspaper, it had a current photo of him. It's been on my mind a bit since then. We didn't date or anything remotely like that. I went into his backyard with himself and another boy. I don't know why other than the fact that he invited me over. I didn't hang around with the boys in school, I didn't date or really have much interest in them until a lot later, in high school. But, he pulled me close and kissed me. It was a nice kiss. A surprise. He phoned me a few days later (more or less) invited me to his house again. I didn't go. I was a whole year younger than everyone in my class and a whole lot behind them on the boy/ girl thing. Anyway, now he's dead at 45. It said suddenly deceased so it wasn't that he had cancer I guess.

I guess that is at least part of why I had the dream this morning/ last evening. It was a nice feeling while it lasted, to be close to someone again. I do miss that part of sex. (Be honest, the rest we can do ourselves and likely better anyway).

So that's my blab for the day. Outside to pick tomatos now.

Oh Goodie Goodie

2009-09-18T23:16:00.000-04:00

It's very unfair. We have those tiny tomatoes growing in the garden, they are just now all ripening up and are so juicy and warm from the sun, like biting into summer (only the good edible parts). But, each time I have a few of those tomatoes I feel sick, like I'm getting a the flu, that night and the next day. It is very unfair. I love those little tomatoes. I ate almost a dozen of their little red, orange and yellow bodies this afternoon and now I feel yucky, shivery and cold. Bleh. I still don't think I can give up eating the tomatoes. Let them punish me for it.

Tomorrow I am babysitting again. Did I mention that my sister is due to pop out another baby in November/ December. As much as I like seeing the kids, especially Zack who started high school this year, I am tired of babysitting. Mostly, I am tired of her house. It is a dump and they seem to not even notice it. When I came over last week she told the girls to clean up cause I was there. She had been home all day but didn't think to clean up because that is what people should do! No, it's only because I'm queen bitch who will throw away all their toys and stuff. Get real. I told one of the girls that instead of bringing a garbage bag for all their stuff I wish I just had a blow torch instead. Would be much easier to clear a path through all the crap at the front door that way. I really am that fed up with it all. People who can't train their children to be something more than feral animals should not be having another baby.

I know she has businesses to run. I know she sees herself as a business woman/ career goal minded. But, then, logically you don't have four children set lose to fend for themselves. Know yourself. If you aren't Mother material don't keep popping them out thinking other people will do the job for you.

I do like the children, I'm not completely evil. Just annoyed, mostly just annoyed. I know when I am there tomorrow the floor of the entryway will be covered in coats, boots, books, games, assorted clothing, toys and other mindless debris. Plus the fish dying quietly in the fishtank placed right at the door for some odd reason. Then the kitchen, dishes and food left out all over the counters. The table will be coated in crayons, papers and assorted other remnants of the feral animals who live and eat there.

I'm sick of being the one who has to bitch those kids around into cleaning up after themselves. I don't even see the point of doing so any more. Each week it is the same. They do not change, they do not learn and they certainly have proven that they do not care. I'm fed up with caring, with being told I'm a bully and being made to feel that is true. I really could cheerfully set fire to the lot of it. Just as the sleeve of my sweater caught fire for a second tonight when I moved the broccoli off the jet on the oven. (I blew it out and there is only a scorch mark on my sweater which was already one of my rag bag sweaters just for wearing around the house when I work, not a great loss).

Anyway, I can at least look forward to taking Zack out shopping for some school supplies tomorrow. Odd you may think that school has been started a few weeks ago and wouldn't his parents have already checked that he has what he needs. Why, no. My Mother and I bought him most of his school clothes for starting high school. My other sister, the redhead took him shopping downtown and bought some expensive jeans and a shirt. His parents attended the meeting at the school for parents and gave him the money he needed for a student card which the school asked for. That's about it. I know she loves her children, she just seems to be attending the school of Don't Bother. The same school my Father attended all my life and likely his own.

Has this been enough of a bitchy whine? I could go on. I'm kind of tired though and I have to get up early to babysit. Goodie goodie.

Public Safety Communications

2009-09-17T01:38:00.000-04:00

I'm looking into the 911 Operator course. It will start in February at the Georgian College in Orillia. These are some links I found tonight which I want to save. Kind of interesting to find so much out there. I didn't expect to find anything much at all.

Proven Ways - designs and provides quality training and consulting in Emergency Services Communications. PROVEN WAYS has partnered with Ontario Colleges to offer students the opportunity to become certified as a “PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS PROFESSIONAL”. This full service communications course is designed to fit everyone from people interested in becoming communicators to senior communications operators. These courses are all best practices in areas of dispatch, call taking, 9-1-1 and advanced CRITICAL CALL MANAGEMENT subjects.

Note : Proven Ways is the business offering the course I am taking through Georgian College. I cut and pasted the above description from their site, that's why it has the extra large punctuation.

Ontario Fire Communicators Association - Fire Communicators are those responsible for the processing of requests for emergency and non-emergency assistance received via 911 lines, administration lines, the radio system or direct contact with the public. We work closely with Communicators from Police, EMS and other services to provide rapid, effective responses. We take our role in Public and Responder Safety most seriously, and continue to seek ways to enhance professionalism and our levels of service. The occupation of Fire Communicator is indeed a proud one, the vital link between the public and the emergency service response.

The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials- International.
The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials - Canada - The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials, Canada, Inc. is a voluntary, not-for-profit organization dedicated to the enhancement of public safety communications. It serves the people who supply, install and operate the Emergency Communications Systems used around the Country from coast to coast to coast. Members come from every type of public safety organization in the country, including 9-1-1, police, fire and emergency medical services as well as emergency management, disaster planning and federal search and rescue personnel. Job postings for Canadians.

National Emergency Number Association
NENA (National Emergency Number Assoication) Ontario - NENA is an association that brings together a vast community of people who work diligently to make the 9-1-1 system what it is today. It is a group in which to generate ideas, share information and plan the the future of systems and services that keep the public safe. NENA is made up of individuals from Police, Fire and Ambulance agencies as well other interested parties who work together to make sure that the system works and keeps working well into the future. Includes job postings for Ontario.