Bryanna and the City

Monday, October 30, 2006

Halloween 2006

The pictures say it all and I'm too lazy to write a full account of the Halloween festivities this weekend. It was a lot of fun and Sean and his other band members did a fantastic job. Everyone loved their performance. Plus, I got to go home with the lead singer, alright...

More photos on my flickr page.


Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Of Injuries and Costumes

For work yesterday I painted the inside of a very large cardboard box with black spray paint. When I offered to do this, my supervisor and team member on my pumpkin carving contest team (ie the most competitive competition I've been a part of...ever) asked if I was sure that I wanted to do it, I replied with a peppy "sure" while thinking to myself, "really, how hard could a little spray painting be"?

I had someone from the lab show me where the face masks were and then I set out to the storage room (where I spent the beginning of my placement cleaning, organizing, and occasionally busting a move) with a can of black spray paint, a stack of old newspapers, and my face mask in hand.


Once I surrounded the parameter of the box with newspaper to protect the dirty concrete floor (I am a responsible spraying in any situation), I shook the can and began to spray. All was going well. I was achieving an even coat. That is, until my right index finger began to ache and became covered with black paint. I switched to my thumb and then alternated between the two until the job was done...about 30 minutes after I started.

I decided that it would be a good idea to make sure that I hadn't gotten any paint on my clothing. When I checked myself out in the bathroom mirror, however, my clothing was fine but my entire face was covered with a thin black coating. When I removed the mask it was obvious that it hadn't achieved its purpose of shielding my nasal passages from the noxious fumes. It took about 5 blows until I wasn't snorting up black sn*t....sounds fun, no? And then I spent another ten minutes scrubbing the black stuff off my face.

The really weird part, though, was when I tried to tie my hair back, my index finger refused to work. I wasn't aware that you could get a spray painting injury but this morning the muscle connected to this digit is incredibly sore...all the way up to middle of my forearm. I'm thinking about calling WCB...ha ha just kidding (or am I? muah hahahahaaaa).

I would like to tell you about the plans for our pumpkin creation (my brainchild BTW), but it is so top-secret and competitive that I will wait until the competition is over on Friday to reveal it, lest my competition find this lil ol' website. Perhaps I'll even post some pictures.

In other news...

This year I'm going as a 70's flower child for Halloween...I thought it was time to retire the tutu (although I'm wearing it for our last dodgeball game tomorrow). Sean's going as a 70's Porn Star...his costume is great. Plus, his band is playing it's first ever live gig at the party we're going to on Saturday night. Can't wait to hear them!

So, what are YOU going to be for Halloween?

Friday, October 20, 2006

Been there, done that...

When I met Sean I had just gotten over a horrible "relationship" which left me feeling ugly, worthless, and absolutely infuriated with men. I cried every single day, often more than once. And not the pretty a couple tears here, a couple tears there kind of cry, but the full-on ugly cry. The kind of crying that leaves your face swollen and red, your eyes puffy and red and your sinuses full of you-know-what. But I got over it. I haven't cried like that for months. I've cried. But not like that.

This morning while I was getting ready for work, I overheard a guest psychologist talking about relationships on my regular morning radio station (The Beat 94.5). Cooper Lawrance, the author of the book "Been There, Done That, Kept the Jewelry", was talking about how the 800+ women she interviewed for her book all stated that they knew when they had met "the one" or "Mr. Right" because of all the "Mr. Wrongs" they had dated in the past and that, more often than not, Mr Right turned out to be nothing like the other duds that they had usually gravitated towards.

While I listened, I could not help but agree with everything she was saying and the conclusions outlined in her book.

Now, it has always been said that "whatever doesn't kill you, makes you stronger", and that "you learn something from every failed relationship", but rarely do people take these simple lines any further. What I mean is that people usually keep making the same mistakes; that instead of going in the opposite or even a slightly different direction of the "thing that almost killed them" they usually fall back into the same old habits. *A woman will keep dating the same type of men, be it "the eternal bachelor", or the "MIA one month down the line guy", or the "let's not put a lable on this guy" and will never seem to actually learn after every crash and burned relationship. But when they finally do; when they finally learn, when they finally look for something different than what they think they want, that's when they usually find "Mr. Right".

When I first met Sean there wasn't fireworks. I liked him for sure. He was attractive. He was sweet. He was adventurous and creative when picking our dates. He was a gentleman and respectful. He was interesting and interested. **He was pretty much the opposite of every other guy I have ever gotten myself caught up with.

We took things slowly. Heck, we didn't even share our first kiss until our 5th date.

It's funny though, I knew from the moment I met him that he was good. That he would be good to me. That, with him, I could actually have something good. And that I was finally ready. To accept the good. To take it in and give it back.

I haven't felt ugly, worthless, or infuriated with men in seven months. Actually, quite far from it.

*I'm using a woman as an example because 1. I am a woman and 2. It's easier to focus on one sex, but I'm sure this can be applied to men as well.
**Not to say I haven't dated nice guys, most were nice-ish, just not "Mr. Right".

Monday, October 16, 2006

I am woman

"You're not a young lady anymore. You're a woman." my Grandmother declared as I kissed her on the cheek.

Forty-five minutes prior, my Grandmother was rushing about trying to get her husband, my Grandfather, in place at the back of the church. Recently relegated to a wheel chair due to a broken hip, it was uncertain whether he would make it to his oldest grandaughter's wedding. But he did. He even managed to get a shirt, tie, and jacket on; you could barely even tell that he was wearing black sweatpants.

My Grandmother wasn't the first person to call me a "woman", though, and she wasn't the last. The first was my father's youngest brother, my uncle and Godfather, "Uncle Tom". It's been a little over two years since I've seen him, my Aunt Wendy and the boys.

I wasn't aware that within those 730 days I had changed.

Well, I most definitely have gained some weight.

...

*sigh*

Anyways.

So when my grandmother commented on my apparent metamorphosis I just smiled and nodded (a standard "Bryanna-go-to-response-when-I-can't-think-of-anything-else-to-say"). A response which was required five minutes later when my father's eldest brother, Uncle Bill, said the same thing. Actually, he said that I looked "old...but not in a bad way".


My oldest sister's response later in the privacy of our car was, "what am I? Chop liver?!" (a standard Nicole response when she doesn't get enough attention). he he...

At 23 years of age, I guess I am a woman. But half the time I feel like I'm 10 years old and the other half of the time I wish I still was.

Anyways, besides the confusing "woman" comments, it was great to see my father's side of the family; most of whom I haven't seen for years. Visiting with my 15 year old cousin, now blind and a quadriplegic due to a brain tumour (but mostly the failed attempts to remove and shrink it), was quite nice.


oh yeah.

*I caught the bouquet.


*Well, actually, Nicole caught it and then shoved it in my face like a hot potatoe. It hurt. And then I had to dance with the garter catching engaged guy. It was very awkward.

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Well, well, well...

I lasted 20 minutes.

Driving on Highway 5 that is.

I'm sure that's what everyone is wondering. After 20 minutes of mandatory silence, white knuckles, and no blinking, we both decided that it would be better for both of us that Sean drive the rest of the way. Which worked out perfectly for me (I loved having my daily naps). By the end of the 10 day road trip, I'm pretty sure Sean was looking forward to resuming his place as a passenger on Vancouver public transit.

If you want to get the details about our Oregon/California road trip, Sean has three posts (with pictures) dedicated to it over here.

Now, on to baby news*.

Everyone seems to be having them or incubating them. About a month ago DD (formerly of D Mania) had a beautiful baby girl. Her name is Halle and she is the sweetest little bundle of baby cuteness that I have ever seen. And just a few weeks later, a friend of Sean's welcomed an adorable baby boy, Cooper, to his family. Oh, and Sean's sister is due to have her first baby in February. I can't wait to watch these little ones grow up...plus, I can get my baby fix for free without all that post-labor bodily fluid exretion stuff that DD's been warning me about.

In other news, I joined a dodgeball league. I never had a chance to play this crazy, awesome, and super-fun game in elementary or high school, which I am so sad about because it is a ton of fun. Tonight will be my second game of the season...I can't wait. Anyways, wish us luck...we got plastered my first game something like 11-2.



*Did you think that I was going to announce that I'm pregnant? Hee hee hee...got ya!