Edmonton Foodie Experience

The title 'foodie' is likely inappropriate for the likes of me.  I dislike fancy food with with fancy ingredients and can't seem to get into wine or beer (no matter how local).  But I do love to eat out and sample the ethnic cuisines the city has to offer.  Unfortunately a massive chunk of my (engorged) food budget this month has gone to the hospital cafeteria.  Besides hospital soup a few places have me already planning my next visit.

The Maha....
Something.  I can never remember the name of the place (probably not a great business decision on their part) but I can easily find it about 10 small blocks west of where I live.  DIW and I hit this place up last weekend to satisfy a pad thai craving.  We decided to maximize our selections and split two dishes and a dessert and it was the perfect amount.  The mango salad had a subtle sweetish/sourish dressing, the pad thai tasted like it had tamarind in it and generally had all the requisite ingredients for a good pad thai - egg, glass noodles, fresh sprouts, crushed peanuts - all except for their strange choice of a lemon slice instead of the usual lime.  The homemade iced tea was nice although not quite sweet enough for a sweet tooth like myself.  And the deep fried bananas were tasty, although not worth writing home about.  And you get to sit in the hull of the giant asian canoe - win!

Savoy's
The dysphagia jedi master has promised to introduce me to quite a few of the (in her opinion) best things Edmonton has to offer.  We aren't talking glamorous but it is fantastic south Indian food.  The cafe itself is in a strip mall and seats 20 people if you squish.  The chairs don't match and the plates and mugs were purchased from thrift stores or from now defunct eateries.  They offer health shakes with a giant sign proclaiming to cure scurvy (if only 16th century sailors had known about the Savoy!) and various other ailments.  But we skipped the health and went straight for dosas with lentil soup.  ALWAYS ORDER THIS.  Basically a savoury crepe all rolled up (and a little crispier than the French type) with curied veggies inside PLUS a bowl of the best.lentil.soup.ever.

Punjab Sweet House
Not much to say except bring some insulin.  Then order one (or two!) of everything in a silvery box and sit in your car and stuff your face.  I mean...enjoy slowly.  Try the unnatural orange things full of honey (jalibbees?) and definitely some gulab *blob* jamun (aka Indian timbits) and just about everything else to find out what you like.  Definitely worth a drive into the "sketchy" part of Edmonton.

Practically a Foodie/Dear Mr. Bourdain (2nd Edition)

Prologue:  Dear Anthony Bourdain (Letter #2) - Still a fan of your show even though you didn't visit me in Kenya.  You missed out on my trial of ox balls and crocodile plus some local road side dishes.  No hard feelings.  I have another proposition for you - try hospital food.  In fact, try a modified diet - go out on the hunt for the best hospital food has to offer, may I suggest the pureed polynesian pork?  I have heard rave reviews.

News flash:  when people experience some sort of neurological damage or decline (stroke, brain injury, ALS, etc.) one thing that can be impaired is swallowing.  One way to get around this is modifying the texture of the diet and one of the most common modifications is fluid consistency modification.  That means you can thicken fluids.  This is a big industry and some thickened fluids are better than others.  Some companies also make better modified diet options (ie. pureed) than others.  As an SLP in acute care I'm often recommending that people be placed on thickened fluids or a pureed diet and because of this I always like to have a pretty good idea of what I'm asking them to eat/drink.  Since switching hospitals I have started keeping a list of products offered there that I have yet to try and plan to eventually get a tray and have quite the smorgasbord for lunch one day.

Then I hit the jackpot.  After work one day this week I happened to stumble upon a hall set up with all kinds of vendors with samples of various modified products.  I peeked in and there was no one taking tickets or even watching the door so I figured it was for everyone and wandered inside.  In the middle of tasting a pureed carrot cake (moist, the right hint of spices - could have used some icing though) the room became inundated with people.  Dietician's conference - oops.  Already in the midst I decided to just keep blending in and had a great time questioning vendors about their various magic like ice cream that melts to pudding instead of thin liquid.  Just to be sure that I really blended in I also sampled the chocolate tulips with fresh pineapple and mint leaf centres and the coconut curry chicken skewers.  Dieticians know how to eat!

Besides that I made out like a bandit.  The traditional thickened fluid flavours served up in hospitals include: cranberry juice, orange juice, apple juice and lemon flavoured water (as well as milk, meal supplements, etc).  A few new flavours were on offer so I brought some sweetened tea home to try and took a few packets of instant thickened hot tea and coffee.  Plus some natural vegan gelatin for good measure.  ShanWow helped me with my research.

The sweetened tea is probably my favourite thickened beverage thus far.  Yay for innovation!  I still must continue my quest to try a magic cup (those funky ice creams) and a pureed sandwich.  

Edmonton Update

By this time of the month (3 weeks into the new jarb) I was hoping to include details of my new place to live.  Negatory.  There is no place to live at this time.  Thank goodness for friends that let you crash on their air mattresses.  First I was looking for places that someone was already living in and renting out a room however I quickly realized 1) that the second bedroom is always crazy small, 2) I want to start getting settled and get a say in how my place is decorated (ie. I want a fresh start).

It is much more affordable renting with another person.  The hitch here is that I don't really know anyone so I can look at great two bedroom places all I want but I can't afford to rent them without a second person.  Which brings us all to the obvious conclusion:  rent your own damn place (you adult, you!).  Fair enough.  But it might be lonely!  And one bedroom places are bordering on prohibitively expensive.  Plus, embarrassingly, I don't like being home all alone at night every day - I get a little skerd.  It wouldn't be so bad if I lived way way up high but all the affordable places tend to be on the main floor.  Does this thinking even make sense to regular people?

Verdict:  the hunt continues.  It should be a more fruitful search now that I stopped focusing my energy on moving into a furnished place.  Oh the furniture I could re-finish!

The Job:  Talking about work on a blog is always difficult.  There isn't much I can really say except it challenges my knowledge every day and I am working on building my confidence in the way I practice.  The politics at the new hospital are much different and more daunting to navigate.  In the evening after work I go to the medical library attached to the hospital and hang out there eating the cookies left for med students and read books about the brain.  Or I walk home across a lovely bridge to read books about the brain and papers about dysphagia in the dining room.  Trying not to come across as a total moron at work (which it how I feel most of the time).

Fun Stuff:  Trying to keep it real I'll be house sitting (ie playing with a small dog) for a co-worker next week in a new area of the city.  The dysphagia jedi master has also invited me to paint beehives for her new bee farm.  Update with pictures to come when the painting is finished.

I *heart* Benedict Cumberbatch

Not just because he has the best name in all of Britishdom however I do find myself a bit high school crushing over Benedict Cumberbatch.  No idea who he is?  Last week I didn't know either.  Then ShanWow kindly introduced me to "Sherlock" the movie-length show with only three episodes per season that takes Sherlock Holmes and makes him modern.  When ShanWow first mentioned the show she prefaced the first episode by saying she had a giant crush on the man who plays Sherlock (Benedict).  Honestly, I was immediately drawn to Dr. Watson (Martin Freeman) - the more socially appropriate of the two - and not that interested in Ben. But he grows on you.  And no, not like a fungus, like an awkward best friend who is actually the nicest guy.  Excellently written character and fantastic writing.  Suddenly, you don't even realize when, you start swooning over Cumberbatch.  Maybe it is the blue eyes.

Benedict

Martin

Oh, and the show is great, too.  It is still based on that Sherlock wit and incredible eye for detail.  They managed to cast someone able to play complete insanity in a restrained way for Moriarty.  The mysteries are interesting.  Although, perhaps I shouldn't encourage others to watch as I have found myself in a place where I have watched all available episodes (6 total, 1.5 hours each) and must now wait until 2013 for answers and more Benedict.

A Week In

Yes, I'm in Edmonton already and, yes, I have started my new job.  Crazy.  It still feels like I'll be heading back to my "real" life in Red Deer any time now.  Probably because I have been crashing here and there but will be blow up bed bound with DIW for April (and a hearty thank you to her).  The new position is challenging - the cases are more complex and the politics are more difficult to navigate.  It took me four days but I can now locate not only my office* and 4 of the 5 units I will eventually help to cover.

The apartment hunt continues fairly in vain - my location criterion has narrowed the search considerably and ensured that anything reasonably priced smells of garbage or was last decorated in 1982 from Ikea's cheapest offerings**.  Widening the search just a tad there are a few promising units to peruse tomorrow - fingers crossed.  I will feel infinitely better when I can begin to settle into my very own place.

One of my first acts as an Edmontonian was to attend the First Annual Edmonton Pirate Party.  Photos to follow.  There were piratey snacks like rat-infested popcorn, meat with cheese, ripped up bread, (popeye) smokes, ale, rum, pirate cookies and Cap'N Crunch.  Arrrr.  The lovely ShanWow and her man arranged a very invigorating treasure hunt with delightfully rhymey clues.  As a designated sailor I did not partake but there was a round of battleshots over skype (very difficult to call shots over skype at a pirate fest) and boat races.  Since the group was musical - and they kindly let me join anyway - we sang well-harmonized pirate tunes.  Fer' yer hearin' pleasure





*Not entirely my office as I share this cupboard with two other lovely ladies
**I'm not so worried about decor as much as whether I find an apartment depressing or not.  I think that is pretty reasonable.  Today I saw a great apartment which, if it hadn't had most of its wall space covered in dark brown, fake wood, accordion closet doors I probably would have taken it.  Stark whiteness with dirty and cheap kitchen fixtures also depresses me.

The Late-to-Mid 20s

My first trip home from out west happened to coincide with my 27^th birthday.  On one hand I just can’t believe I’m actually 27 and, on the other, I was already thinking of myself as 27.  Except that before I would think of myself as 27 and then remember – with satisfaction and relief – that I was, in fact, still 26.  That is no longer the case.

Since visiting home is an infrequent opportunity these days I tried to make the most of it.  Still, the time raced by and here I sit back in Old Butt/Red Deer missing family and friends but glad to have the traveling part over with.  Going home made me realize just how far away I am and has gotten me questioning how long I really want to be way out here.  

Of course, we did Soo things:  out for a tasty breakfast at Gilbertson's maple syrup pancake house of awesomeness on St. Joe's Island; Mrs. B's pizza; across the river (ie. over the bridge to the US side) for some shopping.  My favourite American shopping being, of course, visiting one of their grocery stores and marveling and the sheer number of flavours that mini-wheats and pop tarts are produced in on that side.  For my birthday a had a scrumptious lunch with lovely ladies at the Soo's "big city" restaurant.

My dad spoiled me and cooked up a wicked BBQ dinner for my birthday.  We had a fun dinner of friends and family including 4 adorable and hilarious little kidlets.  

And I got my birthday wish to drive my dad's new side-by-side through the mud.  In case you weren't aware (since I wasn't), a side-by-side is a crossover between a golf cart and a very rugged 4-wheeler.  It goes up steep hills and through multiple feet of mud.  My goal was to get as wet and muddy as possible.

Toronto for my Birthday

For my birthday this year Air Canada got me the city of Toronto for 24hrs.  When booking my flight from Edmonton to "the Soo" I would have planned a day layover in "the centre of the universe" but, alas, did not know how to make that happen.  So on to the red eye I went Saturday night expecting to touch down for a brief 2 hours in my beloved urban centre.  At 6am (EST) - 4am my time - I alighted from the flight, turned on my phone, and received a text kindly informing me that my flight was canceled and rescheduled 36 HOURS LATER.  My first reaction was a bit of disbelief and then some frustration - no on likes to be told that their 7 hour trip has sudden become a two day affair.  With 40 flights canceled that day - fog, fire on a runway, Air Canada pilots calling in sick - the airport was inundated with frazzled travelers looking for answers (and baggage).  We were directed to a booth of white phones from the 90s and told to keep dialing a three digit code to get in touch with Air Canada.  After 45 minutes of not getting through the crowd gave up.  It began to dawn on me that a 5 hour layover a Pearson would be an annoying in convenience, 36 hours in Toronto could be a gift.

I called up my credit card company and checked my insurance.  So much love for my Avion card.  Booking with that card meant that all of my travel is covered for delays.  They offered me $250 a day while I was stranded so I decided to embrace the opportunity and book myself a hotel room at the schwanky Courtyard Marriott downtown.

Of course, there had to be a hitch.  At least, an almost-hitch.  They instructed everyone from a canceled flight to head down to baggage claims and wait.  Down there I was told repeatedly that the bags would come but it could be a few hours.  Great.  Back upstairs I waited on hold with AC and ate some over-priced breakfast.  Back downstairs to wait more and still nothing.  Finally, I approached the baggage desk again asking for an ETA and was informed "oh, they aren't sending the bags up anymore, they are going to just send them to destination".  Um....excuse me?  You give me a 36 hour layover and then you HOLD MY BAG HOSTAGE?!?  And if it weren't for Ron at the baggage desk I would never fly AC again*.  He took pity on me (perhaps smelled my breath and considered my need for a hair wash) and radioed the luggage room and worked his magic to get my solo blue roller bag sent up to me.  HERO!

The day was then filled with a cappucino at JSLPA's apartment (thanks drummerboy!), semi-hot-tubbing and krispy kreme eating with JSLPA, Hi-C and Jewlia, frisbee throwing followed by Ethiopian food with Hi-C, Barbie Doll drinks at Zelda's joined by Hi-C, RoRoW, and P-Bag, and lastly (but not leastly) a sleepover with MMM aka Bethaf.  On top of all of that I finally got in touch with Air Canada (after 1.25 hours on hold) to find out they could get me on the flight at noon the next day instead of midnight.  Score!

Thank you, Air Canada, for the unexpected birthday gift of time with friends and a quick trip to my favourite city.

Barbie Doll anyone?  They come with swords of gummy bears.  You can't say no.

I <3 Toronto (a view from the hotel)

*AC, you'll be getting an email from insisting you put him in charge of your company. Or consider a raise at least.

Closing the Red Deer Chapter

Yesterday a hospital in Edmonton, Alberta made an extremely intelligent decision and hired me as a full-time, PERMANENT speech therapist on their neuro team.  Congratulations, undisclosed hospital location.  It all happened quickly but things have been brewing since the dysphagia jedi master sent me a lil' tip about this opportunity last month.  I applied on a whim because, well, when an opportunity presents itself you have to jump on it like a bouncy castle.  It was a long shot but apparently sometimes long shots pay off.  Let's be honest - it was the most difficult interview I have ever had.  It definitely put some mega-doubts in my mind about my candidacy.  For April 2012 the DapperDame will be officially an Edmontonian.

Of course this career triumph is bittersweet.  I really like the team in Red Deer and I have made friends here (as I'll discuss later, my housing situation is prime), I have even started committing myself to volunteering.  It was definite inner turmoil choosing to leave a contract unfinished here and to tell my boss but, in the end, this is the best choice for me.  I belong in the city while I'm still young and this job is a great career move - I'll learn so much and, if it comes to it, would be a wonderful resume builder.  Permanency was a major draw too.  I'm an adult now so I have to start thinking pensions and *yawn* RRSPs.

As for moving, for the past 6 months I have been spoiled in the living situation department - decent rent gets me a house and one roommate, a hot tub, a parking space, TV, netflix, utilities, laundry, my very own bathroom...the list goes on.  Moving to the "big" city means more money gets you less.  My massive cheap side is at war with my crabby adult side that has grown accustomed to a certain quality of life.  Gone are the days when I would tolerate sharing a kitchen with 4 others people or walking down the street for laundry.

Right now my goals are thus - and it really limits the ads to which I will reply:
1) to live close enough to walk to work (no more than 25-30 min)
2) a parking space (no street parking for this girl)
3) laundry (at least in the building, preferably in-suite)
4) my own bathroom (not a dealbreaker but I sure do like this...)
5) already furnished (with fairly nice furniture, a girl has to have standards)
6)  a house hippo

Antarctica - Now in Calgary

This weekend was my first foray back to Calgary since the summer I spent "recruiting" for Jesus there back in 2005.  It was a quick trip with a truck-ful of sound equipment so the roomie could DJ a wedding....AT THE ZOO.  It was a bit of a bait and switch because there weren't actually any animals involved - it was the botanical area of the zoo.  Except for a lone turtle in the pond it was all vegetation.  After hours of set up and take down for about 5 people who danced the reward was CALGARY ZOO - which we may or may not have weaseled into for free by sweet talkin' the security guard.

The zoo has some wicked animals and a really cheeky elephant but the best part is easily the new penguin exhibit opened about a fortnight ago.  You can get just a few feet from the penguins and watch them frolick in the water.  A few attempted escape into the crowd and made it 3/4 of the way over the tank edge.

Getting Serious on Facebook

My facebook newsfeed if frequently pasted with pro-life propaganda, some of which can be fairly disturbing.  I respect my christian friends but sometimes I can't help myself but to dive in a make sure both sides are represented.  The other day a person I used to associate with in undergrad where we were both heavily involved with Campus [Crusade] for Christ.  Since that time my beliefs have completely diverged in the opposite direction while his have become even more steadfastly fundamental.  The conversation began around the topic of abortion and progressed to a discussion of truth and eventually got personal.

The Discussion:

The original post - GB/NC:apparently there's some serious censorship taking place here on facebook. I had a commentary concerning abortion on my fb wall earlier in the day, it got some good traction, and now it has disappeared?! How? I don't know.. but I imagine if it was removed then this comment will be the next to go, and maybe my account with it.. yikes. We can kill babies but don't dare voice your outrage on behalf of those who have yet to speak.


Random dude (non-christian):  also fetuses*


Me:   I agree with *fetuses, thank you. On CBC radio someone was bringing up the question of abortion and was saying "children". Skewing a little? But I don't think facebook censors abortion debate. I see plenty of pro-life propaganda on my newsfeed ALL THE TIME


Random dude 2 (christian):  Cause apparently there is a big enough difference in the womb and out of the womb that they need different names....Not


Me:  Fetus isn't the only name - embryo, blastocyst, different stages of development have different labels. Fetus = inside the womb, infant = outside the womb. I will point out that the words fetus and human being or person are not mutually exclusive. Just because someone uses the term fetus does not assume a belief that a fetus may not also be a person/child/valid life. It is the case sometimes and not in other cases. But I am glad your best defense is childish rudeness.


GB/NC:  come on now [my last name] (also my man [random dude]), it may be semantics but I truly believe it goes much deeper than that. Giving the young child inside the womb a sterile and medical name makes the deed easier. If it were a 'child', the deed would be 'murder'.. the lines we have carefully defined (fetus/infant) and established would become blurred (note that God never makes this same distinction inside or outside the womb). But we have been very precise in giving the unborn a less than memorable name - I suppose to justify the act or in an attempt to temporarily satiate our consciences, but our consciences will not be silent or satisfied. Why? because we may be able to convince each other that the deed is justifiable and right, but we have not moved God's mind on the issue and truly He is the sole caretaker of the line between right and wrong, sin and righteousness, good and evil. There is forgiveness, but God have mercy on these defenceless unborn dead children in the meantime until Lord-willing we one day get our heads on straight. There is no justifying the way we choose to conduct ourselves, we are a disgusting society sometimes and I pray things will turn around but I see very little reason for hope or light on the near horizon.


Me:  this has become quite the discussion. I just wanted to make sure I replied, I had bigger fish to fry this week but now I'm back. I appreciated your thoughtful and respectful answer. Perhaps the semantics makes it easier for some people however, I doubt that anyone who has had an abortion made the decision based solely on semantics. The problem with this argument is that we're two sides talking past each other with few agreed upon points so there can be no resolution. Your response to me will always reference the bible and god/jesus/religion (ex. "we have not moved god's mind on the issue") will always be a moot point for anyone who does not subscribe to that belief system. If someone has chosen not to follow that doctrine then an argument pulling from your personal beliefs based entirely on that doctrine (ie Christianity) will hold no sway - it will be considered an entirely invalid argument and dismissed. It is not that I would not be willing to entertain points for pro-life (although I am pro-choice and am so steadfastly) it is that those points need to come from something that I find truth in to be of any relevance like science, art, experience, etc. Religion/god does not fall under that category. And I am sure the same holds for you - if I cannot justify my belief FOR choice using the source in which you find truth (jesus/the bible) then you will automatically consider all of my arguments invalid. That sir is why the issue could not be resolved in a debate (at least one involved with Christians and non alike). So, again, thank you for the time you took to answer in a respectful way however, if you are unable to defend your stance with anything other than religious rhetoric then it will have absolutely zero sway or impact on my thinking.


GB/NC:  I guess the most dangerous people are those who at one time believed they had the faith and then left the faith but still suppose they are experts in that which they once had but I'd argue never knew. Since 'religion' is out for you which breaks my heart then we have no other standard by which to appeal to. You can only appeal to truth. You said science, art, or experience are your standards now. Please refer to my latest fb status for my stance on 'science', and keep in mind my degree at Guelph, I am a scientist and one of the only people in this ongoing conversation who holds an undergraduate degree in it. But science is constantly changing, revising. History proves how many times science was wrong in the past with devastating consequences (slavery, nazis, lobotomy, and now abortion). So we can't appeal to science because truth never changes, that's the nature of truth.. it's true. Science changes, it is dynamic, truth is not. Art, your next standard, is expression and subject to the beholder.. one person believes it to be beautiful and another ugly, subjective and also, not truth. Art is unworthy and incapable of being a standard. Finally experience, which although holds the most sway with the majority of people, it also falls short. As a good scientist you would know that experience can be controlled/altered by mimicking hormones.. so you can't trust experience/your feelings as a standard by which to measure truth. Experience is relative, truth is absolute. Unfortunately many people base their relationship with Christ solely on experience, and when tragedy hits they find their feelings are easily changed and their 'experiential faith' shaken, sometimes beyond repair. You can't base you life then on experience/feelings. I can tell you that I am passionately angered and saddened by the death of an unborn, but what sway does that have with you? That's just my personal feelings. In the end, I can appeal to you with nothing but truth. What is truth? Truth is unchanging and the only ONE I believe to satisfy that requirment is the one who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. We know murder is wrong, but by what standard? Science, no - survival of the fittest. Art, no - death is a valid expression and in the name of art there are no limits. Experience, no - have you ever killed anyone to know it's wrong, to feel what I assume to be an empty feeling? Well I haven't, and what about the people who can kill and feel nothing? Serial Murderers, does that make murder okay for them based on their standard of truth - experience? You tell me. So then what can we appeal to for the truth? We know murder is wrong, but not everybody would agree with that based on the very standards you use - science, art, and experience. Some people believe murder is fine/natural/important/necessary. So without a standard, we have no appeal. There is no truth. But I don't believe that.


Me:  I'll take the "most dangerous people" comment as a compliment as it implicates me as a danger towards the cause of religion/Christianity. And since you have brought in the pity and moral high ground card (see: "it breaks my heart" statement) I consider the gauntlet thrown. That is one of the most angering and arrogant things that Christians routinely say to people who have a different belief system than they do. Of course science falls short of truth as it is an ongoing quest for it however science at least readily admits to its own shortcomings. Just because one cannot find absolute truth in one area does not assume it is found in another (ie. religion) solely by default. The discounting of experience along with your false and misplaced pity is also extremely arrogant because your ultimate faith in the claims of the bible are still only based on your own "experience" (that should be italicized however I'm not a facebook whiz). You experienced jesus/religion/god in a way that caused you to believe that it was real and therefore build your world view around its claims. You can in no way claim to know what my or any other person's experience is of religion and so you cannot know if, put in their shoes, given their exact experience, chemical makeup and path, you would still have developed the same faith that you currently hold. Christianity for you has been a source of identity, something that you relate to, something that has worked for you - for myself it caused me immense pain and destruction. As for your bachelor in science, well gbakes, since you opened those floodgates, I know fairly well how seriously you took your studies at that time and I can attest that an undergraduate degree in any subject these days is on the whole not much of an achievement - anyone can earn an undergraduate degree in almost any topic. At the end of all of this I will always have to concede that I do not have all of the answers, I do not have the ultimate source of truth on which you base everything however who says that there is one? Who says that because I haven't found it that it doesn't exist? And who can prove that just because some people wrote their own version of the truth, one that provides an easy answer to all of life's difficult questions and allows people to avoid thinking for themselves that this book/philosophy/religion must be true?


This ended up being longer than expected.  Props if you read this far.  It is difficult for me to tell who came out on top but it sure did get personal.  There were good points made on both sides of the argument.  Then he dropped the "pity" bomb and the gloves came off.  Perhaps I went too personal?

Be honest, if there had been an impartial moderator, who took this debate?

I went out to get some hair elastics

I meant to stop by the mall and pick up some hair elastics.  The plan was to possibly splurge on a few nail polishes.  Parking the car equidistant from the Shoppers Drug Mart entrance (a quick in and out with hair ties and nail polish) and The Bay entrance I decided I would just browse The Bay before making my way to the intended destination.  Woops.  I did eventually get the hair ties and a whole new outfit to go with them.

Not the best lighting or set up but I take what I can get when asking the roommate for help taking photos of outfits.

Stacey and Clinton would approve because:
1. The outfit is made up of versatile pieces that can be combined with other pieces in my wardrobe to make many outfits
2.  The shapes flatter my figure, even if I am not entirely thrilled with my bigger-than-last-year self.
3.  I gives me curves (Bam, Bam, BAM! - quoting Clinton Kelly)

No nail polishes though - I do have some self-restraint ;)

Courageous Dorkery

This happened last Thursday however it took me a while to decide whether to blog it or not.  Let's be honest though, I have no shame.  At least this post will make my dad happy - or very, very sad.  That it has come to this.  THIS being speed dating.  I like to entertain myself by trying things that I haven't tried and then blogging about them.  This wasn't regular speed dating it was nerdy speed dating at a library.  I saw the sign (because I am at the library at least once a week) and told a friend (Skipper).  She was set on making me do it and decided to try it too because, hey, literate men!

The library ladies clearly had fun with this.  They had a plethora of rules, some complicated moving around, live piano music and a reward of wine post-fast dates.  They even had us bring a favourite book to break the ice.  Luckily the amount I talk is directly proportionate to my level of awkwardness - besides, talking about books is natural for me.  Before the official boy-girl chats began the genders had arranged themselves in exclusive circles, perhaps saving up the best conversational bits for the 4 big minutes.  With the piano playing for the "dates" and stopping to signal a change - a sort of hot potato mixer.

The ratio wasn't great to start - almost double the ladies as the mens but they made it work.  I turned on the incredibly awkward charm that apparently works with nerdy boys and landed myself 5 numbers (or 85% of the possible numbers available).  Not a bad haul.  At least good for the self-esteem.  No mega love connections but we'll see.  Perhaps I have found a new hobby - speed dating in random venues.

Velvet Olive

The more I think about it the more the name "Velvet Olive" actually sounds like a fruit that has been sitting out way too long and has grown some fuzz.  Regardless, it is a "martini" bar in downtown Red Deer with a back alley entrance off the main downtown street.  "Martini" is in brackets because, even with olive in the name, they offer only about 6 different martinis.  Honestly, that is ok with me because martinis taste like alcohol.

Ever since moving to Red Deer I have basically dreaded going out "on the town".  The only options I've seen were: 1) Bellini's (aka Redneck Jersey Shore bar from a previous post) and other similar establishments, or 2) a "pub"* which, to my dismay, ends up being the Keg or Toad and Turtle or some other cube-shaped establishment with a bar facade and televisions tuned to sporting events.

Fret no more!  The Velvet Olive feels like I'm back in Toronto, like you can hang out, sip a drink and have a good conversation while taking in the quirky local one or two-person talent.  It is small, seating about 20, dimly lit featuring local art on the walls.  It is a wait staff of one - a bit of a cranky vegan** who never did bring us our bowl of pretzels.  The drinks were tasty - I tried the "malibu stacey" - a pineapple one I'm sure has been done many times over but it was done well.  My friend tried the "lavender lush" which had that lovely grey/purple colour and tasted fantastic - big thumbs up to them for that drink.

Finally,  a place in Red Deer a bit off the beaten path and a little on the fun and funky side.  They'll even BBQ for you out on the patio in the summer if you go for dinner.  My new fave place!

*Lots of quotations in this post.  They are necessary for the effect that everything in Red Deer is a box.
**Overheard conversation of the night:
Annoying hipster:  I just never knew you could get vegan Belgian waffles to taste good but I was proven wrong.
Crabby server:  You're a vegan?  Me too!
AH:  Oh, yeah, I am.
CS:  But I eat eggs.
AH:  Oh, so you're a vegetarian.
CS:  Really, what's a label?  I just do what I can.

The funny part was I couldn't choose a side to root for.  Both were annoyingly pretentious in their own ways.  The hipster clearly was not willing to share her hard-earned vegan hipster trophy label with just anyone.  The server definitely tried to pull the "labels are for chumps" card because she clearly tried to play vegan when she was not that hardcore.  Which side would you pick?

Put your Money where your Values are

Ever since moving to Alberta, getting a real job and becoming an adult I have started to track all of my expenditures on excel to see where my money goes.  Time and money are good indicators of where a person's values lay.  Apparently I don't value savings right now....

Right off the top 25% of my income goes directly to the Ontario government to repay OSAP (student) loans.  We're, of course, talking net income.  A big chunk of my cash goes right back to Alberta whether I agree with how the conservatives spend it or not.  Back to OSAP.  So far I am off to a good start - it is a painful percentage to look at but it shows that I want to be out of debt as fast as I can and it ain't all talk.

The next 25% keeps me warm, dry and mobile - rent and car payments.  This is just slightly over a full 25%.  Hopefully no need to justify rent but I will point that I went the more affordable shared place pre-furnished to save dough which then gets handed over to the crones of Mr. McGuinty.  The car would be irresponsible in a big city with mucho public transport however, I need the car to get around this sprawling urban mess and out to the rural sites I cover for work.

Gas - $100-$150 per month.  I had set a budget of $100 however I have tended to go over this.  A good chunk of it gets reimbursed eventually for driving to those far away work sites.  Another large percentage of this is weekend trips to Edmonton.  I value good friends - money well-spent.

Food - budget:  $300.  Actual:  $350...ish.  This seems large and it is half and half.  The budget is high because I have decided to buy all of my meat at a butcher that only sells local, organic, free range dead animal muscle tissue.  Organic milk and other dairy products.  Organic fruits and vegetables.  Local whenever possible.  A good investment.  The kicker is - quite a bit of my monthly food bill goes to eating out.  When I eat out it is more expensive and I buy things that don't fit my rules of organic or cruelty-free.
            How can I make my food budget more closely reflect my values/goals?  1)  Stop buying coffee at work.  I lost my ceramic mug so it is even worse right now with those dang paper cups.  The coffee isn't fair trade but it is convenient.  I don't need caffeine to get through the day but it does waste my money.  Money spent on coffee would be better used to save a bit of money for travel.  2)  Stop eating out unless it is a social event and, still, make wise choices.  No more subway after the gym.

Booze - by most people's standards my booze expenditures would be pathetic - about $30 a month for a beverage here and there when out with friends.  But I just don't really even like it that much and I don't care if I have it or not.  Somehow that doesn't sound like a good place to put my funds.  Maybe I'll try sticking to water.

"Me" things - I'm not too frivolous but I did buy a wii.  And a new coat.  And make up at Sephora.  If I am going to spend money on well made items I would like to start making sure I know where it was made and a little bit about the company I am supporting.

Charity - $0.  Or about that.  Correct.  The most embarrassing one on this list.  It is like closer to $1.28 if you could the change I put in box at the cash at Tim's after I buy myself a coffee.  I like to get passionate about causes and I like to think that I care about others but I don't show that with my money.  As a poor student I always said I would support charities/causes in which I believe with my money when I had it.  Guess what?  I have it.  Yes, money can be tight but it isn't like I will be waking up any time soon and be chillin' on a private island with the owners of Wal-mart (ew) and Bill Gates.  If I really wanted to I could be giving something.  Challenge to self:  put some money where my values are to help other people.

Overall this turned out better than I had expected.  I am generally responsible with my money but it is the little things that I let slide.  Less coffee would mean more money for savings - savings that I might get to use for travel, something I love to do and have been pining for.  The most telling was the money I spend on charity or lack thereof.  Maybe this means it is time to change.  Next up:  I'll see what how I spend my time says about me.

Does how you spend your money reflect your goals and values?

A Story of Friendship

Apparently ShanWow and DIW (Does-It-Weller) are having all kinds of fun up there in Edmonton.  They spent some time putting together the story of the friendship of The Dapperdame (aka KV), ShanWow, DIW, JSLPA and Hi-C and sent it to the latter two lovely ladies.  The unicorn might have been embellished.

You Don't Make Friends with Yellow Tights (Saga II)

Yellow tights shouldn't get such a bad rap but they do.  Enough to feature in two blog posts.  Good thing I don't give rodent's hiney whether people like my fun tights or not.  The abuse continued today when I decided to wear the mustard-hued tights to the longterm care home that I work at once a week.  Or let's call them "stockings" because if you're over the age of 70 apparently that is the word for them.

Little old lady (LOL):  Miss, miss!
Me:  Yes?
LOL:  Why did you wear those stockings?
Me:  Because I like them.
LOL:  Really?  Because they are HORRIBLE.
*sigh, + eye roll*

Me (to little old man):  You wanted help with _______ , I have some time now.
Little old dude (LOD):  No thanks, I'm busy [staring at the table, breathing].
Me:  Sure, it is just that I'm only here once a week so if you don't want to do this now you will have to wait until next week.
LOD:  No, I think I'll just keep on [watching dust fall]
Me:  No problem, just thought maybe now would be good since you asked and we'll have to wait until next week.
LOD:  Well, maybe if you had on some different stockings.

I want to say that I'm pretty sure he was joking.  Perhaps he was entirely serious.

Next week I'm going to wear the burnt orange ones.

The Results Are In

The results are late and not scientific but they are finally being "published" on here.  Don't remember what I'm talking about?  Almost exactly one year ago I decided to find out once and for all if we SLPs were as unique of a group as we thought.  Our hypotheses included SLPs (or at least those in our class) were more likely to be first born, left-handed, and to have cooked extra long in the womb.  My big plan was to use SPSS to analyze the results and be all scientific about it but then I got lazy and didn't have access to SPSS (but actually I did in the computer lab until April).  It is safe to say that I'm not going to follow through and that it isn't even a true random sample because all participants were self-selected, and all non-SLPs for comparison were on my facebook and therefore more likely to be in the same socioeconomic class as myself and at the same or similar education level.

Fact:
N (slp) = 31
N (non) = 37

Enough prefacing - here are the results:

Question 1:  Are you an SLP?

We've got ourselves a nice sample.












Question 2:  Are you a first born?

Remember, this is not scientific so I have no idea if these numbers are SIGNIFICANT but it looks like the answer to this one it YES.  Yes, SLPs are more likely to be a first child and to bring along all the control issues and over-achieving inherent to the position.


Question 3:  Did you cook too long?  ie Time spent in womb

On this front things look pretty equal.  My gut says these results are not significant so our hunch was wrong - being in the womb too long is not necessarily related to the typical SLP personality or a strong desire to watch people swallow things.

Question 4:  Tell me which hand you prefer (Right or Left)

This one is clearly scientific.  SLPs are officially more likely to be left handed than the general population.  The world average is 5-10% of the population and we hit a full quarter.  A creative bunch?  One needs to be creative to come up with a way to make teaching children gerunds fun and effective.  "Jumping.  She is JUMPing.  Jumping!"


Question 5:  How did you do in school?  What was the lowest grade you have ever received since the beginning of undergrad?


This was a lot of analysis for, what looked to my extremely trained eye (sarcasm), to be inconclusive.  Perhaps I should have asked for the second lowest grade ever since we all have that one that haunts us - or that could just be me.

Question 6:  Did/Do you play the French Horn?

Maybe all that left-handedness is paying off - only 23% of SLPs (surveyed) find music only in their souls compared to 49% of the "general" population.  The french horn and wind instruments are appear especially popular.  Does anyone have a joke about SLPs and our affinity for wind instruments/long tubes?

Did anyone fit the whole profile?

Yes!  One person fit the entire profile of an SLP:  first born, late delivered, left-handed, over-achieving, french horn player!

There was a close second as well that hit all the criteria but plays some other wind instrument.

Question 7:  What did you get for Christmas?
Nerdiness all around.  I don't feel like analyzing this one but it looks like everyone (SLP and Non) likes to get children's books for Christmas.

Question 8:  Tell me something terribly nerdy/neurotic
This question was optional and SLPs were primarily the only ones to offer something up (except my former OT-roomie).  Here are a few choice submissions:
"For my 10th birthday (or so) party, I wrote a schedule, timed to the quarter hour, and got somewhat upset when things didn't go according to plan..."


"Well, I think I have become even more last minute than ever before since I started this program. I've pulled more all-nighters and have had more coffee (to the point where my tolerance is crazy). These are indicators that I am one of the more relaxed people in class. I just wanna be a good SLP. BEST NEWS I HEARD RECENTLY: MARKS DON'T MATTER FOR JOBS. WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME LEVEL mouhahahah (hehe)"


"I would not call myself a keener or particularly uptight, although I absolutely HATE listening to someone speak when they have excess saliva/mucous/phlegm in their throat and won't clear it."


"I remember in grade 7, I got a B- for my French spelling (I am a terrible speller!) and I started to cry and when a boy named S.P. who had a crush on me asked me why I actually yelled at him that I got a B- and universities didn't accept people that got B-'s. I have never told anyone that story."  Woops, now you told the whole internets.


"I won the "Too Keen For School Award". Nuff said."


"I have to eat my peanut butter from the jar in flat lines... can't just scoop a spoonful out and leave it. Also I got stressed out by choose-your-own-ending books for the exact same reason as you!"

The Red Deer "Scene"

Sometimes I compromise - even though I would rather stay in an play Rumoli with some friends and have some good chats over nickels I'll agree to the clubs now and then.  Besides, dancing is good for your soul (if you're doing it for you).  The reason going to the bars is not really my scene is because I'm generally not going to meet the kind of people I would prefer to spend time with there nor would I be able to talk to them or the people I go with anyway.

Between the four of us we rules out every bar in the city before we even left the house.  One refused to party downtown and another doesn't do country (very limiting in this town) and dated a bouncer at the one and only real dance club I have ever even heard of here.  So we went to The Vat.  This was probably the first and only time I have or will ever find metal/screamo refreshing but it was.  It was the first time I glimpsed the grunge crowd in Red Deer and there was enough long hair in the room to make a new fur coat for Snuffy - and that was just the men.  The floor was sticky, the waitresses were rude and the lights were tacky - and some young'uns bought us drinks.

When our late-20s eardrums could take no more we compromised and convinced The Skip to chance Bellini's - bouncer or no bouncer for a little dancing.  Well the temperature in that club was sweat-inducing and I'm pretty sure it was all of the menopause in the room.  Not once have I been to the most "happening" place in a city with fairly current dance music and found myself between groups of 18 year olds dressed like Jersey Shore wannabes and a pack of 60-somethings trying to shake what their mommas gave them....a while ago.  Overall a  pretty fun night but, if (when) you come visit me let's stay in and play rumoli and talk about the big life questions.

Edmonton: A New Arrival

Last weekend was spent in Edmonton getting to know the city and celebrating the arrival of another SLPeep, Miss Does-it-Weller (or DIW).  She is officially all moved in just 3 floors above ShanWow - running the stairs in PJs felt like a trip  back to residence but without having to hold my breath while walking through the bad-smelling floor or the communal bathrooms.  ShanWow and DIW worked hard to come up with a list of all kinds of Edmonton activities to explore the city - a large percentage of them involving yummy food/drink.

Friday night we immediately set out for a frozen lake to strap some thin blades to our feet and skate around more-or-less-gracefully.  Saturday ShanWow and I took a brisk walk by the riverfront while DIW got some shut eye.

DIW really needed some sleep after the move so we entertained ourselves for a while.

 For a pretty long time....

After we dragged DIW out of bed ShanWow patiently directed me and Otto to the Old Strathcona market for some local goodness.  I found some lovely pesto, DIW bought all kinds of flower-flavoured jellies (stomach-turn) and ShanWow tried to steal some Ghanaian peanut soup.  After a hard day of perusing we ventured to Dream Tea for some tapioca infused tastiness then hit up the organic food market where I picked up some PEANUT BUTTER PUFFINS (why, red deer, do you only have plain and cinnamon? why?!?) and a toothbrush made of old yogurt containers.  SOLD.  A shopping spree on Whyte Ave ensued and then the long anticipated Ethiopian cuisine!

If you aren't into Ethiopian or have never had it that multi-coloured palate of mush might not look appetizing but I promise you that Ethiopians make some of the most splendid and flavourful mushes out there and you get to eat it with your hands by tearing off pieces of flat (and tangy) injera bread and scooping it up.  What are you waiting for??  Try some!  We spent the evening stuffing out faces with food whose names we did not pronounce correctly (always get the cabbagey one though!) and speculating about the odds of two families who didn't know each other - we're almost positive they didn't know each other - both with an adopted African and Asian child each dining at the same small joint at the same time.

For good measure we all got our yoga on the next morning and I actually enjoyed it.  Even the hippie dippy aromatherapy "bonus" at the end.  My core felt stronger for days until it faded because I stopped exercising. Did I mention that it is frigid here?

Since The Duchess, Edmonton's finest French bakerie with scrumptious lattes, was closed (gr) we headed straight to West Ed (what "people-in-the-know" call The West Edmonton Mall) for some Viet food (go salad rolls!) and more bubble tea.  The purpose of the trip was more colourful Anthro tights for me and tapioca pearls for home plus some pineapple coconut buns for snacking.  Oh T&T how I love you.

We parted and I drove home with a happy heart and a very full bladder (but a not-so-full gas tank requiring a pit-stop on the way for emptying one and filling the other).  Come join us in Edmonton - we're oh so fun*.

*I'll work on the slogan.

Yellow Tights

Anthropologie has released (and since un-released!!) lovely opaque tights which I have started to collect.  Lavender first.  Then Mustard as a surprise from the lovely and thoughtful ShanWow.  Today - red and forest green, both on sale from the last of the batch.  Why anthro?  Why?!?!  On New Years Eve I paired my grey calvin klein dress with my brown leather boots and the mustard tights.  Oh, did I love that outfit.  The tights were similar to these:

http://lookbook.nu/look/233790-watch-me

These are the names I got at the New Years party (well, I went to two - the comments only came from one)
-big bird
-mustard tights (well...yes)
-Simpson legs
-jaundiced

Some of those were quite clever.  It didn't get me down - I still love my richly coloured legs and can't wait to try the forest green with my mustard & ivory (anthro) dress tomorrow at work.