Three things that make me jealous at a Coldplay concert (or Why I didn't post yesterday)

We saw Coldplay last night. And, despite the fact that we bought the tickets 4 minutes after they went on sale, our seats were at the far end of the auditorium. Why? I think I need to take some sort of ticket buying tutorial, because the traditional method simply doesn't work.

Anyway, three things made me jealous last night:

1. After the poorly chosen opening act, but before the band took the stage, two official looking hipsters sporting backstage lanyards around their necks came up into our section and randomly chose people to fill up a section right near the stage that was mysteriously empty. We were in the middle of the row, so they did not come to us. Bugger. This is how far away we were:



2. When the band ran through the crowd and up into the cheap seats to sing a couple of songs huddled around a microphone, they were among the cheap seats below us. If we'd been one more row ahead in our section, we would have been able to see them. This is what the DP could catch just holding the camera out:



3. I love a good confetti drop. There's something magical about a great moment and confetti floating down on you from above. I am never under the confetti. And I wasn't under the mulit-colour mylar butterflies last night, either:



All that said, it was a great show and I had a thoroughly good time.

Total debt: $5469 (but just for one more day...)
Spent yesterday: $24-ish
Spent today: $3-ish (I had to buy emergency deodarant when I forgot to put some on!)
Weekly total: $98-ish (Oops...)

What's the story morning glory? What's the word hummingbird?

I forgot to tell you guys that I'm getting a new phone. Now before anyone gets up in arms over unnecessary electronic spending, let me explain.

My phone is a bit of a dinosaur. It's over 4 years old. Maybe over 5. And sadly, that makes it ancient in the current electronic landscape. It doesn't flip. It doesn't have a colour screen. The rings are not multi-tonal. It weighs more than 3 credit cards taped together.

But it has been so good to me. When others have complained that their fancy chocolate razor phones won't ring in the middle of downtown Toronto, I have pulled out my trusty (and sturdy) phone to get the job done. It once rang while I was sitting on the subway underground at Bloor Station. It gets great reception up north when we're visiting the DP's mom and his phone can't handle the pressure.

However, it's finally breaking down. If I put it down on a desk, the shock will kick the whole thing to some scarily coded screen that can't be reset unless I remove the battery. And it randomly turns itself completely off. Sunday, waiting for my brunch date, it happened twice during conversations. So I knew we had to part ways.

So I put in a pleasant call to Telus, because I also wanted to lower my rate plan. I don't use my phone a whole lot, so I don't want to pay for what I'm not using. Ideally I'd like to have a pay as you go plan, but until my contract runs out in April, I'm stuck. Anyway, they managed to give me a plan that seems to be IDENTICAL TO THE ONE I ALREADY HAVE that is about $4 less a month. I sort of feel dumb that I didn't ask sooner.

They also sold me a $149 phone for $49, which I think is good. I know a lot of people get their phones free with their plans, but since I had a great phone and didn't feel the need to trade up, I've taken the deal where I get services for free instead. So I was happy to get any sort of deal on the actual phone.

It's on its way in the mail to me! And it flips!!

Total debt: $5469 and a bit
Spent today: $11-ish

PS. Those of you who get the title are geeks, just like me ;-)

Lying low

Woke up this morning feeling awful in that special way that only girls get to feel. Know what I mean? So I worked from home today, which involved watching Daphne (currently being referred to as The Schmat) nap for hours at a time, only to wake up and relocate to continue napping. What a life. As I type she's once again napping on the floor next to me.

Got some very exciting mail today - the September issue of Canadian Living. My health story (How sick is too sick to go to work or school?) is promoted on the cover and then again in Susie's editor's letter. This is the article I am most proud of to date. It's a nice-sized feature piece that was my idea and that I worked really hard on. So if you've been waiting for just the right reason to run out and buy Canadian Living, now's the time! Or, well, in a week or so, since I don't think it's hit the newsstand just yet.

Since I am feeling much more human this evening, albeit a little stir crazy, the DP and I took at trip to the new chocolate shop that has opened dangerously close to our apartment for some ice cream. One scoop of coconut and one scoop of chocolate hazelnut. Pretty yummy, I have to say, but the evening breeze was even better. Our little apartment seems extra warm tonight.

They named the new Maria tonight. I wasn't really pulling for either of the final two. Not that they aren't talented! I just didn't think either of them fully emodied the character for me. And when they brought all the top ten girls back for a group number, I was reminded of how lovely Allie Hughes was. I think she would have been stunning in the role! Alas. I'm sure good things will come to all of them. Every episode I would sing along and the DP would say, "You wish you were up there, don't you?" And I would honestly answer no. The ten years I spent in that world, from community theatre to theatre school to professional stuff, was enough. I never ever want to once again be judged on my performance ability alone.

And let's not even talk about my stage fright! A live show!? I'd be in the bathroom having nervous diarrhea when they came back from commercial.

But maybe that's too much information.

Tomorrow I will rejoin the land of the living and head back to the office. But just for three days...

Total debt: $5469 and a bit
Spent today: $4

Weekend wrap-up

Why, oh why, does it have to be Sunday night? I need another weekend day! (Or two...) Luckily it's a short week in my world, followed by a four-day weekend. May the days pass swiftly.

Quick weekend recap: Lazy Saturday morning, grocery shopping, gym visit, lazy evening watching Penelope, cookie baking (peanut butter chocolate chunk). Early Sunday gym visit, lovely patio brunch with the wonderful woman who runs this blog, several hours of sweeping and mopping our entire apartment (Why would anyone want to own a house? Too much space to clean.), some muffin baking (molasses bran with flax seeds, chocolate chips and coconut), dinner making (chicken with homemade peach salsa and roasted peppers stuffed with quinoa), Maria watching (I think it will be Janna, but I didn't want Jayme to go), and now blogging while watching Harry.

Does it all sound very exciting? Are you jealous of my crazy life!?

Google ad update! The good news is that I'm up to a whopping $44.13. The less good news is that I actually have to reach $100 before they send me the money. So... feel free to keep clicking! And if you find yourself on a different computer every now and then, visit the blog and click again! I really appreciate all of your support.

Happy Sunday night everyone! May your holiday weekend arrive quickly and last a long, long time.

Total debt: $5469
Spent yesterday: $52-ish
Spent today: $4.70 (My brunch companion got delayed at a previous engagement and insisted on paying for my brunch to make up for it. I couldn't possibly say no! Merci, my friend!)

If only there were still card catalogues...

Rather than just rush home after work, which is my weirdo tendancy, I decided to go meet the DP so we could walk home together. He's just north of Yonge and Bloor, so it's a nice walk through richy-rich town. Fancy decor stores and such. I almost expect them to charge me for window shopping.

Anyway, I was early to meet the DP, so I thought I'd pop into the Reference Library and browse through some magazines while I waited.

Quick aside: I love the Reference Library. Even with its strange 1960s decor. I love how open and spacious it feels. I love all the learning material within. And I love the memories of my time spent there during my theatre days, going through musical scores, hoping to find that magical audition piece that no one else performed. Good vibes.

I headed up to the 4th floor and started to wander through the stacks of bound periodicals when I had the most delightful realization.

Stuff that I have written is available for public viewing at the Reference Library!

It wasn't an entirely new revelation - I'd had the moment at my little local branch before - but because it was the enormous Reference Library, it meant something more. And just like that, I checked off a little box on my lifetime To-Do list. Imagine! It's not everyday that you get to put a checkmark on that list. (Although I suppose we should strive to do that everyday.)

And sure, my stuff in the library is not going to change lives. They're service articles about everyday stuff. But still. Not everyone can say that they've got stuff in the library.

For now I'll leave the "Write a book" box on my list unmarked. But one day...

One day...

Total debt: $5469 (It's down a little more...)
Spent today: $5.87 (But this was still in my wallet from last week!)

After the laughter

This afternoon, on a packed subway, I overheard a conversation between a couple of young 'uns standing behind me.
She was all: I love yoga.
And he was all: ya.
And she was all: Hot yoga, you know?
And he was all: ya.
And she was all: I go to a class really early on Saturday mornings and then I get my hair done.
And he was all: You get your hair done every Saturday?
And she was all: ya.

And at that point I had to turn around and check her out. I was expecting a waist-length mane, professionally blown out. HER HAIR WAS SHORTER THAN MINE! I so wanted to interrupt them and say - in my best "Grey's Anatomy" voice - Seriously!?

Just got back from the first Just For Laughs gala, this one hosted by Martin Short. One of my lovely friends from high school is a publicist for the festival and she got us my favourite kind of tickets - FREE! The show was super funny. I cried a little from laughing, which always feels good.

Oh, and I am suddenly swimming in freelance work! I'm still in the kiddy pool, but swimming nevertheless. And it's awesome. And because of all of it, I allowed myself to purchase a cute little shirt tonight. It was almost half price AND it matches a summer skirt that I've been having trouble matching. However, it needs a bit of tailoring, so that's going to cost extra. But I quite like. If only I could wear it tomorrow! I hate having to wait.

And my final thought for this evening is: Whose job is it to design fountains? Architects, maybe? Does anyone know?

Total debt: $5564 and a bit
Spent today: $17-ish
Weekly total: $91.97 (Not bad...)

Bring on the Thursday!

I had a blech sort of day. What I really wanted to do was hide away from the world at home in my pjs, but instead I went to work and was pretty productive. But I did the laundry rather than go to the gym. And now it's all about SYTYCD. But I've had a lot of cookies today, so it's sort of paining me to see all the dancer girls with their incredible legs! Do you think they eat cookies? Maybe they just have youth and muscle tone on their side.

I earned another $8.68 on my Google ad today. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I'm not sure why I didn't ask everyone to click on it a long time ago!

Okay, I'm looking forward to a better day tomorrow. I'm having lunch with a dear friend who is in town and then hopefully attending a comedy event... We'll see how the day plays out.

Total debt: $5564
Spent today: $0