Sin City Mini Re-Cap

I think if I had to sum Vegas as a city up in one word I'd use: "eventful." It's certainly that. It was a different kind of holiday than I'm used to. I typically opt for either the beach, adventure, or some place riddled with historical richness and beautiful scenery. I can't really say that Vegas was either of those things- but I'm glad I got to experience it just the same.

It seems that most people who go to Vegas drink all day long (which I don't), gamble all their money (I put a dollar in a slot machine, came out with $5.40 and walked away satisfied), and try to pick up (I'm married). But other than it being nearly everything that I'm not - I have to admit that it has a cool vibe. Kind of a stress home-free, where people just let loose and have fun. I think it's a place people can go to be eternally immature. I saw eighty year old women going to town in the casino and figured I could look at it one of two ways; they're either trying to stay fresh, young, and happy in their old age or they're continuing to struggle with a lifelong addiction to slots. I chose to think the former just because it's a nicer thought. The casinos, at the risk of sugar-coating venom, were like giant carnivals. Every time I walked through them I felt kind of disoriented; like I was a character in a Nintendo game and around every corner giant plants might start shooting fireballs at my head.  

Don't get me wrong, there is more to Vegas than just casinos, clubs, strip clubs, and showgirls. There is actually tonnes to do there. Remember the word I used to describe it was: eventful. Never boring! Which I think is part of the whole appeal. It's hard to be bored there.

By the end of it all I was ready to come home. I missed my regular travel buddy and I found myself wishing on several occasions that he was there, too. 

Now to get back into the swing of things at work. Only a couple more weeks until my next vacation. And luckily, it's only a few hours drive from where we are so we won't have to take any shady airplanes like the disaster of an Air Canada flight we had to take on the way back from Calgary to Edmonton. Not going to lie, I'd be quite happy if I never saw another airplane for awhile. I wonder how long I can hold out on another tropical-climate vacay.... time will tell!

Leaving on a Jetplane... Again....

I wonder how many planes I've been on in the past 2 years?  It feels like a billion.

If so, then tomorrow it will be a billion and one. I'm heading to Las Vegas and won't be back until next Wednesday.

Unfortunately, my beautiful laptop that is such a crucial part of my existence will not be accompanying me; I tried that in Texas and using the internet for 5 minutes everyday was not really worth the sore shoulders I had to contend with after lugging it around while in transit.

Truth be told, I really won't be spending that much time in the hotel room anyway. Well, would you?

So happy spring break everyone! Do something fun!

And let me end this post with the obligatory phrase that all Vegas-goers have to publicly declare at least once upon their departure (also known as the most overused phrase of all time): What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas! (Until I get back and post all the pictures on Facebook, that is).

Au revoir!

Coldplay + Twitter +Roll up the rim +Vegas = Happy St. Patty's Day Post

Happy St. Patty's Day! Top o' the mornin' to ya!

Let's begin with good news items, shall we?

#1.) I would like to inform everyone that the Coldplay situation has been resolved and I will be at the show, sitting in the 22nd row on the floor, tapping a foot or two and whistling along as Christopher (yes, I like to believe we're not only on a first-name basis, but a first-name-lengthening basis) rocks out to "Lovers in Japan." Allow me a moment to bask in the gloriousness of my victory.

............................

Okay, moment's over. Next.

2.) I'm going to Vegas in 3 days. Speaks for itself- really!

3.) For all you Canadians out there, this next point will be especially poignant: I won a doughnut from rolling up my rim! Seriously, after all the cafe mochas I had to drink to get to that freaking doughnut, this one should probably be at the top of the list.

4.) I have my own domain now: www.lrlpalmer.com - I have a habit of skipping out on the www. part, but it doesn't work in some instances, this one being no exception. I tried. It said something about a naked domain. I was thinking: UMMM, excuse me but there is no nudity on my domain- thank you, very much! Either way, apparently my website really needs to know that the address you're looking for is on the world wide web. Otherwise it might go look in the forest somewhere, I suppose.

4.) Lastly, I deem it necessary right now to talk about my growing love affair with Twitter. I know, I know, the last thing the world needs right now is yet another social networking site. But because of my obvious adoration for all things internet, please trust me when I say that it's worth checking out! I've actually had Twitter for awhile and didn't use it because I was such an exclusive F-book user and didn't really care to figure out what it was all about. Even when I went back for my second take I was less than enthralled by it. After awhile, it grows on you and you finally begin to see what the commotion is all about. To say it's like the status update feature on F-book, while true to an extent, is a little bit of an understatement. But oddly enough, the status updates were what I used to check most often on the book anyway.

Do you remember the days when F-book was only for university students? I have a feeling that's part of what made it so insanely popular. The fact that it was made to be this elite network. When it was opened up to the "general public," people jumped on it like a water fountain in the desert. Smart going, Zuckerberg. 

I can distinctly remember being one of the first MUN students on there, and certainly the first of my friends (except for the American ones, who caught on long before my Canadian comrades). Anyway, point is, I'm just waiting for Twitter to explode like that. It's going to happen!

I'm a little off topic here. Let's get to the bad news.

You know, on second thought, let's not. There are so many bad things going on right now. So many bad things going on always. While it's good to know about that stuff, we don't need to hear about it constantly. The world is crappy enough without the news acting like a broken record that consistently reminds us of that fact. 

So back to my happy place. Coldplay. Vegas. Plus-side temperatures. Roll up the rim. Twitter........ etcetera, etcetera, so on and so forth.

Coldplay Causes Desperation

Dear Daddy - March 2009

Dear Daddy,

5 months. I cannot believe it. 5 months and I'm still  shocked. 5 months is too long for any of us to be without you.

I have been very busy. Just finished up report cards/parent teacher interviews. They went well considering I had only 3 parents come to see me. Apparently nobody is overly concerned about how their children perform in music class. 

Texas was a great musical experience. I learned a lot and ate a tonne of Mexican food. I wish you could have been there to see it. I love travelling with you because you pick up on things that a lot of people don't. Like when we were heading to Havana and you were bombarding our tour guide with questions about Cuban culture, history, and geography. I love that about you!

Last week I took my school choir to perform at the Music Festival. They did a fabulous job, especially considering the fact that we only began practicing in February. The parents who went were really impressed and they thought the kids stood out. I was proud of them as well!

Next week I'm going to Vegas with a coworker and her friend. It will be a nice escape from the deep-freeze that is an Albertan winter, so I'm looking forward to that.

Today has started off pretty crappily. Craig is gone to watch a basketball tournament at his school, and I'm here alone. I was frantically trying to buy Coldplay tickets online, but all the good ones are gone. Right after I came to the realization that the Coldplay concert probably would not be happening, I saw that Winston had chewed a huge hole in the beautiful blanket that Craig and I bought in Thailand. I am not impressed! I know you would laugh at me and tell me that it's not a big deal, but right now it feels big!

Every time I see hockey on TV I have mixed feelings. I will always love the Habs, but it is difficult for me to sit and watch them now when that used to be our tradition. I know you would want me to continue on with the things we did together, but it's difficult. Hockey in general is just something that you and I shared. It feels less meaningful these days.

I wish there was something I could do to bring you back. We all need you here. You were the only reason we ever felt secure and safe. We knew as long as you had a hand in what we were doing, we'd be okay. I think I trusted you more than anybody else. For example, you could drive like a maniac but I never worried about that when I was in the car with you. I just knew that you knew exactly what you were doing and that we were safe. I thought you were invincible. That's likely a big reason why I'm still swimming in disbelief every day.

I'll forever wish you were here. Things will never be the same. I'm trying to be happy again, but know that I'll never be complete and that this fresh void can never be filled. There's nobody in this world like you.

Miss you all the time,

Your baby girl XOXO

Happy Birthday, Barbie!

Photo Courtesy

Dear Barbie,

You've been there for me since I was a wee little thing with pigtails creating intricate tales in my bedroom of how you fell in love with Ken or had to protect your little sis Skipper from a less beautiful, less popular version of... well... you!

You were a huge part of my childhood and I'm not gonna lie, I'd probably still come up with improv stories for you to star in if that was even remotely acceptable in society.

Today is your birthday, you're 50! I cannot believe it. Gosh, you look good for your age! Haven't changed a bit! For possible future use, what's your secret? Botox? Lipo? Various chemical injections that I've never heard of?

Your birthday might not be the best time to mention this, but I think you should probably go buy a big juicy burger today. You're looking a little thin. I have to say, it's beginning to worry me that your proportions are humanly impossible to attain. I mean I don't take back my previous statement that you look great, I'm just appending it. You look great, albeit somewhat abnormal.

Either way, hope your birthday is fantastic! After everything little girls (and some boys) around the world put you through, you deserve it! Half a century baby! You made it!

With love,

Your #1 fan - Laura

Define Content

The title of this blog is a prime example of why English is one of the hardest languages in the world to learn. Darn you, unnecessary homonyms!

The "content" I speak of has absolutely nothing to do with a.) something that is contained, or b.) the contents of a book. I'm thinking more along the lines of happiness. But really, what is complete happiness? And really, who is completely happy?

There are aspects of my life that I'm thrilled about. I have an abundance of good, happy things going on. And like everyone else, I also have plenty to cry about. So much is not as I wish it to be. I look to fill any voids with accomplishment. There are too many things I want to acheive and I often proclaim to be an aspiring everything. That in itself may provide a valid reason as to why I'm not living up to my potential - I cannot concentrate on just one thing.

For some people happiness is found in the known. Happiness is a familiar house in a familiar town in a familiar region in a familiar country with familiar people. It's definitely a: "whatever floats your boat" kind of thing in my opinion. I have always found peace and happiness in both the familiar and the new. Since I was a kid climbing hills and trees and exploring the woods, I've loved adventure. Now, the adventure of exploring my great backyard has evolved into a passion for travel and culture. Those two things just make me.... content.

Sometimes I feel like I'm being stuffed in a jar that is too small to hold me. (Sometimes I feel like I'm being stuffed into jeans that are too tight to hold me, as well, but I digress). The point is, right now I don't have a lot of people in my life who provide the fertilizer that my aspirations and dreams need to flourish. I don't get the sense that a lot of people are rooting for me, telling me to go for it and see what I can do. In fact, I often feel guilty about even wanting to try.

I cannot help it. My brain is just not wired in the "ordinary" kind of way. I'm not content to simply buy a house, have lots of kids, work a nine to five until retirement and watch as my life along with all my hopes pass me by. Besides, if I've learned anything this year it's that life is short and we never know how much time we actually have.

The people in my life love me. It's just that most of them define content differently than I do, so it's hard for them to see where I'm coming from.

Some of this introspection has clearly stemmed from the Island Reef Job that I absolutely knew I wouldn't get (because my application stunk). But it runs deeper than that. It's this underlying need to get out and find a way to do what I love, while trying to live with the ever-present knowledge that time is fleeting and time is fickle.

I don't know what I'll end up doing or where I'll end up doing it. What I do know is that right now I'm not content to "act" out a life that everyone else thinks is right for me simply because it's the kind of life that has been right for them.