Looking Back, Looking Forward

Que the obligatory "reflection" post. This will likely be short, don't worry.

2012 was a fairly eventful year for me, when I really think out it.  I did suffer a few losses and heartache (the major one for me being the family dog, Tira). It's still weird to go to my parents' house, and not hear her excited barks and hear her nails clattering on the floor by the door as I walk up the steps. I can't help but get a little choked up, even now, thinking about it.

I stood by my best friend as she got married, celebrated, and share some pretty great memories with her, and my other best friends. My reign of Maid of Honor ended, and I'd like to think I did a fairly good job. I planned and Engagement Party, Bridal Shower, and a Bachelorette. They all worked out well, and I'm pleased as punch!

My fiance and I moved into an apartment that's has some ups and downs, together just the two of us, for the first time. We also welcomed a new member into our family shortly after, Monster, Scott's dad's kitty. He adapted to indoor life better than we could have hoped for, and has been amazing. I can't imagine coming home and not seeing him there to greet me now.

After five years, I finally moved to a new department, and thus far am loving it. I'm learning new skills, meeting plenty of new people. I couldn't be more excited for this change. 

As time winds down, more wedding planning for my own wedding was needed, and we managed to book a nice venue, and I went for my first round of wedding dress shopping.

We met with a financial planner recently as well, and with his help next year, will get our crazy financial situation under control. 

2013 of course, will be jam packed with more wedding work and planning. Soon begins the traditional wedding diets, so that we can look fabulous on our big day. We're getting married in under ten months now!

I hope to lead a more structured life as well, planning and keeping myself and fiance well organized.

Bahari Haunt will be seeing the release of monthly art collections. Cute, simple prints and merchandise. I will also be stepping up on my commissions. 

I also aim to see friends more often, maybe hosting some movie and/or game nights in my home. Once per month would be lovely. I love my friends, and I really don't think we see each other enough.On a similar note, I need to spend more quality time with my husband-to-be, as while I see him most evenings, and usually  full day a week, it just doesn't seem like enough. I think a monthly date night may be in order.

I'm pretty sure I say this every year, but I am seriously determined to make 2013 the best year yet. Bettering myself, my relationships, and I hope to maybe even get my foot in the door for a more career oriented position. I've got plenty of goals and dreams, and part-time won't get me there.

Happy New Year (and if you missed it, Merry Christmas!), my friends!
~Jenicsaco

Christmas Shouldn't Be Offensive

I recently read something where someone was greatly offended by a Christmas movie they watched, because they weren't Christian. This movie, had no religious connotations whatsoever, really. Okay, it was Polar Express. You know, the 3D animated movie where a kid gets on a train to see Santa Claus. Not Jesus, not some big Christian birthday party, or what have you. 

I think I need to clarify that I'm not writing this to be offensive. While admittedly religion makes me uncomfortable, I'm becoming more tolerant. So, don't hate.

I can understand people disliking the over-commercialization of the holiday. I can understand not celebrating for religious reasons. I don't understand however, how some people can get so offended over something that isn't religious.

Not everyone who celebrates Christmas is Christian. I'm not, and it's my favorite time of year. The holiday has different meanings for a lot of people. For me, and I -think- many other people, the holiday is less about the birth of some guy named Jesus, and more about the 'spirit' of the season. The warmth, and joy. The giving (and to a small degree, receiving. I can't lie. ), the family and friends, spending time with all of your loved ones. It's a great excuse to gather everyone you love under one roof and just have a great time. Yes, I know you shouldn't need an excuse, but it's difficult to find a time when most people are even available for gatherings, now isn't it? That's what Christmas is to me, at least.

 I don't think religion should ever be flaunted, but since it is still a big part of the holiday for some people, I'll respect that. I don't have to like it, or really even approve of it, but I'll respect it all the same. So long as someone doesn't tell me I'm going to Hell for not sharing the same belief, we're cool. You keep your beliefs to yourself, and I'll do the same.

If anyone is interested in the origins of Christmas, Britannica has a nice, fairly short little post about it. Enjoy!
And yes, this is super early...but considering the content of this blog post, it feels appropriate.
http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2011/12/origin-christmas-december/

I wish you all a safe and joyous holiday season! Enjoy the company of your friends and family, gifts that you give and receive, delicious food and treats. Revel in the beauty of the falling snow, if you're lucky enough to have it. And of course, stay safe!

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Joyous Kwanza , Happy Chanukah, 
~Jenicsaco

[Social Media] *Like*

I can't help but think of how lazy and impersonal we're becoming with the ride of social media. It's quite sad, actually, and I would like to make an effort to return to the old ways, even a little bit.

I've never been a fan of short-form. Abbreviations make me cringe...that's part of my crusade against a lack of respect in communication.

Anyhow, my reason for posting is this. I'm realizing that "Like" and "Favorite", and any other similar one-click thumbs-uppery is just incredibly lazy. In keeping with my "laziness is a lack of respect" view, simply clicking the 'Like' button is just kind of rude. True, I love it when people 'like' a post of mine. But I love comments even more! I want to know exactly what people are thinking, how they feel when they click. Exactly why did you click? Do you have anything to add?

It's kind of pathetic how lonely I feel when someone 'likes' a post, and leaves no comment. I'm just not worth the time of day? I'm sure that's not it, but I just can't help but feel a little empty inside.

I doubt many others feel this way, happy with their social lives...but, I'm making it a goal, from this point forward to take the time to leave a real comment on any post that I enjoy, or respond, or whatever the medium calls for.

I think the biggest issue I have in this respect is on DeviantArt. I work very hard on my art, and I frankly find it quite disrespectful for someone to simply click. 'Favorite' or 'Collect'. Please, let me know what I'm doing right! I appreciate the small token of love, but it really does me no favors.

I don't mean to sound harsh, I just wish people would be more respectful, and take the time to properly communicate with each other. This world and its technology has us distanced from each other, so disconnected. It's quite frightening!

Show your friends and family some textual love, and time! Next time you enjoy someones post, I encourage you to share a little with them in return. I can't imagine anyone who would dislike getting comments on their art, page, tweets, wall, whatever.

Keep spreading the love, my beauties!
~Jenicsaco

[Movies & Philosophy] End of the World?

So, I haven't been around much as I've been pretty darned sick. My apologies, if there's anyone out there that actually follows me. ;) I'm finally starting to think I may be getting better, which is fantastic news after almost a full week of misery and grossness. I'll spare you the details, don't worry.

Anyhow, there's one thing that's been on my mind a lot lately. The end of the world. Yeah, it's pretty dark. But, I can't stop thinking about it! A friend is writing a story revolving around that topic (which I can wait to read), some crazy people say the world will end this year, and I recently watched a related movie.

Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World

The same friend writing the story recommended this to me, and not being in the mood to do much but lounge around, it was the prefect time to watch this! Cuddled up with the fiance and hit the 'play' button. 

First off, I really enjoyed this movie. There's a lot of comedy in it, and I quite enjoy Steve Carell. He didn't play quite such an over-the-top character as he usually does, and it was good. I'm really terrible and writing synopsises...sinopsis? I can't without giving away everything, so I'll refrain. There are a lot of sweet, hopeful moments. There are also some sad ones. The movie ended, and my fiance and I sat in a moment or two of silence, tears rolling down our cheeks. 

The big reason I really enjoyed this movie was because it made me think. The world learns that the world is going to end in three weeks. What would I do in that situation? Would I try to carry on a normal life? Bite the bullet early? Quit everything and cram in as much adventure as possible? Spend time with loved ones? I would say a mix of the latter two, if my time were that short. Suffice to say, the world would more or less be chaos. 

What if it were farther in the future? Say, fifty years? The world still needs to function...food still needs to be produced, electricity, other essentials. Knowing our time was limited though, would most throw out any 'green' habits, or race to try to save it? I suppose it depends on the apocalypse. Still, there are so many variables to factor in, so many outcomes. So many ways one could react. One thing breaks my heart when I put myself in this situation, is that I wouldn't be able to have a child. My one big dream in life is to raise a kid.  Obviously, that would just be cruel, to bring a child into a world you know is doomed. 

Then again, that far in the future, what if they develop something that will save the planet by then? 

Ugh, deep thinking is not good for this sick gal...Anywho, this is just what I've been pondering fervently for the last week or two. What would you do if the world was going to end in a month? Fifty years?

Live long and prosper, friends.

~Jenicsaco 

[Health] Sick Kit!

So, we have first aid kits for medical emergencies, and all sorts of things like that. Make-up bags for well, make-up. A thought occurred to me that we don't have Sick-Kits! I'd love to make and sell these, but from a legal standpoint, I don't think it's a feasible idea. So, let me tell you about my awesome idea.

It sucks being sick. Even more so when we have to leave the house to work or whatever. You should at least be prepared and when you're sick, you're probably not thinking too clearly to begin with. Have a specal bag set up for just such a case!

You will need:

• A make-up bag, or other little bag with a closing mechanism (fancy word for zipper) to hold all of your goodies.
•  A bottle of hand-sanitizer (I find this is often more for everyone around me's peace of mind rather than mine. Remember not to over-use it! Antibiotic resistance is a very bad thing.)
• A travel-pack of facial tissue. (You don't want to be that person on the bus sniffling the whole trip.)
• A zip-lock baggie for somewhere to tuck away your used tissues. (It's better than having a bunch loose snotty tissues floating around in your bag!)
• A plastic barf bag -just in case- (Make sure there are no holes! I'd say, double-bag it to be safe. You shouldn't leave the house if you're throwing up, really. But, sometimes it can just sneak up on you. Better safe than sorry and apologizing to whoever you just threw up all over. )
• Medicine! (I won't tell you what medicine to pack because everyone has their preferences. I like Daytime Advil Cold & Sinus, but that's just me.)
• Pain killers (Great if you're prone to head and body aches when you're sick)
• Tums (Keep that tummy settled! They make nice little travel-sized bottles now)
• Gum/Breath Mints (People's breath tends to worsen when sick. Also, if you've been throwing up, a little fresher breath is a God-send).
• Cough candies (Nothing like a cough that just won't go away)
• Taxi money (if you find yourself needing to get to a doctor's office quicker than a bus will get you)
• Chapstick - I know my lips tend to dry out a fair bit when I'm sick. This is just a lil something to make me feel better. 

And there's my suggestion for a quick and easy Sick-Kit.  I really love this idea, and if you do too, please spread the word! I haven't heard of anyone else doing this before, so I'm pretty excited. :)

Stay healthy, my lovlies!
-Jenicsaco

[Food] Dirge's Kickin' Chimaerock Chops

So I've decided to try and do my take on some recipes from World of Warcraft.  The first was suggested to me by a friend. Dirge's Kickin' Chimaerock Chops (that's a whole lot to type!).

I am sick today, so I was feeling pretty lazy...but, this is what I came up with. 'Recipe' will be posted below.

Unfortunately, I had a difficult time finding any Chimaerock...So, I had to settle for pork chops. I seasoned them with deeprock salt ( seasoning salt ) and some spicy Mrs. Dash. I threw them in the oven for 40 minutes at 375°.

While the porkchops were cooking I threw on some basmati rice, and got working on my sauce.

In  a little saucepan I added some chopped onion and garlic with a little butter, and sauteed them until they were nice and soft, then I threw in the rest of the saucy incredients. Bear in mind, unless I'm following a recipe, I just don't measure things. I eyeball it, taste, that sort of thing. If I like something, I add more of it. Into the pot went tomato paste, Goblin Rocket Fuel ( white rum ), more spicy Mrs. Dash, Death Sauce. I let it simmer for a while before deciding it needed more...Then I added some milk to cut the acidity a little, cumin, chili powder, and red chili pepper flakes.

After that was all done, I threw the chop of a bed of rice, and added some more sauce.

Well..it tastes better than it looks. ^^; 

The verdict? It was pretty tasty, but I would have added maybe a little more milk...and diced mushrooms, if I had any. If I liked peppers, I probably would have added some of those, too.

[Health] Incoming Cold!

So, I'd like to thank my friend for getting me sick. :P I found out after I woke up this morning, feeling a little more phlegmy than usual, that she's got a cold. At least I know where it came from. Besties gotta share everything, right?

I had a lot that I wanted to get done today...it's been a really productive 3-day weekend, and I don't like the idea of slowing down. I also don't like the idea of getting full-blown sick. So..I need to start up my prevention methods. I also have company coming for fun times tomorrow, so I need to at least make sure the house is kinda tidy. And I have work, so I want to be as close to healthy as I can be.

Anyways, prevention involves drinking a whole lot of tea...like, chain drinking. Starting off with a raspberry pomegranate matcha. I'm pretty excited about that. Even if the work I planned to do today isn't strenuous in the least, I've gotta put it on the back-burner. I think it's important to let your mind rest when getting sick, too.

With no work, I'd be pretty darned bored...I'll probably watch a movie or two, and a lot of World of Warcraft. Get all bundled up in my robe and fluffy orca slippers.

Now, this is the worst bit...I kid you not, I hate naps. I feel like I could be doing so much more with my day. Could be having more fun, getting more work done. Whatever. Naps are awful. But, sleep is SO important when you're sick. I spent nearly an entire day sleeping once when I was sick, and was almost 100% the next day. It was beautiful.

I'm also going to take a multivitamin to help my body out a little. It's not much, but that's my battle plan. When I'm able to do this for a day or two, I'm generally sick no more than two or three days. I think it's gotta be fairly effective then, yes?

What do you do when you start getting sick? Double up on vitamins? Trudge through the malaise? Take lots of medicine? Or maybe you have a ritual that you go through as well?

Stay healthy, my friends!
~Jenicsaco

[Budget & Holidays] Christmas Planning

So, here's the deal...I love Christmas to bits...but it can sure be stressful! Espescially on a budget.
I'm currently digging through articles and websites on cheap gift ideas...but I have yet to see anything that really applies to me. Not of it is really 'cheap'.

There is the default of baking for everyone. People seem to appreciate that. But that isn't always as easy as it sounds...I thought about it, and I may have to resort to that, but it's incredibly time consuming...Time that I don't know I'll have. There's the mixing and prep which, if you're making multiple cookies like I do (because one type of treat is boring),  takes forever. The baking (I'll only be able to bake 6-8 cookies at a time, of perhaps 100 or so that I'd need to bake.), and the decorating!

I certainly can't buy conventional gifts...and it's very frustrating! I have friends and family that I love dearly, and would really like to be able to give them great gifts. One year, I spent $80-ish on each family member...That was great! It's the worst feeling of disappointment to wonder how you can possibly show everyone how much you care.

I'd really wanted to post a list of gift ideas that are both easy on the time aspect, and the wallet. Unfortunately, everything that I could find is either very time consuming, or costs more than I assume any normal person on a budget these days could afford!

I had pondered maybe just hand-making a bunch of Christmas cards..but again, time consuming. I have also sworn off cards. I will make birthday cards for my fiance, because I know he really likes to keep them, but that's about it. The way I see it, they're a wast of money. If you're buying one, that is. It seems like a huge waste to spend $5 for some paper with writing that a person will look at, and throw out. Or maybe put it on display for a couple days. I'm sorry, but if you don't know how I feel, I haven't effectively communicated that to you, and I'm sorry.

The holidays are indeed stressful...everyone seems to have different reasons for it, too. For me, I just can't give everyone what I want, and that eats me up inside.

I think perhaps a trip to the craft store is in order...ideas are stewing, and I don't want to spoil it if I follow through. If it doesn't work out, I'll let you guys know what I'd wanted to do. :)

[Gaming & Nails] Craptastic nerdy nail art!

So, I decided to paint my nails for Video Games Live . This, if you haven't heard, is video game music performed by an orchestra. Oldies, new games, it's all epic. Lots of fun, and I can't recommend it enough, if it's playing in your city!

Now, I'm awful at painting my nails, so this isn't "good" by any stretch. But, here we go.

At 10:30am I got all of my polishes and tools set up. Bobby pin and toothpicks for finer details when I realized my pain brush was going to be tricky to use.

At 5:00 pm I declared myself finished. I could have done more touch-ups...but again, 5pm. I was done..and battling a pretty nasty headache to boot. I'm pretty sure it was all the fumes...
Polishes I used were:
Sally Hansen - Hard as Nails - Xtreme wear -" Black Out", Cherry Red
Claire's scented polish - Orange, Lime, Fruit Punch, Strawberry
Fascino #59, #40
GOSH - Black Passion
butter London - Cheeky chops
Crafter's Acrylic - Flesh chair (yes, acrylic paint)

So, here are the final results.

Blue portal, Mushroom, Tetris, Space Invader, Alliance (World of Warcraft)

Horde (World of Warcraft), Pac-man, Pokeball, Triforce, Orange portal

I'm pretty sure this will be my last big nail venture...This was just too much work, for such a crappy result. Oh well, live and learn! Now to keep them from chipping...not easy, in my line of work.

[Holiday] Letter to Santa

Santa Claus asked that we send him our blog-posted gift lists. I gave it some thought, so here I go.

Dear Santa,

I really don't think I've been very good this year, but goodness I've tried. I just can't succeed no matter how hard I try. It's been weak, but as least I've tried, right? If I'm worthy of gifts, I would ask for the clothes that I can't afford, to replace the ones that are falling apart. That is the only thing I truly need that I don't have. I don't like to ask for things for myself though...What I really want, is to be able to give my fiance a fantastic honeymoon next year, so that we can both have the one big adventure of our lives. We won't be able to do anything like it again ever, so I want to try very hard to make this happen for us. I want to make him happy.

Always a believer,
Jen

[Health] Killing Depression

So, I feel that I need to write the post in order to help myself, mostly. It will be a very dark post, and if you're not interested, I do suggest you skip this one. it does get better as it goes, though. There will be much better ones soon to follow too, I promise!

I mentioned in my last post that my depression was making a comeback. It had vanished more or less since that post, but Thursday night, it came back with a vengeance. I can't think of anything in particular that brought it on. Just home alone, surfing the web. I spent a good three hours sobbing on the couch. At one point, I did consider suicide, the first serious time in...I want to say in five years or so. This is where it gets really sad...I looked at the knife, and realized that I was just too lazy. I didn't even have enough motivation to do anything but sit and scream and cry my heart out. I'd just given up on everything. I guess that's when it hit me that I need help.

I started then posting pathetic little subtle cries for help through social media, and googling therapists in my area. One of my besties noticed what was happening, and really helped me through the last few waves of real despair. (I can't thank you enough for all the pits you've helped me out of.)

As the sobbing subsided, and I got to thinking about things more and more, I realized that I have a very serious problem with motivation. I think that is the root of all my problems. I can never get motivated to do anything for more than a short while, if at all. The constant failure just brings me farther and farther down. I really have completed very little in my recent years. I'm always looking for a fresh start, a do-over. If I'm not happy, I hit the reset button.

After my google journey, I realized that therapists are very expensive, and I can't really afford one. If I really need to, I will though. For the time being, I'm going to try and help myself. Looking up ways to get and keep myself motivated. On my next real day off, I'll be working on a personal growth plan, setting easy goals, etc. I also got my fiance to pick me up a few things to hopefully help me out.

-Melatonin to help me sleep through the night. I wake up constantly, and I'm more often than not, very tired.
-Garcinia Cambogia to help with weight loss. I know I need to be physically healthy to help with the mental bits, and I need every ounce of help I can get.
-Magnesium glycinate to help with sleep, stress, and a few other little things.

I'm also going grocery shopping today, and will be looking for plenty of healthy meal ideas. Fresh food = fresh mind and body!

With all of this, plus I hope the encouragement and support of my family and friends, I think this may be just what I need to become whole. I realize that I need to get to this point of mental health before I can even think about having a child, my biggest dream.

If you made it to the end of this post, thank you, from the bottom of my heart. <3

All my love,
-Jenicsaco

[Health & Dreams] Housewife Dreams and Dark Shadows

In this day and age, it is more common than not, for women to have larger dreams, than they did decades ago. Making plenty of money, higher education, careers, living life large.

I often wonder to myself...is there something wrong with me? That sort of thing really has never been what I want...I've had a few fun jobs that I would like...but the more I think about it, what I really want to be...is a housewife. I want to spend my days at home, raising children, cooking meals for my family, keeping the house tidy.

While my own mom does work a job (with the exception of during the summer), she also works from home. She sells art online. Wooden painted dolls, prints, lots of really cute little things. She's doing fairly well with it, too. Maybe not enough to solely survive on that, but pretty close in her busy periods. This is why I'm striving to become better with my own art, and increase my own online presence. If I had the ability to make money from home, raise my children, and be a real family mom, that would be a dream come true. I'm seriously trying to pursue this right now.

I wonder though, how many people would frown on such a low goal. That I'm not shooting for the stars. That I don't want to a fancy career, university degrees, and things like that. Does that make me an under achiever?

Or, is the fact that I finally know what I want in life, and I'm working towards it, something to applaud?

I shouldn't worry what others think, I should just be proud of myself that I'm finally walking that path that I think I was meant to be on. I can't help but worry what others think though. Shamefully, I just want to be loved and accepted by all.

This post is shifting a little darker, and I apologize for that...but, I need to vent a little. Feel free to skip this part of the post, if you don't want to read depressing bits.


It's been very up and down, though for the most part, really positive. In the last month or so though, my depression has been making itself more prevalent in my life again. It isn't a medically diagnosed depression, but I know it's there, and that it's real.

It's that sort of thing, where you just feel so hopeless, and you don't even care about getting out of that dark pit you're falling into. I won't go into details, but suicide is at the bottom. Or, it's a tunnel at the bottom, that people try to dig, to give themselves that escape...but it just ends. That feeling that nothing you do is worthwhile, nobody -really- cares about you, there's no point in sticking around, since you're so utterly useless. Nothing I do ever goes right. It sucks...and it really bothers me when people say, "Oh cheer up. Just get over it." But anyone who actually goes through this, understands that you can't. If things get better, it's only over time...you can't force yourself to just 'cheer up'. It just happens eventually, or at least, the pain fades. I hate the waiting...it's scary.

I also hate that this is coming back. I don't fully understand why...but I'm willing to bet it's stress related. Finances, a new job, wedding planning. That must be it.

I've been wondering as well if I should seek out some sort of a mental evaluation...I know there are things wrong with me, but to what extent, I'm not sure. I suffer from (self-diagnosed)depression and Misophonia, which is now looking like an emotional response disorder (which would explain a LOT), but I feel like I'm just...off. I can't really explain it.  I don't really know where to begin with something like that, though....And I'm fairly certain that it would cost more than I could ever afford.

Anyways...I think that concludes this little rant...I'm sorry it took such a dark turn south. :(

~Jenicsaco

[Animals] Rest in peace, Theo.

I really wanted to make a post here, but was struggling with a topic. I thought about updating on Theo, but the last that saw him, he was doing very well, and I didn't have much else to say, or at least, that I really could say. So, I way trying to think of another topic...unfortunately, I recieved an e-mail today that just broke my heart...

Theodore passed away last night. While his chances were not good to begin with, he had shown some impressive improvements that had me really feeling hopeful for his recovery, and eventual possible release. I don't have all of the information, but it sounds like he took a very sudden turn downhill....Currently waiting on necropsy results, to find out the cause of death...I know that while this is truly upsetting (I'm fighting tooth and nail against some serious tears right now), good will also come of this...Harbor porpoises are not very well known, so there is much knowledge to gain from Theo, even after death.

I'm truly grateful for the opportunity to have had a few shifts with him, and to have watched him make those steps to recovery. To have been able to spend that time with him.

I leave you with a link to the Vancouver Aquarium's blog post on the matter, which can explain things much better of course, than I can.

http://www.aquablog.ca/2012/10/stranded-harbour-porpoise-theo-fails-to-recover/

[Environmental] 99 Red Balloons? No thank you.

So, I wanted to write a blog post on why people should ban balloons...but I didn't want to do so without some numbers to throw out. This had been an interesting venture...I find a lot of pages saying why people shouldn't ban balloons, and few giving reasons for the opposite.

Balloons end up as garbage, litter. They can become ingested by animals mistaking it for food, or just plain by mistake. Some smaller critters can even become entangled in discarded balloons and die.

I've read that latex balloons, though made of natural ingredients, can take up to four or six (I've read both) to decompose. That's a long time to leave something out for a poor animal to eat and choke on, or be unable to digest and wind up with some deadly digestion issues.

Releasing balloons is just incredibly irresponsible. You may as well just pop it and throw it on the ground, there's really no difference.

While I don't have kids yet, my household will have a ban on balloons. They are a pointless, useless form of mild entertainment and decoration, and the world would be better off without them. I will never buy my child a balloon, and encourage others to do so. Spend the money some something equally as entertaining, and something that can be re-used and treasured. Not something that will last maybe half a day, and end up in the garbage. Do the environment a favor, and save the latex for something more worthwhile, like birth control.

~Jenicsaco

[Gaming] Pandaria Progress

I will admit, I haven't played any of the high-level content of the latest expansion, Mists of Pandaria, in the World of Warcraft yet. Why? I don't have a high level...I do have one 85, though I consider her retired...It's silly, but I have a difficult time playing her now, without bringing up more sadness. Long story short, I was in a guild that I absolutely adored. I considered my guildies family, and was pretty crushed when everyone drifted away/stopped playing. It's been almost three years, and my heart still aches. I miss them terribly. So, I find it better if I just don't touch this character.
My main, is currently level 81, I believe. So, my fiance and I are in the process, when we play together, of running through Hyjal. We'll get there eventually, I promise!

The starting zone for the Pandaren though, was a lot of fun. I feel that I breezed through it a lot quicker (and enjoyed the process a lot more) than the goblin and worgen. Really beautiful scenery, music, and the quests were fun and interesting. Plenty of new little bits here and there to keep me entertained! I highly recommend everyone make a pandaren, and at least play through the starting zone. I don't want to say much without giving anything away, but it's really worth it. I promise!

Initially, when the expansion was first announced, I was among the many groaning, "Augh, Kung-fu panda!". Yes, I know they've been around since before the movie, but that's besides the point. It's an avenue they didn't have to pursue, but did. Anyhow, this expansion now had my full approval (If that means anything. Probably not. I'm not picky.). I really do love my Pandaren, Dai'xi, as well. She's freaking adorable, and I feel as far as looks...I can most closely relate to them. Yes, I'm overweight, if you didn't already know. (Are there really strangers out there reading this? I can only hope!). They're sweet, and pleasantly round...If I were about a foot shorter, I could probably cosplay one and pull it off darned well. I'd like to think I've got the personality for it, too!

The one thing I'm griping about right now though...is the pet battle system. I love it. I'm already an altoholic, trying to round up as many achievements,mounts, and pets as I can. Now I need to level my pets. And collect even more. The system is nicely done, and I think it's a fun little mini-game to play with...but at the same time..it's one more thing I feel I have to do....And that folks, is what obsession looks like!

Until next time, get some fresh air and enjoy the sun before Old Man Winter keeps us locked inside!
~Jenicsaco

[Wedding & Health] It's Official!

This will be a short, short, post...but I've done it!

Yesterday, I went back to Coyote Creek and put down my deposit to rent our room! Yes, we are officially getting married now. (Sorry baby, no backing out now!)

Now begins the real planning...sorting out exactly what I want to do theme-wise, picking colors, and even wedding dress shopping! Though, I still dread that last part. I just need to work on channeling my inner zen master, and not stress over any of this.

 My biggest challenge of course, will be losing weight. That's been a frustrating battle thus far. I'm realizing exactly how big my problem is...Today, I had a cookie. I told myself, "I just need one more, and I'm done." Need. NEED? It's an f'ing cooking. I'm so full of excuses, it really sickens me. I think I need to sit down sometime soon, and find some yummy looking recipes that look simple to make. I have a hard time, even when I make something that should be healthy, believing it's really good for me. I need to find that special menu that tastes healthy, is healthy, and I want to eat more of! There's just so much I can't stand...broccoli, peppers, spinach, lots of leafy greens...Either the texture makes me want to gag, or the taste does. It's honest to goodness frustrating.

I'll keep you all posted on that, any how...Wish me luck! I need all the help and support I can get.

~Jenicsaco

[Tech & Gaming] Reviews Galore!

This is  bit of an odd post, which is my fault, really. Everything I want to blog about today, happened on a different day. If I'd done them all when I should have, there wouldn't be a problem! I digress.

Part the first!

This phone: Utter garbage. 

As I hate my phone, it was high time I got a new one. I selected a newer, smaller company, Wind. They transferred my number of from Fido for me, and made the whole process very comfortable and easy! Let's look at this for a second.With Fido, I was paying $50 per month and some change after fees and taxes for unlimited talk and text. While Wind does not have as good coverage, I'm so seldom out of their area, it's not a big issue. Wind is giving me unlimited talk, texting, AND data. $40 a month. It seems like a pretty simple solution, yes?

Now I've got the Samsung Galaxy SIII. It's my very first smart phone, so I'm still learning my way around it. It seems pretty user friendly though. The resolution is godly, and the interface is pretty straight forward. Obviously, it supports all things Google, which makes my life easier. Yes, I'm a Google-girl, and quite happy with it.

My first Smartphone experience is great! Now I can tweet at my local transit system whenever my bus no-shows or is ridiculously late (which is every day), check my social networks to and from work, listen to music. I can finally Instagram, too! here, have a picture of my kitty sleeping:

The only drawback that I'm finding with this phone (or maybe smart phones in general?) is the onscreen keyboard. I don't think I have fat fingers, but I still have trouble getting the right letters half the time. Also, Autocorrect and "predictive" text are a bit of a nightmare. Thanks phone, for trying to fix my mistakes, and help me type a little faster. I know I'm slow. I would like to not think I'm typing the wrong words, though. Makes me feel a little less crazy. 

Part deux! 

Myself, some friends, and a couple co-workers found ourselves at a new restaurant and bar last Friday. EXP. It's a video game themed restaurant, how cool is that? Originally, the plan was to provide customers the chance to play some console games at their table while they ate, but unfortunately, there are laws preventing them from doing that, and serving liquor in the same place. They chose the booze (yay!). I would love to see both one day though...There are currently petitions going to try and change the laws, and hopefully create an even more epic experience. 

I've only got one negative to this place, so let's get that out of the way. The location. It's right near the bus, which is great, but it's also next to a part that attracts a lot of druggies and unsavory characters. I'm not terribly comfortable in such areas, but that doesn't seem to deter most people.

The atmosphere is great, of course. Everyone was in great spirits, and our waitress was fantastic! Super nice, friendly, and helpful. If I could afford it, I'd have loved to given her a $100 tip. Towards the end the service did slow, and we had to wait a little while for our bills, but it was so busy. I really don't fault anyone for that. 

The restaurant itself is decorated with of course, various gaming art, and plenty of flat screen TVs, showing everything from tournaments to cut scenes. The night we went, on the big massive screen, they were playing all of the Final Fantasy 8 cinematics. I almost cried. Great gaming music, my favorite console video game, and the overall buzz of excitement that filled the place. It was heaven. 

Food! Oh my gosh, I cannot rave enough about the food. This is too much...let's break everything down here. This is what I ordered:

• Ultra Deep Fried Pickle - Really delicious. It sounds weird, but they're really tasty! Fried, tempura battered pickle wedges. It comes with some fries, which are really nice too.  You get a choice of dip..I had ordered the Chipotle Aioli, but I honestly don't think that's what I got. Whatever it was, I'm leaning towards the Roasted Garlic Aioli, was scrumptious. I don't mind that mistake at all. 
• Triforce Burger with Onion Power Rings - The burger was honestly the best burger I've ever had. Beef, chicken, and bacon. Really juicy and flavorful and tender. It was heavenly. The rings also blew me away. I'm a sucker for onion rings, and usually opt for those when I can, over fries. Years ago in California, I had some pub rings that were the best I'd ever had. I didn't think I'd ever find a rival, but I found them at EXP. They won the battle of tastiness! Perfection. I regret not taking a picture of everything...
• Choco Island Magic Mushrooms  - YUM! The little chocolate cakes were super rich and really hit my chocolate craving in the sweet spot. The mushrooms looked so realistic, I really have to tip my helm the chef. Really great, and they were pretty darned tasty, once I stopped oggling them!
• Health and Mana -  This drink was actually a two-parter! Mana came in a tall glass, health in a shot. I don't remember what was in them, except raspberry sourpuss. I ended up mixing them together. I really liked this, but I will warn you, it's pretty sweet. 
• Tundaga (or maybe Thundara..they had both, I forget which I ordered) - Really nice drink, and the cup was rimmed with pop rocks! Haha That was a lot of fun to drink. I really enjoyed that.

Briefly, my fiance ordered Mankrik's Wife to drink (very delicious), and the Greedy Pigma Sandwich. The sandwich again was really tender, and full of flavor. I had a bite, it was very good. He upgraded his fries to poutine (seriously excellent gravy), but I think for the cost of the upgrade, he maybe should have received a little more. 

The bill was a bit little painful for a gal on a budget, but really, we ordered drinks, an appetizer, two meals, and dessert. Hey, it was our first time there, gotta try as much as we can! That run us up to $81, I think. Frankly, that's pretty fair, if you ask me. Considering the experience and food quality, actually, I'd say that's incredibly fair. 

I may not have the money to go often, but if I ever find a little extra on the paycheck, I know I'll be back. I'm pretty sure this will be my big birthday dinner, instead of the Keg this year, too. Prime rib and garlic mashed potatoes? Most certainly drool worthy...but I'm craving another Triforce burger!

Choco Island Magic Mushrooms - Made of meringue, not actual mushroom!

Their official website here: http://www.expbar.ca/

Part uh...t'ree?

Mists of Pandaria launched today! I don't have it yet, as it was ordered online..but hopefully in the next couple days. I should have plenty of time to play on... *sigh* Monday. 

I'm a little intrigued to see more non-Pandaren monks running around than Pandaren, though. I fully expected to see a Pandamonion, not a Monk-ey house. I guess some people really are butthurt about the whole "Kung-Fu Panda" business. Oh well. I look forward to playing it...when I get to 85. It looks really beautiful! I can tell that a lot of work went into this expansion, even if I do feel that the general feeling around it is a bit disjointed. Something that was just sort of thrown in, really. But, they worked hard, and it seems pretty darn stunning.

In the mean time, I've been working on my lower levels, happy to avoid anything new, like the plague for now.

[Animals] Fact Searching

If you read my last post on the My Bahari blog, you'll know that I've been raging over this protest that's going to happen at the Aquarium. I've been looking through the event's Facebook listing, and was appalled when I saw a comment along the lines of, "I had no idea it was such a terrible place! Do you have any pamphlets so I can learn more?"

This seriously bothers me. I can say with 100% certainty that a lot of what this group says is grossly exaggerated, if not completely false. To see someone read it, and immediately trust it, is frightening. There are so many things, about so many subjects, that don't always show the truth. I'm seriously troubled by people who would just fully embrace something as truth like that.

I'm not even talking about this particular subject of protests, and marine mammals, and aquariums and captivity anymore. This is in general.

I urge everyone out there, when learning something new, to approach it from all angles, read on a variety of sources, before fully taking something as the honest and good truth. Don't be stupid, don't jump into something so blindly. Do your research. Being spoon fed lies and outlandish ideas is nothing to be proud of. Form your own opinions.

Too often I think, people let themselves get brainwashed by the internet. Heck, I'm pretty sure it's made me dumber, and lazier. I will never let anyone control my opinions though, and I hold onto that value very closely. I just see too many things out there, that are blatantly incorrect, and because there is so much hype surrounding them, they believe every word of it.

Please, please, do your research and look at it from all angles, before forming a solid opinion on something.

I just really needed to get that out of my system...The thought of living in a world of people who can't/won't think for themselves is a terrifying thing. Things can go terribly wrong if people only think with their hearts, and not the facts.

Science, dear readers, is your friend. Seek wisdom and truth, not fleeting notions and lofty goals.

~Jenicsaco

[Wedding & Health] It's Happening!

So last weekend I went to check out Eaglequest: Coyote Creek with my bridesmaids and family. I was amazed, I didn't expect everyone to show, but sure enough, there they were! It was a good thing, too. THey all had lots of questions I hadn't considered!
I'm glad I went, as the room we had originally planned for...was underwhelming. It was more or less a basement with ugly walls and carpet, and an awkward layout. We could have made it really nice...but my new events lady, Cathy, showed us the other rooms as well, just in case we were curious. Thank goodness! The next cheapest room was only $90 more, and it was worlds apart from the other room. So much room, nice open layout, plenty of windows, a patio, and the room looked really pretty, even sans decorations.

This is...half the room? Sorry Mom, Dad. You were in the way. <3

Basically, we'd be getting something much nicer, that needs much less work, for only a little bit more money. Hands down, we have a winner! I'll actually be going in, in a couple of weeks to put a deposit down.

It was a good day overall, though very, very long. (There was also a dentist appointment and grocery shopping afterwards)I'm grateful to have so many fantastic people in my life to help me with this.

This was the view on the way home that day. Surely a sign of

 good things to come, yes?

I'm now in the process of figuring out ways that I can maybe reduce the cost. My fabulous bridesmaid is handling alcohol, so that's pretty huge, and a lot less stress on me. I wanted to have a slideshow, and the projector/screen cost isn't very high, but we're already struggling with this budget, so I think I have to nix that. I'll see if maybe I can do some haggling. Is that something that can happen with wedding venues? I don't even know.

Next, I'll be dress shopping and playing with the Guest List some more, I suppose.
I'm currently awaiting my next day off to jump full force into art, and trying to raise as much money as I can to help with this, and get me and my dude off on probably our only real vacation together (that's the honeymoon, folks).

I feel like I should be delegating more...but I don't know what I can ask people to do yet. I guess it all starts to become more obvious as time ticks down.

I'm not looking forward to the dress shopping, to be honest. I looked when we'd go with my friend for her dress, and did not find one dress close to my size that appealed to me. For those that don't know, at 260lbs, I most certainly qualify as a plus-sized bride.  I'm really not comfortable with anyone helping me in a change room, and I'm anticipating a whole lot of embarrassment with this whole shopping business. I should be excited, this should be the best part, but it's far from it.

I am trying to lose weight, but I have almost no support system. I have little motivation, no matter what I tell myself, and I'm finding it difficult to find tasty and healthy food. Cooking is tricky, because I'll cook food that I think is pretty darned healthy, and after I eat it, I don't feel that I accomplished what I had wanted. I'm also fairly picky...and lazy. Uuuugh, forever a fatass.

~Jenicsaco

[Gaming] Internal Struggle

I find myself battling with my inner adult quite frequently in terms of gaming.

I love to play games, and I often set goals for me to reach within those games. For example, in Warcraft, I'd like to have one maxed level character of each race and class. That hasn't worked out well so far, because like so many projects, I like to start things over, before completion. I can spend a lot of time in games, and lose track of more important things I should be doing.

I start to think about everything that I should be doing as a, you know, responsible adult. That's when the battle begins, and I start thinking about all the time I've wasted on a game, doing something that will end up not mattering in the long run. I should have done something productive. For me right now, that's working on my art and shops, and app ideas, in order to generate some much needed money for my wedding/honeymoon next year.

So the war wages on, and I stop playing, or play very little in an attempt to make up for lost time in productivity. Then I cancel my subscription...It's when I cancel, that I want to play more than ever. And so I do, and jump back in full throttle. Rinse and repeat.

Does anyone else have similar struggles? How do you cope/keep yourself organized? I've thought about heading into the parental controls and giving myself some restrictions. However, I know that if I had a day off, I'd likely want to give myself more time to play, and end up removing/changing everything.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, being a grown-up is hard! But, I have dreams to chase, so I need to try and keep myself motivated to stay on track.

~Jenicsaco

[Animals] When will people learn?

I'm going to try and write this as cohesively as possible, but to be frank, it really gets me irked.

There is a protest happening at Marineland against the obvious poor conditions, and all the malaise that seems to surround it. I'm not terribly against it...Admittedly, I haven't seen any of it first hand, but I do have some sources I trust that lead me to believe some of the hype that's floating around.

However, the Coalition for No Whales in Captivity (hence force known as 'The Coalition') in British Columbia is setting up a mirror protest at the Vancouver Aquarium. The Vancouver Aquarium and Marineland are entirely different entities, and are practically worlds apart.

I'll throw in my disclaimer right now that I cannot speak officially for the Vancouver Aquarium. This post is merely based on my own personal opinions, and feelings. Facts will be cited. Citations for cetaceans? Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Let's throw up this image, which is of the proposed banners they will be flaunting. I will only comment on these images, because I don't have forever to correct the mountain of ignorance they have formed.

Credit obviously for the 'banners' goes to The Coalition. Not sure of the original photo sources. 

"Your money fuels the cruel capture of whales and dolphins."
    I don't really even know where to start with this one. The money from donations, admission, memberships, etc. goes obviously to operating costs (the animals eat a lot, and it ins't cheap! Neither are their health care costs, I'd imagine.), educational programs, research, animal rescues, staffing, and everything else it takes to keep the Aquarium fun, educational, and the animals safe and healthy.

Credit Norbert Rosing
Those maggot-looking things are
 beluga whales. Look pretty cozy,
don't they?

The image next to this quote looks to imply that the belugas are kept in a cramped, tiny tank. That is the animal care pool, which is not even close to half of their exhibit size. This species has proven to be comfortable in small spaces. Frequently, the belugas will swim into the animal care pool, as the gate is almost always open, when they want to relax. They have no qualms about spending their time in there. (Personally, I've seen up to four whales puttering around in their on their own free will. I think they're nuts, but that's their choice.)

This bit also applies to the last banner as well, but I'll go ahead and add it in here.

The Vancouver Aquarium and the Vancouver Parks board had come to the agreement years ago ( Unfortunately I can't seem to find the exact date this was announced, but it was before 2006. Probably quite a while before that. ). The agreement states that the Aquarium will no longer capture any new animals, and will not bring in any animals captured after September 1996. It can exchange animals for others caught before that date, or those that were born in captivity, in order to to benefit the animals social needs. Animals that were rescued and deemed non-releasable by the government due to physical disabilities or ongoing health issues are also an exception. [ Citation. Plenty of other great information as well. ]

"8 Marineland whale trainers quit and exposed the cruelty"
   This has nothing to do with the Vancouver Aquarium. The animals' living conditions are completely different. I can't even really elaborate on this. The animals in Vancouver are not suffering skin conditions, or any serious, ongoing health issues. That much is evident if you stop to actually watch a show, and see the animals performing natural behaviors. Strong, and healthy. They are also provided with enrichment through the day to keep them stimulated.

"You bought 3 dolphins from Japan fueling the annual dolphin slaughter."
  I can see how an uneducated person on this matter may get confused. Yes, three dolphins did come from Japan. Yes, there are horrific dolphin drives and slaughters down there, with many animals being bought and sold to various facilities. However, the three dolphins (two currently living) were all rescued from fishing nets. Their scars are very evident, and could not be released for visibly obvious reasons.
No one in their right mind would support the drive, and should work to stop it, and similar operations still happening across the globe. No, sadly, Taiji isn't the only one. It was made famous by the movie The Cove, which I do recommend. Know however, the Ric O'Barry is a crazy,delusional old fart, and that you should take anything he states as fact with a grain of salt.

I will go on to say that no animals in North America are from those drives. Those animals go to primarily asian zoos and aquariums. If you are interested in the drives, and the animals that are caught, I will direct you to a personal favorite website of mine. A fantastic resource that is always being updated by a fantastic and dedicated person. Ceta-Base.com . For all your cetacean related news and information! She (he?) has some very good sources of information, and I consider her (him?) to be very trustworthy.


In other news, a short blurb about Theodore. While his prognosis seems to be improving, it's still all up in the air of course. He -looks- better, with a lot of wounds pretty well closed up. He's swimming a lot, too. Eating plenty as well. I'm pretty hopeful this little dude will be back and frolicking in the ocean one day. That could change though, and I won't say why, but I can understand if that goal changes. Still, I keep my fingers crossed for him! ~Jenicsaco

[Gaming] Oops, I Did it Again...

 I made a new alt...got lost in the game. Ooh, baby it might seem like too much, but that doesn't mean, that I'm serious! 

 Ahem. Anyways. On the agenda today? My alt problem, and patch 5.0.4.!

 Yeah...So, I decided it was better to have my alts all on one server, (or three, in reality), so I deleted my old ones (most weren't quite level 30 yet), and re-rolled them onto less servers. If anyone wants a breakdown, here ya go:
Moon Guard
In my Horde guild, the Bahari : Deizi'ja (Troll druid, guild leader), Boomber (Goblin mage), Tiragh (Orc warrior), Buugi (Troll shaman), Lauradel (Forsaken death knight), Kavnah (Tauren hunter), and soon to inclue Dai'xi (Pandaren monk).
Alliance side, I've got Kisytt (Worgen rogue) in a friends' guild, Jade Dragons.

Medivh
I've made an Alliance version of The Bahari, which is home to Theiah (Human paladin, guild leader), Gimmix (Gnome mage), Shaleyn (Dwarf shaman), and Silvarah (Night Elf priest).

Antonidas
In a friend's guild, Brotherhood of Steel, is Kaijah (Draenei death knight).

I've made it a point to have at least one of each race and class. Because I'm a dork. :P I may be setting up some pages for them here to post their information, back stories, etc. That reminds me, I need to update this page's wallpaper, it's pretty out of date.

 This is what I do. Deal with it. 

Now, onto the latest patch, 5.0.4. How much do I love this? I want to have Blizzard's babies. I can't rave about the account-wide mounts and pets enough! I'm sure there are plenty of people whining about a new, bigger, shinier 'easy button'...but as a gal who has an obvious alt problem, this makes me very happy. To not have to grind on every alt of that pretty pet or mount that I want? YES. No more Mag'har grinding for Talbuk mounts on another alt? Thank you! I'm so happy that Blizzard finally implemented this. I'm sure we'll find plenty of bugs and kinks, as I doubt this was terribly easy for them to set up. (Especially with the pet battle system now underway.)

Pet battles...now, we can't actually use this feature yet, so it's hard to say for sure what will happen. However, I'm really hoping this new account-wide business comes into play with this  as well, in that if I level  a pet on one server, that will carry over to the other. This though, is just my alt-itis speaking again. *cough*

I don't really pay attention to patch notes, so a lot of this is new to me. Though, I did watch a video that highlighted some of the bigger things like account-wide bliss. One feature I'm liking is a "What has changed?" tab on the (I believe) Spellbook window. It gives you the rundown on the changes to your class. How handy is that? I love it!

Another delightful surprise (and another 'easy button' feature, which I love, because I'm lazy), is the boost to guild xp and reputation! Instead of grinding guild rep for years just to get to friendly, I'm flying into the good graces of my guild! For example, I had Shaleyn join The Bahari at level one. By the time she hit level five, she was friendly with the guild. Wowzah! I'm sure I'd be level sixty by the time that happened in the "olden days". Granted, that doesn't mean I've come close to being able to afford the 125g tabard that unlocks at friendly. Ah well. I most certainly won't complain!

In short, thank you Blizzard! You've made the life of a hopeless altoholic so much more happy and enjoyable. <3

-Jenicsaco

PS: While it's not super fantastic, my lag problem seems to have vanished when I got a new mouse! Yay :D


Edit:: Drats, looks like I'm going to have to wait to update Modelviewer before I can update that. :<

[Gaming] I Want to play, I swear

I would love nothing more to play some more World of Warcraft, and get my level 80 druid to 85, so I can delve into Pandaria content soon.

However...I'm experiencing some serious lag. I don't know what has changed, because maybe...two weeks ago, it was fine. Not perfect, at 30fps, but it was good enough for me. At the moment, it bounces between 30, and 7 frames per second. Half the time, it still reads 30, but obviously is not. My mouse apparently has some issues as well...I'm not a fan of holding down the buttons on my keyboard for too long at a time, so I use the double mouse button method of running. That has started to...lag on me as well. I'm running, and every few seconds, the movement pauses for a second. It's incredibly distracting.

I play a variety of other games, and their quality hasn't changed...I don't know if it's something to do with Warcraft, or is something on my end. I should probably look into that. I tend to, however, assume it's just me. My computer really doesn't like to run such big games. Up until recently though, it's done so without much complaint.

I should note, that all of my settings are at the lowest possible options.

I just  had to voice some frustration...I'll log in for a bit, but eventually, I just can't handle the lag. If anyone has any suggestions short of smashing my computer with a sledgehammer and getting a new one, please let me know. <3

~Jenicsaco

[Animals] Meeting Theodore

So last Monday, I met Theodore. He's a three year old harbor porpoise at the Vancouver Aquarium's Marine Mammal Rescue Centre (what a mouthful!). Due to confidentiality, and respect, I won't divulge too much. I'm going to try not to speculate too much either. It was a pleasure to meet him, though. I've still got my fingers crossed for him, because I still think there's a good chance he can be released, if he survives.

It may be because he's probably exhausted, and in some pain, but he seems pretty laid back. Compared to Jack and Daisy, his personality seems to be a lot less...attention-whorish. He's not jittery, and quite calm for the most part. Bear in mind, this is just my observations from sitting next to his pool for four hours. I could have just caught him on some down time, for all I know.

I'll be going back next week, which I'm looking forward to. It takes me an hour and a half to get there, and for a four hour shift, it can take a bit to get myself going. It's always worth it when I get to the centre though. Porpoise watch is pretty relaxed, and much easier on my bad back than it was to work with the seal pups that come in. I like that I can still help out.

Seal pups, I feel the need to mention, are adorable. However...a thought came to me on Monday when I was watching Theo. There's a pool with pups close to being able to be released directing behind me, which is blocked off by tarp and barrier across the ground. I could reach back and touch a pup if it was on the haul-out, if the barrier weren't there. And if I wanted to lose my position, probably job, and maybe a finger. That's how close they are. Anyways...seal pups sound an awful lot like zombies. Adorable little zombies. Espescially when you can't see them...The "maw'ing", groaning and moaning, and other odd noises. Just sayin'.

~Jenicsaco

[Wedding] One Step Closer

Okay, so it's update time!
I'm still in contact with the super nice lady, and she's sent me some proposals for some ideas on venue options. Now, I had said my budget was $1400 (canadian). My mom told me that I could push my my budget to $1900. The only reason I allowed this, was because I know having my wedding at an actual venue, not a hall, would take care of my biggest problem. They will handle all of the set-up/take-down. That was my biggest stress, and it's gone. That peace of mind is worth so much more than what they're charging.

At the moment, we're looking into a pasta buffet, which also comes with salad and garlic bread, and desserts. Who'd oppose that? Sounds great, and with everything else (decorations, set-up, taxes) it's just over $1800. Wow. It looks like I'm getting close to a wedding I never thought I'd be able to have!

I'm going to see the venue in September to check everything out. I'm so excited! Also really looking forward to meeting the woman who's been helping me. That's very odd of me to say...I'm generally crazy shy.

That's about it for wedding updates at the moment, I guess...short, but pretty darned exciting if you ask me!

My next big task is finding an officiant...Non-religous, and not stuffy. If anyone knows someone, let me know!

~Jenicsaco

[Transit] Single-file Monkey Style?

So proper escalator etiquette dictates that you "walk left, stand right". However, there are some idiots who refuse the acknowledge this, and stand on the left side. Despite the growing line of annoyed people behind them, who are considerably less lazy.

Today, I saw a blind man get on the escalator with his dog. They got on, the man on the right, the dog on his left. The man pulled the dog closer to his side, to free up space on the left. "Come here, let's leave room for people to walk." he said. The BLIND man has better etiquette then a good handful of diagonal-bound folks. Seriously. It isn't a difficult task. Do you have some grand excuse that you absolutely must stand beside the person you're traveling with? Doubtful. Quit being a douche.

Lines. I've ranted about this on other blogs before, but I'm in the mood to do so again.
Let's go with a recent experience. Today I went to grab a drink at Tim Hortons. Generally, the line will start at the designated 'please wait here' sign, and follow along the wall of the corridor the restaurant is in. (That make sense? ). However, some people, just want to watch the world burn. Instead of following the wall, they start turning the line so that it goes out, and cuts across the corridor, blocking the pedestrian flow. What is wrong with you? Do you lead such a charmed life that you need to rebel now and then? Try a different shampoo, instead of inconveniencing other mall-goers.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. A line is one of the most simple concepts. It's a line, that's all there is to it. Why do people feel the need to deviate from the norm, and take it on an outrageous new adventure?

Lines for the bus are even worse. When I wait for a bus, unless it's pouring rain and I don't have an umbrella, I will stand next to the bus stop to wait. That's just what you do, isn't it? I can understand elderly people sitting on the benches, and anyone else with an injury or something like that. I don't think that gives them the right to budge in line though...I dunno, when I'm old and grey, I will wait my turn in line. If people are kind enough to let me in front, great. I'd hope someone would also offer my a courtesy seat, but that's it.

 So sit on the bench if you need to, or stand in line. Don't be a weirdo standing next to the benches, or 5,6,7 feet down the road from the bus stop. Just, use some common sense, eh?

Ugh, I'm done. /endrant

-Jenicsaco

[Wedding] Fingers Crossed!

That's something I've been doing a lot lately, keeping my fingers crossed. I tend to get carried away in my hopes and dreams, get a little excited, then everything gets taken away from me. I'm expecting that to happen with this venue I've been looking at. I'm trying very hard to to get excited, but the more I talk to the events planner, the more likely it seems. Even my friends think it sounds good, which I take as a positive sign. I expect them to keep me grounded.

This place is Eaglequest Golf (Coyote Creek location). It looks beautiful. They also take care of the setup/take down of everything (which means I wouldn't have to beg people to help), and they have a complimentary bartender service (we just pay for drinks, or however we decide to do that. Cash bar or toonie bar, likely).

I was very clear to the events planner that my budget was small. I specifically told her $1400 for venue and food costs. She mentioned that the cheapest buffet was $23 per person, which I'm not sure we can afford, but it's by far the cheapest buffet option in all of the venues that I'd already looked into. She said it could be difficult, but suggested a lunch or cocktail reception.

Now, in all my e-mailings to potential vendors, I ask for costs, and look through whatever they send. Unfortunately for each, I've had to reply with "Thank you for your time. Unfortunately, this is quite a bit over my $1400 budget. I will keep you in mind though, if I am able to get some more money.". Nobody's responded to that.

However, this lovely lady at Eaglequest seems to be making every effort to find some way to accommodate me. I'm seriously impressed with this! Very friendly, and I'm getting terrified with the hope that she's giving me. I never once thought I'd ever be able to afford any sort of a 'golf course' wedding. There is hope.

She's out of town now until Monday, but I'll be giving her a call when she returns, and we'll set up a date for me to go and check out the venue. This sort of thing would normally have me very nervous. I hate talking to new people. I'm excited, comfortable, and ready to go! This should hopefully be a fun, and fruitful experience!

~Jenicsaco

[Animals] Rest in Peace, Kavna

This afternoon, the Vancouver Aquarium lost long time resident, Kavna. She was a 46(est.) year old beluga whale, who lived at the Aquarium since 1976.

My Encounter with Kavna

Kavna is estimated to be one of (if not, the) oldest living beluga whale in an aquarium. Generally, it is believed that beluga whales live to be 25-30 years old, and she had far surpassed that.

For more information, visit the Vancouver Sun's posting.

Kavna was a stubborn girl, who was very set in her ways. She was sweet though, and I'm so happy I was able to do an encounter with her. She was very gentle, and cooperative. It's my understanding that encounters with her were rare, because she could be a little fussy, so this was even more special. Thank you for your time, Kavna.

It's going to be so strange to see the Wild Arctic without here there. After so many years with her around, it just won't be the same. The Vancouver Aquarium had only been around twenty years before Kavna arrived. Most people who visited before today, though they may not know it, would not have been to the aquarium without her there.

I'm going to miss her so very much. Rest in peace, you beautiful beluga. There will never be another quite like you.

[Wedding] Holy Matrimony, Batman!

A cute little jar of honey was given to each guest as a gift.
I love the little bee, he's so cute!

Yesterday, two pretty awesome people got married, and I was there for the whole thing. My fiance's brother, married a lovely young lady. I love these guys both, and am very happy to have them both in my (almost) family.

I regret not taking any pictures, because it was quite pretty.

Let's break this review down a little bit, here. I try to keep things simple around here.

The Venue
   Hosted at the Ramada in Abbotsford, BC. The "Grand Ballroom" I believe the room was called, was huge. I never once felt too crowded, which was perfect. I hate crowds. The decorations were simple, but lovely. The hotel itself was very nice, too. I feel the need to add that I'd made an error in my reservation, booking it for the previous month. The front desk lady was extremely kind, helpful, and most importantly, calm. Everything was sorted out with no problems.

The Food
   I'm not going to write everything that was provided, but for the most part, it was fantastic. My only complaint would have been the salmon, which was very fishy, a quality that often indicates a lack of freshness. To counter that though,  their seafood is Ocean Wise , which is fantastic.
   The desserts were pretty nice (The trifle, of my goodness, I wish I took more.). I'm also going to give credit to the bride's mom. She baked a small red velvet cake, and a few dozen cupcakes. Decorated them all, to boot. Oh, did I mention that she apparently even took a (few?) cake decorating class before going on a baking rampage? It paid off, everything was beautiful! I can't speak for the red velvet, but the white cupcakes were very nummy.

Drink Service
   Two drink tickets were provided per person, and my wine glass was filled twice in the evening. That's a lot of booze, that I didn't pay for. I'm certainly not complaining, it was great! I also ended up with two extra tickets from people who weren't drinking. I think I found my new drink, as well. Malibu rum and coke. Randomly decided to try it, yummers!

The DJ
   This guy was amazing! Best DJ I've ever seen, really (not that I've seen a ton). I thought he personally knew the bride and/or groom. He was very personable, energetic, and a whole lot of fun. He played plenty of great music that I was able to get up and dance with my fiance to. During the song "You Shook Me All Night Long" by AC/DC, he ran out on the dance floor with a (rock band) guitar and an outfit not unlike something Angus Young might wear. So unexpected! He also hosted a fun sort of musical chairs/scavenger hunt type game (which I need to remember for my own wedding), and made the garter/bouquet toss incredibly entertaining. If anyone needs a DJ in the Lower Mainland, I'll have to suggest Barry Chisholm, of Garry Robertson DJ Entertainment. 

The Attire
First off, the men looked so very sharp in their tuxedos provided by Moore's. The bride, I believe purchased her dress from David's Bridal. The bridal party was very well put together, and looked fantastic. Really, that's about all I have to say.

This is the dress style the bride wore, plus a gold sash.
The details are beautiful! 

My fiance modelling  the groommen tuxedos. Yeowza!

I think that about wraps it up. It was a fantastic event, and I had such an incredibly good time! Danced all night, and met a ton of new family members.

This morning, we got up a little early and took a dip in the hotel's swimming pool. It was wonderful, it was just the two of us. So much fun! Well, except the aftermath in my hair...I really hate chlorine.

[Health] Thank you, Starbucks

So yesterday morning started off darned well. I walked into my local Starbucks, and ordered a drink, and a sandwich. They took my name for my drink. The cashier was super pleasant, and the barista was very nice as well, sharing idle banter with me about the weather while she made my drink (which, by the way, was the best Caramel Macciato I've had in a very long time). She wished me a good day as I took my items and headed out. At the front door, I heard the cashier call, "Have a great day, Jen!". That's a first! I'm normally a little weirded out by people I don't know using my name...but it was nice. I felt welcome, and at home. That, is great service.

I wish I'd gone there today, because I could use some of those good vibes...Today is not a good day. It's not bad, but I am just utterly depressed today. I had a terrible night, for reasons I don't yet feel comfortable delving into. I don't want to scare off too many readers yet. Regardless, I'm fairly sure it was around 3am when I finally got to sleep. Now I'm tired, and weighed down by the residual depression. Certain stressful things lately are also hindering, I suppose. It's one of those depressions I just can't seem to pull myself out of, either. Just better to let it be, I suppose...

Even some new yellow nail polish gifted to me by my fiance, and purple Crackle hasn't fully brought me up. Makes me smile to look at it...but it doesn't last. Let's just try and get through the day, now.

[Gaming] What was that?!

So, I played Minecraft the other day. It wasn't my first time, but it was the first since it was officially launched, I believe. It's been a heck of a long time.

I found a nice seed to play, and spent the day gathering materials. As the sun went down, I retreated to a house in the nearby village. I did some crafting, and read my book for a while, as I waited for sun rise. Evidently, I should have kept myself up to date on the changes. I knew about Endermen, and that was enough to make me want to stop playing.

Now, I'm happy to watch someone play a scary game. I'll prance around in anticipation behind them, but I generally don't scare* until you put a controller of keyboard/mouse in my hand. However, I thought that at night, all I had to worry about were creepers, zombies, skeletons, spiders, and Endermen. Apparently, the zombies now making a loud banging sound when they touch doors. I did not know this. All I knew was something was trying to bang down my door and eat my face. Can they actually break the door? Can monsters get in now?? It turns out, there was nothing even at my house that I could see. I do recall seeing a zombie across the village at someone else's door, though. I guess that's where the racket was coming from...
Thanks, Notch, for instilling that extra bit of terror in what I thought was going to be a fun, and mostly relaxing kind of game.

Yes, boys and girls, this is what
terror looks like in the world of Jenicsaco. 

* The "water level" in Amnesia thus far has been the only exception. That was terrifying even to watch!

~Jenicsaco

[Animals] Here We Go Again

So, another harbor porpoise has been rescued of BC's coast! And again, I've signed up to help. Confidentiality keeps me from saying too much, or posting any pictures. At least, that was the drills last time, I assume it's the same as always. Regardless, I'm excited! A young adult, named Theodore.

Click here for more info on Theodore. Photo credit goes to
the Vancouver Aquarum. 

I know I shouldn't speculate, but if he survives (that's a huge if), I think chances could be good that he could be released. That is of course, assuming the damage done to his tail doesn't have any lasting effects. Though, it is to my understanding that stranded cetaceans often suffer from serious muscle damage. So, that could have a negative impact as well. It would be nice to seem him released though. It would be fantastic for the Aquarium, knowing that for any new animal that makes its home there, "animal rights" groups have a field day. "Oh, they just want another animal for their collection.". If these groups really knew anything about these animals, they would know that they could not survive in the wild. (I'm referring to Jack and Daisy, here) The decision to be released, or kept, is not even up to the Aquarium in any way. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (a government operation) is responsible for that decision.

Due to the fact that he's a bit older than Jack and Daisy were, I think he stands a better chance of release. However, it seems that the older animals haven't done as well in recovery, and the muscle damage/tail wound  could really impact his recovery and chance of release.

Then again, I'm just thinking aloud here, and I don't have any fancy degrees, and I can't speak for the animal care staff. Please do not take this post too seriously. Anything could happen. Let's all just wish Theodore good luck, and a speedy recovery.

[Wedding] Surprise Generosity

So I don't know anyone that isn't terribly well off right now, financially. Or at least, doesn't complain about money. That's how it always is though, isn't it? Anyhow, with that being said, I never really expected much help from anyone save for maybe a little cooking, or helping set up. Things like that, that I really truly need help with. That isn't to say that I have a lot of money or anything, but I fully anticipated that my fiance and I would be paying every last penny for the wedding. I had accepted that, and it was fine.

However, my mum decided to surprise me. Massively. She sent me enough money to pay for my dress, and then some (Keep in mind, our budget is only $2000, but still. It was plenty). She's apparently doing well enough in her sales that she felt like she could spare some for her daughters wedding. I cried. I can't possibly thank her enough. (That being said, I'll put up a link to her website below. Check it out!)

That blew my mind, but then at my housewarming party, one of my bridesmaids really surprised me. She offered to take care of my liquor. Whatever I decide I want to do, hosted bar, self-serve, licences/research. That's been one thing I've been struggling with. Figuring out licences, and whether or not I should even serve alcohol. It's been a bit confusing for me. That she's offered to help me with this, I can't even. She's a pro drinker, so I know that she know's what she's talking about, and she knows what's what. Trust is something I very rarely dish out, and I trust her with this.

There are some aspects of my wedding that are making me pretty anxious...but some pretty amazing things have happened. I hope that the trend continues....I want this to be a great and fun event for my friends/family.



This is my mom's website, with links to all her shops. She sells a wide variety of artsy things. (My favorite is her Etsy shop, Licorice Wits. Odd, quirky, and offbeat stuff.)

www.SavageArtworks.ca

[PG-13] Happiest News

So, the other day I had sent an e-mail to my apartment's manager inquiring as to when/if my lights would be fixed after an outlet was installed in my bathroom. Thankfully, they're coming today. She also mentioned to me that in response to a noise complaint send the night before, that the neighbors below us will be moving out at the end of August. I cannot convey how happy this made me. (Granted, someone worse could move in below...but let's think positive!).

Let me elaborate a little here. These guys have been a nightmare for me. I think it may have something to do with my Misophonia...maybe. My brain just isn't wired like it should be. The bass from the music they play, when loud enough, just completely frazzles me in a way I can't really explain. It makes me feel panicked, terrified, and at its worst times, I've ended up curled on my bed sobbing hysterically. In general though, it's simply too loud. I should never be able to feel their music in my feet, in my chest.

My fiance and I have taken to stomping on the ground when it gets too loud, and for the most part, they turn it down. The weird thing is, the music doesn't generally last for very long, so I have no idea what they're doing. It's always the same songs, too. Still, it's just too loud. This happens thankfully only two to four times a week, generally.

The guy scares me though, which is why neither of us has personally confronted him. Our manager has given them two notices now though, to keep to volume down. From above, I hear this guy yelling a lot. Generally along the lines of "FUCK!". The tone of voice though, gives me the impression he'd have no problem slugging someone who told him what to do. I want to avoid him at all costs. I'm pretty sure I heard fighting during one drunken evening. Classy.

Anyhow, yes. This was absolutely fantastic news to hear.

Most un-dear neighbor guy....

Sincerely, 

~Jenicsaco