Catching up: Part 1
Sep. 6th, 2010 05:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dendritejungleWhee, holiday! *runs around high-fiving everyone*
You know, a year ago this weekend I was fresh off my first fortnight of Bugpocalypse. Everything I owned was either in storage or in plastic bags, my place was practically unlivable in part thanks to the ten tons of Raid I had sprayed everywhere so my cat and i had retreated ("strategically relocated") to my parents' place, and I was staring down the barrel of an infestation with no end in sight. Now, a year later, I'm sitting on my new couch in front of my wonderful, beloved television in my freshly so-close-to-done-I-can-feel-it renovated condo, slowly moving things back in and looking forward to a fall of courses to learn ALL THE THINGS (sewing! woodworking! printmaking! BOO-YEAH!) and continue to whittle down my belongings to a more manageable number.
I can't remember if I've announced this yet here, though I know I've been talking about it in person: my plan is to have my solarium completely emptied by Christmas so I can try and get a roommate. Then, by saving the extra cash, I'll have enough to afford to take a year off in two years time. My plan is to ask for a year off six months out, and if I can't return to my job so be it: I'll quit. *deep breath* So that's the PLAN; we'll have to see how it actually plays out over time. Life does have this pesky habit of changing.
So, what's been up with me lately?
In other news, I realized I'd carefully uploaded all these pictures a few weeks ago of my June and July and never posted them. So, with no further ado, have a general picspam of June/July:
A fond farewell to this sofa. We've had this basically since I was born, and it's served our family well for some 35 years from fort-building (as Alex demonstrates here) to guest couch/bed and finally the only bedbug-proof-able couch in creation, but it's time to let it go. It's gone to a happy home with five (!!!) cats.
Alex showing off the new sofa...
...that even has extra storage! *squeals excitedly*
Sorting ALL THE THINGS to get rid of one third. With Alex "helping", natch. All my clothes now actually fit into one closet, yaaay! \o/
Alex luxuriating in the space where my table used to be. I got rid of the old glass one and have a new, smaller one with extendible leaves instead. Less exciting, but much more practical.
MY NEW BELOVED TV HOMG. *adores*
The new bathroom seeing some good use, here with my plants to spray them in my ongoing battle against spider mites. :P
Speaking of plants, I was surprised and amused to discover some rather adorable little mushrooms nestled in next to my chives one morning.
And speaking of mushrooms (see what I did there?) I had to share some of the wonderful giant vinyl inflatable mushrooms that were at Queen's Park during Luminato. LOVE.
This was one of those bouncy-castle things with a 20ft high starry ceiling inside.
A couple of Pride pics: one of my favourite booths just for the title alone (the top bit says "Toronto Cat Rescue")...
...and my least-blurry shot of Cyndi Lauper performing on Saturday night.
A lousy photo of a neat, crowd-free way to see Canada Day fireworks: from the Panorama restaurant at the top of the Manulife Centre. Definitely worth a repeat next year!
And finally, I stumbled across this in a store and laughed so loudly at this random juxtaposition I got several curious stares. Here's a larger version. It's all women: most young, and one REALLY REALLY REALLY OLD. AHAHAHAHA!
Next up, later summer pics including FanExpo review and then some then-and-now (well, in progress) pics of my place.
You know, a year ago this weekend I was fresh off my first fortnight of Bugpocalypse. Everything I owned was either in storage or in plastic bags, my place was practically unlivable in part thanks to the ten tons of Raid I had sprayed everywhere so my cat and i had retreated ("strategically relocated") to my parents' place, and I was staring down the barrel of an infestation with no end in sight. Now, a year later, I'm sitting on my new couch in front of my wonderful, beloved television in my freshly so-close-to-done-I-can-feel-it renovated condo, slowly moving things back in and looking forward to a fall of courses to learn ALL THE THINGS (sewing! woodworking! printmaking! BOO-YEAH!) and continue to whittle down my belongings to a more manageable number.
I can't remember if I've announced this yet here, though I know I've been talking about it in person: my plan is to have my solarium completely emptied by Christmas so I can try and get a roommate. Then, by saving the extra cash, I'll have enough to afford to take a year off in two years time. My plan is to ask for a year off six months out, and if I can't return to my job so be it: I'll quit. *deep breath* So that's the PLAN; we'll have to see how it actually plays out over time. Life does have this pesky habit of changing.
So, what's been up with me lately?
- I've been continuing to love the hell out of the BBC Sherlock, and spend spare moments happily rolling around in all the fantastically well-written fic which its fandom is constantly producing. The awesome
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caffienekitty has initiated a series of "reccing Sundays" henceforth going on weekly at ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
sherlockbbc for anyone just wanting to get straight to the best of the best. - Had a lovely if INSANELY busy week when eboniorchid was in town - among other things because I had, like, three different birthday dinners with different folks. <3 (Torontonian note: Dhaba is as drool-worthy a restaurant as ever and remains by favourite Indian food in town, but I also highly recommend Enoteca Sociale for fans of Italian. Crazy rich, but sooooo good!) And that weekend - last weekend - was FanExpo: more about that later!
- I've mainlined the first season of Merlin, and will concede I can see why people like it. (Though I more want to pinch the boys' cheeks/noogie their heads than slash them. They're just so earnest and adorable! *g*)
- This past week I've finally taken the first of a few sewing classes at The Workroom to make better use of the sewing machine themoderatrix so kindly gifted me with many years ago. I'm quite excited, actually: I don't like wanting to do things but not knowing HOW, so I'm really looking forward to tackling a few in-house projects. *rubs hands gleefully*
In other news, I realized I'd carefully uploaded all these pictures a few weeks ago of my June and July and never posted them. So, with no further ado, have a general picspam of June/July:
A fond farewell to this sofa. We've had this basically since I was born, and it's served our family well for some 35 years from fort-building (as Alex demonstrates here) to guest couch/bed and finally the only bedbug-proof-able couch in creation, but it's time to let it go. It's gone to a happy home with five (!!!) cats.
Alex showing off the new sofa...
...that even has extra storage! *squeals excitedly*
Sorting ALL THE THINGS to get rid of one third. With Alex "helping", natch. All my clothes now actually fit into one closet, yaaay! \o/
Alex luxuriating in the space where my table used to be. I got rid of the old glass one and have a new, smaller one with extendible leaves instead. Less exciting, but much more practical.
MY NEW BELOVED TV HOMG. *adores*
The new bathroom seeing some good use, here with my plants to spray them in my ongoing battle against spider mites. :P
Speaking of plants, I was surprised and amused to discover some rather adorable little mushrooms nestled in next to my chives one morning.
And speaking of mushrooms (see what I did there?) I had to share some of the wonderful giant vinyl inflatable mushrooms that were at Queen's Park during Luminato. LOVE.
This was one of those bouncy-castle things with a 20ft high starry ceiling inside.
A couple of Pride pics: one of my favourite booths just for the title alone (the top bit says "Toronto Cat Rescue")...
...and my least-blurry shot of Cyndi Lauper performing on Saturday night.
A lousy photo of a neat, crowd-free way to see Canada Day fireworks: from the Panorama restaurant at the top of the Manulife Centre. Definitely worth a repeat next year!
And finally, I stumbled across this in a store and laughed so loudly at this random juxtaposition I got several curious stares. Here's a larger version. It's all women: most young, and one REALLY REALLY REALLY OLD. AHAHAHAHA!
Next up, later summer pics including FanExpo review and then some then-and-now (well, in progress) pics of my place.
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(no subject)
Date: 2010-09-06 10:12 pm (UTC)I love the pic of Alex stretching in the open space :) That's where your dining table used to be, right? The place is looking fabulous! And you know what? I don't think I've ever seen inside your solarium lol
A year off sounds heavenly. Since you're so close to UofT, hopefully it wouldn't be too hard to find a roomie, especially if you're more flexible with the lease term (ie not insisting on a 12-mth lease which, as students, we hated).
(no subject)
Date: 2010-09-06 10:27 pm (UTC)Good memory! Yes, that is where the old table was - and the new one now is. Like you, though, I thought he just looked so "AAAAAAHHHHHH, SPACE!!!" I had to grab my camera. As I do. *g*
Yeah, no-one's ever really seen much of the solarium because I hardly ever use it. Hence my thought of making some MOOLAH with it. And I am indeed hoping that my proximity to U of T is appealing! I think I'll have a big leg-up on the other suites in my building looking to rent because they're renting the whole suite which is a lot more expensive, instead of just a room. Thanks for the heads-up on the 12 month thing - obviously I'd rather have someone in there for more time ;D but the nice thing about a roommate situation in a place I own is that I can be flexible. \o/
I WILL MAKE THIS YEAR OFF HAPPEN, DAMMIT. *nods firmly*
(no subject)
Date: 2010-09-06 11:45 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-09-07 02:10 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-09-07 02:15 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-09-07 12:35 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-09-07 02:09 am (UTC)ETA: Stupid LJ just added this comment to the wrong thread. Sorry! What I was going to say to YOU was thank you! :D
(no subject)
Date: 2010-09-07 04:26 am (UTC)Year off?
!!!
Well, you did go to Australia on a whim and jumped out of a goddamn airplane just for kicks... I wouldn't put it past you, Den.
But if you quit, I'll miss you. No, really.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-09-07 07:35 am (UTC)But we'll see; it is a hell of an imposition on the company, so I think ultimately it will be up to them.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-09-08 01:59 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-09-08 06:47 am (UTC)My biggest roadblock is scheduling: I love the idea, but the major problem is turning out to be finding the time. :P
(no subject)
Date: 2010-09-10 08:53 am (UTC)