striving for happiness...

I can't help it, I'm getting excited already. I found out today that the christmas quiz night is December 22. Hopefully that's not too close for everyone but it should be a good time. I plan on getting, as they say, 'rip-roaring drunk!!' as my shopping stress should be done by then! Feeling much better today - just a small case of the food-ickies entered my body so I'm back to work, in the dark, dancing to my music.

that's all for now...can't believe it's already wednesday...

~casey

not much of a post today - sal and I are both home sick with the stomach flu. so so gross...hopefully everyone got their secret santa name. let sal know if you didn't - have a good one.

~sicko
...aka casey

FIRST AND FOREMOST: CONGRATS TO THE EDMONTON ESKIMOS FOR BRINGING HOME THE CUP!!! I've had the Eskimos Fight song in my head all morning. What a fantastic game that was! I stayed home yesterday and watched it on my couch, and found myself screaming out loud a couple of times. Such a great game to finish the season. My goal for next year: Go to more than one game and actually try to watch it with Jeff!

I must say, I'm quite proud of myself lately. I've been going to the gym in the morning before work regularly now. The following is my morning routine:
~I DRAG myself out of bed at 5:55am
~I ask Sal if he's going to get up and come with me (knowing full well what the answer will be, but I feel obligated to wake him up anyway!)
~I change into my gym clothes, usually forgetting my socks
~start my car (ah, sweet sweet automatic starter...)
~brush teeth and wash face
~put socks on and grab water bottle, iPod, and sweater

The most entertaining part of the gym in the morning is seeing those girls that actually take the time to put on make-up and do their hair. Actually, I dream of being like that sometimes...

Hope everyone had a good weekend - I found a new favourite boardgame: Settler of Canton (I think that's the name - we just called it Settlers). I know it sounds like a conservative Christian game (at least that's what I thought) but it's so much fun. We'll have to have a game sometime...maybe after Christmas!
Anyway, that's all for now...have a good Monday, if that's possible.

~casey

apparently there is going to be a sin city 2...after seeing the first one, would you see the second? in the theatre? lame question but i am curious...

...when nick lachey and jessica simpson announce their separtation...(sigh) whatever....

so i saw walk the line this week...i am still unsure i liked it. i was never really a huge fan of johnny cash (although i did like his last single "hurt") so that may be why. joaquin pheonix and reese witherspoon were tremodous singers but it lacked something for me.

my grandma has officially been activated on the world wide web!!! congratulations to her!! although i was talking to her last nite and she is already frustrated with the mouse...lol...cute grammie!!! i told her that computers are evil and i think she agrees...although i was a horrible granddaugter and sent her attatchments in my email of my mom's bday so it is just another thing for her to figure out. but i have confindence she will get it!! can you imagine how overwhelming that is? to never have a computer and to get one....i guess it is hard for us since we have all grown up with computers in school...

ahhhh....did anyone catch lost last nite...i am not a fan of ana lucia i must say....but i loved bernard and rose and sun and jin being reunited...ahhh too cute!!!

well that's all folks....talk to you later

Oooooo Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree....I don't know the rest of the words....
but you look so nice and so bright
its because of your beautiful lights
Oooooo Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree....la la la la la la la

I am officially decorated for Christmas!!!

when do you start decorating for Christmas, and Tracey, do you have yours up yet?

I'm so happy it's Wednesday already - this hasn't been a really great week. Went to bed too late sunday night, got up and went to the gym yesterday morning (which was good!) but then didn't set my alarm at all this morning so I slept in and didn't get to go to the gym at all! I HATE when that happens! And I'm so sore today I can barely lift my arm to drink my coffee. I really worked myself hard at the gym and then by playing racquetball last night! This "exercising" isn't very good for me!!!

So we saw 'Just Friends' at a sneak preview monday night - it was so so so funny! Ryan Reynolds is such a hilarious actor, I loved it! There were parts where I was laughing for probably five minutes straight. It was great...but an unfortunate thing happened after the movie. I was in the grocery store, and my favourite fleece jacket broke. Just a note to those of you who have or are looking at jackets that have the air vent zippers on the armpit of your jacket: it's just another zipper to break! I was walking around the whole night with my jacket wide open. Really annoying. So I bought a new one last night which I LOVE!!! And I just realized I didn't check for armpit vents. Shoot!!

With Christmas falling quickly upon us, it's time to start thinking about presents and decorating! I've recently discovered a new favourite Christmas treat: Starbucks has these little cookies in all different flavours which have been dusted with icing sugar. My faves: the chocolate and peppermint. Oh, so good with my gingerbread latte - it's like heaven in my mouth. Well, this has been a bunch of rambling today, so obviously not much is new with me. Talk to you soon!

~casey

p.s. Janey, I'll call you later today and give you my email address, or Tracey has it

...according to this guy. I thought I was a bit disappointed in the movie but this person is hardcore! I must admit that I agree with some of the stuff he says but I thought that this was so heart-felt and intense I had to share it with you fans! (If you didn't watch the movie or haven't seen it yet and don't want to know what may happen, or if you really just don't care about it don't read what follows this.
~cb

"This movie...makes me physically ill. Today, my aunt and I went to go see the movie. And of course, being HUGE Potterheads, we were extremely excited to view another year at Hogwarts. But we were sorely disappointed. There were so many plot gaps that it SLAUGHTERED the book! The whole premise about Winky being caught with Harry's wand was COMPLETELY left out! We don't even get to MEET Winky! I mean Harry and Hermione never even TRIES to figure out who sent the Dark MArk into the air! Barty Crouch's plot was completely glossed over. He didn't even die! They even left out Percy! How are they supposed to explain how Percy and the Weasley's are estranged in the next movie?! And in the part where Harry goes into the Pensieve, it was supposed to be in black and white, and Crouch Jr. was supposed to be denying it until the very end! We didn't get to meet any of the other Death Eaters. Also, WHAT THE HELL WAS WITH THE TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT?!?! It didn't even show it at all!!! That was infuriating! And they REALLY glossed over the whole part about the Dark Mark! That was an important part in the story! At the very end, Voldemort is NOT supposed to know why he can't touch Harry! Dumbledore is supposed to tell Harry that he can't touch him because of the love his mother gave him by sacrificing her life. Not to mention, they didn't do the Weighing of the Wands, so we don't find out that Harry's and Voldemort's wands are kin, and that's why they repelled eachother. Also, when Voldemort comes back, the Ministry is supposed to deny it immediately! The whole movie was dark and gloomy! Sure, this book is dark, but it was still written relatively light-hearted. Not to mention, that in the other movies, it still had a plethora of color and life, and this movie was drab and depressing. None of the characters beared even a little resemblance to the characters portrayed in the book! Krum was supposed to be thin with hulking shoulders, always slouching and shuffling his feet, with low self confidence. Fleur was supposed to be devastatingly beautiful with snow-white hair and fair skin and Madame Maxime was supposed to be thick as well as tall. The most disgusting part in the movie was Dumbledore's behavior. HE WOULD HAVE NEVER EVER PUT HIS HANDS ON HARRY! Dumbledore never let his emotions run away with him!! He ALWAYS had a calm and decisive demeanor. This Dumbledore is waaaay too eccentric and angry, and completely ruined the movie for me. Hermione was extremely huffy, and never had a good time in the movie. Fred and George lacked luster. Sure, of course the movie HAD to have some things cut out to save time. But Winky, the changed Dumbledore, the Triwizard Tournament, and the stuff about the Ministry was all too much. This was horrible...and TRUE Harry Potter fans would be outraged at JK Rowling for giving this piece of crap her okay. "

...have I mentioned how much I don't enjoy mondays? Anyway, had a pretty good weekend. Finally saw the muchly-anticipated Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I'm interested to hear what everyone else thought of it. I don't know if it's because we had to wait so long to get in, or if it was because the movie started as late as it did, but I'm going to have to say that it was probably my least favourite of the four. And here's why:

-I know you're never going to have a movie as good as the book (most of the time) but this one seemed really...I don't know...it just focussed on the one thing (the Triwizard Tournament) and really didn't focus on anything else!
-Lord Voldemort was a bit of a disappointment - I thought he was going to be much scarier than he actually was, but really, he was just a guy in a nightgown!
-all of the scenes were really short and didn't invest anything in the story (see my first point)

So all in all, I did enjoy it (minus the times when my eyes shut all by themselves). But you know. I'm so hard to please!! So let me know what you thought!

So what did I do for the rest of the weekend? Spent it with my friend Lynette sewing stuff at mom's, then watching a movie, eating out and eating chocolate, and then spending THREE HOURS at Ikea. Why three hours, you ask? Because that's how much time a three-year old needs to wander around and explore every single playhouse they have in that ENORMOUS store. It was exhausting and I didn't even do anything! It's going to be really interesting when we babysit for them in December. At least Emma can talk now and I don't have to worry about that 'awkward' silence! (p.s. Tracey - please don't plan your b-day for December 3...I've been committed to watching the little terror!!)
Then last night I settled down to watch my favourite show on the telly right now, 'Grey's Anatomy'. So good...oh, Patrick Dempsey...

But that's it for me - here's a really funny commercial that will hopefully brighten your day.


Click HERE to see the video.
ciao~
~casey

HARRY POTTER IS HERE TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...i am exhausted and it is not from working on my paper titled "what is a slut?" (that's rite, this is what i learn about in school)...it is because when i finished my paper at 12am i felt the need to watch lost (that i taped)...it was cool to figure out who was on the end of the radio (when boones was asking for help)...my theory now is that these "others" are the surviving kids of a government progect gone awry....

...in other news

IT'S MY MOM'S BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAMA!!!!!!!!!!!! (i am just like grammie on what she calls her mom)
YOU ARE AWESOME AND I LOVE YOU LOTS!!!!!!!!!!
HOPE YOU HAVE AN FANTASTIC DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm sitting here tapping my feet to a new internet station I found: it's all Cole Porter music and currently I'm listening to 'Let's Misbehave' by Elvis Costello. Wait - now I'm swinging from side to side! So good - I need a little excitement in my life right now as I woke up too late this morning and am still feeling like I just woke up and it's already noon. I'm in trouble...

Tomorrow I'm registered in (and don't laugh!) a defensive driving course. The only reason I registered is in the hopes that my insurance goes down a bit. Here's hoping!!! The only thing is that it is six and a half hours of talking in a classroom about driving. I can only hope that it's not like my original driving in-class instructor Merv who wore loads of dangly gold jewellery (he even had a pinky ring!!) Then it's back to the grind friday here in the darkroom, and then that night. Aaah, Harry Potter. I don't know why we're all so excited. I mean, it's not like it's a surprise as to what's going to happen! I guess it's just seeing it on the big screen and comparing it to what we pictured in our minds. When reading the book, I have to admit that I imagined the mermaids to look something like Ariel. I think I'm going to be disappointed.

This is going to be a big month for movies for me! Monday night I got free passes to see 'Just Friends' from work. The lady predicted it to be a 'stinker', but I think it's going to be hilarious. Even sal who hates Ryan Reynolds (oh, *sigh* dreamboat) really wants to see it. So I'll let you know how it is after we see it. So that's about it for me for now. Did any of you try that brain teaser about the raft that Nikki sent out? It took me ten minutes to do, but it's frustrating when you first start out! Try it today...let me know how it went.

Happy hump day...dont' forget to watch Lost and America's Next Top Model!
~casey

...yes you guys, i am the ultimate nerd when it comes to harry potter and i am not ashamed to admit it. the sad thing is you all know....i told jeaninne i have a surprise for the opening of the movie and her reaction, and i quote, "you are not going to dress like one of them, are you". i think there was a little bit of fear in her voice....ahhh alas no....but i am freaking excited and we will see if the surprise actually comes thru!!!!

i don't know how i am going to wait. i am failing this weeks tests as we speak because i cannot think of anything else....ha ha...kidding mom!

well anyways just thought i would write this little diddy (because i am 60yrs old, ha)

to all of you who are buying advance tix...which better be all of you!! make sure to make two copies just incase your house burns down....because really if your house burns down, you need some cheering up and harry potter will be just the ticket!

WOW...it seems like it's been forever since I've posted on here! Had a lovely but busy weekend. Friday I spent the day taking photos! Who would have thought?! It's been so long since I've held a camera, I almost forgot what it was like *sigh* Then we went to see 'Pride and Prejudice'. Easily my favourite romantic movie; yes, it has taken the place in my heart above 'The Notebook'. Oh, Mr Darcy...he still makes my heart beat just a little bit faster. That is until I actually saw the actor at one of the premieres - he doesn't look so hot in person, but man, with that long hair and blue eyes and funny-looking long trenchcoat, wow! I think I need a minute...

But I digress...

Sunday was a little anniversary in my life - celebrated by dining at the Keg (oh sweet New York tenderloin steak...) seeing another movie (not as romantic, but still enjoyable: 'Jarhead') then finished off the night with a chai latte from Starbucks which I proceeded to spill all over my pants and beautiful long coat. But other than that it was a nice night. Then back to work yesterday. I'm anticipating the fact that we are going to get really busy here in the photo department quickly with staff and the public wanting photos for Christmas presents so I'm beginning to brace myself!
I have decided that a new lifestyle change is in order so this morning I started off by actually going to the gym! (I've attempted to do this twice before in the past two weeks but ended up turning the alarm off and getting up at the regular time or actually getting up, standing up at the end of the bed, then proceeded to hop right back in!) I feel good today - I don't even remember getting up, AND I have enough energy to last at least until lunch. (I've already had a mini-crash 10 minutes ago!)

So that's about it for me - too much to write about when I don't post over the weekend. IF ANYONE HAS STUFF THEY WANT TO DONATE TO THE MUSTARD SEED PLEASE LET ME KNOW!! YOU KNOW YOU HAVE STUFF!! I'M GOING TO BE IN THE PARK TONIGHT AND THURSDAY. LET'S HOOK UP...

have a good one,
~casey

In Remembrance to those that we have lost on a personal level and on a national level...

...7 more days!!!

here's the poster Sal made:

...ME! so i was late for my morning class yesterday, getting organized in my seat and i threw my pen at the girl next to me...ahhh...kind of funny. then in my afternoon class i was writing notes and i looked up and my hand went up and i pen swiped the person next to me (so she had a pen mark all the way up her shirt sleeve)...i think she noticed too b/c she would "discreetly" pull her sleeve to try to look but i pretended not to notice....horrible person!!! finally i did as i always do, i was walking to class and i tripped on my feet!!!!!!

what a disaster!!!! lol

Hey all,

As we all know now, the winter season has finally arrived, which means cold nights and wind-burned faces. Sal and I have decided that we are going to start up our own little clothing drive for the Mustard Seed church here in Edmonton (one of our mom's volunteers there). So this is what we're going to do: I've attached a poster that Sal made listing what is really needed. I know that you've all got jackets you don't wear anymore and clothes that don't fit - these people need them more than you do!
The Mustard Seed is the last stop for them before they're on the street, after the shelters and food banks!
For food, please try to avoid pastas, as they already have so much! Baby and adult toiletries are always needed (unused, please!!) Anything you can give is welcome! So what we can do is get all of your stuff together and then meet somewhere next week, say thursday or friday night and we'll get it all so it can be taken in one load.

If you have questions or anything, just let me know. Think of this as a really nice (early) Christmas gesture.

thanks, guys!
~casey

...I am getting closer to becoming the biggest suck in Edmonton.

This weekend I cried not once, but twice while reading 'The Time Travellers Wife'. I couldn't believe it! And not just one tear - there was easily six drops coming down from my eyes each time! Did you end up reading that book, Christine? Actually, maybe I don't want to know as you will judge me.

That's all again...for now...*sigh*
~casey

Ok - I hate to make you all jealous, but this is going to be one of my favourite weeks of the year. Didn't work yesterday, and I have friday off due to Remembrance Day! A freakin' three day week! I love my life sometimes. We had a good weekend in Medicine Hat visiting my grandpa. The weather was good but for some snow sunday morning, although we didn't get half of what Edmonton got. And we were also really lucky with the condition of the roads. We had no problems. Some Edmontonians weren't so lucky sunday night. My sister said that her friend's boss left Calgary at noon and didn't get home until 7pm. I know, I know, I thought it was an exaggeration too, but I guess the roads were that bad. Hope everyone who travelled down for the football game made it back ok!

So that's my life in a small little nutshell for now. I'm busy printing again today which makes the day go a little quicker. I'm already starting to think about christmas gifts and what I can do now to get them done! I refuse to leave everything to the last minute again. It's way too stressful! Hope everyone is having a nice week so far! If you're not, cheer up - you know what tomorrow is!

Hump day, hump day
Every Wednesday is hump day!

have a good one...
~casey

that a canadian band called the wyrd sisters went to court to have harry potter goblet of fire banned from all canadian theatres. I KNOW!! i guess their name matches that of the band in the movie and until warner brothers changed it, they wanted the movie banned!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...but don't worry guys, the court said its a no-go and the movie is still on!!!! (relief sigh)

Just wanted to say have a good weekend, one and all.

I'm off to Medicine Hat, aka the Hat, aka the Desert of Alberta tonight with my sister and her boyfriend. It should go off without a hitch if we don't kill each other. But I'll probably be too busy to fight as I'm going to be watching movies on the boyfriend's DVD player the whole trip.

Have a good one...be safe in the upcoming snow!

~casey

...for bringing that up as I was going to mention all of those glorious things about winter today as well! Even the frost on the grass and trees (which, in fact, is called hoar frost) is pretty when the sun is rising and setting. but since Tracey has already talked about this, I'll move on...

We found out today that Kodak has stopped making photographic paper, and we just happen to use that paper here almost everyday! It made me really sad knowing that this huge mega-company has given up on us traditionalists and are focussing solely on the digital side of photography. I can only guess that the other companies (such as Ilford - product plug here!) will be following suit within the next couple of years. What does that mean for the Archives? Soon we won't have a choice but to produce things strictly through the computer. This makes me feel sad and somewhat abandoned. I know, I know - Casey, stop being a drama queen! I can't help it, and I haven't really bitched about anything in a while so I fell as though I'm due for a ranting session.
So needless to say, my boss and I were talking today about printing and toning, and I found out that he has a bottle of 'gold chloride', which when used with photo paper will turn it either a goldy-purple colour, or just a brown/yellow tone. But I guess a tiny vial of the stuff cost over $100 years ago so who knows how much it would be now!

Talking about this stuff all morning has gotten me to really miss printing and doing my own creative photography so here's what I'm proposing:
~starting next week, I will start doing custom photography for you, my friends and family. Basically I will photograph whatever you want a photo of! Your favourite flower, a still-life, you in a dramatic moody pose (Jeaninne), WHATEVER!
~I will have to charge you a bit for my time and supplies, but overall it won't be too much. So think about it! Christmas is coming up soon (less than two months now!!!) You know how to contact me! (as I'm not giving my phone number on here!)

And speaking of Christmas, I can't wait! It's already less than two weeks until Tracey's room becomes a winter wonderland and that's where it all starts for me.
Take care...one more day til the weekend...
~casey

so i should be reviewing for my midterm rite now as i am taking it in approximately 2.5 hours but i just thought i would say hi....HI!! :)

i was really ambitious today as i got at 7:15am - i know all you work people are saying "boo-hoo, i get up at 6am everyday" (well shut it!) ha ha...i actually got up to workout...that is dedication my friends (please)....and guess what happened to be on tv while i was doing my sit-ups....dawson's creek. you know, as lame as that show was, i love it. i wished and still do wish today that i could have the vocab that they did at 15 years of age. and yes people, i know it is not real, but still...ahhhhhh. the ep i saw was when joey was in a rough biker bar singing in charlie's band....ooo and they hated her and charlie had to step in to help joey out by singing a duet, and the bikers cheered...and it all ended in happy dawson fashion, sigh!

casey called me yesterday, to tell me how exciting it is that winter is approaching. i was thinking about that on my way to school and i agree with her. we may get winter longer than we get summer and it is colder out than warm but think of all the things we can participate in...mainly and most importantly, SKIING!!! i am soo excited....the sun shining down, as you swish down the moutain (sigh). not to mention sledding, and all the potential stuff we never do but would be fun like building snowmen, and making snowangels (except for me and christine that one year). ooo and the way the trees look when fresh snow has fallen, and your yard when nobody has yet to walk on the snow...it is so tranquil and peaceful....not to mention the staying in under heated blankets, and wearing mittens, scarves, and hats, and drinking hot chocolate....ahhhh it is kind of exciting.....the only person who will not find it enjoyable is jeaninne, who i know will have dissed this winter loving theme before even getting to this sentence!!

have a great day! :)

Happy birthday to you...
Happy birthday to you...

Happy birthday dear Jeaninne - JenHo - J9 - Auntie JenHo and Assmar - Big Red -

Happy birthday to yooooooouuuuuuuuuuu............

Hope you have a good 2-5 today

~casey

Hope everybody had a frightful Halloween...I know I did! Julie and I watched 'House of Wax' and 'Hide and Seek'. Robert DeNiro is soooo good, and I'm really over Dakota Fanning! And I don't even want to say how many times I jumped in House of Wax! but I do have to say that I didn't think Paris Hilton was as bad as I thought she was going to be! At work yesterday we had a big potluck lunch and watched the first half of 'Young Frankenstein' - now that movie is a classic! Gene Wilder is pretty hilarious! I was full all day after that lunch!

I have recently discovered (again!) one of the many downfalls to actually owning a car: buying new tires! I must admit, going to Crappy Tire was last on my list, but they were really nice and got finished pretty quickly. I'm seriously considering taking the bus this winter (...now that I've got these brand new tires...)

Sunday night I had a nice visit with my childhood friend Christine from Calgary. It was so much fun and there was so much to talk about. She has been everywhere in this world except for Europe...I'm so jealous. So I guess I'll go back to my little job now scanning photos - actually, today is going to be spent in the darkroom dancing to my music. Hmmm...today I think it's going to be 'august mix'.
But after coffee of course....

Happy Tuesday!
~casey