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    A good story should provoke discussion,
    debate, argument...and the occasional
    bar fight.
    -- J. Michael Strazynski




    ..:Hilarious Trajedy .:. Katie
    ..: Aerial Ambition .:. Tiff
    ..:Tales from Trent .:. Beej
    ..:Realm of Angst .:. Nikki
    ..:Mad Scientist .:. Bish
    ..:Grey Skye Blue .:. Brynne
    ..:Elected Potatoe .:. Sean
    ..:Magdelina .:. Kat

    ..:Fanthroplogy .:. Research
    ..:Scary Duck .:. Weirdness
    ..:The Dreaming .:. Neil Gaiman
    ..:Whedonesque .:. Joss Whedon
    ..:Photo a Day .:. Something Interesting
    ..:WKOA .:. Odd
    ..:Belle Du Jour .:. Secret Diaries
    ..:Nee Naw .:. Dispatchers Tales
    ..:Confessions of an Aca-Fan .:. Henry Jenkins
    ..:CJSD .:. Brando
    ..:LUTD .:. Tales from the Undeground
    ..:Inky Circus .:. Odd Tales
    ..:Copper's Blog .:. Met Cop
    ..:Occasional Superheroine .:. Marvel Girl
    ..:AE .:. Ed Kennedy's Blog
    ..:Sleep Talkin Man .:. Nocturnal Ramblings
    ..:Blag Hag .:. A Bit of Fun


    ..:Sakura Crisis .:. Manga Scanlations
    ..:Ill Will Press .:. Neurotically Yours.
    ..:The Very Secret Diaries
    ..:Pancino .:. A Kick Ass Indi Band!
    ..:Bubblewrap .:. Boredom
    ..:Threadless .:. Good Clothes
    ..:Magdelina Designs by Kat
    ..:My OCAD .:. Ontario Artists
    ..:Facebook .:. Online People
    ..:The Mall Ninja .:. Redneck Stupidity
    ..:The Penn and Teller Essays
    ..:Tales From Homeward .:. Uncle
    ..:Overheard in the Office
    ..:Evil Mad Scientist Labs
    ..:Cool Aggregator .:. Cultural Oddities
    ..:The Fail Blog .:. Wasting Time
    ..:Cute Overload .:. More Time-Wasters
    ..:My Life Is Average .:. Stranger than Fiction
    ..:Not Always Right .:. Proof Humans R Crazy
    ..:Oddly Specific .:. A Collection of Signs
    ..:1000 Awesome Things .:. Neil Pasricha
    ..:Texts From Last Night .:. Hilarious




    ..:Boy Meets Boy .:. Sandra Fuhr
    ..:Friendly Hostilities .:. Sandra Fuhr
    ..:Other People's Business .:. Sandra Fuhr
    ..:Questionable Content .:. J. Jacques
    ..:Girl Genius .:. Studio Foglio
    ..:XKCD .:. Who The Fuck Knows
    ..:Vampirates .:. Jones
    ..:Cigarro and Cerveja .:. Tony Esteves
    ..:Count Your Sheep .:. Adrian Ramos
    ..:Dog Eat Doug .:. Brian Anderson
    ..:The Awakened .:. Sarah
    ..:Menage A 3 .:. Giz & Dave
    ..:Gingers Bread .:. Carl Sjostrand
    ..:Legend of Bill .:. Dave Reddick
    ..:Brathalla .:. Jeff Stevenson
    ..:SGVY .:. Kittyhawk
    ..:Nice Hair .:. A. Mauchline
    ..:Something Positive .:. R.K. Milholland
    ..:Weregeek .:. Alina Pete
    ..:Schism .:.Leigh Bader
    ..:Least I Could Do .:. Ryan Sohmer
    ..:Basic Insturctions .:. Scott Meyer
    ..:Girls With Slingshots .:. Danielle Corsetto
    ..:Blip .:. Sage
    ..:The Abominable .:. Karl Kercht
    ..:All New Issues .:. Bill
    ..:Just a Little Bit Off .:. Jeff Zugale
    ..:Ctrl+Alt+Del .:. Tim Buckley
    ..:Shortpacked .:. David Willis
    ..:CAD Sillies .:. Tim Buckley
    ..:Looking for Group .:. Ryan Sohmer
    ..:Family Man .:. Dylan Meconis
    ..:White Noise .:. Madsniper
    ..:Magic High .:. Madsniper
    ..:The Dean Show .:. Minkmix
    ..:Saturnalia .:. Spacecoyote
    ..:Pandect.:. Dina Situ
    ..:Arcana .:. Kelly
    ..:Megatokyo .:. Fred Gallagher
    ..:Mini!Marvels .:. ChrisG
    ..:Mac Hall .:. Matt and Ian
    ..:9th Elsewhere .:. Caroline Curtis
    ..:Sluggy Freelance .:. Pete Abrams
    ..:YWAM .:. Aoi Hayashi
    ..:Skyfall .:. Rekka and Mirai
    ..:Picture Diary .:. Lianu
    ..:No Rest For The Wicked .:. Andrea
    ..:Shifters .:. M. Tary and J. Strocel
    ..:Oh My Gods! .:. Shivian







    ..:Ver. 1 .:. Half of Mine
    ..:Ver. 2 .:. Lost Girl
    ..:Ver. 3 .:. Broken Doll
    ..:Ver. 4 .:. Kanashimi
    ..:Ver. 5 .:. Sgoil Dhubh
    ..:Ver. 6 .:. Solas Suarach





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    .:Saturday, June 19:.

    ..:Alice and Animals:..

    So recently I've gone to a few events and have made a few new resolutions.

    Burning Man with Tiff, show went very well, although burning man parties seem to really pull in all the odds and ends of the weirdo's in Toronto. The fire dancers were really good that night, even if they are some of the most narcassistic people I have ever met in my LIFE. Imagine Jenn with flaming batons and randy as all hell and you have the fire dancers really...

    Tiff and Tayla were awesome though, had a rather nerve-inducing setup for the show as the scissor-lift was broken and Tiff had to clamber up a very tall ladder to secure the hoop and the silks. Teardown was even worse as we had to do the same thing but with a mass of people partying and dancing below us at 1 in the morning. But at least it looked really cool! And they got alot of cheers too...


    Tiffany on her hoop


    Me and Tiff's costumes for steampunk theme that night.

    a week later went out with Jenn to see Iron Man again as she had yet to see it and I could not bear the fannish tragedy that that was. Ended up with a small huddle of people around us at the end of the movie when I mentioned that there was an extra scene at the end, then started chatting with people while we all waited for the credits to finish rolling. You really can't acknowledge exactly how much of a geek you are until you start explaining the fannish jokes and references to a captive audience of Mundies.

    After that trucked off to the circus student show, themed after Alice In Wonderland as that seems to have a bit of a cult following this year. Show was really really good, it always amazes me to see what the circus folk can get up to when they're allowed to really let loose and do whatever the hell they want to...


    Tiff is on the right... maybe... I think.


    Crazy talented Static Trap artists

    Yesterday me and Beej and my Dad headed off to the zoo for the morning. Haven't had a chance to go in a long damn time and had alot of fun geeking out and running from exhibit to exhibit with Beej. I will tell you this though: Zookeeper really REALLY frown on you standing at a fence and telling the reindeer that they make delicious steak.... REALLY frown on it....


    Reindeer.... cute yes, but also very god with Ketchup.


    Evil demon Kookaburra. It was perfectly still except for it's glaring demon eyes.


    This Hippo was asleep standing up and resting it's nose on the ground, really strange to witness..


    The Peacock is actually above the doorway of a pavilion we were attempting to enter. I kept thinking it would swoop down and attack us from above. What a terrible way to go, death by peacock...


    Me and Beej with the monkey statue. I think everyone who's ever visited that Zoo has a photo of them with this statue...

    Now am headed off to work for the night, it seems me and the weather have a bit of a battle going on in the last month: If I have the day off and have things I want to get done the weather will be MISERABLE. If I am working however the sun will be shining and it will be a beautiful day. I hate Canada...

    Off to work I go!


    Meru at 6:16 PM




    .:Saturday, June 5:.

    ..:Migraines and Meredydd's Mess:..

    Hah hah.... So I promise I'm not dead?

    No really, just work and life killing me with a complete lack of time as per usual. Still trying to really get the whole designing and making jewelry thing off the ground. At least now I have a business name, calling it Meredydd's Mess, it's what my mum used to call my room when I was a kid, with my own spelling of my name of course....

    Went with Tiff last week to the Torture Garden party. Interesting, if extraordinarily strange people. Going with her to another installation event tonight. In the meantime, am on break at work and slowly succumbing to a massively painful migraine. Hopefully ridiculous amounts of Sodium Anaprox can knock it out before we go to the club tonight, cause hanging around a club that features a giant beating heartbeat with a migraine? Rather torturous.....

    Bah, back to work now.


    Meru at 3:08 PM




    .:Friday, May 14:.

    ..:Marvels and Mothers' Day:..

    Had a wonderful mothers day out with the family. Unfortunately Mon couldn't make it, but got to spend a good day with my parents, they were both in the country at the same time!! That hasn't happened in over a month! I really missed my dad while he's been away this past month and a bit, then he opened his mouth and started talking and I kinda wished that he would leave the country again.

    I made my mum a set of earrings and was GOING to plant the garden for her as a present, but so far the weather refuses to behave and has been hiccuping back and forth between freezing cold and rainy, and toasty warm and sunny, but never either of them for more than a few hours at a time making it impossible to get anything really done.

    I know I always call my little sis a crafty bastard, but lately she's taken it... somewhat literally... These are more of Beej's little knitted fandom guys, she's drifted away from Star Trek for now and started on the marvel verse:

    Captain America


    Iron Man


    Thor


    The Avengers (or at least a few of them)


    They are so ridiculously cute and I really really wanna keep them all. Imagine a little army of knitted superheroes!! So cute!

    Jenn's bitty baby horse was also born on mothers day, this is Rahiel:


    Unfortunately a few hours after this had been taken she got really sick and collicky and had to be taken to the vet and operated on, poor little mite. She's doing better now and Jenn can hopefully take her home soon to be spoiled to within an inch of her life. That poor girl just cannot catch a break recently, so I'm praying that this all works out well!

    Just finished watching the last episode of Supernatural Season five. I'll say what I say pretty much every year about this time: Kripke? You are a brilliant, brilliant man, but good GODS you're a bastard!!
    Now it's off to see Robin Hood with Dana and then off to work tonight, ho hum.

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    Meru at 10:46 AM




    .:Wednesday, May 5:.

    ..:Um....Hi?:..

    So it turns out that working 2 jobs ACTUALLY equalled me working literally every day for the last two months. In between everything else I was working to finish in the last little while, blogging kinda fell to the wayside. On the other hand, I managed to pay off a VERY big chunk of my debt, fixed my poor much abused Puddles, and got pretty much everything I was aiming to get finished this spring all done.

    So, have moved into my new room. Took a week of painting and fixing and literally down to the minute moving, but it's done and I have all of my new space all worked out. Love having the bigger room for several reasons; I get to see real sunlight in the mornings again, I'm not facing the school and am therefore not woken up by children screaming at recess, I actually have room to breathe in my new space and I managed to organize all my belongings in a way I actually really feel comfy with. There's something to be said for a personal living space that is definitely MINE.

    Had the joint birthday party with Kat at velvet underground. Had an absolute blast, dressed up in steampunk/gothy gear, went out for sushi then went dancing. I really missed just letting lose like that, tearing up the dance floor with the girls and not letting any guys in. Have GOT to do that more often!




    Have been working for both the clothing store and the book store till last week when I had finally managed to work up enough capital to quit the clothing store. And as much as I would have LOVED to have burned my bridges there, unfortunately I wanted the references they could give me and couldn't really go out all blaze of glory (even after they begged me to stay on...)

    Working at the bookstore however is a blast. I get to talk with intelligent people. EVERY DAY!! Do you know how much I missed that? And the constant exposure to the world of books doesn't hurt anything either! We had the toystore opening a few weeks back, had alot of fun, I got one of 2 reactions to my costume: either little girls ran up and said I was wearing such a pretty dress... or they quite literally ran away screaming. No, really. I had 6 girls run away from me that day, had a blast though!




    Working at the also store led to me meeting the author of the book of awesome, based on the website 1000 awesome things, which is pretty much guarenteed to make you smile. It proves life truly is full of awesome things...

    I also participated in the boobquake last week, go here for a bit more info, but needless to say, girl scientists and feminists and just people everywhere across north america dressed as complete skanks to prove that boobs do not cause earthquakes. Yes you read that right, hit the link, trust me, it's worth it. (And the day was DEFINITELY worth it for all the brilliant looks we got!)

    Kat and Shilo had their fashion show last week too, went FANTASTICALLY. They were the headliners this year and worked their butts off to get the collection out, but it was damn well worth it. (And yes, that is my brother modeling!)


    Go Here and become a fan, they deserve it! Another notable collection was the girl who cam on the day after Kat with the Dr. Who inspired line. Yes, you read that right, it was brilliant!


    And yes, that is a Dalek dress.

    Hmmmm, a few random other tabs to close out, Kat linked me this, well worth a look as the talent this takes is kinda scarey... This is by far the coolest thing that Dan Akroyd has ever done, and by gods I want one! Also, who wants to join Starfleet with me? *grins like a lunatic* Speaking of trek, go over to Nikki's blog here as she has, by far, the best first con report EVER. I would never, EVER wash that hand!!

    Alright, and lastly there was this past Sunday. My old friend James and his fiance (now wife) Jenna finally tied the knot. It was an absolutely beautiful day, slightly windy, the dress was incredible... but of course, being my friends, things went weirdly wrong. Firt? Jenn and james are both electricians, and the mikes and electronics had a few... technical difficulties. Like preview to a Supernatural episode of electronic difficulties. At a pair of professional elevtricians wedding. Gods.

    Also, the wedding itself was outdoors, and there was a little lined alcove made of 12 ft tall potted trees placed in a circle and decorated with crystals and silk and lamps. However, being a windy day, the couple was in the middle of their vows when one of the trees fell on the bride. And when exchanging rings 5 minutes later it was the grooms turn to be walloped by foliage. The ceremony finished with matching groomsman holding up the trees on either side. Luckily Jenna has a great sense of humour and was practically killing herself laughing the whole time. They're definitely well-matched.

    Further proof that they make a great couple? The introduction of the married couple was set to Muse's "Supermassive Black Hole", and their first dance to Bowie's "Under Preassure." Brilliant! We also had a bit of a game throughout the night, they had a giant pair of die, and couples coming up to roll them, Even number, the couple had to kiss, odd number and the bride and groom had to kiss. So my friend Kyle went up, grabbed the mike, said "I'm so confident that I'll get an odd number, I'm gonna bring Keith up with me." These gentlemen were 2 of the groomsman, and they rolled an even number. I love that wedding!!

    The guests had our own game going, we had everyone pick a single word, any word that they could think of off the top of our heads, and then we strung them together into three word clusters. Then we brought each phrase up to the bartenders and had them invent a drink for that phrase, and make up 15 shots. Let's just say that by the end of the night we were all just a liiiitle bit tipsy. Some of the more memorable ones were: "Professor Moriarty's Power-Ballad", "Magic Carpet Ride", "Incorrigible Peanut Music" and "Red Weiner Bubble", after that I kinda lost track....

    All in all an interesting few months, and looks like the next few aren't going to be any quieter.

    This is gonna be fun.

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    Meru at 9:33 PM




    .:Tuesday, March 2:.

    ..:Amazing Olympics and Awesome Jobs:..

    Oooooh it's been awhile since I've updated. Loads of stuff has happened, but have been rather caught up in the whole Olympic fever for the last few weeks. And damn man, how bloody awesome is that? 14 golds, the most ever achieved at the winter games, and both the women AND the mens gold in hockey. I was downtown during the final game for the mens hockey and it was MAYHEM! People in the streets dancing, stepping out of their cars in the middle of the street to give passer-bys high fives, and the greatest amount of men hugging seen outside of the latest Yaoi manga.

    Damn that was bloody brilliant.

    Have started the new job, and all I have to say is that I work for a REALLY cool company. Some great people, brilliant store and some really cool programs for the community and kids in the area.

    I spent today wearing bunny ears, and at the end of the day? A 6 year old gave me a hug.

    I love my job.

    Am currently in Caledon, headed out tomorrow morning to take mum and dad to the airport, and have the little sis staring over my shoulder making increasingly snarky comments.

    My family ladies and gentlemen.

    And to think, she's moving in next week and I get to live with her 24/7. Oh joy, oh rapture. If you hear screaming it's just me losing my bloody MIND.

    Crap.

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    Meru at 9:46 PM




    .:Saturday, February 13:.

    ..:Glee and Good News:..

    Okay, first the brillant news. ::deep breathe::

    I GOT THE JOB!!

    Unfortunately they only had part time positions availible, so I'm going to be working 2 jobs again for a little while till I can get enough hours at the bookstore to make up for it, but I have quite literally been applying there at LEAST once a year for the past 6 years, so this is a bit of a dream come true for me.

    It also resulted in me doing a very undignified and ridiculous dance around the store when I found out. Luckily, aside from 2 very confused old ladies that were passing by, there were no witnesses to me attempting to dance.

    Tomorrow is the annual fake holiday, am celebrating by taking little sis, some sweets, and a whole pack of blow em up movies over to Tiff's for our annual "Anti-Valentines" day.

    This should be fun!

    Also, to cheer up KT who is feeling ill; go to the time stamp 6:55 on this and LAUGH!!



    For those who did not tag along, this is 3 years ago at Polaris Con 20, where me, KT, and Beej.... well, we pretty much acted like geeks of the highest calibre for the whol event. It was magical, maaaaaa-gical I say. KT, if you ever get down in the dumps, just remember: you made Shanks make a WTF face.

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    Meru at 11:22 PM




    .:Thursday, January 28:.

    ..:Family and Funerals:..

    Alright then, first off, yes I am alive. Secondly, to anyone who's been trying to get in touch I apologize, but this has truly been one hell of a month.

    Since the last time I updated I have: gained a new appreciation, and a new hatred, for my family. Attended the funeral, gotten the news I'll be moving and possibly a new job. It's been interesting.

    First off, on the moving front. Cavan, the guy who's lived in the basememnt of my brothers house for the past decade, has gotten a girlfriend and is moving out with her. This means that my brother and sis-in-law are claiming the basement as their new studio leaving the biggest bedroom upstairs free. It's almost twice the size of my current bedroom and actually gets a decent amount of sunlight unlike my current room, so in April I get to move and actually truly unpack all my stuff that I had instorage for the past few years simply because I lacked the room to spread out.

    I applied to, and have been reviewed for, a job at the local bookstore. I hope I get it as I would love to start my new year by starting in a field I love for once and maybe actually being HAPPY at a job.

    To KT:


    Apparently this is gencon, held in oz. I want to go

    Be warned: The rest of this is pretty much just me ranting about the family and is likely of very little interest to anyone else.

    The funeral. The funeral was held on the 17th, piled into a car with all my siblings and my dad and drove down to meet my mum who had been in Windsor for the past week making all the arrangements and settling out all the accounts. My mum was... a bit of a wreck, but I think it did her alot of good to know that all her children came to the funeral of a woman we despised simply to support her through this.

    The funeral itself was interesting. My grandmother was a cryptographer in the 2nd world war so they had a full military service before the main funeral itself. The funeral service was polite, and very solemn.

    Then came the surreal part of the day.

    After the service, we were approached by dozens of people, old neighbors, fellow servicemen and women, fellow chruch go'ers, etc. And the person they talked about? They painted this picture of a woman who was funny, and honourable and sweet, and kind and nice to everyone. Always willing to lend a hand and go the extra mile. I never met that woman in my life. The woman I knew was bitter, and jaded, and petty, and has tried my entire life to sabotage my parents marriage as she never believed my father was "good enough" for my mother. My parents are HAPPY, my dad still makes my mum laugh after 30 years of marriage and losing their first-born son, something no parent should ever have to go through. If for no other reason than that, I would hate her, but there was more.

    When I was 13 or 14 I showed up one summer at the cottage wearing a tank top, nothing low cut or with thin straps, just a normal tank because it was a rather hot summer. Grandma? Looked me up and down and told me I looked like a whore, and proceeded to completely ignore the fact that I existed for the rest of the visit. She told my brother terrible things, and after her and my dad got into a massive fight about the way she was treating us, she told my father that she'd get back at him. That was 10 years ago, she never really talked to any of us since then.

    I could have dealt with that, but what really hurt? finding out that she went out of her way to stay involved with every other grandchild EXCEPT US as a way to hurt my father, and in doing so devestated my mother with her pettiness and bitterness.

    So the funeral? Was truly an excersise in holding my tongue and not telling people the real story behind the old harridan.

    On the other hand, I got to meet a few cousins I hadn't seen since I was a little girl, and they grew up to be some really cool people that I'm going to try and keep in touch with, the type of people I'd be proud to say are family.

    Unfortunately, they Aunts and Uncles did not leave me with such a changed impression. My mother had 4 siblings, her brother Jim, and sisters Carol, Jo and Pam. And none of them really talk to each other, past actions and life choices split my mothers family apart, and after what they did after the funeral it wouldn't suprise me to hear that none of them ever talk to one another ever again.

    Every item that was not willed to someone? Became a battle for who got what, down to the smallest thing, with my mother stuck as the referee as the executor of the will. Needless to say, if I ever see ANY of the aunts again there is not a chance of hell in me keeping silent after what they put my mother through.

    Me and my mum are headed back up on tuesday to clear out the last of the big stuff and take it off to goodwill or the cottage, so at least after this week it will be completely over and done with. Honestly though? I walked away from all this just sad, that she hated so much that she punished others for it, and that life stripped away the beautiful funny woman my grandfather married after the war.

    On the other hand, all this made me gain a new appreciation of just how much I love and am thankful for my immediate family.

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    Meru at 8:00 PM