Seeing Only Numbers

So months and months after I actually graduated from my various concurrent scholastic endeavours, I convocated. That’s not a word, I realize, but it’s what I did. My parents came out and the family collective headed into downtown Vancouver to the swanky convention centre where I joined the scads of graduates (99 percent Asian, of course) and said my final goodbyes to years and years of study. The day was a blur, but I Hipstamatic-d it. That is also not a word.

I had Janelle work as my camerawoman since I wasn’t supposed to carry anything on stage with me…plus that would look stupid if I posed for a self-shot while walking across the stage.





There was a big paparazzi scrum when walking in…imagine millions of Chinese with massive Nikons flashing away.







Mee!





Proud to be! Now to earn the big bucks…

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Senators Only

I work with a few people who sound exasperated when they have to travel around the world for business. I get one trip a year, within in Canada, and I’m thrilled out of my mind. I can’t wait until I’m old and jaded like them. My trip this year was back to Ottawa, where I was two years ago for this same conference. I’m hoping for a repeat on my sweet room at the Westin. Surely the fates will look upon me favourably, yes?...





It’s no short flight across Canada, especially when coupled with a stop in Calgary. But after a hearty breakfast at Chilis in the airport (which I always want to call “chill-jeez” thanks to their logo) and the massive time change, we arrived in Ottawa late afternoon. (We, of course, means me and my flying compatriots from the Research office at work.)



Unlike two years ago when I reigned supreme up on the 18th floor or whatever, I was now stuck in a non-upgradable room on the 8th floor with two double beds. Woe is me.





Boo hiss boo! Strangely enough (isn’t it?), I was incredibly cranky when I realized the ho-hum-ness of my room. I couldn’t control it. I eventually trudged down to registration for the conference which was to begin the next morning at the hideous hour of something like 9 AM, and was faced with a packed elevator when I attempted to head back up to my room. An elevator jammed full of men in suits stared back at me as the door hung open and I mumbled for them to continue on without me. One man tucked a few rows back shouted, “You look nice!” The whole group smiled at me as the doors shut. Okay, I feel better now.



My compatriots invited me out for dinner in the Byward Market down the street and we ended up at this Irish pub because Brad wanted Guinness. Gross. However, they did have the most heavenly-smelling carrot cake ever made.



The next couple of days flew by in a blur of accounting, research, rain, and the sights of Ottawa.



On one afternoon in particular, I had a chance to swing by Parliament Hill to gawk at all the Canadian-ness.








I like to take pictures through the gate. You wouldn’t understand. It’s a parliament thing.






That’s meeeee! (someday)


The lone Quebec photo.






Tulip Festival at Major Hill Park.



I made my way home through Byward Market, which was a little more quiet this visit than my previous, two years ago. The crazy people were still out in full force though. Ottawa has a PILE of crazy people. And I’m not counting parliamentarians.






Oh! It’s that awful Zak’s place than Janelle and I visited last time.



On the Monday night of the conference, they have their big gala dinner and it is always a fairly reserved affair. But this year during cocktails, there was this pimp guy who kept walking around and changing his suit every three to five minutes into different colours. When you’ve had three glasses of wine, this becomes very interesting. When the doors to the banquet opened, there stood the pimp underneath the disco ball, spinning tunes and the room was covered in glow sticks. WHEEEE! It’s like a rave for old people!






Yvette, rocking the glowsticks. Being the young people at the table, our enthusiasm was quite amusing to the oldies. Mostly.


No good rave is without flashing jelly rings.



What can I say…at one point before dinner but after the conga line, we were all jumping up and down to ‘I Gotta Feeling’ by the Black Eyed Peas. As I looked down on this little older fellow with glasses jumping beside me, I realized I was in the twilight zone. Awesome.

On my last full day in Ottawa I cruised downtown to find their Holt Renfrew. After peeking through what appeared to be a glorified K-Mart-style basement shop, I bolted and decided on some street meat and poutine for lunch. YUM.








Represent.



Another night, another day, and I’m heading out of town in a taxi with a driver who is yelling at his son who needs to go to the dentist. Where does the time go?



Goodbye Ottawa, and on to the next segment of the adventure – in TORONTO! I’m coming Shawn Desman!

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Hunters & Gatherers

Life was exceedingly dull throughout October and most of November (of course, that’s in comparison to my September and, well, everyone else’s lives.) I divided my time between three different kinds of work: working out, homework, and work-work at my two jobs. My life suuuucks. Feel sorry for me! Okay, whatever – you likely don’t/won’t. Though I seriously worked for 20-day stretches at a time, I suppose I did that to myself. ANYWAY – onwards and upwards.

In November every year, our department does a professional development getaway into Vancouver and it’s pretty much THE event of the year. You can read about our past adventures here, here, here, and here. I’m sure you didn’t click on any of those so…yeah, I did that coding for nothing. This year, we headed to the same hotel as last year, The Listel on Robson Street. I did manage to score a slightly better room though…







Too bad I’m only going to spend about one hour of non-sleeping time in here. Boo. As soon as we checked in, it was time to head down for lunch and our first (and only) session of the day.


Brenda (second from right) is EATING! Grrraaaaggghh!


Cold lady food with a swimming pool of dreshingu.


Lady-sized dessert. Do you see a theme emerging?

Our first session involved organizing our online document filing systemmmzzzzzzzzzzz. Actually, it’s not so bad since I’m kind of nerdy and like organizing.



The second part of the session involved a scavenger hunt - I’D BETTER WIN! I hate putting effort into things that don’t work out in my best interest. Well, on scavenger hunts anyway. I was paired with my co-workers Blanca and Mark and under my superb leadership, we stormed the downtown core. I was like a woman possessed with acquiring items like a box of crayons from Red Robin, a catalogue from Pandora jewellery, and a business card from the coffee shop inside the HSBC building. And as for our efforts…well…what do you think happened? We won, of course.

Then came time to shop! Brenda and I headed out before dinner to spend the hard-earned money we made from working at this difficult job. And you would be proud – all I ended up buying was mascara! Ok fine, it was Chanel mascara, but let’s celebrate the victories people. Dinner was at the Fairmont at my favourite haunt, Griffins.





Why is it my favourite? Why, their all-you-can-eat dessert buffet with every meal, of course!



Our table was taking ages to be ready, so they offered us free wine…and kept it flowing. Before I knew it, I had drank four glasses…




Of course, I sat at the head of the table because…then I can shout down the length of the table. But I wouldn’t do that because that’s rude.




Blanca telling one of her killer stories. One year, she told us one about a male stripper who gave someone scabies.





The party began to break up shortly after 9 and I didn’t mind because the party for me would continue, just down the street. I headed over to the Cactus Club Café to meet up with my old pally B-Mal and two companions, all of whom had little porno ‘staches for Movember. We moved the party from there a little further down the street to the Elephant and Castle (at this rate, we will be in the water shortly.) I had some cocktail drink (the count was now up to five) and the dudes had this ridiculously massive bread pudding that kind of made me want to chuck. What? I’m still full from all-you-can-eat-dessert buffet, mmkay? After that party wound down (we all gotta work in the AM), we parted ways and I made my way down the deserted Robson street in the rain alone. Cue violin.



That night was a bit of a struggle since I think the alcohol was speaking to me in a language I don’t want to understand. No no, I didn’t throw up or anything (I’m sure your are like, THANKS! right about now) but like that Christmas so many years ago, I got this weird sleep nausea. No more drinking for me!

The morning’s session involved more discussion of filing and by lunch we had called it a day. BRING ON THE WEEKEND! But I’m going to spend it here…and I’m meeting up with Djds in an hour…(to be continued…oooo)

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