I got 5th place!!

Unfortunately there were only 5 girls in the beginner category!

Second Attempt

I don't know what's going on, but all the photos keep dissapearing...it's pissing me off...here's another try.

Adam & me

Apparently I stand with my hands in my chalk bag alot - it's my pacifier!

Ryan climbing above & with me below

Ross' Birthday - BBQ at Geoff & Leianne's

The results are NOT in

The Tour De Bloc competition was a ton of fun...extremely hard...but fun. How did I rate overall? I really couldn't tell you yet as I don't know! The competition went from 12:20 to 4:40, then there was a break for dinner for an hour and then the elite climbers competed for a couple hours. After all of that's done, they have their awards ceremony - I was at Geoff and Lei's for a BBQ at that time...so I do not know how I did...but I will let you know when I find out.

As for how I think I did... There were 30 routes to do; number one being the easiest, 30 the hardest. Each route is worth so many points (route 30 being worth the most) and you lose points if it takes you more than one attempt to complete the route. The judges take your 8 best climbs to calculate your total. I was not in a math mood to figure out my total, but choosing my best 8 was easy... I only completed routes 1-7!! I said it once, I will say it again: It was Hard!!

Still I had a blast doing it and look forward to the next competition! Here's some shots of the weekend (really I was climbing in these photos...I just never got far off the ground when people were around to take pictures).

Etienne - Climbing above; with me below

wish me luck

I do question my own sanity in this matter...I have actually registered myself for a climbing competition that's taking place this Saturday!! My hands start to sweat just thinking about it!!! I'm competing in the women's beginner level (of course!) and am hoping that it will just be a ton of fun. I'll let you all know how I do next week!

Marketing Dinner

Well lucky me finally got to attend my first marketing meeting last night. I was rather bitter about the whole thing too. The invite came about 3 hours after everyone else was informed (my guess, someone here mentioned that maybe I should attend as an after thought), then I was ticked as I had planned to boulder most of last night and to top it off, I really wasn't keen on spending my time with work people - especially bossy boss. Well it turned out that I got to leave early from work so I got in 2hours of bouldering and bossy boss feels a little sicky and didn't make it to dinner - ah poo!

The evening itself was actually quite nice. We dined at the Highwood (a restaurant at SAIT where all the staff are students training for the industry) where we enjoyed a 5-course meal (I could have stopped after salad - I was full then). My dinner was appetizer: snow-crab cake with avocado and red pepper sauce, soup: seafood bisque, salad: classic caesar, main: rack of lamb, dessert: dark chocolate creme brulee with chocolate truffles. I think I gained 50lbs last night!

As for the marketing side of things...interesting taking it all in. It seems as though everyone wants to say more about bossy boss, but not willing to come out directly with it. Of course there's still no sign of me getting any more responsibilities in the marketing department (which they hired me to do!).

All in all it was a pleasant evening...other than it went a little later than I'd hoped for and getting up at 4:15 this morning was not pleasant!

Oh BTW - I have officially started working on my resume! Soon now, soon, I will be taking that leap into something new - hopefully good too!

Something I love

I always love mornings like this but never actually take the time to take photos. I decided that work could wait an extra 10 minutes today...I would have loved to have more time but alas I was filled with guilt.

This is something I love to see - the eerie calmness of hoar frost.

What Mixed Drink Am I

God I hope this works

You Are an Appletini

Most of the time, you're a typical party girl / guy.But when you get super sauced, you really up your sex appeal.

What Mixed Drink Are You?

A lovely week - No yelling!!

Another crazy week it's been for me...although nice crazy this week (mean boss is in Boston this week - YEAH!!!!). So I've had the luxury of not being yelled at all week. It is a lot of extra work (I somehow have to figure out how to do his job while he's away) and I'm exhausted by the end of the day...but I say well worth it:)!

So what have I done...
Friday - Work, then dance class (which I'm going to look into to see if I can help teach the beginner class next semester) and then I met up with Kelly and Matt and Classic Jacks for a couple of pints.

Saturday - was my day off, but ended up working! Did a bit of bouldering at CCC, met Melissa for a couple of pints and then went to Hillhurst United Church for an evening of Salsa dancing - very fun! Apparently they have this about once a month, so I'm looking forward to going again...I need to practice dancing when there's no choreography (not the best at that!!)

Sunday - my "do nothing" day, other than I went to CCC for a couple of hours again.

Monday - just worked (way too long of a day!)

Tuesday - Work and then met Jon at CCC to boulder again.

And of course the whole time I've been puppy sitting too...gosh I seem to be a busy girl. I'm rather looking forward to next week when I have no dogs and get to be back in my own place.

The pups: Kaley, Toffee and Kristie

I think I'm becoming a climbing addict! I went bouldering last night on my own and was fortunate enough to have a fellow climber, Etienne, spend time with me, teaching me much needed climbing basics. As he called it "Climbing 101". I love that someone is actually taking time out to help me along. Learning just the little that I am, gets me motivated to climb even more! I love it!!

Climbing 101 - the first thing I learnt is how to tape my fingers properly (I mean really, we started at the very beginning!)

Other than that there are four things I have to have put into memory by next week:

1. Movement is alway left, right, left, right
2. When moving your right hand up, all your weight is on your right foot and vice versa
3. Your hips are either square to the wall or at 45 degrees (or more) - if you're turning your hips, your left hip is against the wall when you're reaching up with your left hand and vice versa
4. Use the tip of your shoe and not the side - you get more power this way

It seems so obvious, but put it to practice and I can hardly tell my left from right!

Climbing & Sicky

I went bouldering/climbing last night at the Calgary Climbing Centre with Jon - fun as always. We had a race going on all week as to who could finish "The Red Route" first...Jon won last night. I, however am not giving up - I must finish it!! I'll let you know when I do - it could take me a week or two:).

Today was another 5:30 morning for me at work, and I'm wondering now if I'm coming down with something...in a way I cheer (maybe some time off work) and then I worry (no dancing or climbing if I'm sick). I did not sleep well last night so that could be part of it, but I can almost feel the sickness creeping into my body. I don't like it! Time to up my dose on vitamin C.

It's for the dogs

I spent the weekend looking after William and Rachel again. They're easy kids to deal with as they pretty much can take care of themselves, but man, do they have energy! I was exhausted every night and I really didn't do much of anything. They talk non stop! And they can't stand still while they're talking...a little over-stimulating if you ask me.

Any way, I'm feeling rather overwhelmed right now as I seem to be doing stuff for everyone else and not myself (who's fault is that - mine!). I miss my place and I'm starting to resent dogs that need so much attention. I've taken on dog-sitting jobs for almost the entire month. I know the extra money is a good thing, and I just have to grin and bear it. April, I will have my life back. In the mean time there isn't much of a "social butterfly" in me these days.

He did what?!?

I had a very shocking moment today - My bossy boss apologized for his outburst on Friday. I actually got an apology from him!! Now, I must maintain composure...not let this go to my head (after all - I'm 99% sure that the only reason he apologized is because he got into shit for making me cry), as I'm sure it won't happen often, if ever again.

What happened to make me cry? Friday, before I even had 1/2 a foot in the door, I was being yelled at for the voice mail not working. How this is my fault, I have no clue other than Bossy Boss cannot blame himself. I apparently wasn't taking the situation seriously enough, but truly, how serious is boss-man taking it when he's been at work for 2 hours already and hasn't done anything about it. So long story short - he blew up at me and I cried. I hate my job.

I got an apology today - I still hate my job.