Listening to Apocalyptica (one of my fav. bands) this morning reminded me what a cello is supposed to sound like when played, which is precicely what I don't sound like when I play. My lessons start again in a week and I haven't played in a month!
I just finished my cello practice. Plugged in (electric cello) amp cranked up to 11 (to remind the neighbors of what they have been missing all summer) I played the Imperial March (Darth Vader) while laughing maniacally.
What? Me, insane? That's perfectly normal behavior. It's cathartic.You should try it sometime. My fingers are sore now.

Fear not dear readers, you may continue on in confidence that you will not be subjected to rehashed stories of a particular news event which I shall not mention. If, in the unlikely circumstance, you were actually hoping to read about nine-ele...oops I mean this particular unmentioned event, may I redirect you immediately , where you can get your fill of patriotism at it's cheeziest.
Now, on to my life, which is far more important than any silly world events.
It's been a busy couple of days for me with lots of deadlines so I decided to take the evening off with a cup of hot chocolate and a good book.
This evenings fascinating tome of choice is a medical journal on gynecology and obstetrics written in 1859 ANNA M. GALBRAITH, M.D. Excellent read, I highly recommend it.
Chock full of fascinating facts long forgotten, like this one for example: Did you know that children's parties, late hours,
sensational novels, loose stories, the drama and the ball-room, causes a premature development of the sexual organs as do also spiced foods and alcoholic
beverages. I did not know that, but to be honest I never did trust loose stories. I was weaned on curry and cider. What does that tell you about me?

And don't get me started about children's parties!
Clearly I must read on. Later.

This summer, we could have sipped pina coladas on a Carribean island, or Guinness in a pub in London, but why, when we could drive from Vancouver to Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada.

What on earth would make us do a thing like that you ask? I have been tempted on occasion, to ask myself the same question. Especially once we actually arrived there.

The reason we went, and what made the trip worthwhile was to go to Defcon 14 (Hacker con). The best part of Defcon for me, were the great people I met.

Not being a hacker myself, I felt a tad intimidated by the sheer size and processing power of the brains around me. But I found that if you drink enough beer you start to sound smarter (at least in your own head and that's all that really counts).
It also helped that everyone was so friendly and welcoming that it was hard to feel out of place for long.

I have finally sorted through the pics of the trip and I have posted them here for anyone interested.
And next year when the question again raises itself, what shall we do for vacation?
Probably the same.

Summer is officially over. We had our first day of rain in a month. Going to hike up to the lookout rock in Deep Cove now that it has cleared up.
Derek and I moved to Deep Cove in the North Shore mountains a couple of months ago. I love being back in the mountains. (We lived in the valley for a few of years in between).
Just the amount of hiking and biking over the last month and I'm finally getting back in shape and fitting into my old jeans. It feels great.
The extra chub slows you down, makes it harder to run to the fridge for a beer.
This years new expensive hobby will be skiing. Derek and I are going to buy skis for the winter. I have been skiing twice in my life.
The first time, moments after donning my sturdy rental skis, I lost control on a hill and slammed into the side of a building neatly snapping both skis in two.
Needless to say they were very impressed in the rental shop.
I actually got a round of applause.
The second time, within 20 feet from the top of my first chairlift up, I fell and dislocated my shoulder. Had to be brought down in a bright orange sled. That wasn't half embarrassing.
Coordination isn't one of my strong points.
later: We just got back from the hike to the lookout rock. It's a great hike with a great view, 5 minutes from home and only takes an hour (40 mins at a run).

Damn it!
Like one of those large 45 year old guys that dresses up like sailor moon and wishes they were a hot 16 year old girl dressing up like sailor moon, I wish I could write like this:
Worst Analogies ever written in high school essays - good for a laugh

Well, the ordeal is over, I had my emergency root canal yesterday while on (a drug similar to) Rohypnol.
The scary thing about Rohypnol isn't what is happening to you while you are on the drug, it's all the hideously embarrassing things you do and say in your drugged out state that you never remember the next day.
Let me just ask all the ladies out there, you wouldn't think getting waxed before a dental appointment would be important would you?
Well, turns out it is.
Don't ask questions, lets just say, it's really hard to get your pants back on in the dentist's bathroom while on drugs.
They had the thoughtfulness to tell me about it the next day.
You know, in case I forgot.
Anyway, I did manage a blog entry during my trip and I promised to post it, so here it is in all it's gory nonsensical detail:
sept 6th - before appointment:
Hey Helen, type some stuff here. This is the Rohypnol blog experiment. Don't fall asleep without typing!
2:00 PM I wake in the spare bedroom at my parents and begin to type:
as to heousltoothcc sssssssssooei gogi galig m,isaikiiitGH HIHItooigoiy'hos o fibsiaoo99\\\
woer sowwjaghe i deljre
Ptllllllllllllly fsae a sff oi i moly ij ireefiof ge alldu g osdf f f
4:00PM I raise from the dead again I go to the computer and low and behold this isn't the first time I have woken up!
sooo the is't the only tim, I've bee ehere before. gee look at tat, how astute i soud fsae a sf Mollly!It is w about 1 hour later dn I an still drigged as hell but I think slightly more orherent
Iremember te o dy for a log te the drug orre off sand I ws aler during tTHAT WS A DISSTER BARELY AVOIDED,uTHER TH th i WOKE UP AS NORM AL , PACKIG THAT Yi WAS STI;; AT HOME AND HAD MISSED THE APPONTMENT
THEN i GROGGILY REALIZE TA i DIDT RECONIZE TEH ROOm SO i GROGGILLY PANICKED ADN THOUGHT I HAD FEEL ASLEEP AT THE PARENTS
tHEN I R DAWNED ON ME OH ITS OVER YOU DOLT
he orde.'
tHERE WAS OnLY On THING I REMEMBER AnD TAHAT WAS THE PART EWHERE i =HAD TO FEEEL EVERTHING, AGGO, nOT ENOUG DRUG OR FREEZInG, BUT T WAST FOR OF
i AM RAVIOUSE, HAVET EATEDN I 45 HOURS33 IS BASICALLY NUTHIN. (45 hours? really? Truth is I ate 3 meals yesterday)
WELLJUST SHUFFLED TO THE KTCHEN. foud out its the second time I have dow that. The last time i tried to make dinner apparenlty with asparagus with chocolat sauce adn cake mike.well I ca n see at teast these drugs don't help imrove my cooking skills.
I jsut grabbed water and 2 valilla waffers.Thats about as much as I can accomplish right now. took intenese concentration
the freezing is wearing off...ow
hurts better eat y vanillas for its to late.

someoes hammering outsied and I cnt sleep
freexzongs worn off and my head hurts.
Guess Im not that interesting when Im on drugs huh.

I have come to accept a truth about myself.
I need to have an audience before I am moved to blog.
Okay, let me rephrase that.
I need to believe I have an audience before I am moved to blog.
Even an audience of 2.5 (the .5 being my dog)
My super secret blog idea (see blog entry below - dated April 4, 2005, 3:46PM) was a miserable failure with an impressive grand total of two blog entries in one year.
My creativity overfloweth.
The truth is, I like to make people laugh.
Blogging doesn’t bring me much satisfaction unless there is the possibility, however slight, of someone out there, getting a chuckle out of it. Or at least deriving some sort of enjoyment while reading. Although, truth be known, forced reading as a form of punishment would bring me equal satisfaction.
There is also one glaringly obvious flaw in having a super secret blog that no one reads. Famous people never e-mail super secret bloggers.
And they did before the secret blog.
They did!
William Shatner for one was on the verge of e-mailing until he heard I went underground.
(side note – Hello Mr. Shatner, I’m back again, feel free to e-mail)
You might have noticed that my blog is hideously out of date and broken.
Well you might also be wrong.
It’s called ‘Retro’ and it has ‘Character’.
It is my intention to update all the pages, the design and even possibly, the forontes (forum plural). And this time, unlike my previous intentions, it is my intention to follow through on my intentions.
Blogging Experiment #1
Tomorrow I have a dentist appointment. I am one of those cowardly people with extreme dentaphobia (hey, I was born in England). I have actually been known to become violent in the chair.
Gosh!
Partly for my own nerves and partly for the dentist's safety, I have to take rohypnol (yes the date rape drug)during my appointment. Wheeee!
It's great fun and I say a lot of stupid things that I never remember sooo you guessed it! I am going to blog tomorrow while I am on drugs.
If I can remember.
So stay tuned for tomorrows load of gibberish.
Later.

I never fly in my dreams anymore.

Please stay tuned... more to come momentarily.

In light of the “Million Little Lies” fiasco I have decided to change my blog name from Ex Animo (from the heart) to Ex Animo-stly.Wouldn’t want anyone to be confused.

Hey, look at this !
Another Journal entry.
How come it's so easy to write when I am drunk? Oh yes it's becasue I have no shame. I remember now. Yes, folks, I am squiff again. On two coolers. Embarrasing isn't it? Please ignore the typos, it's far to late to speell check at this time. It is nearly 1;00AM Thursday morning and I can't go to bed because I have had one cooler too many. I am jsut chatting with Nodeal in ICQ. It's wierd. Do you know when you meet someone and you feel like you have known them forever. I am talking to N0Deal and I feel like I have been friends for a long time. He probably just has a general creepy stalker feeling I am sure. But rest assured, mine is all warm and fuzzy. I wonder why that happens. It is either that on an unconscious level the person reminds you of someone you have known well or, if you are crazy, there is also the reincarnation /past life theory.
What ever suits you.
I wonder if there is a part of us that is extremely good at reading body language that can judge a person within the first 10 minutes. That is why some people instantly get your hackles up without saying anything.
Or in this case gives you a warm fuzzy friendly feeling without saying anything. You know reincarnation is a stupid theory.
OFFENCE ALERT! Anyone who believes in reincarnation can feel free to be offended. It is stupid because, it just is and I am way too tired and squiff to defend that argument right now. Come back and ask me why tomorrow.