Well, moving day is getting closer and closer! The packing has begun now in earnest. I've already got my kitchen and bathroom completely set up in the new apartment, but there's still much, much more to move. :-)

The sad news is that Zorana and I won't be able to make our Paris trip as planned. Long story, but it just doesn't work out for next month. So I'll just have to do my clothes shopping here in Toronto instead! Not nearly as glamorous, I know, but I still need to buy some new clothes. :-)

I am finished with the skating lessons! We had our final lessons this past weekend. It was fun, but I'm not at all sorry that it's done and I can have my weekends back!

Susan and I are going to make some purchases towards our Scotland trip tomorrow! Today we booked at the Picadilly Backpacker's hostel in London - looks like an *amazing* location. Hope it turns out well! I'll update with the rest of our news once we've actually got the tickets in hand. :-)

I read Wicked over the weekend, and it is so different from the musical! I mean, there's hardly anything in common besides the character's names. The book is definitely much darker and more depressing. I did enjoy it though (much more than Mirror, Mirror!), and I still enjoy the musical as well, as its own entity.

Alright, back to the packing! Only a few more days until I've really got my life back, and I can start answering email again. :-)

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Date: February 19, 2004
Time: 5:27 p.m.
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Wow - this week has been insanely busy! I can't even tell you how much I'm looking forward to the end of next week. :-)

Anyway, I'm now officially living in two different apartments! :-) I got the keys to the new place on Tuesday, and moved myself and Tiger over there, with a few essentials for living. Most of my stuff is still in the old place though, which is where I am now, doing some laundry and packing some more things up. The official move date isn't until the 28th, but I'm hoping to be able to take quite a bit over before then, on the subway.

All of this means even less time for updating and emailing though! I'll have my computer over at the new apartment and hooked up on the 29th, so I'll try to get caught up from that point on.

Susan and I went to see Mamma Mia! last night. It was her first time seeing it, and my first time with the new cast. Overall I quite enjoyed the cast, especially the guy playing Harry! There are still moments that make me laugh after 9 times seeing it, so that's a good thing!

Work is frustrating me greatly at the moment, which isn't helping my overall stress level!

However, I am really excited about the new apartment. The space is smaller than where I am now, so it will be a little cramped at first, until I'm used to it. It has an incredible view though! And the building is sooo nice, with the pool, and the nicest laundry room I've ever seen! Plus, the five minute walk to work can't be beat. I'm getting up an hour later in the morning! *And*, when I picked up the keys, they gave me a welcome basket!

Alright, I better get back to the packing and everything. I'll try to update at least once more before the move!

Oh, and just for Zorana, I must mention our upcoming trip to Paris again. :-) Hopefully we'll know by this weekend exactly which dates we are going! I can't wait!!

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Date: February 12, 2004
Time: 7:22 p.m.
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My attempt to make it look like I'm updating...

You're... "Stars"
Stars in your multitudes, Scarce to be counted, filling the darkness With order and light-- You're an anthem to obsession and old-fashioned family values. Eek. Yet you're deeply poetic. What's Your Les Miz Themesong?

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Date: February 12, 2004
Time: 10:33 a.m.
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Just a quick note to say that I finished my Scotland website! Hope you like it!

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Date: February 7, 2004
Time: 7:43 p.m.
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I am soooooo tired. Not to mention behind on everything I'm supposed to be doing. Especially email (my apologies to everyone!). I couldn't really figure out why this weekend job makes me feel like I have so much less time - until I realized exactly how much less time I have! Basically, I am spending 13 hours every week on this job, between being at the rink and travelling to and from the rink. That's a *lot* of time that I used to spend on email, or website updating, or just relaxing. So you'll just have to bear with me for a few more weeks, until things are back to normal!

This week was the European championships, which were in Budapest, which made me want to go back to Budapest. :-) Anyway, I'm *thrilled* with the men's result - Brian Joubert won! Yay!!

Now hopefully he'll carry it through to Worlds, unlike last year. Since Jeff won't be there, I've got to have somebody to cheer for! My predictions for worlds will follow a little closer to the event. :-)

I may have something to look forward to in March now besides Worlds too! Zorana and I had been talking about going to Buffalo to do some clothes shopping, since I'm saving $500 on my rent in March. Well, last week she decided we shouldn't go to Buffalo after all - we should go to Paris! And who am I to disagree? ;-) So that's the plan for now - one weekend in March, we're going to fly to Paris after work on a Friday night, spend Saturday shopping, and fly home Sunday afternoon (hopefully after Mass at Sacre Coeur). True, this might be a little crazy...but at least it will make the time I spent a 4 day weekend in Germany seem a little more normal! :-)

There have also been some developments in the planning of the Scotland trip - I'm planning on making a little page devoted to that trip and all its nuances in the near future, so keep an eye out for that!

On top of all this, there's also moving to think about! I've got myself some slaves...er, I mean volunteers...to help with the actual moving day, and I've booked some time off work before to pack. I can't wait to be all settled in at the new place! By the time the end of this month comes, with being at the new apartment, being finished with the skating lessons, and (hopefully!) getting a nice bonus from work, I should be very happy!!

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Date: February 2, 2004
Time: 6:47 a.m.
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Just for fun - found these on Marloes' site - first of all, places I've been in the world:

create your own visited country map

That's 10 countries, or 4% of the countries in the world. (Canada, the U.S., Australia, the U.K., Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Denmark and France). There will be a lot more red after I make it to Russia next year. :-)

And then, the U.S. states that I've been to:

I've been to 29 of the 50 states - I think it's pretty obvious which parts of the country I haven't hit yet. :-)

A real entry to come later - I've got to go get ready for work now!