Return of The Guy

So. I have been doing really well lately. I'm tentative to say it, but I do feel like I am over The Guy.

Finally!!

At LONG LAST!!

I definitely think the Australian I met in Vegas helped me out a great deal. I mean, yes we had a wonderful night together. But at the same time, he showed me there were better guys out there for me, that actually liked me, that I could possibly end up with. He gave me more in one night than The Guy ever could in 3 years.

So, there's that.

But there's a party this weekend that The Guy is throwing, and he invited me to go. I told him I was not going to make it. He wrote back, "Ok."

But then yesterday he texted with, "I really want you to come this weekend."

I replied telling him that I have been happier than I've been in a long time and that the last thing I needed right now was to go to some party to see him and his boyfriend together, so no thank you very much and have a great time.

He wrote back saying that he planned this party on a weekend purposely knowing that his boyfriend would be out of town.

WHAT? Why? Why would he do that?

Will I be going to this party this weekend? Yes, I do believe I will. But not for the reasons you might think. I am going because I want to give myself some closure. I am going so I can tell him to his face that I think he is a coward.

I am going so I can show him how happy I am. I am going so I can say goodbye.

YVR: Next To Normal, VIFF, and CBC LIVE Vancouver

So I did take a break from my Game of Thrones-a-thon and made it out to some live theatre on Sunday afternoon with Emily.



We hit up the Stanley to take in the local production of the modern musical Next To Normal.

This is the hard to swallow story about a woman having a nervous breakdown due to a family tragedy 18 years in the making. The music and story are all original, which is rare these days in the times of musicals based on movies. I saw the Broadway production of this with the one and only Aaron Tveit, as well as Tony award winner Alice Ripley. I have to say though, Vancouver does this proud. The production at the Stanley is probably the best show I've ever seen there. It only runs till Oct 9, so you best get your tickets fast!

I'm really busy with work these days, so it's amazing that I even got to go watch this musical on the weekend. I spent Saturday morning talking to a bunch of Future Shop employees about donations and how they can impact their community. Today I was at their head office for a big kick off party, tomorrow I'll be speaking to the folks at Canada Revenue, and then Wednesday I have to stand in front of a bunch of firefighters. GULP. But I am LOVING IT.



In addition, I'm also doing volunteer work for the Vancouver International Film Festival! It's always my favourite time of year, and with a volunteer pass in hand, it's even better! There are so many films I want to go see this year! I'll have to blog about them, if only for "outreach" and "publicity" purposes.

And this Friday, there will be a big event over at CBC Vancouver! It's the kick off to Cultural Days, and will feature tons of CBC celebrities and a live concert! Check out the schedule here!

TV: Game of Thrones

I haven't blogged in a long while, let alone about television. I've been trying to make the blog more personal, more intimate, rather than just blog about music, movies, and eating, which is what I used to do. But it's not my fault if that's all I seem to do! I have watched some good movies and some bad movies lately, but I haven't felt the need to broadcast it widely to you all.

And with the new TV season in full swing, I'm busy watching shows to see if I like any. So far, Zooey Deschanel's New Girl on FOX is at the top of my list. It is QUITE enjoyable.



However, the one show I spent the entire weekend watching was HBO's Game of Thrones. I know I'm late to the table with this, but if you get a chance to watch it and if you're a fan of fantasy, then this will delight you to no end. I was riveted from the 1st to the last episode of Season 1, and now I can't wait for the next season!

Anyhow, I'm not a huge fantasy fan, but I can occasionally get in the mood. This show quenches that thirst in a big way! So yeah, that's what I did most of my weekend. How about you?

What Happens in Vegas...

Hi Peeps!! Did you miss me?

I was in Vegas for four days this past week! But before I get to that, I should let you know that my current job is so wonderful, I can't believe how fulfilled and happy I feel. Yes, I don't know what the fuck I'm doing half the time. And Yes it's completely stressful. But I LOVE IT. Doing good charity work like this makes me feel so good! And the other week, we spent a few days listening to each other's stories. We have to do speeches at workplaces about why one should donate, and many of the people's stories had us all in tears. It was an exhausting afternoon, but oh so amazing at the same time. Whether it was a woman telling us about the child abuse she suffered and the domestic abuse she lived through later as an adult, or a man who was assaulted by his aunt when he was a young boy and grew up to become a violent gang member going in and out of jail and now delivering speeches at high schools about his experience and inspiring young people to not go home and commit suicide, all the stories were so emotional and impactful and real and honest and absolutely ripe with the strength of the human soul.

So to have taken 3 days off from all this was hard for me because I ACTUALLY LIKE MY JOB! And I'm gonna hate it come Christmas when I have to go back to my real job telling people to restart their goddamn computers all day.

But, my trip to Vegas was booked and we had a superb deal for only $355, we got roundtrip airfare PLUS 3 nights hotel stay at the PARIS in Vegas!!



We ate at numerous buffets, walked the strip, did some major shopping at the outlet mall and the Fashion Show Mall...



... we did some spa treatments at Caesar's Palace, where the alarm system kept going off, which forced management to discount our massages by 50% as well as giving us day passes to come back and hang out in the spa (which we totally did, and took advantage of the Roman mineral baths, herbal steam rooms, and heated tile lounge chairs!)



We spent one evening watching Cirque du Soleil's ZUMANITY, which is its sex themed show, dubbed the "naughty side of Cirque"... it was funny, but not for everybody...



However, on another night, we saw Cirque du Soleil's KA, which literally BLEW OUR MINDS!!!! YOU MUST GO SEE KA!!!!



Also in Vegas, I met a man. We had corresponded online prior to me getting there. Originally from Australia and living in Africa, it just so happened he would be in town too, so we met up. And it was amazing. We didn't sleep at all that night, and if we did, it was with me cuddled up right next to him, which I've never really had before. It was truly one of the most memorable nights of my life. We stayed up in his suite on the 28th floor at the MGM Signature, and we watched the Nevada lightning storms rolling through the sky at 1am.

He's now back down under for the time being, heading back to Africa next month, and off to London in November. Meanwhile, I'm back home here in rainy Vancouver (summer is officially over it feels!) and I miss him terribly. I know it's silly to pine for someone so many miles away that I've only met once, but I very rarely have these types of connections and I'm glad we are keeping in touch for the time being. Who knows if this will go anywhere or nowhere? All I know is that it has definitely helped me get over The Guy just that much more, because it's showing me that there are others out there that are meant for me. This man gave me in one night what The Guy could not give to me in 3+ years. I just hope that this time, what happens in Vegas doesn't just stay in Vegas...

Sleazy

So last night Alexis and I went to the Ke$ha concert - the "Get Sleazy" tour. We knew we were in for something special when we arrived at the stadium to a huge line snaking around the corner. I'd never been to a show before where you had to line up to get in! Normally it's busy but people are bustling through no problem. Ah, but yes, we were at Ke$ha. And that means: booze in everyone's purse!!

The couple in front of us had a mickey of Vodka and when they realized they were gonna get checked, they started downing that along with a can of Coke. Classy!! We watched in amazement as they tried to finish the mickey but ultimately couldn't, so the guy stuck it down his pants. I wonder if they managed to sneak it in.

We were truly amazed by all the hooch we were witnessing. "I think I saw lip," Alexis kept saying. "Is that her labia!?!"

So yeah... that was the kind of night we were in for, and so obviously we needed to get our drink on! 2 Coronas, a beer, and 2 Mike's Hard Lemonades later, we were throwing it down with the rest of 'em! Aside from the out of left field Wilson Phillips ditty Hold On, our summer song for 2011 was definitely Ke$ha's BLOW!



When she sang that, the roof nearly blew right off! It was stellar. It was early on too in the show! She did all her hits, but it was her lesser known songs that brought out those of us who really knew her music. In front of us were a pair of baby gays, who were equally as excited as us when she hit the stage with a track from her first album that should have been a single but wasn't. I'm talking "Dinosaur" bitches!



Perhaps the most memorable moment of the night was during the song "Grow a Pear" which is about a guy who doesn't have the balls for Ke$ha, and "when you grow a pair, you can call me back..." Bring up some poor audience member to be tied to a chair and verbally assaulted, throw in a dancing PEAR, and top it off with a giant dancing Penis, complete with testicles. It was amazing. Especially when Ke$ha got on her knees in front of Mr Penis and motorboated the balls for a good while! I couldn't find a good Vancouver clip, but here's one from another show she did and yes, it's just plain inspiring, is it not?



Thank you Ke$ha for bringing out the sleaze in all of us!!!

Hold On For One More Day

Well here we are at the beginning of September.

It's been busy the past while, which is why I haven't had much time to blog.

My new job at United Way begins. I've just gone through the ringer with a week of training under my belt, and another week of fine-tuning coming up. After that, it's all hands on deck and balls to the wall, so I'm expecting to be horrendously busy. But I guess that will be a good thing, to keep my mind distracted.

I've heard from The Guy. He's back from his trip, and we've swapped text messages here and there. I talked to him on the phone this past weekend, and it hurled me back into the spin cycle of emotions. I know I need to get over him, get past this, but it's just SO HARD. I'm ever so slowly coming to the realization that he is not the one for me and never was, though for the past three years he was the only thing that occupied my heart.

Dating sucks and I'm ready to give up trying altogether. It just feels like nobody out there wants me, so why bother. I'm trying to not be bitter, but I know this sounds completely bitter. Oh well.

Friends Joe and Momma are both visiting from Toronto, so their presence has been a much needed distraction for me. It's great to see them, and they both leave in a day or two, so I will have to busy myself again socially with others.

I saw Wilson Phillips last week at the local fair, and it was brilliant! I was right up at the front, and during the encore, Chynna Phillips whipped her blonde hair and pointed her finger directly at me, while singing, "Hold on for one more day! And things will go your way!" Yes, Chynna. I WILL. I will hold on for one more day!