New Wheels, New Season, New Start

Metaphorically, Spring is where everything starts anew, fresh, and anything that's weighing us down is disposed of. For me, this season is a new beginning.

Actually, it was my mum who had reminded me that this is a fresh start. It began when I was informed that my 2002 Saturn SL, 5-speed manual, but plastic, car was being written off. My mum said to me, when we established that I needed to get a replacement set of wheels, that I should think of it as a fresh start. A new car, a new season, a new crack at the work I want to do, which is anything with words (writing, editing, the usual). I guess this also means I should get a new attitude. Well, only because I spent a couple of weeks really bitter, frustrated and under excessive stress.

So, now that a new season is upon us, and I have my 6-speed Mazda 3, I'm well on my way to a fresh, clean beginning. Try to maintain a positive attitude, and go to my happy place more often when I feel my internal pot wanting to boil over. Now all I need to do is find employment in my field (nothing against customs, but it numbs my brain), and I'll be good to go.

Here's to all of you as we embark on our new beginnings.

A Quick Catch-Up

I apologize for being the world's biggest slacker lately. So much has been going on that I've been meaning to write about, I just haven't got myself there. With that said, I seek your forgiveness. As there's a month and a bit of stuff to catch up on, I'm going to give you the Reader's Digest/ Cole's Notes version of events over the last little while.

• I attended an editing seminar the first weekend in February, put on by the Editor's Association of Canada (EAC). I felt like I was sitting in a room with a bunch of old friends, even though I had never met any of them before. There was this really cool lady named Maya, who was from India, studied in England, and who used to work for the United Nations teaching English to Ambassadors and Diplomats. She's seen the world, in all its glory and infamy, and yet, she thought my life was just as interesting as hers, if not more.
• I officially became a member of the Editor's Association of Canada
• The ARB promoted me to Section Editor. I did my editing test after I attended the seminar, and realized just how different I did things this time around. Nice to know that the things I learned went to practical use!
• Like the last few years, I went to the Auto Show in Toronto. If you have a CAA membership, you can get discounted tickets, which is always a bonus since admission to the show is always crazy expensive.
• Had a wonderful lunch date at Yorkdale Mall with the Waterloonatics
• Saw Jack Reacher. It was a pretty good movie, but it was your standard Tom Cruise fare.
• Had cold from Hell #1, where I thought my face and head were going to explode. That kept me home from work for a few days
• I got a purse and a beautiful mix bouquet for Valentine's Day
• Saw A Good Day to Die Hard. Yes, it was ridiculous, and no, it wasn't nearly as good as the original. Though I liked the movie, it seemed to be really short lived. There was so much more that could have been done with it.
• Heading into March, I saw Warm Bodies, the zombie rom-com. It was hilarious! If nothing else, people should see it just for the rockin' soundtrack. Within a 20-minute time period, they played Bruce Springsteen, Guns n' Roses, and The Scorpions.. 
• March 10 was the one-year anniversary of my kid cousin being cancer-free. 
• Went out for a Girl's Night with my mum, aunt and sister, fully complete with drinking, billiards, bowling, poutine, live music, and my sister being a good girl as the designated driver.
• The front driver's corner of my car got cracked up when some dumb-ass in a Subaru Tribeca failed to follow the rules of the road, cutting in front of me to make a left-hand turn when I had the right of way. My record will read not at fault, thankfully, and my Saturn can be saved. The only reason why it survived is because my car is plastic. I can still drive it for the moment, but next week, I'll have a rental while it's in the shop getting some much-needed TLC. As for the Tribeca people, their insurance is going through the roof, and for that, I'm glad, not because I'm a cold, heartless bitch, but because next time, they could end up doing more than $1500-2000 worth of damage to a person's vehicle. The damage could be more severe, or someone could get hurt or killed. Perhaps a spike in their insurance will remind them to think before they act. 
• Cold from Hell #2 reared its ugly head within days of the car crack-up. Doesn't help that I was out in the rain for a while when it happened, in the damp the next day cleaning out my car, a couple of my co-workers are unwell, add that to the stress of the week, and it's no wonder that I could barely speak this morning. Hell, I can barely talk now. Oh well. It should clear up within a couple of days.
• Next week, I get to go see Rock of Ages. I will have to make certain to tell you all about that.

Well, that's the bulk of the update for now. I hope this makes up for my lack of posts over the last little while! Bye for now!