My Perfect Day

5 visits to Starbucks.

5 different drinks...... and none of them had coffee.

Only in Seattle.

My First Boyfriend

You know, I've previously blogged about how much I dislike Facebook - but I think I'm going to have to recant...

See - organising my trip has been made substantially easier due to Facebook (who knew so many of my friends were on it?? especially the friends you can never track down.. (John - if you're reading this: I mean you!)) but that was more like the icing on the cake.

The best thing about Facebook is that my very first boyfriend from high school found me. It was really nice to hear from him. He's happily married with kids - but he saw me so dropped a note to say hello. He has the same sense of humour and was so sweet to me that I remembered why I had liked him so many years ago. Made me feel good. And made me realise that I have good taste!

Facebook - I still think its mostly a popularity contest, but I'm liking it!

46 degrees

No shit.

I was laughing when I first arrived because I had packed relatively summer like clothes - not really thinking about the difference in season from Sydney to LA to Vancouver.  I was pretty sure I was going to have to buy myself a fleece the first night I was here it was so cool.

Apparently I did pack correctly.

Actually - in this heat, you don't really need clothes so I potentially overpacked.  Except - yup, I wouldn't do that.  Besides - although I'm staying with former flatmates - which is great cause its so relaxing and easy to just hang out - clothes are still a requirement...

Hot.  Brain no longer working.  Hot. 

Happy birthday to me!

No - you haven't forgotten - I've just started celebrating early.

This is the year that's all about me (yes, you're right - that's really no different from any other..)

Anyhoo..

So far, the list of presents to me include:
- trip overseas (x2)
- weekend away
- new tv
- some cool new shirt this weekend

but the best of all?

I just bought myself a new car. On the way home while I was on the ferry. (How cool is that? Being on a ferry and buying yourself a car!!!)

I've never owned a new car before.

Okay - I don't officially own it yet - but as of tomorrow I'm doing the final paperwork.

Aren't birthdays great?

The great cracking..

Lately, I've been joking that people are witnessing the great cracking of LJ Ryan. I don't know why, but it's kind of been amusing me.

The truth is - I didn't crack - but I think I came close.

What made me think of that is that today hasn't been a very spectacular day, but it been by far the best worst day I've had in ages.

That doesn't really sound great - but it actually is.

Tragedy has struck!!

My tv is broken.

Or at least I think its broken. It just turns itself off. Randomly.

Or maybe its not random... Maybe its trying to tell me something... Like I watch it too much - or it doesn't like to be stared at....

Tempermental little sh*t!

I could give it up for a while...

Or I could simply go shopping...

If you love me and you know it...

..say hello.

Okay - I'm fessing up front - I've been at the pub too long tonight.

But seriously - I know there are some of you who visit daily and never comment. Why not say hello? Or you can drop me an email.

Don't be shy.

And I've been waiting..

What's the saying? Good things come to those who wait? Yup. Been waiting - so now I'm starting to recount the good...

Yesterday I met my mentor for a cuppa for the first time. Without revealing too much, he's this Irish guy who actually went to the same university as me - but is not Canadian. So, a couple of similarities.

I won't tell you all that we talked about - but I have to admit - just one coffee made me feel hopeful. He gave me some really good advice - but more important than that, he summed me up in less than 45 minutes - so he gets me. So something friends of mine haven't been able to do in years of knowing me (there are some exceptions) he did in less than an hour.

Impressive.

He seemed to understand (though I did tell him) that I need help navigating the politics without compromising who I am. He got it. We're similar in some ways - but he's way more polished than me. I could learn a lot - and seeing as I'm ready to listen and actively asking advice - I think it could be good.

Two comments on where my weaknesses/development areas may be, comments I don't want to forget (and ones that were amazingly accurate) were:

• I take any form of rejection very, very hard
• my outer skin is paper thin

I've been given homework - which I will do tonight.

As I said earlier - good things come to those who wait.

I think this is a good thing.