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I was supposed to spend some time cleaning the dojo this weekend, but VP was so disorganized that we didn't accomplish anything at all. She was late, didn't have a to-do list, didn't have the materials for the things she wanted us to do. We ended up pissing around with a time-consuming repair task that we don't actually have the knowledge or material to do properly - sewing the holes in the crash mats - so the work we did do will probably come apart as soon as it gets used. She seemed to think I would be willing to stay all day, but I bowed out at 11 AM, saying I had stuff to do. I got up at 6:30 for that?

It feels kind of silly to still be annoyed about it a couple days later, but it ate up a lot of my precious free time in order to accomplish absolutely jack shit, and now here I am on Monday morning wishing I didn't have to go to work because I lost out on part of my weekend. I really, really hate it when people waste my time.

On the upside, I do think I managed to get it through to her in our discussion that I am not that dedicated and that judo is not my life. I have other hobbies. I'm trying to cut back and do less. If she wants capital C level of Commitment in terms of volunteering for the club, she will have to look to the competitors and their parents, because I am not going to do that.

My thoughts on the whole christmas thing are "Well, glad that's over with!"

Except it's not quite done, because someone gave my tech-illiterate parents a digital photo frame that hooks up to bluetooth or something, so I need to go over to their place tomorrow to set it up. Ugh.

...But it's almost over with! And then I can be done with it for another year! Fucking finally.

Today was so busy. Like, so busy. And I didn't finish everything that I wanted to finish.

I feel kind of bad about that, but on the other hand, I think my goals were a little unrealistic.

I did a bunch of errands, went to a yoga class, made cookies, and did some chores. I also wanted to relax, but that didn't really work out.

I have the 24th off and I'm really looking forward to it.

+ Dad came over and installed a new faucet. I now have a working kitchen sink, hooray.

+ Went to the Wood Buffalo Pride craft and chat session. Very fun! It was basically just a "bring along whatever you're working on, have a coffee, and talk to people" kind of thing. I worked on some bug drawings and they turned out pretty well. No idea when I will be able to get off my arse to scan them, but hey.

+ Watched The Tale of Princess Kaguya last night. Very beautiful movie! Definitely recommend!

+ An acquaintance loaned me a fountain pen so I could try it out. I was interested but a little hesitant, because my experience with Fancypants Pens up to this point hasn't been great (though admittedly previous experience was limited to glass dip pens. And also calligraphy pens in elementary school art class). This one's quite nice, though. It's a Pilot Metropolitan and I might end up getting one for myself. Though, will need more practice - my writing is even uglier and more illegible with this thing than it was with the cheap-ass Bic rollerballs I use most of the time. If I get one of my own, it'll probably be something I use for both writing and drawing. Maybe. Probably not for fic though.

+ I will confess though, part of my interest in fountain pens (aside from this acquaintance's enthusiasm about them, which is kind of cute) is the wide variety of fancy inks out there. So pretty! So stylish! You can even get shimmery purple ones! Amazing.

+ It was absolutely miserable out yesterday. I took a look at the weather in the morning and it was -38C after windchill. Eew. A lot of events in town were cancelled because it was so cold - though that isn't just us, apparently several other cities had to cancel their Santa Claus parades and whatnot as well. Looks like we'll be dealing with this for a while. The transit stop that I use after work doesn't have a bus shelter any more, so it's going to be a very cold week.

+ The faucet on my sink has a crack in it and is going to need to be replaced. This is a terrible time for it, partly because this time of year is busy in general and also because I will not be able to take any time off work until mid-January because my coworker is leaving very soon for a month (there are only two of us in my department), so if I have to get somebody in to change it out it could be an issue. A cursory search tells me that this kind of thing can theoretically be handled as a DIY; my father is coming over this afternoon to take a look at it. Hopefully he can fix it (or maybe he knows a guy who can). Aughhh.

+ Wood Buffalo Pride is hosting another letter-writing session later this week in response to the UCP's Bill 9. I'm 50/50 on whether I'll go. I already wrote to Danielle Smith and my MLA, and I doubt a second letter to either of them would have an effect. But I've been kind of considering writing to other MLAs, not from my area, who have been objecting to Bill 9, thanking them for that and encouraging them to continue. I'm thinking mainly of Janis Irwin, who has been very outspoken against it and has been getting so much shit in response (though she tends to piss off conservatives on the regular no matter what, on account of being 1. an NDP representative 2. a member of the LGBT community 3. a woman who speaks her mind, is articulate, and doesn't look like a Barbie doll). I dunno, we'll see - depends on whether I feel like hauling ass to go out again immediately after coming home from work, I guess.

Today I cleaned, went to my massage appointment, dropped my autumn coat off at the tailor's for repairs, and went to the judo club annual general meeting. (And I also managed to find time to paint my nails.)

The massage was interesting. Mostly it was a standard type, but it also incorporated Thai-style massage elements, where the massage therapist moves parts of your body into various positions. I kind of liked it, though if I were a less flexible person I think I might have found it challenging. Not sure if I will book that type again, though. I'm more of a full-throttle deep tissue kind of person.

The general meeting wasn't much of note. We discussed some fundraising. And also there'll be some stuff going on in December - cleaning up the dojo, also a christmas party. It was pointed out we should probably have the party before we do the cleaning.

+ I passed a vehicle on fire the other day. I was coming out of the supermarket parking garage, and headed up by the Petrocan, and saw a car on fire in the parking lot. There was a firetruck already there. Quite shocking to see that - I mean, it's not something you see everyday. Since it was in a gas station parking lot, I'm assuming the fire had something to do with gassing up. Yikes.

+ I've been poking around for info about the above, but haven't been able to find anything. I really miss our local newspaper; it used to be pretty good.

+ I've been a little stressed out this weekend. It's hard to start things, hard to finish things. It might be because the apartment is a little too cold - I just don't want to move at all. But the heating in here only has two settings really; "kinda cold" and "HEAT FULL BLAST". Terrible.

+ I have this upcoming Friday off. I do have an optometrist appointment in the morning, but the rest of the day is all for me. I'm looking forward to it.

+ There was something else I was going to say, but now I don't remember what it was.

+ On a completely unrelated note, my favourite lotion company does make refills of their stuff, but not of my favourite scent. Disappointing. :V

I went to a pride meetup yesterday and I wish I had not.

It took up a lot of my afternoon, and at the end I kind of felt that I would have enjoyed myself more if I had stayed home.

I keep doing social things that I think I should because I figure they would be good for me, but so often it's underwhelming and I finish with nothing to show for it, wishing I had stayed home instead.

I'm going to keep trying, but ugh.

On the upside I did find out more information about the next free yoga session; I had thought it would be at a time I couldn't make, but it changed and now I can go.

Put together some notes for my doctor appointment on Friday. Hopefully we'll be able to get to the bottom of certain issues.

Did some chores. Feel productive.

Work was exhausting, but that's okay.

I took off all of afternoon on Friday, even though I don't need the whole afternoon for that appointment. I think I deserve it.

Looking forward to the lecture on Thursday night, but I think I'll be very tired. Not sure what to do for supper. Maybe I'll get something at Subway; that'd be nice.

+ Coworker had an unplanned week-long absence last week. Unfortunately it was very busy. He's back now and I'm glad.

+ Went to brother's birthday dinner today. Had to skip judo.

+ Had my tires switched over last week. The place I took the car to noted that there was something wrong with boot, something that will need to be fixed. Axle replacement, something like that. I'm going to take it in this week for an inspection just to make sure there isn't anything else wrong that we missed. Then the week after that, probably, will be to get the axle fixed.

+ I have so many Things To Do coming up in the next 2-3 weeks that just looking at my schedule makes me feel exhausted.