I'm trying

Okay, if you have never met me in person, you will not know that I rarely show excitement. Not sure why that is but many have commented on it. It has to be pretty big for me to jump up and down and at least smile. Smiling causes wrinkles anyway.

Anyway. There's a breaststroke swim clinic at UBC in December and it's run by Joszef Nagy who is Annamay Pierce's coach . He has also coached Mike Barrowman, Olympic champion and world record holder. Nagy invented the "wave" breaststroke style. He's famous, world renowned! And I'm going! I don't even know what else to say about it. I'm excited!

Pierse credits the arrival of acclaimed swimming coach Joszef Nagy as being instrumental in her recent success.
Pierse describes Nagy as "a genius when it comes to breaststroke." He sees every little thing we are doing in the pool and technically coaches us to be the best in the world," she says.

I need a new swimsuit now!

I'm definitely fighting off some bug. Feel really tired and a bit achy. Chilled too. Could be hormones. Could be the dreary weather. Could be overtraining as well. Swimming is going so well and I've been running a lot too. Tonight I will do hot yoga and try to sweat out my stresses. My boss is also ill with a viral infection, not sure if it's H1N1. Listening to CBC radio this morning I learned that often it is not the flu that kills but other complications such as bacterial pneumonia. This is good news for me, because I've had the pneumococcal vaccine, and it is good for life. After my experience living through the SARS epidemic in China (that was exciting and scary) when I returned to Canada I started taking seasonal flu shots and this one time pneumonia vaccine. Since then I have only had very minor colds lasting a few days. Before that I would get a major cold or the flu every year and then as a complication, bronchitis or pneumonia. The last lung infection I had was 8 years ago, and it lasted for months. I ended up having to take asthma medication to stop the coughing and crackling in my chest. Never again.

I'm not fearful at all about getting the H1N1 vaccination. Can't get it for another week anyway. Wondering if I need it since I've already been exposed to it by at least five people. We'll see.

many important people were born!

She is woman, Helen Reddy.

Mrs.Cunningham, Marion Ross

Pablo Picasso

Minnie Pearl...golly!

Johann Strauss

Bizet

Little Billy Barty

And most importantly, Big Mike B.!

Happy Birthday!

I watched a very telling documentary on CBC's The Fifth Estate Tonight

Strangers in Paradise is the story of the lure, seduction and potential addiction of creating a “second life” online. Imagined lives in a virtual world, where users can make their dreams come true — what could possibly be wrong with that? For some, a lot. The fallout of a fictional virtual life can have far-reaching repercussions for their real lives.

Millions of people worldwide visit the Second Life site; 2.5 million are registered users. Through the online game they explore their fantasies by creating their own “avatar”—a user’s idealized persona that embodies the physique and personality of his or her dreams. Want to be better looking, have more money, live in a mansion, travel to exotic places, have the wedding and honeymoon you felt you never had? Second Life makes all that possible in the virtual world. It costs real money in the real world to play this game, but there may be another expense: the cost to players’ real lives. Some players would rather spend more time online in this virtual world than living their real lives.

I was shocked watching this documentary. I have a couple of friends that play online games such as World of Warcraft, and they have tried to convince me how entertaining it is. I'm not convinced and I'm more than worried when they tell me how many hours a day they play these "games". These men are very intelligent, successful, but very addicted. I must admit I like to play computer games too, maybe playing for an hour a day, but sometimes a bit more. I rationalize it by telling people these are intelligent games...or that they are relaxing games such as certain card games. When I really critique myself severely, I don't see these kinds of games too much different than spending an hour on a difficult crossword puzzle, playing a game of solitaire or crib. I've never played any online fantasy games though. hmm.

I wish I could give you link to watch this show. Maybe there will be one later; I'll continue looking for it. Usually the Fifth Estate posts full shows later on.

Anyway, do any of you play these kinds of games? Be honest. I'm interested why people play these games.

I need to tell you somethingk

Wait until after this.

Ohhhh But I really need to tell you now.

Can't it wait?

But I'll forget.

Ok ok. I really want to hear it anyway.

So my Super Mario came today and my mom says I can't try on the moustache and then I can't get a picture then for you to see the costume so yeah I can't try it on...

But you tried on the rest?

yeah but not the moustache but the stomach is cool because Mario is kinda fat and then the stomach pumps up it's kinda like a balloon and you pump it up blow it up with some air over your stomach like this but I can't do the moustache so you can't see it.

So you can wear the moustache for Halloween though?

uh, yeah, I guess

Well, if your mom takes a picture I'd love to see it , is it a pretty cool costume?

Yeah it's pretty sweet.

What's your sister going to be?

A banana.

A banana?

Yeah, and there's spots on it too.

So she's a ripe banana?

Uh yeah I guess. But I can't wear my moustache yet. You know there's some houses that give out cans of pop? Like whole cans of pop!

oh dear, whole cans of pop eh?