Poem Published!

Oh wow, I totally missed this, but I had a poem up on Everyday Poets on March 12. I thought I would get an email to let me know when it was going up, but I didn't so I'm glad I check today. You can read it here:

http://www.everydaypoets.com/gravity-by-kristy-stops/

I need to join the FA

Frugaholics Anonymous that is. I am eating an alarming amount of fruit lately! Good thing I'm a cheap bastard who rakes all the local chinese groceries for bargains or I'd be spending a small fortune. Take today for instance. I have eaten:

1 nectarine
1/4 Papaya
Large number of strawberries
1 banana
1 mango
1/2 a pineapple

I think the main reason is that I've discovered the joy of a massive fruit smoothie for breakfast. It's like kicking off your morning with dessert! My fave combo:

1 peach
1 banana
4 strawberries
1/4 cup papaya
1 kiwi fruit
1 tspn flaxseed oil
1 tbspn supergreens powder (there are different brands out there)
1 1/2 tbspn hemp protein
2 capsules of acidopholous
1/4 cup of water

I could seriously eat this for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but I'd probably get the runs!

Why is this so difficult??

So, my husband and I have recently decided to look for some part-time work. We want to pay off our credit card and car loan, and get some savings built up, and we can't really do that with our income at the moment (WHY is rent in Vancouver so high? Well, if you have pets that is).

But here's the thing: apparently everyone else has the same idea. It's quite ridiculous actually. You show up at some restaurant for an $8/hr dishwashing job at find out that 25 schmucks have beat you to it (even though the ad was only posted on craigslist 2 hours ago). Really, we've been applying for about 15 jobs a day between the two of us (delivery, kitchen and server for Kyle - he can only work nights, and admin, barista, server and retail for myself). But so far nothing but a couple of interviews. It's crazy. One company actually posted a message a few days after they had posted a job ad saying that they had received over 300 applications, so could people stop sending them. 300!!!

By the way, Kyle has retail, dishwashing and delivery experience, and I have lots of office admin and customer service experience so it's not like we're bad candidates. I guess things are just a little desperate out there.

If anyone has any (legal) work for us, drop a line! I'll do any type of work (I mean, I do wipe dogs butts for a living - once you've expressed an anal gland you can do anything).

Cat Scratch Fever

I have it. No really. I got mauled by a cat at work, and the next day my hand swelled up like a balloon and I had pains shooting down my arm to my shoulder. I went to the doctor when my lymph nodes started getting tender, and am now on some mean antibiotics. You see, in most adults the disease (caused by bacteria under the cat's claws) is very mild, and develops slowly 5-10 days after you get scratched. But as I am a type 1 diabetic this whole process took a few hours!

Kyle and I haven't been out much lately, but this weekend was really busy. We went to a company bowling thing on Friday at grandview lanes (on Commercial and E 6th http://www.grandviewlanes.com/) which is an awesome old place that's been around since 1947. We were all upstairs in the laser bowling area, but downstairs there was this huge group of old Japanese folk having some kind of tournemant. They had this stack of bills on the table with them that must have been at least 5 grand. I have no idea what they were doing but I wanted in! Too bad I don't speak Japanese.... Anyway, we left at 10:30 when everyone had reached that happy stage of drunkeness where giant sweaty men were professing the love for eachother in extravagent kokanee flavoured terms.

Afterwards I took Kyle to my new favourite coffee shop on Commercial and E 2nd Ave - Cafe Calabria. I have to say that it's a bit pricy, but the espresso is rich and dark and STRONG, it has an almost spicy taste that I love. And the two brothers that work there are awesome, always have a smile and a flirtatious comment for the ladies (though I have heard they're a little morose with the gentleman. But hey, I'm young and female so it doesn't bother me!). But anyway, the reason to go is the atmosphere! The places is chocoblock full of cheesy Italian statuary - plaster nudes, wax figures, fake suits of armour. Oh and every available wall and ceiling space is covered in murals and black and white hollywood posters and photos. This sounds like a strange combo, but one of the family members is an actor and kung fu artist who starred in a bunch of action movies back in the 90s! (http://www.vincemurdocco.com/). Cafe Calabria is also the oldest Italian cafe in Vancouver.

Tonight we went to a dance party thrown by one of our friends in Burnaby. It was great catching up with tons of folks we haven't seen for at least a year. Highlight of the night - an old friend and I ambushed Kyle "night at the roxbury" style on the dance floor. Good times. Also, one of my friends who writes great Sci-Fi novels just got an agent! I'm so excited for him! I don't think he has a website up yet, but when he does I'll post it so you can check it out.

Right, I'm off to nurse my aching infected hand and watch Lost reruns.

Store Review: The Jean Queen

This weekend I took my little sister shopping. She's 12 years old, gorgeous, and just getting to the size and height to buy her first woman's size clothing. I've been dieing to take her on a sister-sister shopping trip for, I don't know, her entire LIFE, but this is the first time she's ever shown an interest in clothes. So we set off on sunday afternoon armed with $150 and 12 years of repressed shopping energy.

The challenge: My sister is 5'1 and a size 00 - where was I going to find grown up clothes that small?

I'd read the other day about a store on my street called The Jean Queen. The review said that they carry a wide range of styles in all sizes - petite to plus size. The clothes on their website looked pretty fun so it seemed as good a place as any to start.

As soon as we walked in I was assaulted by colour. The room was filled with every imaginable hue, and the walls and windows were lined with impossibly hip and eclectic ensembles. I also immediately noticed the two store clerks - two beautiful young woman, one about 5'2 and a size 1 or 2, and the other tall and curvy and around a size 16, so that was promising. Both were as impossibly stylish as the displays, and I wanted to immediately place myself in their hands and tell them to restructure my entire wardrobe. But alas the day was not about my shopping needs!

I approached the petite girl and asked for help with my sister. She pointed out the different areas of the store. They have a sizable clearance section, where I snagged a cute pair of embroidered jeans for my sister for $18. Their huge collection covers everything from lingerie and accessories to casual to night out on the town to office attire, and each section of the store is divided into two areas - small (size 00 - 12) and curvy (size 14 - 20). They also carry some junior sizes, which are around 00 - 6 but have a shorter leg and waist (great for 10-14 year olds). My sister wanted an outfit that she could dress up in, that was grown up without being age inappropriate. The shop clerk came back in about 2 minutes with a gorgeous high waisted black pencil skirt ($35), and a simple grey button down shirt with a small frill down the front ($22). My little sister fell in love with the outfit the minute she put it on, and I was pretty much dumfounded when I saw her. She looked like she had stepped off the cover of a magazine.

I really recommend this store to anyone. It's so great to find a store that has fashionable, good quality clothing for all body types and at reasonable prices. I'll definitely be going back soon!

http://www.thejeanqueen.ca/

2277 Commercial Drive

Vancouver

Monday to Saturday 11-7pm

Sunday 12-6pm

Note: I was not paid to write this review, nor did I receive any merchandise or services in return for writing it.

What I'm reading online part 2

I found a link to this awesome website at www.vancouverisawesome.com, and now I'm totally hooked:

www.everydayfiction.com

The website features a new flash fiction (a short story of less than 1000 words) every day. I find the choices of stories very diverse, and its fun to be able to get a daily dose of fiction that can be read in a couple of minutes. Anyway check it out.

What I'm reading online....

I've recently discovered a cool online news magazine produced here in BC. I find many of the articles thought provoking and entertaining. The comments section often includes interesting rejoinders and some lively intellectual debates. I've recognized some of the journalists from other newspapers I've read, such as the Vancouver Province and Sun. Anyway, stop by and subscribe if you have a chance, and support some high quality independent journalism.

http://thetyee.ca