This year Jenny and Aaron, veteran Winterluders, invited us along to Ottawa. Jenny booked hubby and I at the Alanbury House Bed & Breakfast, complete with resident cat Penelope and jacuzzi tub. It was wonderful.

We skated, ate Beavertails, saw a great trampoline exhibition by the Canadian Olympic skiiers and snowboarders.

I finally committed and bought a snowboard. I went to The Lounge on the recommendation of my friend Tony (who designed their website). I was told to talk to Josh. I walked in, met Josh, gave him my backstory (still a beginner, don't want to fall, etc.)... he walked over to the rack of snowboards and pulled out the Solace by Ride, made especially for women....

When I saw the beautiful little pandas staring up at me... the clouds parted, angels sang, and the heavens spoke, "this is the chosen one".

Josh pulled out a couple more less pricey options, but I'll be honest, given that the techie specs of the board seemed to fit my needs better, I was willing to pay extra for cuteness. I don't think I had a choice. The snowboard had chosen me.

I haven't had a chance to ride it yet, but even if I never ride it, just looking at it brings me happiness. I may just hang my zen board on the wall in my living room and use it for art instead of sport.

It truly is a thing of beauty.

Be Like Mike.... 's Sister

If you want breast accoutriments like Janet Jackson, search no longer.... you can buy them at Tribalectic.com (attaching barbell sold separately).

Even though I bought a snowboard this weekend, I can't help but wish with all my heart and soul that this was me, at Monkey Mia resort in Australia, petting dolphins.

I was very saddened to hear that Adam Sandler's dog Meatball died last month. Of all things, he died of a heart attack. He was only 4.

Today was Go Red for Women day to promote awareness of heart disease in women. Apparently women don't recognize their heart attack symptoms and just the awareness could save your life.

They say that most heart attacks start slowly. Here are the symptoms:

- Chest discomfort... in the center of the chest... lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back
- Discomfort in other areas of the upper body... can include discomfort in arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach.
- Shortness of breath
- other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness

To learn more, go to the American Heart Association site. If you enroll, you can get this very cute pin.

Movies Movies Movies

Daniela has been using Netflix for years and recommended it many times over. Last month I FINALLY signed up and I love it! For $20 a month, you get as many DVDs as you can watch... three at a time. Each time you send one back (even if it's a month later), they send you the next one in your queue within days.

I started off renting Colin Firth movies:
Pride and Prejudice: Vol. 1 (vg)
Pride and Prejudice: Vol. 2 (vg)
My Life So Far (g)
Fever Pitch (g)

Then went for a semi-mainstream George Clooney movie:
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (vg)

And moved on to Indy flicks:
Y Tu Mama Tambien (vvg)
Whale Rider (vvg)
The Shape of Things (good, but pissed me off)

Today I received 'I'm With Lucy', which likely isn't good, but rented it because I liked Gael Garcia Bernal in Y Tu Mama Tambien. Side note: Gael is also going to be in the new Pedro Almodovar movie, Bad Education.

And coming soon, my queue contains:
Capturing the Friedmans
Lost in Translation (worth watching again)
Queer as Folk: Season 1 (also worth watching again)

I like Netflix not just because it's convenient, but because it's so easy to search for movies... think how difficult it would be to go to the video store and find all the movies for your Christopher Guest Movie Marathon Party.

Another marketing point they should pick up on... the ability to rent Malibu's Most Wanted without getting dirty looks from the Skater Punk Video Store Clerk. (Not that I'D do that, I just recognize it as a benefit).

Strangeness

Couple strange things occured on my ride home... first, I'm stopped by 3 deer standing smack dab in the middle of the road. I beep, they barely move... I yell, "get out of the road!" Again, hardly a flinch... I yell again, "don't MAKE me come over there!"... they wander off very slowly...

Observation: the deer this year have extra fluffy fur

Than, a guy on a bike rides by. Why is that strange, you ask? Because he's riding his bike at 10pm, on a Wednesday, in 23 degree weather with a wind chill factor of about 97 below. Strange!

Bubblicious

Janet Jackson SOOO meant to do that. You don't wear a solar-burst ring thing without expecting it to be seen.

Celebs are just out of control with their antics these days. On that note, why is it that it seems like the only male nudity you see these days are old guy's butts? Jack Nicholson (Something's Gotta Give), Danny Devito (Big Fish), Harvey Keitel (every movie he's in)...