Jessica Visits the Capital City of Saskatchewan!

Today I went to the Legislature in Regina with the "Save Our Schools" lobby group. The group chartered a bus and went to protest with a number of other groups. I had never been to any legislative building before, so I was excited. The rally was the coldest hour and a half of my life as the wind was just whipping through and really really biting. After the rally we went to watch the Question Period and I was ashamed of the people who "represent" us. I don't want those clowns representing me. I wanted to stand up and tell them all they should be ashamed of themselves. There were two MLA's who shall remain nameless (mostly because I'm not sure who they were), who were slouched in their chairs and yelling at each other. Aasa and I had a little chuckle about how "loungy and irritating" they were behaving. Afterwards, there were several scrums, and then we left the building. It was a very memorable day and I took one picture. As you can tell, I was well behaved and very mature in my visit to the Legislative building in Regina.

What's wrong with this picture?

Yesterday Brad and I went to Wal-mart, and while we were there, grabbed some lunch at McDonald's. We were sitting at our table, enjoying our meal when I looked up at the emergency exit and noticed the sign on the door. Notice the way the person is just bookin it? I wanted to draw a little caption on it saying "OH HOLY HELL!!!!" We decided the only thing missing from the sign is outlines of other people being shoved out of the way. So kids, now you know: if there is a fire in McDonald's you are instructed to run like shit.

Finally...some much deserved recognition!

Hahaha, just kidding...I always feel appreciated, but today Dono and I were awarded the "Nosey Newsie" award. Alexis nominated us for our "Ass Kicking Budget Coverage". Honestly, covering the Provincial budget wasn't difficult, but it was a pretty busy day with many many interviews and stories written. I think I wrote stories from 5 different angles. Anyway, as featured in the photo: Me, Darwin, and Donovan. Just so you know, it's a pretty big deal. . . hahaha! Love it!

Soooooo Cute!

Last night I went to my friend Ashley's place to watch America's Next Top Model (my favorite trashy-reality show) and while I was there I played with her little boy, Leighton. He's about 18 months and possibly the cutest little boy on the face of the earth! Plus he seems to have taken a shine to me.
Possibly the cutest moment (though there were hundreds, was when Ashley's boyfriend Thom was spinning a wooden top on the coffee table and Leighton was totally enthralled. He stared at the top in utter amazement, then looked at Thom, and back at the top and said in an awed voice "wow..." I think I actually melted just a little inside!

Congratulations are In Order

I have to say a HUGE Congratulations to my dear friend Denise who emailed me yesterday to tell me that she is engaged! Her fiance, Randy, is one of the nicest men I've ever met and treats her like a Queen - exactly how she deserves to be treated! I am so happy for them, especially Denise who has been through more than anyone should ever have to deal with. They both have hearts of gold and I know they will continue to make each other ridiculously happy and make the rest of us nauseous.

An Update on Stuff

Well, I've been at CKSW for a month as of yesterday and I'm really enjoying myself and the reporting I've been able to do. Things are going really well. Roxan came down from Rosetown yesterday and hung out in our newsroom for a good portion of the day, which was really fun, and I had a good talk with Darwin too about some future things.

Yup, it's been a good week...Except for one thing...
It's budget week. Honestly, the theme this week is BUDGET. Monday the federal budget was announced...then Monday night City Council released their budget. Now, tomorrow is the Provincial Budget. If after Friday morning I hear the word "budget" once more, someone will be injured.

That is all.
(oh wait, no it's not, Pope got the "letter" I mailed him...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!)

'a rose by any other word..."

Ah yes, the age old question: what's in a name? A question that has been on my mind these past few weeks.

Since moving to Swift Current, I have been asked twice if "Jessica Williams" is my real name. I always nod and say "yes...why? does it sound made up?" Really, does it? I was once told that my name is an excellent radio name, and I just shrugged and thanked the person. I don't see it, but then maybe I'm too close to my name to really see it as what it is (or could be?).

These comments did, however, get me thinking: what if I had been named something else? My mum has told me she had considered naming me Zipporah, or Demelza, or Tegan. Furthermore, why my great great grandparents came to Canada from the Ukraine, they changed their name to Williams to sound "less ethnic". Originally the name was Waselenchuk. If the name change had never happened, and Mum was feeling more daring, I could have been Demelza Waselenchuk, or Zipporah Waselenchuk. I can't imagine going into radio with either of those as my name. Would I have even been the same person? Maybe I would have gone into radio and changed my name to something else...maybe I would have changed it to Jessica Williams.

Anyway, that's my ponderism for the day.

error

whoops, my bad, I wrote "my new camera" but what I meant was "my new phone"...yeah...it's one of those days...

Just a picture

Just wanted to post a cutesy picture of me and Brad. I took it on Saturday with my new camera. That is all.

No more winter PLEASE!!!

I woke up to a horror this morning. The sky was grey and clouded over and there was frost on my car. Granted, I AM in Saskatchewan, and it IS only March, but seriously, on Monday we had a high of 18! I wore capris and a short sleeved shirt with no jacket! This is NOT fair. Then on the drive to work, it was snowing. Albeit little tiny flakes that didn't stick, but it was still snowing. To winter I have only one thing to say: GO AWAY!!!!

I'm one of THEM!!!!

On Saturday, Brad and I went to the store to switch my cell phone only to discover we couldn't. Sasktel was no longer accepting phones from other carriers, including Bell. The long and short of it was that, to avoid getting pegged with a hefty cancellation bill from Bell, I had to sign up for Sasktel and purchase a new phone. (It's a shame, and we were both pretty choked because Brad had just bought me my phone in July for my birthday and it is no utterly useless in the province of Saskatchewan). We had decided to go on one of those shared plans, so Brad decided to get a new phone too. We signed up on a contract and he bought a RAZR. I had always really liked the RAZR, but I found myself faced with a choice: buy a grey one and risk being constantly confused as to whose was whose, buy the pink one and be utterly disgusted with myself everytime I looked at it (sorry to those with pink RAZR's...they're just...well...they're...uh...nevermind), OR, I could get the Sanyo version of the RAZR, or the Samsung version. The Sanyo's was the cheapest, and I really liked that it's in white, so I decided to go with that one. Upon purchasing said phone, I had a sudden realization: my new sunglasses that Mum bought me after accidentally stepping on my other ones (which was ultimately my fault for not picking them up right away after I dropped them) have white frames. I have, inadvertently, become one of those people who's accessories match. Now whenver I use my phone while I have my glasses on, I feel like I should be snooty. I just can't help it.

More Pics

Now some pics from the Big Move!

We didn't take many pictures from the drive because there wasn't a lot of point, but just outside of Jasper we came to this particular stretch of highway where there are always sheep (or goats, I really don't know which they are). That day there were dozens by the side of the road, so I pulled over with the other cars and Brad and I got out and snapped shots of the sheep/goats.Can someone please tell me why these people think it's a good idea to be that close to a wild animal with horns? True, they aren't easily spooked, but they're still wild and unpredictable. Brad and I just shook our heads as we drove off.

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Ahh yes, the new apartment! That's us on Sunday after Ben (Brad's Dad), Brenda (Ben's Fiance), and Brenda's Sister and Brother In-Law helped unload my car. And no, your eyes aren't playing tricks on you, our apartment building is pink.
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This was what we had to do so that I could watch the Oscars. We didn't have cable and the dish hadn't been hooked up yet, so we fiddled for a while trying to find a place where we could find good reception for the antena and eventually discovered if the antena is electrical-taped to the curtain rod it get's a very clear signal! So I did just that, and watched the Oscars on the floor (the furniture still hadn't arrived)
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So there you go! That's my life in a nutshell! There will be more pics of the apartment when I get things really nice and settled, but for the time being things are a little disorganized, so the pics will have to wait.

The Going Away Party

Here we are: Long Awaited Pictures from my Going Away Shindig at the Riverstone! Do you dig?

Best going away present EVER!!!

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I honestly can't remember what we were going for in this picture...but I totally love it!

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I Don't really know what I'm doing here...
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Progressively Drunker
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Jessica hearts Beer!...(but Heather is totally the best part of this shot!)
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Me and my two favorite men from the station (minus Pope cause he didn't show) I don't know what I would have done without these guys!
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This is Me and Heather "Harrumphing" because I'm leaving
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Again, Greatest Going Away Gift EVER!
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And the Greatest Photo of the night!
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These are just a few of the pictures...There are tons more that are equally wonderful, and a lot of people aren't shown here, but I want to thank everyone who came out to party with me! I had a phenomenal night (and passed out immediately when we got back to the hotel room)

Seriously People, it's March!

I'm afraid I'll have to be a little abrupt right now. I went to grab some lunch about a half hour ago and decided to drive back to work on a non-direct route to help get used to this city (it's laid out really weird). On my travels, I went through some residential areas and to my utter awe there was a house with CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS still up. A sleigh and three reindeer on the lawn. I feel that I must point out that it is now MARCH 6TH. Christmas was over 2 months ago. My views on Christmas lights are as follows: decorations may go up on or around December 1st...any earlier is pushing it a bit, but not a big deal (unless we're talking right after halloween...then it's too early). Lights should no longer be turned on after the new year. As far as taking them down, well, it's not a big deal if they're difficult to get to and the weather is bad. I am in no way advocating people injuring themselves in a panic to take down their lights. However if your decorations are on the lawn then there is no excuse for them to still be displayed past January 1st, much less the end of FEBRUARY. I love the holidays as much as the next guy, (probably even more!), but this is just excessive. SO, in closing, if you insist upon leaving your decorations out or are just too lazy to put them away, at least throw a tarp over them. Thank you. (Happy almost Easter)

Back to Blogging...(hopefully anyway)

I would apologize for the lack of blogging as of late, but, well, seriously, it's just been go-go-go-go for the past couple weeks (month actually, but you get the picture).
So let's see...I do have internet capabilities at home, but no desk, making it a little difficult to use the computer at this time, thus restricting my internet use to work time.
Work is going well, I really like the people I here and everyone has been nothing but welcoming and encouraging to me.
My shipment *FINALLY* arrived on Friday afternoon and I'm receiving a $200 cheque from United Vanlines to compensate for the week long delay. I'm still really choked, but it does soften the blow a little and make the move a little bit more reasonable.
Saturday Brad and I spent the day unpacking and setting up the apartment a little more so that when Vince and Shay, and Nick and Kim came over for UFC it would resemble a home. They came over at 6 which was when I had my first beer. Apparently I was a little hungrier than I thought because it went straight to my head and I got all tipsy...the second and third didn't really help that situation...ha! But then I had some supper and dessert and felt sober again. It was a good night except that it went past 11 and I'm lame and was ready to pass out, which I did when I went to bed.
Sunday morning though, we got up bright and early (for a Sunday, that is) at 8:40 to get ready to go to Lac Pelletier with Vince & Shay and Nick & Kim to do some ice fishing. I'd never gone before, so it was quite the experience. I only fished long enough to catch one little bugger and I stopped after that because I always feel sorry for the poor little bastards once they get caught and try to swim away but can't really manage it. But, (girls be proud) I baited the hook myself by actually touching maggots. GROSS...but I did it, and I didn't say a peep about how disgusting it was. Go me!
Brad also took me out on his (blasted) snowmobile....and he let me go out on my own. I hate to admit this, but it was fun. That's all I'm going to say, and you better believe I'm only grudgingly admitting that.
It was a good weekend, but not the nice relaxing-do-nothing-weekend I was hoping for. Luckily, Brad pinky-swore that next weekend will be do-nothing-weekend. Very much looking forward to that, AND to getting back into the routine of talking to my friends who I have lost touch with recently due to lack of internet/time.
Oh, and I guess the most important part of everything is that I'm really really happy here. Swift Current really feels like home, and I'm so happy to be with Brad again. Life is good. (dare I say "Life Makes Sense"?....ha! No, I won't touch that one)