Friday, July 30, 2010

I had the most unsettling.....

.....dream last night.

I decided to get a tattoo on my back. A skull. (Look, it was a dream ok?) Anyways, I decided to try this new treatment where you get your tattoo done while floating on an air mattress in the lake. But it was very hard to stay still while doing this and the artist kept scolding me for moving and flinching.

Anyways, when he was done he held up a mirror so I could see the finished product....and I can't remember what it looked like except that it was huge, it covered my whole back, it was very bright colours and for some reason I absolutely loved it. It was even better than I had imagined. Except for one thing. Right across the middle of my back were the words:

www.imagesource.com

I asked the guy what that was all about and he said that a new law had been enacted, by which all tattoos images had to credit their source. Not unlike this image:



This dream could also have something to do with the fact that I took two Gravol and slept for a total of 10 hours yesterday.

I might try that litle trick again tonight.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

I think I may have.....

.....quit smoking.

I can't promise this as I've never really tried before. But I had been saving my one last cigarette for about two weeks. I'd be carrying the lonely little guy around, in an old tattered pack in my purse for at least 2 weeks. I'd probably had that pack for a month. So I've really cut down a lot in the last few years anyways. Not working at the bar anymore certainly helped.

To be fair, I haven't tested myself a whole lot either. I haven't been around any other smokers yet. And I haven't been at a party where people are smoking recently either. That has always been my downfall. I'd cut down enough so that I was pretty much only socially smoking. I would have a couple if I was out having drinks somewhere. I was never one of those people who smoked first thing in the morning. I never wanted one after eating. And I never took cigarette breaks at work (not counting the bar). So I've been pretty disciplined about it. However, for as long as I can remember, the second I have a sip of alcohol the urge to smoke is overwhelming. ("When it hits your lips, it tastes so good!" - Will Ferrell) The two pretty much went hand in hand. I started when I was 15 year sold and have never quit - or tried to quit - since then. I'm going to be 29 this fall.

Well, all that to say, I'm not going to put too much pressure on myself......but I'm going to see how it goes anyways. I finally smoked that last little guy on Friday afternoon. It was nice. But not amazing. And I actually felt a little nauseous afterwards.

I had more drinks on Saturday (don't judge, I was at the cottage).....and at one point it crossed my mind that I wished I had a cigarette....but I held out. I didn't buy any. I didn't borrow any. And I made it.

Anyways.....part of the reason that it's hard for me to quit is that it is a bit scary. It feel like smoking was one of the last bits of rebellion I could muster. It was a part of my youth. And it's one of the only part of my wild teenage years that I've hung onto. I no longer dye my hair weird colours, I no longer feel the need to pierce numerous visible & non-visible body parts. In a weird way, even though i know it's healthy to quit, I feel like it's making me old. Maybe that's why people always feel the need to tell you that they used to be a smoker. Maybe they are trying to prove something.

"Hey, do you mind if I smoke?"
"Oh, not at all....I smoked for years. Used to smoke a pack a day."

Are they trying to prove something about who they are? Maybe these weird feelings are all a part of the quitting process.

I'm probably jinxing myself by writing about it and sharing the news with everyone. Or maybe that will help. We'll see. I've never been good at setting goals for myself and sticking to them. But this is one I'd like to keep up. Wish me luck!

Happy 1st anniversary.....

......to me! One year ago today, I posted my first blog entry. I can't even believe it's been a year since then. Of course, you may be thinking, "No, that can't be, this site is only a few months old."

Well, you are partially correct. I was writing this blog for a few months before I let anyone read it. Weird huh? It was very scary at first though. It was like letting some read my journal. Obviously I'm over that now. In fact, I tend to overshare information that should really be kept private. Sorry for that.

Thanks to everyone who reads what I write here at all. I love reading your comments.

And I just love blogging. Mostly because I can do it without having to talk to anyone (Hello, anti-social behaviour? I'm Jamie, nice to meet you) and while wearing sweatpants and a tube top while eating ice cream right from the tub. I mean......if I ever wanted to.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

I've written before.....

.....about the complex I have regarding the sharing of recipes. I believe recipes should be covetted. Kept secret. Not shared. Hoarded. Used to make one feel superior to others. To give one a sense of power when someone compliments you on a dish and the smug satisfaction that comes with knowing you are never, ever going to share the recipe with them.

That being said....I am going to share a recipe with you now. Only because, it's not technically "my" recipe. It came from a childhood friend, who shared it with her grandmother, who just happens to be our cottage neighbour. I gladly partook in this dish this past weekend. And by partook, I mean I ate half a casserole dish full.

That is beside the point. This is super easy to make. Even the boy likes it. And generally he isn't a big fan of dips. If you love chicken wings, this tastes the same, but without all the mess. It's going to be my new pot-luck party staple.

I totally plan to outshine whomever chooses to bring the old nacho dip stand-by at the next get together. Consider yourself warned ladies.

Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip
1. Spread a thick layer of cream cheese on the bottom of a large cake pan or shallow casserole dish. (Depending how big your oven-safe dish is, you may need either 1 or 2 bricks of cream cheese.)
2. Cover the cream cheese with a layer of shredded cooked chicken.
3. Sprinkle chicken with a layer of Frank's Red Hot Sauce until most of the chicken is covered. (This doesn't make it as hot as it sounds...it's more for flavour...and the cream cheese balances uot any heat.)
4. Cover with a layer of shredded cheddar cheese (old works best).
5. Cover with tin foil, and heat at 350 degrees until the top layer of cheese melts. Serve warm...with chips or pita obviously.

I've seen some other versions of this recipe that call for a layer of blue cheese dressing on top of the cream cheese. I left this out because I hate blue cheese dressing. But so an not to discriminate against any blue cheese lovers....I'm putting the idea out there for you.

However you choose to make it - you can thank me later.

If you are.....

....thinking of adopting a dog as a motivator to get out and get some excercise, there is something you should know.



Sometimes life just doesn't turn out the way you want it to.



*NOTE: PLEASE IGNORE MY SHEETS. I HAVE NO GOOD EXCUSE FOR THIS EXCEPT THAT A) THIS IS THE GUEST BED AND B) I AM ABOUT 30 LOADS BEHIND ON LAUNDRY.

That is.....

.....country singer Aaron Lines in the background.

And my sweatpant-clad figure in the foreground ruining someone's perfectly good photo op.

Monday, July 26, 2010

I'm back...

....from the cottage.

It was a very small group this year. There were only 4 of us die-hards. But I laughed a lot. And I only cried once in the car on my way home. Homesickness. I'm such a geek. Anyways.....I think I'm not feeling as depressed and homesick now because I know I will be ehading back up to the cottage in a couple weeks. And this time the boy and the short one will be coming with me. So that will be nice. And hopefully I'll get to spend some more time with my grandparents & the family.

But I miss the college kids. Already can't wait for next year!

Monday, July 19, 2010

This coming weekend....

....is my college reunion. I'm not sure how many years we've been doing this, but every summer a group of us from Algonquin College's radio broadcasting program get together for a weekend at my grandparents cottage.

It's pretty much the only time I see all of these people at once. We've got to be going on 10 years now, counting the 2 years we were in college. The group varies between 6 and 20 people. It seems to get smaller every year....but I love these guys.

I just saw Lisa a month ago when she visited Owen Sound. She is my sense-of-humour-soul-mate. She pretty much knew everything about me during our 2-year college stint....and she is still my friend. So bonus points for her.



Last year while showing off her squat thrusting ability, she slipped off the dock and down a rocky cliff into the water. Followed by a violent vomitting spell which lasted about 10 minutes. Then she went right back to the cottage punch. She's a trooper.

Then there's Vassy. On really has to meet Vass to fully understand him. One time in college, Vassy walked in on me in a very compromising position in one of the studios. He's never let me forget it.



And Brad.....I'm totally sad that Brad won' tbe able to make it this year. But I'm secretly hoping he will show up and surprise us like he did the one year when he drove 12 hours from the east coast just to be there for the weekend. Hint, hint.



Edge.....if I ever have kids, I want Edge to be their godfather. Which is wrong on so many levels. But that is another story.



I can't count on him for harsh advice and brutal honesty at all times, in all facets of my life, including, but not limited to, relationships, career choices, living arrangements and wardrobe decisions.

Last but not least is Morrow. Morrow makes me laugh with almost everything that come sou tof his mouth and I will probably have an innocent crush on him for the rest of my life. Awkward. Don't tell him I said that.



Of course, this isn't everyone. Erika, Colin, Shanna, Meesh.....everyone.

We can go a year without even speaking to each other....and then upon arriving at Bob's Lake we immediately revert back to the moronic drunken immature kids we were when we first met. And I need that once in a while. \

Here's to another year of memories, over-consumption, cottage punch, and making fun of thsoe not in attendance. See you in a week.

Saturday....

...the Mix 106.5 No-Stars participated in the Sunset Beach Volleyball Festival.

We were told we had been signed up for the non-competitive league. Judging by the skills demonstarted by our competitors, I doubt this was the case.

This photo was perhaps the only professional looking thing we did all day.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Today is a double whammy.....

....for me when it comes to the tabloids.

Here is what I discovered on usmagazine.com

Vince Vaughn to be a Dad!
Vince Vaughn and wife Kyla Weber are expecting their first child, a source tells UsMagazine.com. The actor, 40, wed Weber, a Canadian real estate agent, this past January outside his hometown of Chicago. They got engaged last Valentine's Day.



And on People.com

Inside Carrie Underwood's Sparkly Southern Wedding!
For her July 10 wedding to Canadian hockey player Mike Fisher, 30, the country queen, 27, opted for a Chantilly lace and silk organza Monique Lhuillier gown. But after the ceremony, the bride promptly changed into a strapless Lhuillier cocktail dress.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

I just love.....

.....listener feedback.

"Here is my honest feedback on the new Mix 106. The new music, variety is really good. Jamie Johnston is TERRIBLE. Her voice is annoying and she sounds like a total ditz. The male DJs are so much better. Johnston does not hold a candle."

Thanks to Jessica Visel for your honest and endearing comments! Always appreciated! If anyone knows this lovely lady, please pass along my thanks for her kindhearted remarks.

And last week.....

"What the hell is going on with your announcers these days? They sound like a bunch of immature, idiotic twelve year olds."

I love my job.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

I had.....

....so much fun co-hosting the morning show with Johnny Gardhouse this morning. And had a special phoner from comedian Nikki Payne who is currently at home on the east coast, but will be arriving in Owen Sound for the Comedy Festival this Saturday. She has a little dog names Emilio Estevez. I love her.

Tomorrow, I will be joined again by Johnny Gardhouse as well as Chuck Byrne. I already can't wait. Tune if if you like and listen live at www.mix1065.ca

Sometimes I'm jealous.....

....that my brother gets to live here:



Then, on weeks like this, where we find ourselves in the middle of a heat wave, where I see hundreds, sometimes thousands, of carloads of tourists coming through town, at the tail end of their hours-long journey, just to spend a few hours or days at our beach - I realize how lucky we are. Sauble Beach, a vacation destination for many people, is our backyard.



It's where I've gone every day after work this week. I love that you can walk around the stores wearing a wet bathing suit and barefeet and no one even blinks. I love that every Wednesday this summer, they will be showing a free family movie, outdoors, on a big screen, with the beach as the backdrop. Just bring your own blanket.



Or "my" own private beach spot, a little further down the highway. We share "our" spot with dozens of kite surfers....but hardly any other beach goers.



We can bring the dogs for a swim. We can park 6 inches away from the water and plunk our lawnchairs down in it. We can listen to music. Have a drink. Enjoy complete privacy. And miles and miles of sandbars.



I also know how lucky I am to have grown up by the water. Always. Entire summer's spent at my grandparents cottage were some of the best times of my childhood. And still, one of the highlights of my summer, for the past 10 years, has been my yearly summer college reunion in this same location.



So lately, on days when I'm homesick for Ottawa, all I have to do is hop onto Facebook and read my friends comments wishing for a beach to lay on, or a lake to swim in. And then I'm reminded I should shut my ungrateful trap for a minute and quit my whining. Because despite my 31 degree, non-air-conditioned home this week, I am one lucky girl.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Tomorrow....

....I will be co-hosting the morning show along with comedians Darren Frost and Johnny Gardhouse.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with their work, you may recognize them from comedy specials or tv commercials. I was informed that Darren was the Listerine Superhero Guy.

If that is still not ringing any bells, here are some GQ-style photos of each of them.





I'm super excited. One, because it will be nice to have co-hosts. Especially funny ones. Two, I have always wanted to be a stand up comedian. Despite the fact that I'm not very funny and have crippling stage fright. Anywho.....

They are going to be perfoming in Owen Sound as part of the Owen Sound Comedy Festival this Saturday. Plus, we are getting a phone-in interview from Nikki Payne, who is one of the headliners. She is super hilarious.



It must be hard to be a stand up comedian though. People would expect you to be funny all the time. Every time you got an invite to a party, or a BBQ, or out to a bar with friends, you'd think there would be this immense unspoken pressure that you are required to entertain everyone. For free. Like it was your job. I can't really relate except for the fact that I feel like punching people in the face when the say any of the following to me:

-Say something in your radio voice
-You don't sound the way you do on the radio
-How come you're not smiling? You always sound like you're smiling on the radio.

Hm, maybe I'm not smiling right now, because I've been awake for 17 hours, I'm at my second job, slinging drinks, and you think I'm somehow obligated to entertain you, while you stare at my boobs.

Maybe I'm a little intimidated too. I can always make fun of myself when I say something dumb and break the tension with humour. But what if I try to make a joke tomorrow and they all just look at me? Because suddenly, compared to them, I'm totally lame? I'm just used to being one of the loudest people in the room. I'll surely have some competition tomorrow.

But back to the topic at hand....it should be an entertaining couple of days. And a vicious reminder of my shortcomings in the humour department.

I tried out a.....

....delicious new recipe that my sister-in-law made for me while in California. Indian Butter Chicken. From scratch.

I had to improvise a few of the ingredients since my local No Frills does not have a wide selection of Indian spices. Imagine that.

Anyways, I spent hours working away at it....and it came out amazingly. At least I thought so.

The boy seemed doubtful. He reminded me he is a "meat-and-potatoes" type. I reminded him the main ingredient is chicken. Maybe only red meat meets his criteria. Anwyays.....he ended up having leftover Hamburger helper. I enjoyed the fruits of my labour alone. And had lots of leftovers. And the best part is the next time he starts to complain about always getting stuck with dinner duty, I muster up a few fake tears...some woeful reminder about the last time he didn't appreciate my cooking efforts.....and it's a free pass where supper is concerened.

A word to the guy....

....who was parked at the intersection as I waited to cross the street this morning...

Tinted windows do not make you invisible. Gross.

Friday, July 2, 2010

On Wednesday night.....

....I went and saw the new Twilight movie. It was so good. Seriously. Yes.

I have no idea what happened in regards to the plot, or the chracter's story lines. Or how it compared to the book.

But it had this.



Loads of innapropriately young shirtless shots. Now, before I get arrested for bordeing on child predator status.....I was swiftly brought back to reality by the fact that I was probably the third or fourth oldest person in the theatre.

It was depressing. Then I saw this.



And I went right back to being the creepy old lady stuffing her face with nachos, staring dreamily at 17-year-old semi-nudity.

Momma knows how.....

...to lay a guilt trip on a girl.

Work-wise, this is probably one of the busiest weekends of the summer. In addition to all the regular radio station events that normally take place on a July weekend, we also have the Hottest Yard Sale Under the Sun taking place in downtown Owen Sound. To co-incide with this, Big Music Fest is happening at Kelso Beach, up the road from my house. It's going to be a zoo. I've been saying fo rmonths, I want nothing more than to be OUT of town this weekend. On a beach somewhere, away from all the traffic and chaos and tourists. Howeve,r this is wishful thinking. Working in Promotions dictates that I need to be here this weekend to oversee these things.

But then my Mom called. And mentioned she, as well as my grandparents, not to mention my Aunt Sue from South Africa, would be staying at a cottage 3 hours from here. And that we should come visit them. And that I would be a bad daughter if I didn't. Ok, she didn't say that. She didn't have to though. So this afternoon, we are packing up and heading out. Only for one night. Then back tomorrow afternoon in time for Big Music Fest.

Have a fabulous weekend all.