I am back in the States! Technically, I arrived at 1am Monday morning, but I chose sleep, unpacking, and laundry over blogging. Not that I don't love you guys and all, but some things had to take priority, such as brain function and wearable clothes. But, thankfully, I'm back. Those of you who weren't living in my house a week and change ago (and, thankfully, that's none of you, to the best of my knowledge, or that would be slightly creepy. Yes, even if you are a sparkly vampire secretly and desperately in love with me, or desperately in love with my blood, that too. That would still be creepy) probably don't realize how big an accomplishment getting my whole family from one country to another and back turned out to me.
The night before my little US contingent of the clan was supposed head to Canada to meet with the rest of the clan, we went to the airport at around 11pm to pick up The Other One and Captain Film Major who'd been in Chicago. When we got the home, my mother performed the obligatory passport check, to which my sister replied something along the lines of "Ohmygod."
That's when we began searching high and low for said passport. Couldn't find it. (For the record, we still haven't. Oh, Other One, you're lucky I love you.) Three hours of searching, and five plus calls to various consulates to check out passport laws, we changed travel plans so that The Other One and my father would drive to Toronto and catch a different flight to reunite with the clan. Oh, the plans people create at 3am.
Turns out, when you're carrying a freaking ton of ID, you can get across a border with only minor difficulty. Though, of course, when my Dad told the story to the family -- which has apparently expanded to include relations I didn't know I even had--, it involved a detention facility, rubber hoses, and the concept of Good Mountie/Bad Mountie. (It's okay if you want to take this moment to contemplate what a Bad Mountie would look like. I couldn't quite picture it.) Still, I guess the storytelling value is what counts.
Getting back into the country was much easier. I personally voted for trying to smuggle The Other One in in a duffel bag, but that plan got shouted down. Pity, since I thought that would have been a nice story. Of course, there was also the option where she committed a felony so she could be extradited back to the US. That did get some momentary discussion. But she's back in the US, and legally too. We're so happy.
Hope you've all had an interesting week. :) What've you been up to? Any Mountie stories?
For the next week, I'll be in Canada visiting my family and traveling a little. Really, it's a great country. It's got my fabulous extended family, $2 coins (the awesomeness and convenience of which should not be underestimated), and great theater. (Possible downside is that the place I'm going supposedly has mosquitoes the size of dogs. I'm not looking forward to being attacked by one of those, and I just know I will be. I'll let you know how that one goes. ;D )
The real downside here is that I'll be away from the Internet for most of the time, so I probably won't be spending much time in the blogosphere. So, I'm declaring a temporary blogcation.
Today is Canada Day. (Think Independence Day, but for Canadians. Hey, everyone deserves a national day.)
In a somewhat fitting manner, as you read this, I'm probably in transit to Canada to celebrate the upcoming (read: occurring tomorrow and I'm very excited about it) nuptials of my cousin Sacha and his fiancee, Sukhia. I'm so happy for them. Sacha and Sukhia, if you're reading this (can't imagine that you are, but it's still true), I love you and wish you endless joy. Congratulations.
Now, to all Canadians (or those who are Canadian at heart): Happy Canada Day!
To everyone: I'm including this video, because it's highly amusing and, in many ways, accurate. Hope you enjoy.
(Actually, I got back yesterday, but today was the first real day States-side.)
You know, I love Canada, but there are some nice things about the US. For example, Starbucks. I've found more than one place in Canada that actively eschews the store. Not fun. I've become rather used to having tea sold within a five mile radius. Also, while Canadian money was not based on Monopoly money (otherwise the fives would be pink), it still looks funny to me. (Though, I must say, twonies, are awesome.)
I learned some interesting things during my trip.
"I thought the second act had a bit of a length problem?" -- For the record, my brother thinks everything has a length problem. I mean, he's found short films overlong. So, every time we say a play, he found the second act, and sometimes the first, longer than necessary. This, actually, can be applied to writing. Post climax, your reader only gives you so long to wrap things up. Subplots should probably be resolved along the way, not post main issue.
"Miles are far." -- I asked my cousins to translate their 8 kilometers into miles, and when it was done, they were all surprised at how small the number was. "Miles are far," my cousin pointed out. To me, it sounds like one of those "brilliant" things that occurs whilst one is a little drunk, except in that context it made a lot of sense. They all think in kilometers. Life is relative.
"Soup! That changes everything!" -- At a restaurant, just when we were about to order, my brother learned that the restaurant sold soup. It did, in fact, change everything for him. Did I mention life is relative?
I am a closet writer easily identifiable by the presence of multiple pens or pencils stuck in my hair. I can often be found in unusual places posing (unsuccessfully) as a normal person.
