Below are the 17 most recent journal entries recorded in Liam's LiveJournal:

Sunday, September 9th, 2007
10:45 am	Uhm yeah Victoria... Victoria is indeed beautiful. I have lived on Vancouver Island for about 16 years, and always thought if I had my choice of where I would choose to live it would be Comox Valley or Victoria. A year ago I realized the only thing preventing me from living here was me, so about a year and a half ago moved here. Well...it is beautiful, and I love parts of it here, but it also has been an eye opener. I live on the border sorta of Fernwood and Jubliee, I am on Gladstone Ave., but up at the top, halfway between the Belfry and the Jubilee Hospital. The only complaint I have about Fernwood/Jubilee is parking. I have to have a car for my job, so not alot of options. When they converted these old single family dwellings into apartments, they did not give much thought to parking. However, this seems to be a problem all over this area...for example, where do they build a 200 bed hospital and only allow for 3 parking stalls? The other thing I have noticed about Victoria , is there are three groups of people here, the very rich, the working professionals ( I am in this category ), who somehow manage to live pay cheque to pay cheque, and then there are the poor. The political mentality of dealing with the poor is similar to rats. We all know they are there, but if we don't see them we can carry on with our nice orderly lives, but at the first sign of them, we call on the "people" who take care of these types of things and make it so we don't have to witness these unpleasantries. I just read an article in Monday Magazine about a court challenge by homeless people in regards to sleeping outside, specifically, Cridge Park, located near St. Anne's Academy. The City has now decided that they do not want to proceed with this case. The crux of the case is that the City a couple of years ago obtained a court injunction to enforce a bylaw prohibiting camping out in public parks. However, the lawyers for the homeless are arguing that it is unconstitutional to enforce this on people that have no place to live. I agree with the City that it is very unsightly to have homeless people camping out in City Parks, however, instead of wasting time and taxpayers money on court cases, why not invest in affordable housing? Many of these homeless people have underlying mental illness and addiction issues, granted, but what did we expect when this government closed thousands of mental health beds and stopped funding many support programs for these people. The City has now put themselves in a very precarious position...if they discontinue this court case, and the homeless move into another park, how do you seek another injunction about an issue they were not willing to pursue in court, and if they proceed in court, and lose, across the country every community will have a number of free camping spots for the homeless, ie. parks. Personally I would welcome this, I hope every park is filled with the scetchyest people imaginable, perhaps then the government will have to act to fund decent affordable housing. My other beef about Victoria, is health care. I am a Nursing Supervisor in the community, so am faced with many of these issues on a daily basis, however, I am not sure why, but VIHA ( Vancouver Island Health Authority), has many screwed up ways of doing business in Victoria and area, that costs more than any where else in VIHA, it's like there is a mentality of "We have lots of money so let's spend it foolishly." Oh well, I am just "An average joe", so what do I know? I am sure if I had an office under those green "birdcages" I would see the whole picture, and have the superior knowledge to appreciate all these "wise" decisions. Welcome to Victoria. Current Mood: cynical (Comment on this)
Tuesday, July 11th, 2006
12:01 pm	Neighbours ! So last evening we are heading out for a walk, get about a block from our house, when I realize that I have left my sunglasses at home. So we turn around and head back. Upon our arrival we discover an envelope taped to our door addressed to " Our Neighbours". The enclosed note reads: We own the house next door and find the music from the basement suite shakes the house, is hard to hear over anywhere in the house. As you live right on top of it, I wondered if it also bothers you ? She started this when the landlord moved out. We are planning on giving the landlord a call and ask him to have a word with her as she has done this late at night also. We think it might have more effect if it comes from more than one person." We started to discuss whether we had been bothered by loud music, as we looked for my sunglasses and prepared for another departure. The doorbell rings and there standing at the door, is the author of the note. He asked if we were ever disturbed by her loud music, I of course, responded "Nope, never". He then began to get redder and redder in the face as he tried to convince me that her loud music bothered me. Now of course, I wasn't going to tell him, but her music has been on the loud side a few times, but I figure, so has ours, so if I have to put up with hers every so often, oh well she has to put up with ours too. Besides, I can complain about people in my house, but the guy in the house next door can't. The real choker was when the husband, says, "Even single mom's need to have fun too" LMAO! Current Mood: amused (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, June 25th, 2006
12:57 am	Ahh Victoria Well here we are moved... I thought that life in Victoria would be easier...until I saw my new washing machine...*sigh* Current Mood: giggly (Comment on this)
Monday, May 22nd, 2006
4:13 pm	Moving...Need I say more... Well, here we are, our last day in Nanaimo. We start loading the truck at 10 am tomorrow. It feels like moving has consumed my life for the past few weeks, and the demands just keep getting greater. I am looking forward to the end of this week. As much as I hated my job, I can't believe how many times this week I have thought..."I wish I was at work right now". Well I better run, the boxes are stacked over my head and the work is just beginning. Ciao! Current Mood: but happy! (Comment on this)
Thursday, April 6th, 2006
4:16 pm	Life...? Some days life just sucks...has anyone ever felt like "Stop the world and let me off"? Current Mood: crappy (Comment on this)
Wednesday, March 15th, 2006
4:56 pm	Moving So it is officail we are moving to Victoria...does anyone know where they are hiring nursing staff? I would prefer community work rather than hospital, but at this point will take w/e. Also...we are looking to move either for May 1st or June 1st. June 1st works better for us, but we are willing to move in May, if vacancies are better, with the University getting out in April. Any thoughts...I would appreciate any and all feedback. Current Mood: busy (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, February 28th, 2006
3:45 pm	Rental...cont'd Further to my previous entry...we are looking for a 2bdrm, prefer the Fernwood area, $700-800 range. For either May 1st or June 1st. Any leads would be appreciated. Thanks! Current Mood: hopeful (Comment on this)
Monday, February 27th, 2006
4:52 pm	2 BDRM Needed So it is official, we are moving to Victoria...so now we need a 2 bdrm place for June 1st. We are hoping to find something in the Fernwood area for around $700 -$800 a month. Non smokers, no pets. Current Mood: hopeful (Comment on this)
Wednesday, December 14th, 2005
5:38 am	Early Morning... Well here I sit, another early morning. The husband, mrmcsmiley , is on day three of his new job. He has to get up at 3:45, to be at work at 5:00. So of course I get up with him, make coffee, cook breakfast, and go out and warm up the car prior to his departure. The only problem is...he leave for work at 4:45, and I don't have to leave for work until 6:45, for a 7:00 start. So what can a person do for 2 hours at 4:45 in the morning? LJ I guess... Current Mood: bored (Comment on this)
Wednesday, November 23rd, 2005
3:45 pm	YEA ! Well today is another day. Work is finally over, I ran my ass off. Now home doing the homework thing with the kids, they are old enough to do it independently, but I still have to be available to answer questions. The husband mrmcsmiley is off work at 4, so we actually have an evening together. Yesterday at work I won a draw for a $25 gift certificate to New York Pizza, so perhaps tonight I will take him there for dinner...the only problem is what will I serve up for dessert? *wink* *smiles* Current Mood: happy (Comment on this)
Tuesday, November 22nd, 2005
9:41 pm	Another Lonely Night ... Yea, here I sit another lonely night at home, the husband, mrmcsmiley is working another evening shift, so he won't get home until 10:30. He says he is going to go and check out the local call center (NCO) on Thursday. I hope he does if it means he can get a regular day shift schedule. He seems unhappy at his present job at Zellers, and I really would like to see him get a job he enjoys more. Well on an up note, our friend valume_vodka might be coming for a visit this weekend, so that should be a bitchin good time. Current Mood: hopeful (Comment on this)
Monday, November 14th, 2005
5:59 pm	Another day in Paradise... Well things are looking good so far for this week. The husband , mrmcsmiley got another job today, which is great, so far every interview he has gone to, he has gotten the job. The only problem is, that today I hardly got to see him. I was up at 5:30 to go to work, ran home on my lunch break, so I saw him for about 15 minutes. Came home after work, saw him for another 10 minutes and then he had to leave for work. He will get home around 9:00 tonight. I really miss him. Tomorrow will be not as bad, I work again at 7, and get off at 3, he works 10 - 7pm. Tomorrow evening we will have from 7 on to spend together. I know I sound like a whiney bitch, but I am not. I am really happy for him that he is so successful finding work, and obviously the employers conducting interviews can see a little of the wonderful things I see in him, but, as stated, I really miss him. I guess this is the honeymoon, 10 years from now I'll probably be saying "Fuck! Isn't it time for you to go to work yet?" Haha! Seriously though, I have the most wonderful man in the world, and I hope that when I close my eyes for the last time, his face is the last thing I see. I love you Jeremy! Current Mood: loved (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Saturday, November 12th, 2005
10:14 am	Ho humm Well here we are at another weekend...at least I don't have to go to work! Have I mentioned that I hate my job ? Haha. Anyways, it is shaping up to be a busy weekend, the children are here now, slept over, and the youngest, she is 11, must be on a sugar high, that or she has prematurely discovered speed...argh! The are going with their Mom this afternoon, for the rest of the weekend, so we are having a friend over for dinner and drinks this evening, so perhaps I will be successful in blurring the lines of reality and forgeting about my stressful job and speed freak children. Actually the kids are great, you just get a sore neck trying to watch them spin...lol. I know maybe Dad needs some speed to keep up, I like that idea, I will have to ponder it a while... Current Mood: drained (Comment on this)
Wednesday, November 9th, 2005
3:47 pm	PS The TOOLBOX, finally finished the windows...now all that is left to do is clean up all the glass the asshole left all over the floors. Oh well at least the Christian boy is probably at home praying for the two gay guys...Praying he could have us that is! Haha Current Mood: Still No Beer Current Music: Jesus Loves Me (Comment on this)
3:40 pm	Life can suck when you have big balls ! I had a good chuckle today at work. One of the nurses came to me and asked me to instruct the Housekeeping staff to flush the cleansers after they clean the toilets. Puzzled at this strange request, I asked why? She replied " Well, Mr. X has burned his testicles, when he sat down on the toilet, they were hanging in the water, and the chemicals burned them"! OMG...does life get any worse than that? Actually if life does get worse than that, I probably don't want to know about it! Current Mood: No beer Current Music: Great Balls of Fire (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, November 8th, 2005
3:55 pm	Another day of windows... Well, what an ordeal to put in new windows! Yesterday at the end of the day (3:00pm), the window installer tells me that they will not be coming into the house until tomorrow (today), so I asked, "Why then am I removing blinds, draperies, furniture etc?", to which he replied, " Gee that's a good question". I am assuming that he was not hired for his intelligence, must have been for his Christian faith. I know I felt like 'Jumping up for Jesus'...AHHH ! So he goes on to tell me that he "hopes" they will make it back today. I told him you have until the end of the day, at that time I am putting my house back in order. They showed up this morning, and finished 3/4 of the job. The rest of my day was pretty much the usual...did I mention that I hate my job? I am a nurse, worse yet I am a Team Leader, which basically means that I am responsible for everything in my department that goes wrong, and usually nothing that goes right, depending on which one of my staff you ask. The only bright spot in the day is coming home for lunch. I got to come home today to my husband mrmcsmiley bouncing off the walls after ingesting speed (aka coffee). Oh well he learned that he can type, as well as drive while I am going down on him ! I love lunch *sigh* Well kids are home from school, time to put on my Dad hat and dig into homework. Current Mood: okay (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Monday, November 7th, 2005
1:04 pm	Hello Hey...wow where do you start...? Well this is my first entry...today is an unusual day. First thing this morning, two men showed up at the door, as we were sitting in our bathrobes drinking coffee. They said they were there to replace the windows in the house. Now of course I knew that they were going to be doing this, I just didn't know what day they were coming. I had asked them to give me some advance notice so that I could get blinds, draperies, etc. out of the way... but of course that would make things far too organized. Then of course, the "other half" mrmcsmiley had to work at noon. Nothing was working out for him in his quest to get ready...which of course made him grumpy...YAY! Oh well we got him off to work and I am sitting here typing, listening to two men take hacksaws to my window frames, what else was I going to do with my day off...? Now the frosting on the cake is that the window installer is now standing in the hole, where my window used to be, scraping off shards of glass, explaining to me, how his sister is Jewish and he is a Christian...I really have to work on my "Who gives a shit" face, because apparently it is not working...AHHH!! (2 Comments |Comment on this)