I have a new story. It’s good to have a story in your pocket, you know, for certain occasions.

I try not to abuse my story telling, to tell the same person twice. I work with someone who loves to regale us with the same stories repeatedly, always name-dropping, pretending to be bashful.  They are good stories, but that’s not my way.

I may be embellishing a little. That’s my prerogative as a storyteller. But you can rest assured it’s about 98% true. Here it is, regardless.

Did I ever tell you about the time that I almost got run over by Obama? got arrested for being a potential terrorist? saw Obama?

*

I got out of the subway completely disoriented, dragging luggage that was literally injuring me as I walked. I asked someone how to get to my hotel, the new Comfort Suites on N. Michigan Ave., showing him my map, and he pointed me in generally the right direction.

I had all these Google maps printed up – between my hotel and the conference hotel, other locations, the subway to the hotel, etc.  The weird thing about these maps, looking back, is that they made everything look a lot farther away than it was. Or maybe Toronto has bigger city blocks than Chicago. I don’t know.

I checked in, dropped my bags, and started frantically unpacking and organizing. I was later than I wanted it to be – I was going to miss getting to the Social Luxe party, and  I was due at the Sheraton in 10 minutes to meet Katie to pack swag bags for the People’s Party.

The phone buzzed – it was a text telling me where to meet her.  I asked for 15 minutes, then jumped in the shower to rinse off the travel gunge and sweat. Attempted to do my hair, threw on some makeup, threw on my skirt and shirt, and away we go.

Except.  Oh.  I seem to have forgotten the map that tells me how to get to the Sheraton from my hotel.  And I don’t even have a map of downtown Chicago. Literally have NO IDEA where I am going.  And of course, little do I know at that time I can actually see the Sheraton if I walk 10 paces outside my hotel.

I beg the front desk for help. They kindly print up a Mapquest map. This is driving directions, not walking, but whatever, it’ll get me there! I head out, it sends me away from the hotel, but I keep following as I don’t want to get lost. I’ll figure out a better way on the walk back later that night.

I end up walking down a street that is more like a ramp underground. It’s under another big hotel.  I notice there are police.  There are lots of police. Why are there so many police?

Some of the roads are blocked off.  Is something bad happening? Should I be here? Is my walk between my hotel and the Sheraton going to be dangerous?

I keep walking, what else can I do? There are more and more police – now standing on the sidewalks. They keep looking at me. I look at them, sort of expecting them to say ‘ma’am you can’t be here’.  They don’t.  I keep walking.

More and more and more police. So either someone has been MURDERED (but I can’t see a crime scene) or there’s some like organized crime arrest of masses of people, or someone important is coming.

Hmm, someone important.  Someone coming to Chicago.  It’s going to have to be someone really important. Oh yeah, there’s that important guy from Chicago.  It could be him!  Maybe I’ll get to see him!

I keep walking. No one stops me. (Note to terrorists: wide-eyed Canadian girls in cocktail party outfits do no get stopped by the cops. Just a tip!!)

More cops.  More road closures.  Can I cross this road?  I see the Sheraton! I need to get there.  Uh oh.  I hear sirens coming.  I look behind me, I can start to see the motorcade. It involves some ambulances with flashing lights and sirens blaring. I’m not sure if I can cross the road, but I jump ahead of the cars and take my chances.

I think I need to get out of here.  I walk across the bridge, I’m so close to the Sheraton now. I keep looking behind me and wondering. There’s just SO MANY cops.  And a huge, huge motorcade.  I get inside, immediately find Katie (thankfully), and find out, why yes, I just missed seeing Obama. Should have stayed around where I was and taken a peek.

But I had people to meet, bags of swag to stuff, deep dish pizza to devour, and a whole weekend of BlogHer ahead of me…

*

You know what? This would be a much better story if I kept embellishing and you told how I stopped the motorcade, got POTUS to roll down his armoured limo window, and we had a chat about the wonderous wonderfulness of socialized medicine.  Alas, I can’t lie very well.  Ah, well.

So the first thing to say is that I had a great weekend overall, and I didn’t miss my family because I compartmentalized them, put them away for a few days, and remembered what it was like to be a girl in a cosmopolitan city with the world at her feet.  And it was good.

I met many of my favourite bloggers- I grabbed the moment and insisted on saying hi to them. I am not going to shamelessly link to them, like the crazed fangirl that I am, but I will say that she is gracious and tall and so incredibly nice; she is tiny, as expected made me cry, and speaks as well as she writes; she is clever as hell; she is friendly and adorable like her baby; she is hot and as funny in person as on the page; just look at my blog roll – they are all there, and I am so glad I can put a real face to a name.

Oh my sad blog roll that needs to be updated with about 100 other people, many of those whom I met too – many of those who were awesome. I don’t want to say it, but you could tell that some did not really want to meet a ‘stranger’. So I didn’t say hi to them; can’t deal with that high school moment.

Oh…but how I could I stop at ‘she’? He is awkward and funny; he is observant and too clever for me; he is troubled and has come so far and is amazing and yes, made me cry too.

The blog roll is just one example of how lazy I have gotten around here in my space.  The thing I have overwhelmingly taken away from this weekend? I need to figure out what the hell I am doing here.  And I think I know – it’s not far from where I am, I just need to clean things up and cement them down.  So I am going to spend some time doing that, because if I am going to continue to write – which I feel I need to do, for some reason – the who, what, why, where and how need to be made more clear.

I attended some fantastic sessions.  I did not learn how to do search engine optimization.  I did not build relationships with major US companies.  I did not learn how to use twitter (I think I got it).  I listened to stories, I reflected on stories and experiences, and I learned.  That is why I read the blogs I read.  That is why I participate in this space and their spaces.

I brought home a bagful of stuff that I didn’t have before.  Stuff which I feel weird about.  I received about 5 or 6 swag bags, from different parties or sessions within the conference, and the main conference bag.  I love free stuff, I do, I can’t help it.  But it seemed like way too much.  And I hear that people were beating each other down for stuff.  I definitely didn’t bring home as much as many others did, and I didn’t get any ‘special’ big stuff that seemed reserved for more exclusive events.  I got a bunch of toys for my kids, lots of cleaning products, and a few other treats.  I get why sponsors would have wanted to give out free samples – I am just not sure about the rest, and the amount.

I have a stack of business cards to go through, to follow more people on twitter and through my Google Reader.  I have a bunch of photos of an amazing city, and one of an amazing unicorn cake.  Somehow, I didn’t take any other ones at the conference.  I was too busy trying to get as much out of it as I could.  (psst – Haley, I stole your photos ’cause I haven’t even found my camera yet)

I laughed, I cried, I drank a lot, I spent time on my own, I spent time with friends.

I’m glad I went.

So I’m almost packed.  So I’m resisting the temptation to leave 2 pages of instructions for Mark, but I think he can handle the kids as there’s no newborns involved here.

I am determined to get over my nerves – I can do it, I’ve done it before. I moved to London, didn’t know a soul in the city, and just got on with it.  That was the last time I traveled on my own.  I can do it again just for a weekend!  I can show up to a party on my own.  I am a grown up.

I have a nice room mate for 2 nights that I don’t know.  I have plans to meet up with people that I sort of know but don’t really know.  I hope to say hi and squee in a few people’s faces, those whose words I have been reading for years.  There are so many of those that will be there in the flesh.

I fully admit I am looking forward to the swag.  Because, dude, free stuff.  I like it.  They told me to pack an extra bag to bring it home.  That sounds rather promising.

There are SO many parties. There are like 3 a night that I’ve RSVP’d to!  Unless I get given a cloning machine, it’s just not going to happen.  But I will do my best to enjoy my 4 days away.

I’ve got business cards.  I’m not really sure why, I guess everyone told me to, but I am so NOT going to build more readership.  I suspect, actually, that this blog will be finished sooner rather than later.  Not sure – I like the outlet to write once in a while, but as I already have a job and a full-time life offline, not really sure where this is going in light of the way things are developing in the blogosphere.

But perhaps I will figure that out this weekend.

Tomorrow afternoon, it’s off to BlogHer I go.

*words stolen from Sufjan Stevens

What a week.  What a few weeks.

*

Bad: I lost my cell phone in a cab. I think. I had to report it to the police since the cab company doesn’t have a lost and found, but instead hands in all items to the cops.  What a waste of time – did the poor cop I had to speak to really train at college to talk to some lady on the phone about lost property? I think not. So silly.

Good: I took the opportunity to upgrade, since I hated my phone that I shouldn’t have even bought anyway, and by way of ebay (an unlocked phone and a new sim card), I got myself a Blackberry Pearl!  So far so good.  So nice to finally have joined the rest of the planet with smart phones.  Enjoying the messenger service, and full time twitter access.  I’ll have to decide in a year when my contract is up if I want to continue with a BB or switch to an iPhone… (couldn’t afford an unlocked iPhone).

*

Good: Oliver is FINALLY WEARING UNDERWEAR ALL THE TIME. I officially have the oldest toilet trained child ever – 3.5 years old. I was beginning to think Callum was going to do it first.  Callum seemed to be more of a fan of sitting on a potty than his big brother.  What changed? Sent him to daycare in underwear, took the plunge because we hammered into him (not literally, ha ha) that he couldn’t go to school (kindergarten) in September if he wasn’t using the toilet.  Two days of lots of ‘accidents’ and the third day was the charm.  Yes it’s a lie.  Yes it’s evidence of our desperation. It took over a year to get here.  He couldn’t have cared less about using the toilet until now.  So glad it’s finally over.  Still sometimes a struggle at home – but I care more about him dry in public during the day.  And I will be much happier to face his school teacher knowing he’s in underwear!

Bad: He was incredibly whingey and whiny and screaming this week and I really wanted to throttle him (I did not).  He also has a swollen hand from some kind of bite that is worrying me.  But we had a nice evening grocery shopping date.

*

Good: It’s my birthday tomorrow (Saturday).  Our weekend is filled with a Just for Laughs show and visiting with friends. On Thursday I’m off to Chicago, and I am incredibly excited about traveling on my own (no Mark to stress out in the airport! no kids to entertain or console!) for the first time in 7 years!  The following weekend is a trip to Pennsylvania – old friends and shopping!

Bad: Mark wants to put the house on the market and we have no time whatsoever to get it any where near ready.

*

Good: I just applied for and got an opportunity for a job secondment, for a year, local to my house.  As in, my commute just went from 1 hr 10 minutes in the morning and 1 hr 40 minutes in the afternoon when I pick up the kids… to 25 minutes if there’s no daycare pick up or about 45 if there is.  AWESOME!!! And it’s a great opportunity and I am just so excited to be working locally.  And I might be able to swing not being due into work until a time that means I can drop Oliver directly at school instead of using daycare for before-school care.  We’ll have to see.  I start August 10th. What will I do with the extra hours in my day?!  Probably waste them…

Bad: I am incredibly sad to be leaving my current workplace.  I love my colleagues, and have an incredibly supportive manager and director.  I enjoy the work – there is a lot of unfinished business.  Again.  Just like when I went on mat leave.  I love working in downtown Toronto; I just hate the commute and having that much less time with the kids.  It lays the mommy guilt on thick.  I am seriously going to be crying when I say goodbye.  Even though I’ll still be ‘working’ with them – just remotely.

*

Ch-ch-ch-changes.

No, I'm not trying to punch you. Not today.

I’ve done it forever. When I need to remember something important, today, immediately, I write it on my hand.  I’ve done it forever.  I still do it.  Today there are 3 items on my hand list:

1. Superior 253 Y – My dad took me out for lunch today, to the Superior Restaurant at 253 Yonge Street, across from the Eaton Centre. It was good.
2. Photos for UK – My parents are going to England in August; Mark is going with Callum in September.  I need to print some photos to give to relatives, which I never get around to, and I need to send some photos we had taken of Callum at a studio recently.
3. baby bjorn – Friends are imminently going to have their first child, and have been quizzing me about various baby items.  They already bought a carrier, but wanted to try out the Baby Bjorn.  I wouldn’t say it’s the greatest thing ever – but I’d rather they tried it out before they spent more money.  So I’ll lend ours.

I can’t be the only one that does this, right? Ah, the power of Google – look at this!  Someone buy it for me for my birthday!!!  (I’d put it on the outside of my hand, though)

The kids get weirded out by my written-on hand.  But with so many less brain cells than I used to have (I can blame that on having kids, not on anything fun like drugs), I need my hand-written hand.

So I’ve got nothing other than a ‘what we did lately’ post because I don’t seem to have time nor inclination to be profound.  Also, it’s rare for me to be profound anyway, let’s be honest.

Had crazy bed head. Also, in the last overalls of his babyhood. They make me squee a bit.

Had an ice lolly bigger than his head. We’ve really been consuming much too much ice cream around here lately. Which is to say, just enough ice cream.

This one enjoyed his first rock ‘n roll show (the link is someone else’s nice photos), and the fireworks that followed at 11pm. So late!

My photos, of Sloan on Canada Day, were not very good.

Sadly, got rid of that bedhead with a first hair cut. 20 months, and looking like an old man.

This picture my dad took is making me REALLY covet his Canon DSLR. These are in our frog pond, and it was taken from about 20 feet away.

Two boys covered in frosting from my (early) birthday cake. And sunshine.

This boy? I have his heart.  Totally.

(and he has mine. Shhhhhhhh.)

(and yeah, that first hair cut is coming soon)

It’s July, which is a month I always have high hopes for, although they are usually dashed.  Well, this one can’t be that bad.  (knocking on the proverbial wood) On my birthday (July 18th), we’ve got tickets to see the Just for Laughs Britcom Gala show hosted by John Cleese featuring Jimmy Carr (who I think is hilarious) amongst others.  A few days later, and I’m solo (NO KIDS!  NO HUSBAND! NO NO ONE!) off to Chicago for a nice long weekend (you know, that little conference thingy that’s happening).  The weekend after, inspired by my previous post, we’re taking the plunge (queue that screaming, kids) and driving down to Pennsylvania to see friends.  And, okay, probably also some shopping (no sales tax! woot woot!).  We’ve also filled up the rest of the time with Soccer Tots for Oliver on Monday nights, swimming lessons for both kids on Sunday morning, and – thus proving I no longer have any dignity or care about embarrassing myself – I finish Yoga next Tuesday night only to then start a Belly Dancing class.  Oh my.

There’s a good friends’ wedding at the end of August.  There’s the first day of Oliver going to kindergarten as the summer draws to a close…

Anyway, there’s also lots going on at the boys’ daycare this summer, as they get additional kids who attend ‘summer camp’ when schools’ out.  They sent home a permission slip for the over 3 crowd for four field trips, two of which were to (free) parks, and decided to charge the total price of $100 for all 4, with no option to pick single trips.  Seriously?  How much of my money do I already give you (oh wait, I know – 50% each month)???  I seriously can’t afford it.  Okay, I probably could have asked Mark to cover it (generally kid stuff is my department; we split responsibilities rather than share our money).  But I decided, on price, yes – but primarily because most of the free adult volunteer spots were taken – that instead? I’m going to pull Oliver out the days that he’s missing, as many of them as I can, and do something fun with him myself.  I have enough vacation days to cover this idea.  He will LOVE IT if I take him downtown on the GO train, and there really is so much to do in the city.  Or we could stay closer to home and find a beach on a lake.  Or dare I attempt to take him to the very nearby Canada’s Wonderland… (which would actually be a lot more than $25, but what the hell).

And you know what – that kid is pretty fun and well behaved when we hang out on our own.

Today I left a comment on a blog post for a contest, where the question was – ‘what are you looking forward to doing with your kids this summer?’.  And my answer was something about the fact that Oliver understands when something is ‘special’ now, like a day out together, and that he’ll remember things we are doing now.  Which is pretty cool.  Which means I have more summer times to look forward to.

Happy days.