Valentine's Day isn't really a big deal for the Dude and me. Last year, we were planning to have a dinner romantique at Aphrodite's Cafe, but we got sidetracked by a fish and chips joint on Granville Island. And this year, we decided to make a tradition out of it, and so we had a greasy basket of fish and chips after our country 2-step lesson. The restaurant was loud with chatter and fussy babies, so it wasn't the greatest place to stare at each other with googly eyes and whisper sweet nothings to each other. We did plenty of that already while we were dating.

I've recently found some super-duper goodies for my shop. Can't wait to list them!

Now that I have a day job, I don't understand how people can run an Etsy shop while working full-time. I have very little spare time to run my shop, and I feel bad for neglecting it.

Did I mention that the Dude and I are taking country 2-step lessons? I love this dance! I think it's my favourite. Really. It's too bad that there aren't many venues in Vancouver where we can go dance country 2-step.

Today was my first day working on the sales floor of the Olympic Superstore. And oh my goodness, they just threw me into the deep end! Thank God I had previous cashiering experience, so I was able to pick it up quickly. On the till next to mine my co-worker was ringing up Jamie Salé and David Pelletier, 2002 gold medalists in pairs figure skating. They were there for a media thingy. I wouldn't even have noticed if the the customer I was serving hadn't pointed them out. The 2002 Winter Olympics was the last time I ever watched the Olympics. The scandal that erupted in the pairs figure skating competition totally turned me off to the games. But it's kinda hard to ignore the Olympics when it's happening in the city where you live, and especially when you're employed by it. So I think this year I'll make more effort to watch some of the games, on TV of course.

Anyway, each time I pass by the Quatchi stuffed doll, one of the Olympic mascots, I am this much closer to buying his plushy ass. I can't contain it any longer: I love Quatchi!

I've become a part of the Olympic machine. I'll be working for the rest of the month in the most visited Olympic venue - the Olympic Superstore. Ta dah.

The Olympic Superstore is housed within the walls of the The Bay department store. And I suppose that I should be proud that my first legitimate job in Canada as a newly minted Permanent Resident is working for the oldest company in the country, if not the world. The Hudson's Bay Company got its start in 1670 selling beaver pelts to hat makers in Europe because consumers were crazy for beaver hats, and it's been operating ever since. I vaguely remember learning that in history class way back when.

Although I don't know much about HBC, one thing I can say for sure, I love their logo. I love the combination of traditional and modern. It's awesome.

I heard on the CBC the other day that the Haitian kids that were being smuggled by the Baptists over to the Dominican Republic are now staying at the SOS Children's Village in Haiti. That's the international organization that the thrift shop where I volunteer is part of. The SOS Children's Village, that is, not the Baptists. I had a small proud moment.

And yes, I now officially listen to the CBC more than NPR. It took a while to get used to CBC Radio One though. Getting more Canadianized bit by bit...

The other day while volunteering at the thrift shop, I saw a little paperback called Is Sex Necessary? Or, Why You Feel the Way You Do. It's by James Thurber and E.B. White. Intrigued by the title, I had to get it. Having read the respective works of each author, I'm sure this one will be a good read.