Archive for December, 2007

Britney’s Little Sister Jamie Lynn Spears Pregnant

Dec
19
2007

Jamie Lynn Spears - people.comWow. Just when I thought all the drama in the Spears family was slowing down. Turns out that pop princess-turned-media-meltdown-queen Britney Spears’ 16-year-old sister Jamie Lynn is pregnant.

The Zoey 101 star and her mother confirmed pregnancy reports, and said she’s 12 weeks along. Nickelodeon offered the following statement:

We respect Jamie Lynn’s decision to take responsibility in this sensitive and personal situation. We know this is a very difficult time for her and her family, and our primary concern right now is for Jamie Lynn’s well being.

What about the father? He happens to be Jamie Lynn’s boyfriend Casey Aldridge and get this: they first met at church (I’m guessing they weren’t really paying attention on Sundays).

Apparently sister Britney is in some denial about the situation. Click here for the full story from People.com.

The Cat-Saving TTC Bus Driver

Dec
17
2007

I was on my way home from work on Friday night, waiting at the bus station, wondering why my bus was 10 minutes late.  There were over a dozen passengers waiting for the same bus, and as it finally came around the corner we all ushered in and were surprised to see a sweet-looking, brown, Persian cat sitting near the front doors on top of the platform that’s over the front-right wheel.

Everyone was wondering what this cat was doing on the bus.  As the driver pulled out of the station, she got on her intercom and started to tell us the story as to why she was late:  apparently this poor cat was crossing the road and the driver had seen it get clipped by a passing car.  Instead of leaving the injured cat out in the cold, she brought the cat into the bus, sat it down on the platform, called the SPCA. and continued on to the station.  The SPCA was going to meet her and pick up the cat on route.

After the driver had told everyone on the bus the story, everyone was understanding and stated that that was a good reason to be late.  The cat seemed like it had a broken leg (I saw it try to get up and walk but it kept on falling down :( ).  One of the other passengers on the bus got up to pick the cat up off the floor where it fell and make sure it was back on the platform sitting and steady as the bus was moving (she even admitted that she was allergic to cats). Such a beautiful cat, though.  It didn’t have a collar, but appeared to be well-taken care of.  Perhaps, the cat just got out of it’s owners home without them knowing and was trying to get back.  I hope that it’s leg is on the mend and that it’s back in a warm, loving home.

Kudos to the TTC driver with the good heart. :)

Online Stock for Nintendo Wii Going, Going… Gone!

Dec
14
2007

All you people searching for a Nintendo Will console this Christmas were in luck today. Futureshop.ca had two separate stock replenishes of the popular gaming system of 350 units and they were all gone in a matter of minutes. If you didn’t already have your customer profile set up, or were busy fumbling through your wallet looking for your credit card then you were probably out of luck.  Many of their stores sold some of their last shipments before Christmas this morning as well.

This screen grab was taken at 4:18pm (click for larger version):
Futureshop.ca - Wii Sales at 4:18pm

And just over 10 minutes later:
Futureshop.ca - Wii Sales at 4:30pm

I’ve never seen such a demand for item since the Tickle-Me-Elmo. I for one wasn’t about to wake up at the crack of dawn this morning in the cold to head to Future Shop and purchase one in store. All the people who managed to get one before the holidays are pretty lucky because this is one hot item (two years running). It sucks when many of these people buying up all these Wii’s are scalpers trying to make a quick buck from the high demand of this product, while there are eager children waiting on them as Christmas gifts.

Other online retailers that had the Wii in stock at various times today: Costco and Best Buy.

Next online rush: Wii Fit

Money Matters: Tips On Avoiding the Post-Holiday Blues

Dec
11
2007

I know it may seem like a bit of an oxymoron with me giving financial advice, but trust me, I’m not that bad of a shop-a-holic! :D

Here is a excerpt from a 9-tip article I wrote for Passion Magazine on how you can help ease the strain on your wallet this holiday season:

1. Plan it out
Budgeting is key to tracking and saving your funds. Estimate how much money you’ll spend for the holiday season, write it down and stick to it.

2. Make a list and check it twice
Do you really need to buy your mail carrier’s brother a Christmas gift? Or even your neighbours whom you’ve only said “Good morning” to on occasion? Probably not. Make a list of people you intend to exchange gifts with in order of priority. You should also brainstorm gift ideas for each as well as jot down approximate prices to keep things organized. Trim the list if necessary.

3. Don’t procrastinate
Yes, the adrenalin rush of Christmas Eve shopping is tempting, but be the early bird for once. Avoid waiting until the last minute to shop so that you’ll have more time to compare prices at different stores. You can also take advantage of year-round sales this way. Boxing Day is a must if you want to save big on holiday items and future presents that you can hide away in your closet until next year.

4. Cash it
It may seem so much easier to swipe and sign, but paying with cash will benefit you in the long run. If you see the money leaving your hands, you may feel less inclined to part with it. You’ll also avoid being struck with bills and high interest come January.

Click here to read the rest of the article on PassionMag.ca.

Passion Magazine: Style Life Culture

Dec
11
2007

Passion Magazine - November/December 2007I just wanted to give all of you a heads up on Passion Magazine a “new” publication aimed at women between 25-40. I was honoured to be given the opportunity to help design the layout of the magazine, as well as design and code the website (Drupal can be soooo stressful! Still needs tweaking!). But here’s a shot at the cover with the lovely and talented Ms. Alicia Keys. Magazine publishing is a learning process, so hopefully with comments and criticism by readers we’ll be able to make Passion successful in our demographic. Kudos to all the hard-working staff!

Here are some of the cover stories:

  • Alicia Keys: The Grammy Award-winning superstar talks about her new album, the joy of helping others and what’s next
  • Avoiding the post holiday financial blues
  • Chaka Khan: Back in the game after a 10-year break
  • Sign of the Times: Examining the ‘new’ nuclear family
  • 2 Words that can define you and help design your life
  • Stocking stuffer ideas for the entire family

The November/December issue of Passion Magazine is now available at Chapter-Indigo locations, as well as some Shoppers Drug Mart’s. Dont forget to visit PassionMag.ca to enter the Samsung Camera Giveaway Contest!