I am cold. So cold, in fact, that I held my hands over the toaster while I toasted my bread. Rick needs a space heater. He also needs shelves. But mostly, right this second, he needs a space heater. I'm wrapped in his comforter, sitting at his computer, while he's out doing his laundry.

I have a desperate need to do something. I'm bored out of my skull. And I feel sick. It's not a nice combination, really. The two feelings are at odds with each other. I have no money, so a movie is out of the question, and so is dinner, but I don't think I have any food back at A&C's place so it's not looking like a good eating night.

Tomorrow, I'm going to have to listen to the gold medal hockey game at work. Talk radio doesn't really go well with Heretic, but I don't think there's anything I can do. I can hardly schlep a television in there, can I? After work, I'm heading to Nicole's place for dinner and masque making. She's going to teach me how to make fancy masques for Sandra's wedding. That should be fun.

Work was sucking until about 2 o'clock when the Controler, the Evil One, the jerk, whatever you want to call him, skipped off work to watch the hockey game. Before that, he'd certainly been throwing his weight around with Sara and myself. God, he grates on my nerves and I just want to toss him out of a window. Not that I could, he's a sturdy fellow.

Anyway, this means I've had some time to surf as I stick addresses on envelopes. So, I looked up my mother's last name, Hogenkamp. I have discovered a few fascinating things: Previously, it was always stated that the double O versus the single O in Hogenkamp had to do with a family rift. It may well have more to do with a non-standardised spelling. I came across the same name spelled as Hogen Kamp and then Hoogenkamp, so, who knows? Also, there are Hogenkamps in *gasp* Germany, as well as Denmark. Also, they were part of the early settlers to New York in the 1600s. Maybe that's why she was so drawn there. Also, there's a restaurant bearing her name, that looks like it might be tasty. Another thing I've seen, in flipping through Hogenkamp personal pages, a good many of them have... prominent noses. There's also a big time appaloosa breeder named Hogenkamp - just happens to be one of my mother's favourite horse breeds.

Good stuff. Update - somepoint in the 3rd period - Canada is beating Belarouse (sp?) 7-1. So, we'll be playing either Russia or the USA for gold.

There was some confusion on Rick's part about the whole talking/kissing comment from the last entry. I did NOT smooch Evelyn, nor did it cross my mind. I only say such things to make Nick blush. It's cute when he blushes. So, nyah.

Last night I dreamt about working at the ROM tomorrow (today). It was not a pleasant dream. It was about myself and the other people being tormented by the Evil One, our manager, and how we came together to bring justice upon him. We entered into a group meeting with Ania, and explained our hurts and angers, humiliation and depression. It was vivid and full of my dislike, liberally coating everyone's opinions. We lamented, cried, pleaded, accused... All under the dirty yellow light of too many old institutions. Ania listened and nodded, and we hoped that we would be vindicated, that the Evil One's behaviour would be punished. Sadly, it was not to be the case. Some quite, some returned to work, but all of us were broken individuals now, our hope obliterated.

Nice, eh? On that note, I get to go into work tomorrow to face him. Won't that be pleasant.

Tonight, Rick joined Nick, Evelyn and myself for dinner at Insomnia. It was fantabulous. It followed on an amazingly unexciting day at Heretic. I began it at Java, eating brunch with Nick and Evelyn. They came to the store following that, and we called Arthur. After a bit of a wait, Arthur arrived bearing leases for us to read over and sign. What wacky leases, too, all gothic in speech with referrences to water closets and... pianolas. Bizarre, but a fine lease, nonetheless. So it was signed and Arthur went on his way, and Nick and Evelyn lingered, and then he went to work and she went out into the wet world in search of adventures. I sat alone in the store for another three hours. No one came in. Then Evelyn came back, and soon after, Nick. And then much trying on of clothing and taking pictures with Nick's fancy camera.

I must have the plaid corset.

Then dinner. Rick saw the pictures of me in the corset and he decided he would buy it for me... eventually, and then he saw the picture of Nick in the waist cincher and robin hood... and he was afraid. It was scary. And I've already told you dinner was great, which it was, and now I'm home and not yet sleepy.

Canada beat Finland, 2-1 ! Yay ! We'll play Belaruse on Friday at... 2pm EST?! What sort of time is THAT? I'm going to have to do something creative for my breaks and lunch at the museum, otherwise I'll miss the game, and I really can't let that happen. I figure, if I take my lunch and breaks all together at 3pm, I'll be set for the final half of the game. Let's hope the snot will let me. *rolls her eyes*

Tomorrow, Thursday (I believe it is actually Thursday now, but since I haven't gone to bed...), Nick and I will be signing our lease. Yay !

And Evelyn is here. She is cool. Cooler than many other people. A little nutty, but super cool. Rock. And she and I won't tell Nick what we talk about. Mostly because kissing isn't really talking at all, so there's nothing much to tell him. So evil.

Well, okay, I was wrong, or optimistic, or something. My boss, at the ROM isn't just under pressure from HR, he's also a jerk. "Goodmorming" was quickly followed by a lecture, or really, more of an interrogation, about whether or not I was doing something (or wasn't) particular in certain files. I said that I probably wasn't, in that I've been doing this since the system was developed, but he pressed it. I said that I might have let it slip, because no one is perfect, but he wanted me to say I'd fucked up a whole batch. I would not say that, because I didn't. The best is, he did this in the middle of the department for all to hear. Very nice.

It turns out a whole LOT of people are very angry with the way he's been handling things, and Sara (another part-timer doing what I do) remarked that it had broken up the unity of the department, putting people into cliques that are either with him, or silently fuming. He's undercut all the full-time people, ripping what independence they had out from under them, and he's just absolutely squashing the will of the part-timers. The worst is, when people have tried to speak with the branch director, it becomes very clear that she likes him. Why not? She's got him doing half of her job.

So, did I mention that the Canadian men's Hockey Team is sucking shorts? God.

In other news, Nick and I found a place ! It's hideous, the room he's taken, for example, having fire engine red walls, a white ceiling, and black trim around the nasty brown tiled floor. It's big, and cheap, and I can bring in my cat, and we can repaint, so it's all good. Or at the very least, it's better than a kick in the head. No, actually, it's very nice if you can withstand tiled floors. It's going to be exciting. We took it when we'd only seen one other place. That's how amazing it was. And the laundry is included and it isn't even coin-opperated !

The weekend was lovely, with Rick and I going to Hamilton for a Valentine dinner in support of the Cancer Society. It was a lot of fun. It was also very nice to see most of the entire family there, not fighting, instead, smiling and joking - a very suitable experience considering the generosity and the day. Rick danced, too, which was nice, even if I had to take my big-heeled boots off. *laugh* It was very nice, lots of fun. Rick is a good egg.