All Apologies

Alright, alright I realize I've been a slackity slacker. I know it's unacceptable. But to be fair I've been kind of busy. Like a lot busy. Let me explain. Here are the top 7 reasons I have sucked as a blogger of late:

1. I got a new job. Actually not a new-new job but a promotion at my old-old job. So I'm now assistant production manager. It's nice. I mean I haven't given up on my PR dreams or anything but it's nice to be able to breathe for a bit and also...get paid for my work. Thanks for nothing internships :P

2. I moved. That's right. I no longer live with my mommy. (Okay truth be told I love my mom more than anything and loved living with her. I had a great time at home, but it was time to go.)

3. I went on vacation. The day after I moved in to my new place my friends and I went on a roadtrip across this great nation of ours all the way to visit another friend in Prince Edward Island. (Thanks Herman!)

We also did ALL things Anne of Green Gables because...I'm obsessed. Seriously. Why do you think I dyed my hair red? Jk, jk...ahem.

Road trippers at Dalvay Beach in PEI.

Mecca. I mean Green Gables. <3

4. I bought a car...that since moving out on my own I will no longer be able to afford so I now have to sell. Also I failed my driver's test. Yep...go me. (Currently practicing my patootie off so I can actually not be a hazard on the roads. Thanks dad! You have the patience of a saint.)

5. I was kinda seeing someone, only not, only kinda, only not again.  Onwards to better people in my life. Come on Hamilton...you can't only have these wishy, washy dudes kicking around. (fingers & toes crossed)

Whoa...that's graphic...and extreme.

6. I was in a wedding. One of my oldest and bestest friends married the man of her dreamz. Candace and Andrew tied the knot on September 21st, 2013 and it was a lovely day.

PS. One of my other friends Amanda recently became engaged and has asked me to be in her wedding as well. So much love happening around me! (Wait...how many times a bridesmaid, never a bride? CRAP!)

The beautiful bride and her ladies. Thanks for asking me to be part of your day! <3

7. It was summer and then fall and like...I have a life :P

Anyways to my loyal (and few) readers I thank you so much for understanding. I know you know life can just make a better door than a window sometimes.

So what happens now? I suppose I will start being a better blogger. Hamilton has lots going on that I can focus on. I mean...I know we're no Toronto and our Mayor hasn't brought us world wide headlines but we're still pretty awesome. Actually maybe more awesome since our Mayor  is presumably NOT a crackhead.

Nuff said.

Hamstown in finter (that weird time between fall and winter)(TM) is very pretty and you can feel the excitement all around as the population prepares for Christmas and other winter celebrations. Something has happened to me guys...I think I have somehow found a bit of Christmas spirit this year.

It is November 9th and I have already had my apartment decorated for the season for over a week. Who am I? I am supposed to be all Grinchly. I blame the kids. Those sweet, loving, adorable children in my life who make me feel all warm and gross with this yuletide glow. Yuck.

 Look at these faces. They make me believe in Santa...well you get what I mean.

Not to worry I'm sure it will wear off soon. A person can only take so many malls playing Christmas music before they snap. Snapity, snaps a lot.

I feel like I've gotten off track somewhere. All I was trying to say is that there's stuff coming up in the city that I'll most likely attend and write about. So look for it. Stay tuned. Check back. Same Tamara time, same Tamara channel. (Okay that didn't really work but I'm gonna leave it because I love batman.)

Hope you're out there enjoying all that Hamilton has to offer on this lovely, crisp finter(TM) day.

Finter. Is it fall? Is it winter? What do I wear? I'm so confused.

Driver's Beware!

I have a confession to make. This won't be surprising if you know me but if you don't...ohhh boy. Okay here it goes!

I can't drive! ...shock, gasp! I know, I know. I'm waaaay too old to not drive but by golly I just never got it. I had my G1 around 5 years ago and had a few "mom" lessons, but I was a disaster. Just terrible. I ran stop signs multiple times and was so nervous that I would end up crying while driving.

I've decided to give it another go.  I have had a few "dad" lessons which have gone great and my aunt even took me out one time, but I start driver's ed tomorrow. I'm taking it at Universal Driving School. I'm terrified that I'm going to be the oldest person in my class. Oh well.

I'm still nervous.. My sister and brother-in-law were in a pretty bad wreck this past summer out near Trinity Church Road, that makes me more anxious than I ever was before. I've realized that I need to do this. I am letting career doors close just because I don't have my license.  That's just pure craziness.

My bro-in-law and sis's car. Thank goodness they were both okay!

Anyways this had a point. My point is that Hamilton roads...SUCK!

Brucedale Rd in Hamilton. AKA. Deathtrap Road!

My street maybe isn't as bad as Brucedale but holy heck it's bad. It never gets plowed and people park on both sides of the street. I was driving with my dad yesterday and it was super. We were all over the place and I felt pretty good and then BAM we came down my street and almost hit another car. Confidence shattered.

That being said I'm glad that I'm learning in the winter because I need to know how to drive defensively. Especially in this city! Ugh.

Apparently Ontario has some problems with roads. So much so that there is an annual vote on Ontario's worst roads. Read all about it here.

So wish me luck as I embark on this terrifying road to a driver's license. I can't wait to have it. People should be worried. Look both ways before you cross the streets!!

Road Rage

I would say on an average day in Hamilton I spend around 45 minutes waiting for the bus. The HSR, or Hamilton Street Railway is pretty much the bane of my existence. I rant about it every other day. You would think that trying to figure out the public transportation in another country would be very near impossible. I have found the exact opposite to be true.

The underground in England, the Metro in Paris, even just normal buses in Scotland or Belgium. For some reason it seems almost too easy to get from point A to point B in other countries. In Edinburgh if a bus is going to be late it comes up on an electronic sign that it is delayed. If a bus in Hamilton is going to be late you just stand there like an idiot waiting. The HSR has made me late for so many things and I always give myself a good amount of time. None of the buses connect and I have been passed by on more than one occasion. My sister and I even wrote a song about how bad the HSR is while waiting for the bus one day. I would share the lyrics with you but there is too much profanity.

I get more upset at the lack of reasonable public transportation in Hamilton everyday. Last night for example. I went out with friends and ended up having to pay almost $20 to take a cab home because the buses stop running around 1a.m. while other places I have been usually have a late running bus. In Brussels there was one last bus when the bars closed and it was the same in Paris, although we never found the stop for it and ended up taking a cab. Either way it gets very frustrating. In New York the price for a cab is ridiculously cheap. I took a cab from Madison Avenue to Canal Street in China town for around $10 US. That is almost a 15 minute ride and that's with no traffic, which let's face it in New York is rare. Here it costs $3.50 just to get in a cab. It's infuriating.

I do not drive. I am realizing I will have to get my license eventually but I really just don't like driving. I am a nervous, panicky driver and the streets are probably safer with me off of them. If the public transportation was more reliable and cost less I would never complain about it. I wish Hamilton had a subway line, or a better bus schedule. The debate about LRT is ongoing and it will probably be years before we see that implemented. Until then I guess I will just continue to wait for the bus and sing my incredibly profane song about the HSR.

 

A very overcrowded HSR bus.

My friend Amanda reading the metro map in Paris, France. (Easier in french than one might think)