a cute toaster

Hi, It’s Laurie. The person who updates this site.

I live in a suburb of Vancouver, British Columbia (where I was born and raised) with my husband Paul. We were married on November 30th, 2007 on Moloka’i, Hawai’i in a private ceremony. We’ve been together since December 31, 2000/January 1, 2001. I’m an Aquarius and he’s a Virgo. I’m pretty sure astrology is bunk, but we’re both great examples of an Aquarius and a Virgo, so if it’s true we’re pretty much destined to kill each other or drive one another into early graves.

As a child I was always athletic and active. I played basketball and field hockey through school. I was your “typical” goth-jock in high school (heh!) and I was politically involved in causes I believed in. I was, and still am, a voracious reader. Active…well, I’m working on that

In 2002 I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, and I struggle to not allow it to change my life. I’ve been fairly successful, luckily. I’ve had my moments though.

I’m an aspiring writer, despite not really doing anything about developing that goal. I’d love to channel it into a side job of freelance writing. In July 2004 I am quit my stressful “corporate desk job” to go back to school to become a veterinary assistant. It pays a lot less money, but I’ve come to the conclusion that health and happiness are much more important than money. Besides, it’s something that I’ve always wanted to do. Currently I’m the practice manager of a veterinary clinic. It’s never boring, and the days run the gamut of rewarding, sad, frustrating, stressful, happy…sometimes all in the same day.

We have two dogs:

• Maggie, a Treeing Walker Coonhound cross. She was a Hurricane Katrina rescue; my boss went down there for 3 weeks in October 2005 to assist the displaced animals and arranged to have 14 brought up to Canada to be adopted into new homes. Otherwise they would have been euthanized due to lack of space. She was pregnant and gave birth to 9 puppies 8 days after arriving.
• Bender, a yellow Labrador Retriever. Yes, he’s named after that Bender.

I’m an INFP. I’ve been one every time I’ve taken any version of the test in over ten years.

Some of my interests are: open source software, hockey, animal health, mythology, ancient Egypt, beads, collecting BPAL, naps, and reading. Lots and lots of reading.

Random things about me:

1. Previously, I’ve held jobs in a garden centre, banking, banking call centre, employee benefits, and individual income protection (short & long term disability, critical illness, long term care, etc.).
2. We bought our first house in May 2006.
3. I’m tall, pale, and tattooed: current count is 7.
4. I have short brown hair and hazel/green eyes.
5. I have a combination of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia.
6. I’m also prone to bouts of depression, I have what’s known as double depression: clinical depression along with dysthymia. It rules.
7. I really really want a sportbike.
8. I like to read. I read a lot. I’ll read nearly anything.
9. I read very fast.
10. I hate it when my feet touch other feet.
11. I don’t like it when different food on my plate touches, although I’m not so weird that I can’t eat it that way.
12. I go through cycles of drinking coffee regularly and rarely drinking it at all. I drink tea all the time though; I need a certain level of caffeine in order to function.
13. I hate trying on clothes, shoes, and bras.
14. I’ve broken my right arm in 6 places (at different times), torn the ligaments in my right foot and ankle twice, fractured my cheekbone, broken my index finger multiple times, damaged the cartilage in my left knee…I’m a walking disaster.
15. Sometimes I randomly fall down while I’m walking.
16. My dream job would be naming new colours of crayons, paint, and makeup.
17. I’d love to run for office if politics weren’t so corrupt.
18. Sometimes I’m too idealistic.
19. Sometimes I’m too cynical.
20. I hate when people tell me that I’m tall. Thanks, I’ve never noticed!
21. I am tall, though.
22. I can be obsessive about things I like.
23. Fall is my favourite season.
24. I dislike Microsoft.
25. Google should not be used as a diagnostic tool for you or your pet!
26. It makes me sad and angry to see people not treat their pets well.
27. I would love to live on Moloka’i.
28. I get vicious migraines. The flat out in bed, the light is stabbing my brain type.
29. I hate the smell of cigarette smoke.
30. My parents were sure I was going to be a boy. My name was going to be Zachary.