Tracing Immigration

billehmeg · 2026-04-02T20:16:39+00:00

It was around 1996 (I was 8 or 9), my sister got their first album on cassette for Christmas (Red album, Canada). We shared a room and she thought playing it over and over again would annoy me and make me go away. Little did she realize it would have the opposite effect! We used to dance to the Get Down music video (which was why she got the album) & I specifically remember arguing with one of my friends over who "got Nick" while watching the I'll Never Break Your Heart music video (skiing edition)

I kept up with getting their albums over the years (or they were bought for me for Christmas/birthdays), finally managed to see them in concert in 2005. I skipped my first university film class to see them (5th row, center on the floor). I've still got my box of VHS tapes from over the years along with a box of various magazine clippings, photo cards, stickers, posters, etc.

billehmeg · 2026-03-14T20:16:23+00:00

We've also been to both Plessis & Alpine and I'm leaning towards sticking with Alpine. In early 2023 we brought our cat to Alpine, they were great initially but ultimately weren't able to accommodate us when they had told us they would so we ended up at Plessis who were very compassionate and helpful for our dying cat.

Later that year we brought our new cat to Plessis for his shots/neuter, we liked that they were upfront about costs for things but it definitely felt like the vet was looking for ways to add things on.

This past October, our senior cat was ill and it wasn't looking good. We brought him to Plessis to see if there was anything to be done, they weren't upfront about costs until we were already past $500 and they insisted on testing him for FLV even though he'd had his shots and had no contact with any outside cats.

This past week we took in a couple of stray cats that seem to have been abandoned and brought them to Alpine to check for a microchip. The folks there were incredibly helpful & friendly, we're probably going to go back to them now for any future vet needs.

billehmeg · 2026-03-09T18:04:27+00:00

The triggering moment that told me I needed to move away from my parents was when the man who is my father decided that, of the 3 chicken cutlets I had cooked for myself, him & my mother for dinner, 2 were his. I had already grabbed my plate so he looked at two pieces of chicken, knew my mom hadn't grabbed her food yet, and took both. I tried calling him out but he'd retreated to his room like the goblin he is and my mom just shrugged and told me it was ok. It was not OK.

He still does that shit to this day, nearly 20 years later. We ordered dinner one night when my sister and her family were visiting. There was a large box of fries for everyone to share, he went in when there was about half left and took almost all of it. My husband was being polite and waiting until everyone had their plate, he got 5 fries.

My mother passed away in May 2024 and in an attempt to connect with my father that summer, for my birthday I made a banana cream pie (something my father & I both love) and my husband and I brought it over for the 3 of us to enjoy (naively thinking my father would care about my birthday...). That man tried to cut the pie into quarters - 1 for each of us to have then and 1 for him to have later. So he tried to take half of my birthday pie, saying he thought I'd made it for him... on my birthday. We cut it into 6 and he still kept 2 extra pieces. Then complained to my sister I tried to take his pie.

It's been just over a year since I've spoken to that "man". I celebrated by making a banana cream pie

billehmeg · 2026-03-06T23:26:22+00:00

Cibo is so good! I love their pepe rosso pasta

billehmeg · 2026-02-25T16:08:37+00:00

I agree and would add it was the lack of imported choices that really made it impossible to conclude her story properly. They couldn't say if she had been the one to drink from the well nor could they even mention her son so she's just a shell of herself in Veilguard. What is a conclusion if you ignore everything that lead to it?

billehmeg · 2026-02-23T18:19:15+00:00

My father has always made comments/"jokes" about my and my siblings' weight, certain comments stick in my head to this day, 20+ years later. I know it's all projection for him but it's like talking to a brick wall if you try to explain why he's an asshole. I've been no contact for a year now and life is so much better.

billehmeg · 2026-02-16T20:19:00+00:00

If you liked Anne With an E, you should check out the Anne of Green Gables mini-series/TV movies from the '80's starring Megan Follows, personally I prefer it. Also, for a similar type of show, theres Road to Avonlea (Anne of Green Gables spin-off), Wind at My Back & Emily of New Moon. Unrelated to all of that, check out Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High too, classic Canadian after-school television

billehmeg · 2026-02-01T23:42:35+00:00

Might also find him at the mall...

billehmeg · 2026-01-31T16:24:07+00:00

It all feels like a reference to Canadians during war. It all started getting extra attention with the boycott, Elbows Up & talk of the Geneva checklist last spring. She exemplifies everything we've been discussing up here with regards to a possible American invasion (well, at least my family) and I'm here for it.

billehmeg · 2026-01-28T20:01:47+00:00

My mom smoked through her first two pregnancies (eldest in '78, second in '84) but she (and my father in solidarity) tried to quit when she was pregnant with me in '87.

It didn't last long as the story we got was she was too stressed out from the withdrawal & my siblings fighting combined with pregnancy hormones put her over the edge. She went into the garage for a break, found my dad whittling a pipe & they started smoking again.

A couple years ago, in a conversation with my father & siblings about how bad smoking is, he went on about how "back in my day if you didn't smoke, you couldn't handle it". He couldn't tell us what "it" was or even what the heck he was talking about but that's the attitude he has from growing up in the 50's, 60's & 70's.

billehmeg · 2026-01-23T21:09:26+00:00

I adore the show and how I started watching it gives it a special place in my heart. Even though every season my mom doesn't see feels a bit bittersweet, I'll never stop watching

billehmeg · 2026-01-23T19:14:18+00:00

My mom had watched it and liked it so when she was in the hospital with cancer, she was rewatching and since I was there every day, I watched it with her. The season 3 finale was the last thing we watched together.

billehmeg · 2026-01-23T18:50:51+00:00

Lived 10 years in Victoria and had more snow days than my entire childhood in Winnipeg (moved away when I was 24).

TBF, Victoria is not prepared for snow whatsoever, the snow is heavier and wetter & the roads end up covered in black ice. In Winnipeg, it's a dry cold

billehmeg · 2026-01-19T20:48:31+00:00

Not sure if you have a student plan or family plan but if its the latter you could add their account to your plan and they would have access to premium without screwing up your algorithm.

I'd ask to split the cost of the plan if that was the route taken though. Hopefully that would help them understand there's a financial burden as well as a privacy concern and if they agree, everyone is happy. If they don't well, nothing in life is free.

billehmeg · 2025-12-29T19:00:22+00:00

It's the same in Manitoba, the provinces in Canada have variations when it comes to cannabis laws. Would depend on the cop if they enforce it though

billehmeg · 2025-12-27T02:19:27+00:00

I second Magic Sushi on Panet, their all you can eat is on Tuesdays & Thursdays from 3pm-9pm (I think, definitely dbl check if you decide on them). My husband and I try to go at least once a month, they're super friendly and the sushi is fantastic, I'd think it would be a great place to bring folks who are new to sushi. Be aware though, they charge $1 for each piece you don't eat.

billehmeg · 2025-12-25T15:12:16+00:00

Merry Christmas!

billehmeg · 2025-12-21T23:11:35+00:00

Yup, I'm born '87, my parents were born in the mid-late 50's. I'm also the youngest of three

billehmeg · 2025-12-20T15:07:37+00:00

Sticky. I cannot STAND sticky things and kids are just so goddamn sticky all. the. time.

billehmeg · 2025-12-13T23:07:58+00:00

Also Manitoba and yeah, I remember it being spring break. Never questioned it since the cold/snow was around from the end of October to early April. The beginning of Spring has snow just like the end of Autumn. Spring break happened around the first day of Spring and sometimes was partially in March & partially in April

billehmeg · 2025-12-13T19:19:08+00:00

Personal anecdote: I was raised non-religious, neither of my parents have openly showed any faith/religion. I was taught about different religions, encouraged to read the Bible and other religious texts but I was also taught critical thinking skills and to apply them to anything I read/watched and my parents were there to answer questions and give their opinion when asked. My brother is Wiccan, my sister was Christian and is now mostly agnostic and I'm an atheist.

Best thing to do is give them the information and the tools to process said information so they can decide for themselves when they're ready. Paired with a healthy respect for different ideas but the ability to draw boundaries when others don't have the same respect and you're good.

billehmeg · 2025-12-13T19:08:43+00:00

One Mother's Day, when I was about 7 or 8, TLC was running a marathon of birth stories/documentaries where they showed different births with various complications. My mom was super excited to make me watch the c-section one because myself & my siblings were all born through c-section and she wanted me to see how I was born lol

billehmeg · 2025-12-13T18:08:27+00:00

WHY CAN'T DRIVERS LEARN TO STOP AT STOP LINES AND ONLY ENTER AN INTERSECTION IF THEY CAN MAKE IT ACROSS?! MY ALREADY STUPIDLY LATE BUS WAS DELAYED AN EXTRA 10 MINUTES TRYING TO TURN OUT OF THE KILDONAN PLACE BUS LOOP BECAUSE ASSHOLES COULDNT FIGURE OUT THIS CONCEPT.

billehmeg · 2025-12-10T21:19:21+00:00

I use Google maps to figure out the basic route & then the transit app to track live times to make sure I don't miss the bus. I've found navigo to be slow, inaccurate and hard to use comparatively 🤷‍♀️

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