Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

It’s been a busy week, friends. Between my web-tastic new gig and personal schedule, there is a lot going on. I’m still getting the hang of my new job, as some of the stuff I’m working on is very technical and totally new to me, but I’m also loving every minute and every new thing that I get to learn. Ahh learning… Where would this nerdy girl be without you?

On Tuesday I had the opportunity to accompany my friend Heather to UofT for the Toronto leg of Chuck Palahniuk’s Pygmy book tour. It was my first time at a Chuck Palahniuk reading and let me tell you, he did not disappoint. The man is quite entertaining and I spent a good chunk of the evening laughing my butt off. Here are a few highlights from the night…

• Chuck’s explanation of where the idea for Pygmy came from. You can actually find the story in a recent interview that he did with Metro News. The moral of the story? When in Germany, always go with a translator. Always.

• Inflatable penguins.
Sorry, make that autographed inflatable penguins. While I didn’t manage to snag one, I definitely enjoyed watching people scramble to blow them up and sqeak their feet in order to win a copy of Choke on DVD. (Has anyone seen/read Choke? Would you recommend it?)

• Re-written bedtime stories.
Interpreted to match the kind of writing found in Pygmy, classic children’s stories like “Goldilocks and The Three Bears” got the full Chuck treatment and wound up hilariously twisted. (During a Q&A someone asked if he’d ever consider writing a children’s book. He explained that he had, and gave a run down of the story… Oddly enough, no one will publish it. Heh…)

• Costumes.
As Heather pointed out to me when she asked me to join her for this adventure, if we dressed up as Model UN delegates, we’d win a prize. In a note from Chuck, he said, “Don’t let your dignity stop you from having a good time, and I won’t feel like such a freak, myself.” Well, I went ahead and took those words to heart. Why else do you think I’d be roaming the streets of Toronto looking like an Irish superhero? Heather also dressed accordingly as “Heather, Queen of Scots” in tartan and a tiara. (Go ahead and click on “Costumes” above for proof!) I can’t wait to find out what my mystery prize is! Big thanks to Heather for such a fantastic evening.

In other news, this week I learned that I should not attempt to do anything without the assistance of my glasses. Post-shower, I’m getting ready to go out and reach for my sample-size Vera Wang Princess perfume. I give myself a little spritz on the neck and wrist and then realize… that’s not Princess. What did I just spray on myself? Why is it so strong? Glasses… where the eff are my glasses?!

Upon closer inspection, I realized that I’d spritzed myself with Vera Wang for Men. Lovely. You know, in a manly way. (Epic. Fail.)

As for today, I’m off to a choreography session with Melissa Williams from So You Think You Can Dance Canada. More on that tomorrow, after my limbs have had a chance to recover!