The Long and Winding Road...

End of the Road...

2010-06-11T23:54:00.002-04:00

Well, folks... This blog has been going since October 2007 (almost 3 years). Quite a lot has changed since then! I didn't realize until I re-read some of my first posts.

I was living in Waterloo, going to Laurier in my final year...
I was planning on teaching overseas...
I used words like "swell"... I think I will again!
Posts were entitled with Beatles song titles (that was the best idea ever)...

Good times. And it seems like a good time to move on to a fresh start. Farewell, Long and Winding Road! Join me at my new blog. If you don't know about it, you're probably not supposed to. So HA! Foiled!

Baby Names and "Twilight"

2010-06-11T19:01:00.006-04:00

Awhile ago, I asked the rhetorical and somewhat sarcastic question, "I wonder how many brand new baby Bellas and Edwards and Jacobs we're going to meet in the next 5 years?" I know about the Twilight phenomenon. If anything, I'm one of its newest followers, though by no means a "Twi-hard".

But any of these pop culture explosions ends up having long-lasting effects, in music, fashion, slang, and yes, baby naming. For example, my name "Meg" is partly inspired by the character from The Thorn Birds, which came out as a TV mini-serie s in 1983, a year before I was born.

So I had to ask... Will Twilight create a bubble of inspired baby names? Long story short, HELL YES. The first book was released in 2005, and ever since, character names have appeared and risen on lists of the "Top 100 Baby Names of 200-" variety, from BabyNames.com. Here's the Coles Notes version:

Appearing on the top 100 in 2004: Isabella (#7) and Jacob (#7).

Appearing on the top 100 in 2009: Isabella (#2), Jacob (#8), Bella (#18), James (#27), Alice (#40), Jasper (#42), Emmett (#54), Edward (#65), Victoria (#74) and Esme (#84), and Rosalie (#88).

Champ: Isabella ranks #2 for two years in a row, 2008-09.

...Imagine if Stephenie Meyer had named her heroes and heroines Gertrude, Irving, Ernest, or Horace? Could she have resurrected those names, or would she have lost readers?

New Look!

2010-06-11T18:58:00.002-04:00

Ahhhh, finally Blogger has made some new templates, and allowed more tweaking. I have been missing my date-header for MONTHS now, and I'm delighted to welcome it back. No more date-labeled subject lines.

Now that it's a bit less frustrating to use, I look forward to expressing myself a little more from now on. Not just updates, but actual thoughts (gasp!). Whether or not anyone is reading... is kind of moot. Also, I love that word. MOOT!

May 30, 2010

2010-05-30T18:41:00.004-04:00

Wow. It's been over a month since I've written. I've been keeping busy, but there hasn't been as much to report. Basically...

- I've been working hard at the CNIB, and learning lots.
- I've wandered around the area, and visited a few new sites.
- I've been reading a lot, and watching a few movies here and there (see below).
- I miss home really badly, but there are only 4 weeks left now!!

Mostly at this point, I'm just thinking about getting home, and enjoying the summer. There is so much that I'm looking forward to.

RECENT READS
"Eclipse" by Stephenie Meyer ****
"Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer ***
"Elephant Run" by Roland Smith ***
"New Moon" by Stephenie Meyer **
"Breaking Dawn" by Stephenie Meyer **
"The Tale of Despereaux" by Kate DiCamillo **
CURRENT: "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" by Mary Ann Schaffer & Annie Barrows

RECENT FILM VIEWS
"Sleeping Beauty" (1959) *****
"The Emperor's New Groove" (2000) ***
"Tropic Thunder" (2008) ***
"Shrek Forever After" (2010) ***
"New Moon" (2009) ***
"Date Night" (2010) **
"Twilight" (2008) **
"Iron Man 2" (2010) **

April 25, 2010

2010-04-25T16:37:00.003-04:00

3rd week down. Not a lot to report on that front. No new photos, either. Made this weekend a "pajama" weekend because I needed the break. I've been homesick and have exhausted myself a bit, running around trying to keep busy and see everything the city has to offer. So on my weekend off, I have been reading ("Lennon Revealed" and "Sleeping Naked is Green"), I've watched some personal and library movies and tonight, the big event is to go see "The Backup Plan" with my landlady and another student at the CNIB. Not really my first choice at the theatre, but I have a coupon for free admission. So who cares?

Many things on my mind... I saw "Oceans" on Earth Day (Thurs) by myself. I thought it would be fun to do something to mark the day besides putting extra effort into my usual eco-friendly habits (I have a few!). It was fun enough, and I loved hearing the reactions of all the kids in the audience (it was a FULL house, and 80% of the audience was under age 10). Then I was driving home (feeling guilty about all the fuel I was burning), and saw a youngish couple flying a kite in a park. I thought "DANG! They've got the right idea!" ...Between that, some documentaries and some further reading, I've been very aware of environmental issues. These could take up several weeks' worth of blog entries so I won't expand at the moment, I just want to say that I've been thinking a lot (at least, more than usual. I normally have this on my mind).

These are the things I am enjoying the most about being here (a little GHF), in no particular order:

having reliable internet ALL the time
my new phone plan with Koodo
fresh air
trees (the landscape in general... lakes and mountains and rivers... ahhh..)
public library (better than home!)
having the car available all the time

RECENT FILM VIEWS
Zoolander (2001) ****
Bolt (2008) ****
Oceans (2009) ***
Addicted to Plastic (2008) ***
Religulous (2008) ***
The U.S. vs. John Lennon (2006) **

April 18, 2010

2010-04-18T16:14:00.005-04:00

Another weekend marking the survival of another week. Here are some of the things I've been up to since last weekend (in no particular order)...

1. Window-shopping (PetsMart, Chapters, Winners, etc.)

2. International Friendship Gardens

3. Boulevard Lake (the 5km walk around it)

4. Thunder Bay Art Gallery

5. Marina Park (again)

6. Show: Magician Jeff McBride (landlady got free tickets), and dinner with landlady's cousin

7. Movie: "The Last Song" ...it was okay. 2.5 stars.

8. Checked out the Intercity Shopping Centre. Pretty much like any other mall.

9. New food: the Northern-Ontario chain "Taco Time". Would not recommend.

April 11, 2010

2010-04-11T20:40:00.003-04:00

Here are some of the things I did/places I went over the weekend:

1. Thunder Bay Farmer's Market
Mostly a craft show, but with a few gems here and there (an organic cotton girl, and a handmade truffle lady).

2. Home & Garden Show
50% home and 49% junk and 1% garden. Totally not worth the time (but it was free at least).

3. "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" at the local Silver City
SAVE YOUR MONEY. Do not see this steamy piece of pooh.

4. Shopping (same everywhere)

5. Cascades Conservation Area
Beautiful! Lots of trails to choose from. Well worth it.

6. Centennial Park
Geared mainly to kids, but beautiful to walk around.

7. Dinner with Landlady and Landlady's Cousin at Boston Pizza
I don't like Boston Pizza. But it was nice to get a free meal!

April 10 - Homesick

2010-04-10T14:27:00.002-04:00

As it turns out, the weekend is the hardest time for dealing with homesickness. I'm going to the movies to see "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" just to get me out of the house. *sigh* Needing hugs.

April 9, 2010 - DIGEST of events

2010-04-09T19:19:00.004-04:00

Wow. I've already completed my first (work) week here in Thunder Bay. What a whirlwind. I'm actually quite exhausted. Here's what's happened so far.

The drive up with Mum took 3 days (about 7 hrs driving per day). We stopped in Grayling, Michigan for one night, and Wawa, Ontario for the other. The drive was fairly uneventful, but we explored a few sites along the way. Most interesting locations were closed for the colder season. I marked them all on a piece of paper so we could see them on the way back. It will be a longer drive back, lol. So far, though, seen a few different things:

- Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park
- Chippewa River (Plaque Site)
- Wawa's giant goose
- Mackinac Bridge
- Aguasabon River Gorge
- Terry Fox Monument
- Marina Park

Settled in here okay. It was really hard saying goodbye to home, to the family, to my furry babies... It was a bit rough to start. Had Easter Monday dinner with my supervisor, her family, and my "landlady / housemate". What lovely people! My housemate is kind of a strange lady, but very nice. Extremely chatty, sometimes too much. But a good person. My supervisor made a GREAT first impression.

Met everyone at the CNIB office and love them! What an awesome team of professionals. They made me feel right at home. I even got my own office while I'm there. It's kind of cool... I feel so grown up ^_^

Already had my first work-trip to Kenora and Dryden (left early Wednesday morning and got back this evening). Met some very special kids, saw some very interesting lessons/assessments/brainstorming sessions. Hard to explain. But for me, amazing to observe.

I miss EVERYbody. Booked 2 visits home (April 29-May 2, and May 21-24), but please don't expect a lot of social time from me. I will probably not want to leave my house.

This weekend: bit of shopping, visiting the local farmer's market, walking around Centennial Park with my supervisor and her kids, and dinner with my housemate's cousins.

April 1st, 2010

2010-04-01T19:41:00.003-04:00

All packed (almost) and ready to go! It was hard to know what I would need when I get there... The weather (despite being so far North-West and on Lake Superior) is actually quite similar to home, so I anticipate that Spring is settling in there as much as here. I packed a bunch of movies and books for fun, my camera and a handful of batteries, and the rest is essentials. I'm doing my best to make this 3-month school/work placement into a travel adventure!

Here are some of the things I plan on visiting, total tourist-style (including baseball cap, camera, and look of perpetual amazement):

- Kakabeka Falls
- Eagle Canyon
- Ouimet Canyon
- Panorama Amethyst Mine
- Sleeping Giant
- Pigeon River

...There are more things, too, but those are the biggies. I will take many a photo ^_^

While I am away, I will (generally) have access to phone and internet. I will keep on blogging, time permitting, though it will probably mostly just be about my little explorations of the area.

Although I always have larger issues on my mind (believe me, my brain buzzes all day long about politics, animal rights, social justice, climate change, etc. etc.), I need time to dedicate to expressing those things properly. Besides, this blog is mainly to keep friends who are physically distant updated on my comings and goings. The thrills never cease! Hee hee.

Wish me luck, and keep in touch!

RECENT FILM VIEWS
The Namesake (2006) **

March 28, 2010

2010-03-28T13:49:00.003-04:00

MADE IT. Winter term is OVER. No more classes, exams, papers, or placement with She-Satan. *sigh* It hasn't sunk in yet, since my last exam was Friday. I have this week to clean up my disastrous room and pack, and we're leaving this coming Friday (Mom and I on a 3-day roadtrip).

We're celebrating Easter today since I won't be here for real Easter. I am really upset about having to leave for 3 months, but hope to visit at least twice (on a weekend at the end of April and May perhaps). While I'm away, I'm going to have lots of personal projects on the go to keep busy and not have time to sulk or get homesick. There will be lots of exploring, taking pictures, reading, drawing, cooking, etc. etc. Anything to get me home faster.

GHF
- no more horrible placements!
- Spring is here, warm days ahead!
- I'll finally have time to watch movies, read for fun, and take pictures :-)
- just had a really nice weekend with Sunshine
- I got my new laptop!!! It's named "Ruby" and is beautiful

RECENT FILM VIEWS
How to Train Your Dragon - 3D (2010) ***
The Baby Formula (2008) **
Alice In Wonderland - 3D (2010) **

March 15, 2010

2010-03-15T13:26:00.003-04:00

It's been awhile! I had a nice quiet birthday (most of the celebrations for my brother, because he hit the big 3-0!), and so did Sunshine. School has kept us both too busy to do many spectacular festivities, though we will make up for it in the summer!

This is the last "real" week of class, as next week (despite having placement and a lecture or two... our program is so ridiculous...) is mostly exams. Only 2 placement days left, thank goodness. Still hating every minute of it, but at least it's almost over.

Arrangements for my move to Thunder Bay have been made. I believe I will be leaving on Friday, April 2nd and arriving on Sunday, April 4th. Mom and I are driving out together. We'll be making stops along the way in places like Wawa... I will try to think of it as a site-seeing trip and less as... well just more positive. I'm also working to come up with ways of staying happy and occupied while I'm away (I will bring video games, my camera, a list of places to visit, music, etc. etc.).

Spring is finally creeping in! Grammer's house had a whole bunch of crocuses popping up, and we've had some beautiful mild days! I can't wait for summer to get here.

COUNTDOWNS
2 days until St. Patrick's Day
7 days until the official start of Spring
11 days until I'm free of She-Satan

RECENT FILM VIEWS
Avatar (2009) ****
Tarzan (1999) ****
Sweet November (1968) ***
Terminator Salvation (2009) **

February 25, 2010

2010-02-25T17:12:00.003-05:00

Must think positive. Must think positive.

Had a nightmare of a placement day today. Got to watch non-violent crisis intervention (something they don't teach us, how helpful) IN ACTION. Meaning, my supervisor holding this girl in a reverse-bear hug as the kid attempted to bite, scratch, kick, punch, and pinch, SCREAMING and CACKLING the whole time. Mixed in with her usual random convulsions (it's like she's having tiny seizures all day long). It was downright scary. She tried to throw a (hard) toy RIGHT at my super's head, and only JUST missed.

I had to admit (despite being expected to impress my super) that I don't feel like I can handle that kind of situation... She gave advice, but HOLY SHIT. That is WAY beyond a tantrum.

This girl was beating *herself* up (as in SLAPPING herself, whacking her arms and legs, and CURSING at herself). It was twisted. Can you imagine what it must be like to try to raise a kid like that, where the emotional-cognitive development is soooooooo messed up?? I feel overwhelmed, under-prepared, inadequate and frankly, freaked out. What the heck would I do if I were given a kid like that on my caseload???

GHF
- only 4 placement days left
- I am rockin' at Braille! BEST class! Love it!
- No college strike means the year won't be disrupted
- This Sunday is a surprise party for my bro :-)
- got some new clothes! At Zehrs (grocery store), of all places!

COUNTDOWNS
- 4 days until my bday
- 14 days until Sunshine's bday
- 20 days until St. Patrick's day

RECENT FILM VIEWS
- I Heart Huckabees (2004) ****
- Drumline (2002) *

February 15, 2010

2010-02-15T20:10:00.005-05:00

Going through a *really* rough patch. Partly from school, mostly in my head.

GHF
- I have the love and support of so many special people (one in particular comes to mind)
- things will get better, one way or another, and this will all be a bad memory
- a cup of tea always seems to help. So do puppy kisses.
- Spring is coming. I don't care how long it takes.
- Sunshine and I celebrated Valentine's by eating burgers and watching the Olympics (we saw Canada get a bronze!)

COUNTDOWNS (next 3)
- 13 days until my bday
- 23 days until Sunshine's bday
- 29 days until St. Patrick's Day

RECENT FILM VIEWS
The Trouble With Angels (1966) ***

February 11, 2010

2010-02-11T09:44:00.004-05:00

Home sick from placement (am I sad? HA!). Planning to get a lot of project-work done today to ease up my workload later. This term will be, as of tomorrow, 1/2 complete (Thunder Bay counts as the 3rd term), putting me at the exact 1/2way point in the O&M program overall (or 1/4 of the way through my college training as a whole... damn that doesn't sound like much). And, sadly, it looks like no strike/vacation. *sniffle*

GHF
- the sun is shining
- it's Kris's 30th birthday today!
- Mom and I watched "Finding Nemo" last night and I cried... twice.
- Mom made muffins this morning, mmm...
- Once again, NyQuil, DayQuil, Cepacol, I salute you!
- Yesterday I was told that I am a "careful thinker". For some reason that made me happy!
- I'm a little bit closer to having a place to stay in Tbay (in contact with a lady at the CNIB who has a room for rent, even though she wants too much $$, imo)

RECENT FILM VIEWS
FINDING NEMO (2003) *****

February 9, 2010

2010-02-09T22:43:00.004-05:00

Really, really, really sick. Wishing to death that my school had a reading week. Dammit.

GHF (otherwise I'll say lots of nasty things)

There might be a strike. Hurray! please please please...
Kris had his first dinner 'party' at his new house, and Pojee made spaghetti. It was tons of fun
Nyquil. And dayquil. And Cepacol. All cold medications at this point have a fanclub that is me.
Sleep. Isn't it fabulous?
one of my classes is over for the term, yay! and we start Braille next week!
I finished a whole class project this morning in one sitting. Awesome.

COUNTDOWNS (nearest 3)
- 5 days til Valentine's Day
- 20 days til my bday
- 30 days til Sunshine's bday

RECENT FILM VIEWS
Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (1987) ****
The Jungle Book (1967) ****
X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) ***
Cabaret (1972) *

February 6, 2010

2010-02-06T14:17:00.005-05:00

Thankfully, I've had a few better days recently than in the overall month past. I've been sick with a cold, and schoolwork is getting a little overwhelming, but it's nothing I can't handle with some DayQuil, coffee and video game music. Oh, and despite my loathing of Mohawk College (and the program in general), I accepted the offer of admission for next year's Rehab program. I may be sick to death of school, but the employers I want (mainly with the CNIB) much prefer dual-certification. So I shall suck it up as best I can!

GHF

we've had a few sunny days, finally!
Kris and Jodi are back from Jamaica, tan & relaxed
the pets all have cabin fever, and they're hyper to the point of being entertaining
despite all the B.S. at placement, I am improving my teaching methods
Kris's new house is looking fabulous with new appliances & furniture!
When Sunshine & I graduate, my parents want to take us on a tropical vacation!!!
only 7 (out of 12) more placement days with She-Satan (but who's counting?)
school MIGHT go on strike Feb 17th (I'm actually hoping they do, and give me a bit of a break. PLEASE STRIKE!! lol)

RECENT FILM VIEWS
Lars and the Real Girl (2007) ****

February 1st, 2010

2010-02-01T15:12:00.005-05:00

Still struggling.

GHF
- saw some wonderful ppl on the weekend
- feeling closer to my parents than ever before
- have moral support from special classmates
- Kris & Jodi are still relaxing in Jamaica; so glad for them.
- Dad and I are going to play glowy mini-putt tomorrow
- I love soy milk

COUNTDOWNS
- 4 days until the year+half anni
- 13 days until Valentine's Day
- 28 days until my birthday
- 38 days until Sunshine's birthday
- 44 days until St. Patrick's Day (not that it matters)
- 47 days until official start of Spring
- 51 days until I'm free from She-Satan (placement supervisor)
- 61 days until Easter
- 128 days until Julie's birthday
- 132 days until Mom's birthday
- 143 days (less than 5 months) til school is done

RECENT FILM VIEWS
I Can't Think Straight (2007) ***
Claire of the Moon (1992) ***
Land of the Lost (2009) *

January 24, 2010

2010-01-24T12:43:00.005-05:00

GHF, weekend edition!

Sunshine and I discovered that Coca-Cola in a bottle (***EDIT: a glass bottle***) tastes 10x better than in a can
I was reminded how fun it is to blow vanilla-scented bubbles
Mom+Dad+Sunshine+GLEE+popcorn = (joy x 5)
Mom came back from Ottawa, and I realized how much I missed her!
Kris and Jodi left for Jamaica (they should be there now, in the sun!)
Mom+Sunshine+swimming = chlorine-soaked fun!

...Continuing my denial of all the screwed-up things in the world right now. *hugs to all*

January 22, 2010

2010-01-22T11:52:00.002-05:00

...Really struggling. Had a *terrible* day yesterday, and have taken a MAJOR hit to my confidence (not to mention my first parking ticket, argh!). Time for some more GHF (glass-half-full)...

the sun is shining today, and it's not as cold as it's been
I just gave away 3 garbage bags full of things to Goodwill, phew.
I got some more of my favourite pens *write write write*
my whole family is working hard to support me when I'm down
things may turn around for the better soon
Dad + me + GLEE + popcorn = joy
only 2 months until it's Springtime (officially)
everything is the blanket (Huckabees)

Sigh... Time to pull myself back up and try again.

January 20, 2010

2010-01-20T20:31:00.002-05:00

I suck at writing lesson plans! Okay I'm super-stressed out again, and physically in a lot of pain (my stupid tendons!) so I need another "glass half-full" session, currently the only therapy that works in my head.

- the roads are good for driving
- i only need to drive to Hamilton tomorrow and will be home early
- Sunshine is coming to visit! <3
- there might be swimming this weekend :-)
- Watching "Gargoyles" in between classes makes me smile
- my classmates are very supportive, when I have the most difficult caseload of students out of the group, and helped me brainstorm at lunch
- James Cameron is kind of a tool, and I enjoy laughing at his ego
- my dad gives me extra hugs when i'm sad, and he gives GREAT hugs
- as of tomorrow afternoon, I'm done the first 1/4 of winter placement
- as long as i survive tomorrow, i will only get better at all this

Happy thoughts. Happy thoughts. Happy thoughts.

January 18, 2010

2010-01-18T14:05:00.004-05:00

Life is full of challenges right now. And I need to work hard just to keep it together. BUT. There will always be challenges. And most of the issues I'm encountering are not necessarily unusual, unfair, or affecting only me. A whole crew of people are going through these things together, and I'm glad to feel support around me when I start to stumble.

So in the spirit of optimism, here are all the GREAT things happening, or coming up!

- I am in love, WOOOO!!
- I super-cleaned my room and now feel like I can breathe!
- Bailey has been feeling super, and is getting into mischief more than ever!
- I got to see "My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding" with Sunshine and friends, and laughed my butt off! The music always gets stuck in my head.
- Soon I'm going to see "Cloud 9" on stage!! I am so excited!!
- Sunshine taught me how to skate! Now I want to skate everywhere, as long as I don't trip over kids. Or have to stop. Or turn sharply.
- In-between the stresses of placement, I am learning a LOT.
- Kris and his gf are going to Jamaica next weekend! Lucky bums!
- Kris is almost ready to move into his house, now that the appliances have arrived!
- When I go to Thunder Bay, I get to adopt mom's old car for keeps!
- Dad gave me a late Xmas gift: a CAA membership ^_^
- Julie gave me a little water fountain for my room. Love it!!
- Ovaltine. I love it!
- Once the Spring clothing lines come out, I get to go on a mini-spree getting professional work clothes! I hope they have nice styles this time! -_-
- I've been off the meds for over 2 months now. Phew!
- Soon I will have Thunder Bay accommodations figured out!
- After I do my homework today, I'm gonna play MarioKart Wii!!

hehe. That's all for now. Can't remember any movies I saw recently... Ciao!

January 10, 2010 - again :-)

2010-01-10T22:49:00.002-05:00

Looking for some inner calm... This is what I have had to do to settle down my overactive brain.

1. put nature sounds on my cd player (birds singing, no music)
2. hijack my sister's indoor water fountain and hook it up in my bedroom
3. sip warm jasmine tea
4. shut the door and open the window for fresh air (but not freeze the house)
5. track pants and slipper socks
6. pink grapefruit essential oil on my pulse points
7. beeswax candles
8. clear my room of visible clutter as much as possible
9. warm cat sleeping in my lap

It took me all afternoon. But it was a nice afternoon.

January 10, 2010

2010-01-10T09:59:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year! I know, I haven't posted in awhile, but it's due to the usual "very-busy-but-not-worth-telling-about" kind of life. But here's a quick recap of the last few weeks.

Christmas was really nice. I got spoiled rotten with gifts and enjoyed some time off school. During the overall break I was pretty stressed out about the upcoming term, unfortunately, especially to do with placement (which is a very high-pressure part of the course).

New Years was very relaxing, just the way I like it. Spent it with Sunshine's family, just watched the countdown on TV, played some Monopoly and UNO and lazed about. I made an informal resolution to stop swearing, but so far I haven't been able to kick the habit. Especially when I get angry! I thought about how in university, my roommates and I had a "swear jar" and it cost 25c every time you swore... and we saved up all that change to buy a couple of big posters for our living room (haha!)... I don't think I can self-police to that extent (plus I never have money anymore), but it's a funny memory.

The new school term is both much easier and much harder. Courses are dead simple, and my actual class schedule is MUCH MUCH lighter than last term. Placement is, like I said, a MAJOR pressure, because this is the first time that I instruct real students. And that is NOTHING like teaching my classmates under blindfold. These kids (they are all high school or younger) have a lot of additional disabilities (some are severely physically disabled, others have cognitive delays, etc.) and it's posing an enormous challenge to my confidence. But I am going to work hard, ask for lots of help and advice from my supervisor, and just hope for the best.

I know it's only January, but gosh do I ever want Spring to get here...

RECENT FILM VIEWS
UP (2009) *****
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) ****
Taare Zameen Par (2007) ****
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) ***
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009) ***
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) ***
The Rocker (2008) ***
Home Alone (1990) ***
Death at a Funeral (2007) **
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) **
The Ugly Truth (2009) *

December 23, 2009

2009-12-23T13:47:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve!

Here are some of my predictions for 2010:

1. The Vancouver Olympics will come and go without me noticing.
2. Purell stocks will go up as people continue to freak about bacteria.
3. HST will piss off everybody but ultimately not change anything.
4. Trans fats will be blamed for everything, including the Holocaust and bad breath.
5. Hundreds of babies will be named after members of the Beatles as the craze continues.
6. Twitter will continue to grow and annoy even more people than ever!
7. Polar bears will spontaneously evolve by growing gills, and will no longer be endangered.

December 22, 2009

2009-12-22T23:17:00.005-05:00

Have a Merry Christmas, friends! I'm done all my shopping (and have even done some for my family members who don't get any holidays), have already had a few visits and family reunions and actually feel a bit of holiday burnout. Day after tomorrow is Christmas Eve, what!!!

Finally able to relax a little now. Just want to lie around in jammies and play video games (been doing that a lot while I can). Hating the thought of having to go back to school, argh. (School and I are currently not on speaking terms). The whole placement thing has been stressing me out more than I like to admit. But I'm surrounded by lots of loving support so I know it will be fine.

Before I make my New Years Resolutions for 2010 (yes, I still think of at least one every year. And no, I can't remember what the goal of 2009 was supposed to be but I'm sure I put in a good effort)... I want to reflect on the different lessons I learned over this last year...

1. Money can and will disappear without you planning on it.
2. Honesty really IS the best policy!!
3. I feel 100% better without alcohol :-)
4. Medications can cause just as many problems as they solve.
5. Sometimes it's the most ordinary-seeming days that make the most cherished memories.
6. Take photos! Even plain-jane moments are fun to look back on later.
7. If the movie will give you nightmares, it's not worth watching.
8. Sometimes the good products (e.g., lotion) cost a LOT more, but they're worth it!
9. Love makes EVERYthing better.

That's all for now.

RECENT FILM VIEWS
AVATAR (2009) *****
Hellboy 2: The Golden Army (2008) ****
The Christmas Toy (1986) ***
The Pajama Game (1957) ***
The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2004) **
Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (1997) **

December 13, 2009

2009-12-13T19:57:00.004-05:00

Happy Holidays!!

I am finally on vacation. And while that time "off" is actually very full (family events, get-togethers, appointments, painting Kris's house, etc.), it is still time when I can just relax and be myself and not be evaluated on anything.

Exams went fine. In fact, I don't know why I worried so much. Compared to English and Film exams, they were pretty darn easy! That was a relief. Unfortunately I just got my placement assignments and, well, they are not so stellar... From January til the end of March, I have to be in Orangeville (about 1.5-2 hrs. from here) every Thursday... And from the end of March until end of June, I'm in Thunder Bay. Unless something changes, someone fails, or I can plead with my program coordinator to find me a different place. I *really* don't want to spend 3 solid months in Thunder Bay by myself... Maybe once it wouldn't have been a big deal, but nowadays I can only deal with stress and anxiety by being close with loved ones. I just feel like I would be so isolated there... Crossing my fingers that things change.

Today some of my Christmas spirit took a hit, when I saw a customer at Costco (not my favourite place, let me assure you) YELLING and SWEARING his head off at an employee for a totally unimportant reason. Just screaming his brains out, calling her horrible names... My mom told him off for using such harsh language when there are small kids around, and he told her something I won't repeat. Such a bully. I can't believe that minimum-wage workers have to deal with that kind of terrible treatment. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, has the right to treat anyone else so badly. To threaten, and insult, and humiliate, and intimidate... It's revolting. The incident bothered me deeply. That man needs some serious therapy, anger management and a restraining order, and that employee needs a raise. That would be my Christmas wish.

RECENTLY VIEWED FILMS

Horton Hears a Who! (2008) ****
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) ****
Fay's 12 Days of Christmas (1995) ****
Nick and Noel (1993) **

November 30, 2009

2009-11-30T19:09:00.003-05:00

I just saw Kris's new house (inside and out) and it's HUGE!! I was expecting this quaint little starter home, and it's this GREAT roomy 5-bed, 3-bath place with a walk-in closet, a giant furnace/laundry room, a granny suite... The only real drawback is that it has a pretty small yard. But it's also about 10m away from a community park. So who cares! Lucky bum. Mom and Dad were going to give him his major kitchen appliances as his Christmas/housewarming gifts. So excited for him!!! I will be helping him paint the various rooms (usually just a fresh coat, not a new colour except in 1-2 places) over the holidays.

9 class days til Christmas vacation!!!! But who's counting? ;-) Our last lessons are all about taking city buses, subways, escalators, etc. Most challenging but also most fun! That said, I am kind of looking forward to some cozy class time instead of freezing my buns off downtown!

The house is almost all decorated, we had our family (Dad's side) party on the weekend, and the usual treats can be found all over (my favourite is snacking on roasted chestnuts and sipping "candy cane" hot chocolate. YUMMM). I will definitely post before December 25th because as of the evening of the 11th, I will have free time! WOOT!!

RECENT FILM VIEWS
MUPPET FAMILY CHRISTMAS (1987)*****
A Christmas Carol (1999) ****
All That Heaven Allows (1955) ****
Ice Age 2: The Meltdown (2006) ***
Pluto's Christmas Tree (1952) ***
A Chipmunk Christmas (1981) ***
Star Wars (1977) ***
A Christmas Carol (2009) **

November 15, 2009

2009-11-15T14:26:00.003-05:00

Only 4 weeks left... Phew... School is destroying me lately. Can't WAIT for the break in December!

Halloween was lots of fun! I needed to be with friends and be silly and just forget the world for a few hours. I dressed up like a cowgirl and my Sunshine was a native girl (the costume was for "Pocahontas" of course).

We're getting the house ready for the family Christmas party that's coming at the end of the month. I love decorating and making the place look welcoming and cheery! Otherwise it's usually very plain. I know that when my sweetie and I have our own place, we will DEFINITELY decorate to celebrate the different seasons and holidays! Just to keep the setting fresh ^_^

Kris bought a house! He's moving out sometime before Christmas. It's a lovely place, not too far from home. So excited for him! All his gifts this year will be to help him furnish. If I were filthy rich, I would buy him a hot tub, hehe.

Wish me luck! On the home stretch (of the term anyways) now! That said, I just applied back to my college for the other program next year (Rehabilitation Training, which in the field is generally referred to as "Independent Living Skills"). I should find out in February if I got accepted. Hope so! I'm tired of school but this other course will really "round out" my repertoire and set me up for a very balanced career :-)

RECENT FILM VIEWS

WALL-E (2008) *****
SLEEPING BEAUTY (1959) *****
A Christmas Story (1983) ****
Coraline (2008) ****
Ghost Busters (1984) ****
Stepbrothers (2008) ****
Auntie Mame (1958) ****
Idiocracy (2006) ***
The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009) ***
Where the Wild Things Are (2009) ***
Casper (1995) ***
Twilight (2008) **
On Golden Pond (1981) **
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) **

October 13, 2009

2009-10-13T22:21:00.002-04:00

School barrels along. I'm using my white cane now... It's much more challenging but that much more interesting than at the beginning. So far, surviving! Not much time for sleep or fun ^_^ But I love my program and have been very lucky with assignments and group work and things.

Also cool: I am now a card-carrying member of AER (Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired). So stoked! It will be a bit before I am able to go to any of the conferences but I am so looking forward to them! *geeked out*

Our backyard trees are practically naked! And I wear my favourite red scarf all the time again. It was a lovely (though chilly!) Thanksgiving weekend! I hope everyone did something fun. Sunshine and I will probably carve a pumpkin this upcoming weekend if she visits :-)

Since I probably won't post again before the end of the month, have a Happy Halloween!

--------RECENT FILM VIEWS---------------

PILLOW TALK (1959) *****

Coraline (2008) ****

101 Dalamatians (1961) ****

The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe (1991) ****

The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1981) ***

Send Me No Flowers (1964) ***

Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004) ***

Daredevil - The Director's Cut (2003) **

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949) **

Pokemon: The First Movie (1999) **

Blindness (2008) *

September 27, 2009

2009-09-27T11:16:00.003-04:00

School is intense but exciting! I'm learning a lot, and learning it fast. I just got my white cane which I will be learning to walk with this upcoming week :-) I have basically NO free time! Sorry if I don't keep in good contact this year, sheesh. Got a couple of exams on Monday. Cramming.

Autumn's in full swing. Temperature's dropping, leaves are falling, we're putting away the coolers and bathing suits and pulling out the jackets and blankets! *sigh* But it was a pretty good summer :-)

Got to see a really awesome Beatles-tribute band called "The Caverners" in St. Catharines and they were AMAZING!! I really want to see them perform again.

Really sick at the moment (with a cold, don't worry, it's not swine flu) and lazy... Looking SO forward to some holidays in December! They can't get here fast enough, lol.

RECENT FILM VIEWS

Babe (1995) ****

Now, Voyager (1942) ***

Little Foxes (1941) ***

Madagascar (2005) ***

9 (2009) ***

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) ***

The Labour Day Blues

2009-09-07T11:08:00.002-04:00

Nooooooo! Last day of summer!!! *cries*

A bit nervous about school starting tomorrow. I went to my program's orientation session, and found it REALLY intimidating, but at least it's only a year long. After that, I hope I can find a decent-paying job and start paying my parents back for everything. I hate being so indebted to people! I am a bit concerned, though, about possibly being placed (however temporarily) in a Catholic school *shudder*. Baaaaad memories. Plus not being able to be myself :-( ...And for my final 12-week placement, I could be just about ANYwhere. Even out of province. I'm *hoping* that the farthest I have to go is Guelph, or Toronto. And that I can find a super-cheap sublet for those 12 weeks. I've got to say, this program is REALLY bad for leaving students completely clueless about how it works. Almost all these things are news to me.

Things are changing FAST at home. Kris is starting to look seriously for a house now, and depending on where he lives in town, I might move in with him for the year (just to be closer to school). That would be so cool in some ways! I dunno what he would be like to live with on his own, but we've always gotten along and seen things eye-to-eye (more or less). I think we could make it work. Not that I *want* to leave the farm, but just having access to the city instead of always needing to borrow Mom's car would be FANTASTIC! Julie is also starting to look at houses.

Dad will be starting his "phased" retirement soon (going down to working 4 days a week, then 3, then 2... you get the idea). The poor guy deserves a REST, already!

RECENT FILM VIEWS

ALADDIN (1992) *****

The Land Before Time (1988) ***

September 2, 2009

2009-09-02T16:09:00.003-04:00

Happy September, everyone!

To those going back to school, best of luck in the upcoming academic year! I know I am very nervous and excited about going to college... And I have a feeling that in a program so intense, it won't be long before I blog "Holy CRAP, it's already APRIL!" lol... ^_^

Let's see, news from August... Dad's 60th Birthday party was a big success. Over a hundred people came! The weather wasn't the greatest, and only a few people swam in the pool, but it wasn't so bad that we had to be indoors. There was lots of food! Dad got about 30 bottles of wine as gifts and he is thrilled. I think it meant a lot to him that so many people came.

The pool is *almost* finished. HOWEVER, the county has just charged my parents with violating the bylaw regarding fences around pools. They have to go to court and pay a fine (we don't know how much it will be yet) for having water in the pool before the fence is complete. *sigh* It's complicated, and I will not rant about it today. But it SUCKS!

We've been enjoying as much of the summer as we can before it's gone, since June-mid-August were so cool and rainy. I had a great week with my family at the cottages up north, I spent a fabulous day with Sunshine at the Toronto Zoo and at the CNE (where I had to resist buying up EVERYTHING in the International Pavilion!!!)... Been swimming in the pool a few times, which I ADORE! Visits with friends have always been a bonus ^_^

I have been teaching myself to sew and I have already repaired a bunch of clothes, and made a few pillowcases :-) I have MAD plans to be able to make clothes and quilts and purses and EVERYTHING in between! I can't wait to get my paws on some new fabric (so far I have been working with scraps and worn-out bedsheets, haha)!!

Ummm what else. I am transitioning back to being vegetarian. I have to be more flexible this time to keep health my top priority, and to not push my family too much (since they are all enthusiastic carnivores).

I think that's it for this rather lengthy update! Wish me luck as I start school! *hugs to all*

RECENT FILM VIEWS (from my faulty memory):

I HEART HUCKABEES (2004) *****

THE LION KING (1994) *****

Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) ****

Ponyo (2008) ****

Bring It On (2000) ***

Bedazzled (2000) ***

Hot Shots! (1991) ***

Wild Hogs (2007) ***

The Warlords (2007) ***

The Proposal (2009) **

Sahara (2005) *

RANT: Kimmy-Only Yoga

2009-08-23T02:50:00.003-04:00

ok. i have a peeve here. On SO SO SO many images of anything to do with Yoga (CDs, DVDs, books, or even totally unrelated things like cereal and yogourt...) are images of extremely skinny women in meditation.

why not men? why not people with black or brown skin? why no east-asians? why no HEALTHY people? why no muscular people, or curvy people, or (heaven forbid) physically or mentally disabled people? honestly. you'd think that yoga was being aimed only at Kimmies (sorry, that's a word to denote white, blonde, upper-middle-class, conformist bimbos)...

ARRRGHHH!!!

July 25, 2009

2009-07-25T22:02:00.003-04:00

My goodness, times are changing. The wheel is turning yet again.

First off, CONGRATS Ams on the official start of your marriage with Jack! The wedding was beautiful and LOTS of fun, and we wish you and Jack only the best of luck and happiness.

Next, I am happy and relieved to announce that as of 3:01pm on Monday, August 3rd, I will be FINISHED at Mark's, at least until the Christmas break. That's right, I am QUITTING. And a couple of weeks ahead of schedule. I will soon have zero dollars, and I am okay with that.

I have just discovered, through reading about some medical studies from the UK, that pretty much all my recent ailments are linked to my medication. "SAY WHAT??!!" you ask? And I reply, "WORD." Breast pain, lockjaw, nerve inflammation, tendonitis, fatigue, muscle tension and memory loss (I kid you not) are all recorded side-effects of my meds. "Oh HELLZ no!" you may respond. It was my reaction too. And so, at the soonest possible opportunity, I am going to see about weaning off, and hopefully coming back to some semblance of balanced health.

...My faith in Western medicine is badly shaken, and I don't know if I will ever be able to trust my family doctor again. When I approached him with these issues, he responded with disbelief, and said that there was no way my meds were causing them. He argued with me about it, talked to me like I was an idiot. There are whole forums of patients suffering from these same symptoms, all due to the medication. The pharmaceutical giants are just TOO greedy and TOO corrupt.

Finally, due to popular demand ("popular demand" meaning a comment from Maki), I am bringing back my old practice of posting my short movie reviews at the end of posts. Now that I know that someone pays attention (I really thought that no-one did!), there's a point to it ^_^

RECENT MOVIE VIEWS
UP (2009) *****
Ice Age 3 (2009) ****
Up the Down Staircase (1967) ****
The World Unseen (2007) ****
His Girl Friday (1940) ****
Ice Age (2002) ***
Houseboat (1958) ***
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (2008) **
Year One (2009) *

July 9, 2009

2009-07-09T13:07:00.002-04:00

Still working. I was hoping to quit at the beginning of August, but business has gotten really slow, so hours are cut WAYYYY back. I mean I've gone from average 20 hrs/ week to 10/hrs week or less. So... Looks like I'll be staying at least until school starts. After that, we'll see. A lady in charge of my college program warned me that my course would be a FULL-TIME COMMITMENT (meaning a job on the side is just plan impossible)... But otherwise what am I supposed to do for money? I still have a cell phone, and need to have SOME fun...

Otherwise, just trying to enjoy my summer. The weather hasn't been cooperative for camping, and we've been too busy with the basement (being renovated now), the fence (just re-built so Mom can bring her horse - who has her own webpage, believe it or not - home), and the well (a pipeline broke and, long story short and $10 grand later, we are digging a new well)... We haven't even opened the pool. Which is SO depressing at this point in the summer. Even if it isn't that hot.

Mostly, lately, I have been reading a lot! There has been so much chaos around the house that I like to retreat into my own world. Some of my latest reads have been:

- Tipping the Velvet
- The Martian Child
- The Girl Who Could Fly
- Eggs
- Smiles to Go

Summer Summer Summer

2009-06-24T20:21:00.003-04:00

Holy crap! It's freaking hot outside! Isn't it great?

These days are quite leisurely for me. Work has cut back hours quite a bitand I'm too happy to complain. Being broke just isn't bad enough to ruin free time during fabulous weather!

This weekend is the Pride parade and I'm super stoked to go. Also, on Saturday, Dad and I are meeting up with Sunshine and a few other people to see Jesse Cook in concert in Oakville. It's gonna be swell! ^_^

The house is undergoing tons of projects at the moment. there are constantly contractors popping in and out and the phone is ringing off the hook. This is by far the most productive summer ever for our family. By the end, our property will be in tip top shape!

Holy crap!

2009-06-16T18:37:00.002-04:00

My mum is flying to South America on Saturday! This is a business trip that came up a little last-minute. She will be landing in Argentina, then making her way to Chile and Uruguay. She'll be back in 2 weeks. Lucky duck! Now she'll have a chance to practice her Spanish, eh? hehe!

[Ok, ok, so the picture is of Peru. Mum won't be there. But still, breathtaking, eh? I'd love to see Machu Picchu someday!]

Article: Korea's Obsession With Plastic Surgery

2009-06-15T23:02:00.001-04:00

Here is the article...

I can't seem to gather my thoughts enough for a response.

Ahhh Summer once again!!

2009-06-14T21:17:00.002-04:00

I just love Summer. The fresh air, the warm breeze, the singing birds... Ahhhh! Just a few bits of news, not much.

- The basement is now stripped bare. No more ugly fake-wood wall panels. No more carpet. No more ceiling panels. No more insulation (it's FREEZING down there! lol). It's fabulous. In a couple of weeks, the basement people will come and give it a makeover. SWEET!

- The pool fence finally arrived. (FINALLY! Home Depot can go to hell!) That will be the next big job. Once that's up, we can finish the deck. Woot!

- Only 7 more weeks of work. But who's counting?

- My sweetheart gave me a sewing machine! I've already tried it out and it is FAB-U-LOUS!!! I have so many insane and maniacal plans brewing for what I'd like to make with it... I think I'll start with totes, cushions and aprons... and work my way up eventually to real clothes. AHHHH all I need now is to find a fabric store that sells organic cotton. Any suggestions?

Currently reading: "Tipping the Velvet" by Sarah Waters

June already?!

2009-06-04T23:52:00.002-04:00

Holy cannoli! Where the frack did May go? @_@

- a week with my sweetie in Montreal was SO much fun!! One of the best parts was seeing "Up" and laughing and crying all throughout. What an amazing movie! Also, I LOVE inexpensive vintage clothing stores, and tasty vegetarian restaurants. WOOT!

- Auntie Anne is awake, recovering, moved from ICU to a hospital close to her home. She has made an INCREDIBLE comeback, after an aneurysm AND a stroke. She is already talking and maybe soon she'll be back on her feet! Everyone is so relieved.

- I am paying my tuition fees at the moment, which means... I am a full-time student again! Officially! Also, I have NO money left! haha. Going to have to be a bit ... thrifty... over the upcoming months (which is interesting when I am paying from my pocket for acupuncture and other treatments). Ugh, education is so bloody expensive!

- We (family) will be starting hardcore demolition of our basement very shortly. First we will empty it, then destroy it, then let this company totally re-do it (beautifully), then we will put things back :-) Everything should be done by the end of July.

- The pool deck is still coming along. Dad took next week off (and I will help when I'm not working) to put in the fence and some more deck boards. Looking fab!

SO EFFIN HAPPY

2009-05-14T00:25:00.002-04:00

For a million and one reasons, I am feeling utterly ECSTATIC tonight. Here are a few of the wonderful factors into this happiness.

My sweet Sunshine
Best friends, old friends, new friends
Sesame Street (Old School! 1970s)
The smell (but not taste) of grapefruit
Cats and dogs and bunnies and rats :-P
The book "Stargirl", my now-#1 favourite
Amazingly cool parents
Spring peepers and crickets
Dreams of the future
Colouring books and crayons
Stars
Trains
Ice cream
Getting letters and packages in the mail
Poofy pillows and stuffed animals
Photos of unforgettable moments
Hugs, kisses and cuddles
Warm spring air and gentle rain
Blossoming trees (apples, cherries, magnolias) and bushes (lilacs) dropping petals everywhere
Inside jokes (Ring Ring! ...Hello?)
Fireworks, sparklers and candles
Music, and musical movies that go ALL OUT
Bubbles
Pajamas

That is all for now! *hugs to all*

The Surname Game, Chapter 2

2009-05-11T09:49:00.000-04:00

Uren
Wank
Bohner
Dickout (honestly, what's the explanation for this one?)
Horney
Humpartzoomian (sounds like something Dr. Seuss made up)
Noseworthy (hope you use deoderant!)
Scrutton (I guarantee a high-school nickname would be "Scrotom")
Sliming
Stickings
Greathead (I pity any girl with this name)
Herriman
Slaughter (...not the friendliest impression, eh?)
Smallwood
Loube

In conclusion, my name is not all that bad. However, I now consider legal name-changing a perfectly respectable choice (and some times to be ENCOURAGED). Family history or not, your own name shouldn't be an embarrassment. Pick something cooler. And less naughty-sounding. I'm taking to YOU, Mr. Dickout.

p.s. These are REAL NAMES from my local phonebook. I can't make this shit up. And these are only the BEST ones. The actual list is about 5 times longer.

A Surname Game, Chapter 1

2009-05-09T08:57:00.003-04:00

I couldn't sleep last night. So I did something really random: I started leafing through the local phone book, and writing down what I considered the most unfortunate surnames. By "unfortunate", I mean that sound funny, or gross, or rhyme with something naughty... All in all, if it were MY surname, I would change it. I know this is kind of a cruel game (for the people who are currently stuck with these names), but I giggle with no intention of offending :-P

So here is part one, some of the top picks for rotten luck in the surname game.

Lickers (seriously. Change your name.)
Hussy
Cheeseman (harmless, yet amusing)
Donkers (hehehe...)
Burbuvelicius (can you imagine kids goofing around with THIS one?)
Butcher (what if they want to be a surgeon instead?)
Craftchick (sounds like a lame website for cross-stitch patterns)
Butts ("I'm looking for Seymore...")
Sexsmith (...really.)
Smallboy (I sense a complex coming on.)
Anguish (Yeah, my name means AGONIZING MISERY. Thanks.)
Bush (Dubbelya, you wrecked this name for everyone.)
Cowherd (Moo... sounds like Coward!)
Creamer (imagine if creamer married Sugar. Would their twins be called Double-Double?)
Crook
Bananish (might as well just change it to Banana and get it over with)
Belcher (HAHAHAHA)
Bedwash (better the Bedwetter, I suppose)
Bossy
Cocking
Dicks
Drinkwater (I TRY!!! STOP NAGGING ME!)
Dung
Doctor (I bet NONE of them want to get a PhD.)

Digest of Itty Bitty News

2009-05-07T11:40:00.002-04:00

- I have bargained my way into working only 3 days a week (starting next week); this is for many reasons, but mainly because my wrists/hands are getting incredibly sore from the repetitive motion.

- I looked around town for another job but prospects are pretty poopy.

- I've started seeing a local Chinese doctor (the ONLY local one, haha! this place is so white.) who's helping me with my wrist/muscle pain through acupuncture and ointment plasters

- My Auntie Anne (Mom's younger sister) collapsed from a sudden aneurysm and is in the hospital in Hamilton. She's been through surgery and is responsive, but they're keeping her sedated until she heals a bit more. Not out of the woods yet. The family is holding its breath.

- My room has been a mess for the last 2-3 weeks and I have no intention of doing anything about it. Not today, anyways.

- The weather is AMAZING. I'm going to set up my tent soon once the nights aren't so cold.

- I really want to learn how to sew, but haven't got the time to dedicate to it just yet. Soon!

- I'm reading a sociology book on Barbie and it's blowing my mind a little.

- My family doctor is a dill-hole. It takes 3 1/2 weeks to get an appointment with him nowadays, just for less than 15 minutes of his time, to get a referral! (and I only NEED the referral BECAUSE he's a dill-hole and won't help me with my problems!)

- I love to use the following insults: Dill-hole, douche-bag, tool, dick. Hahaha!

Earth Day, come and gone...

2009-04-22T21:54:00.002-04:00

Another April 22nd come and gone. And sadly, I had to work so I did ZERO to celebrate Earth Day :-( ... Sorry Mommy Earth. Next year, I guess. *sniffle* Sometime for Earth Day/Week I want to plant a WHOLE bunch of baby trees and flowers too.

Work is starting to SUCK BALLS. But I keep finding out about more and more people losing their jobs and I don't feel like I'm allowed to complain. But seriously. That place is killing me slowly.

Truth: I love cheesy, cheesy movies.
And musicals.
And STUPID comedies.
And predictable romances.
I can't be bothered with the really intense/scary/challenging/disturbing stuff anymore (except for documentaries: those are amazing); my profs would be saddened at this; my old classmates would disavow any knowledge of me. I have no shame.

Compassion

2009-04-15T00:59:00.002-04:00

At work, we have started a charity fundraiser; we collect donations on behalf of children whose parents can't afford to enroll them in team sports. Pretty simple, pretty innocent. But since we started on Monday, the experience of asking customers for $2.00 has caused me incredible grief.

I am utterly shocked and disgusted at the number of people who will spend $200 on clothes for themselves, but are offended when asked to donate a toonie to charity. A TOONIE. And this after they scam us for "forgotten" coupons worth ten bucks a pop.

Disclaimer: I understand wanting to be economical. I understand that the charity system is flawed. I understand that being asked to donate to a thousand causes is frustrating.

But this is not simply a rant about *these* customers and *this* fundraiser, it is about a lack of compassion in general. The overall indifference to the suffering of others, of nonhuman animals, of the environment...

I saw an old woman pulled over on the side of a country road with a flat tire. Over ten cars zoomed right by her. It was a country road, easy to pull over. I was going to slow down and see if I could help but then I saw CAA pulling over just behind me. Why did no-one care more than to say "aw, that poor old lady. ZOOOMMMM" ...

I want to rant but it all makes my heart ache too much. People claim to care so much, but they only care about what affects them directly: the people they know, the places they go, the causes that somehow service their needs.

How can that compassion not reach further, to other cultures and other species and other causes?

How can getting jeans for "25% off" matter MORE to people than giving a kid a break?

How can people buy throwaway coffee cups (MILLIONS EVERY DAY) and NOT care that they will go straight to the landfill after a functional life of less than an hour?

Why cry during sad movies, but completely ignore the homeless?

Why pamper pets but shoo away hungry strays?

Why PRAY but *do* NOTHING?

WHY??? Has the world really become that heartless? Or is everyone just so convinced in the inevitability of worldwide injustice and suffering that there's just no point in caring anymore?

Upcoming: Bunny Day!

2009-04-07T21:55:00.005-04:00

It's almost Easter!

Okay I admit, the religious significance is wasted on me. However, I do see this time as one of rebirth, renewal, re-awakening, and life overall. I love that, despite the sudden dump of snow (boo-urns!), the little flowers are still popping up in my Mum's garden.

I get Spring Fever SOOOO intensely that some days I feel like I could bounce and dance and twirl like a 4-year-old hopped up on pixie stix!

Have a wonderful Easter to all my Christian friends (and congratulations on making it through another Lent), and a Happy Bunny Day to the rest. Cheers!

p.s. I discovered the hard way that I can't eat Mini Eggs the way I used to... Sad.

The Quiverfull Movement - Article

2009-03-31T10:25:00.002-04:00

Oh. My. Gosh. I just read THIS ARTICLE and I am somewhat in shock, somewhat disgusted, somewhat disturbingly amused. These families have as many children as possible, describing the womb as a "weapon", and talk about increasing the Christian population so as to outnumber and overpower the non-Christian ones.

...I know they aren't the only group with views like that, but... Wow. I can hardly collect my thoughts to make a response. *HEADDESK* There is so so so much wrong with what happens in this article that I'm just going to let it be. And let it stand as a horrible example of ignorance and narrowness.

Money vs. Freedom

2009-03-30T12:39:00.003-04:00

I was quite suddenly given a very very difficult choice when Dad told me that I had the chance to work at the factory this summer, just this one last time before I was (by regulation) too old to qualify. I hated working there. And I mean *HATED* it. It's an awful, soul-crushing job. But, it pays wads and wads of easily-earned cash.

Now there are a number of reasons I could have chosen that job. I'm trying to save up for a LOT of things: one, possibly two years of school; travel to Montreal, San Francisco, Prince-Edward-Island, New York City, etc.; a computer that needs replacing; a car; a nest egg for a future home, etc. etc. etc. The list of reasons could go on forever, and they're all--in my opinion--entirely valid.

But then I realized that it would be a trade-off: money for freedom. The factory job is unbending, unyielding, merciless. Schedule changes are NOT permitted (not even for doctor appointments). Calling in sick more than twice in considered grounds for dismissal. Only one week of unpaid vacation is allowed. This summer, there were a lot of things I was looking forward to, and taking that job would have canceled almost all of them--even including working on the pool deck with Dad, and visiting my grandparents at their campsite, maybe even missing a wedding (yes, Ams, wedding or no, it is not acceptable to book off a day when we're scheduled).

As it is, I'm staying at Mark's. The pay is absolute garbage, and I have to put up with a LOT of crap. But at least I have an understanding boss, a few nice coworkers, and a fairly flexible schedule. I may not save enough for school this summer, but at least I will have lots of memories. I'm a little surprised at how difficult the decision actually was, and how tempted I was by the money. Thank goodness for being surrounded by people with good advice!

Books I'm supposed to like

2009-03-19T00:42:00.003-04:00

Okay. This is possibly going to become a rant. You've been warned.

I have been trying. TRYING. TRYING AND TRYING. To read "The Lord of the Rings" for the last 6 years. I have made it as far as the middle of "The Two Towers" when I took a course on Tolkien. I have been re-reading "The Fellowship of the Ring" for the last 3 months. I'm just going to say it, straight out. I DO NOT ENJOY THESE BOOKS!!!

The real question is, why do I feel so obligated to read them in the first place, if within 3 chapters I am not enticed to continue (my usual rule) ?? You know why? Because the whole world keeps telling me how much I should be enjoying these books! And not just Lord of the Rings, but other books, too! Sometimes I agree (I like Dr. Seuss as much as the next girl). Other times I want to barf (see: The English Patient).

In this age of book clubs and literary elitism, EVERYONE has to have read the latest and greatest. (It's the same in film. This-and-this art film will change your life. It won ALL the Oscars. No other movies won this year!) Well you know what? I've read bestsellers. I've read award-winners. Classics, too. "The Catcher in the Rye". "The Kite Runner". "1984". "The Time Machine." All books considered MUST-READS!! You know what? I didn't like them at all. I didn't enjoy reading them. They left no impression on me. I have pretty much nothing to show for my working through this popular curriculum of books except an active knowledge of cultural references. In my opinion? Not worth it.

So I say now, classic/award-winner/best-seller/masterpiece, or no. If I don't enjoy it by the end of chapter 3... I'm putting it down. And I don't need to justify it.

In conclusion, I didn't like the Mona Lisa, "Moulin Rouge", or "The DaVinci Code" EITHER.

Cabin Fever

2009-03-14T20:28:00.002-04:00

Officially going nuts. I feel like there's nowhere to run in this house to find peace and quiet. TV's on downstairs, chaos in the kitchen, Dad's playing piano in the living room, dryer's going in the study, Julie's yammering on the phone down the hall... I'm having one of my more anxious evenings and people keep knocking on my door, the phone keeps ringing, there's always someone shouting to someone else across the house. I'm about to SCREAM!!!

I need Spring to get here so we can open all the windows and doors... Let the sound out, let the air in, spread the chaos out a little bit. It's not easy sharing a house with 4 adults, 10 finches, 2 cats, a dog, a snake, a fish, and several herds of roaming dust bunnies. Not to mention about 3 houses worth of STUFF. GAH!! WHERE is that warm weather??!!

Sometimes I wish I could have my own little cottage somewhere on our property. All I'd want in it is a comfortable chair, a little table, an oil lamp, a blanket, and whatever I bring with me. No electronics, no noise at all except from outside. No other people, unless I invite them. Enough quiet to read, or write, or sketch, or even nap.

...I think my job is giving me people-overload. @_@

Day 4 without facebook

2009-03-09T22:33:00.002-04:00

Only Day 4??? I seriously thought it had been at least a week. Wow. Am I really that reliant on a website for my daily input? ...kind of a scary thought. It's weird. I've been on facebook almost every day since 2003. And now it's cold-turkey. ...No "withdrawal" so far, but I do feel amazingly isolated. I don't know what ppl are doing (THE HORROR!!!)! Wait, isn't that what life used to be like before facebook? lol. I'm sad for how my social life has become 99% internet-based. *hangs head in SHAAAAAAME*

My Movie Limits

2009-03-09T00:13:00.002-04:00

This will sound weird coming from a die-hard film student. But... This weekend I realized that I have very real limits to what I can handle in movies. Not just "handle", but "stomach". I went and saw "The Watchmen" with my dad. It was an amazing movie, don't get me wrong. A provocative story, complex characters, unbelievably good SFX... But it was so disturbing. The violence, the grittiness, the darkness, pessimism... I never really realized before how much I internalize these things. But last night I had some utterly horrific nightmares.

I used to pride myself on being able to watch just about anything, except for horror movies. I could take any amount of violence, drugs, nudity, language, you name it. Realistic or campy, I could take it. I didn't mind. I could see through it all to the art. Well... I've lost that ability. Art or no, I suffer from some of those films. Movies like "Requiem for a Dream" and "Sin City" and "Saving Private Ryan"... They upset me, sicken me.

Films used to be both entertainment and education. I felt like the more painful the experience, the more I would become enlightened. Now I feel the opposite. I feel that the darker films really damage me emotionally, give me fears and worries (where I already have enough) and despair for the future. On the other hand, movies like "Wall-E" and "Josie and the Pussycats" and "Across the Universe" give me laughter, hope, warmth. I just FEEL so much better after movies like those. And it's not that I want to live in denial of the world's ills... But making them my entertainment just isn't helping.

What the crap.

2009-03-06T10:02:00.003-05:00

So I get back from vacation only to find that my eBay account (rarely used) has been hacked by some butt-munch in Indonesia. He was using it to scam cell phones. But he had access to ALL my personal contact info, credit card, everything. So now I'm running around like mad changing passwords, deleting accounts, etc. This is such a stressful situation.

And I have found that SOOO many services (eBay, Amazon, Chapters, etc.) make it damn near impossible to delete your account or your information.

I've even had to (temporarily, I hope) deactivate my Facebook account just to take my name off the internet for the time being. It's made me completely paranoid. This is the first time something like this has happened to me, and it's really shaken me. Sorry if I'm semi-unreachable online for the next while as I sort out all the crap. Sigh.

Almost vacation time!

2009-02-18T18:15:00.002-05:00

Woo-hoo! Leaving for Cancun, Mexico, in just a few days. Until then, just one more work shift and one appointment for physio. So excited for sun and relaxation. As long as I don't spend the whole week nursing a drunken sister. Sigh. Small price to pay for a free trip (thanks Julie!!).

For those who didn't know, I got accepted at Mohawk for my post-grad program ("Instructor for the Blind and Visually Impaired: Orientation & Mobility"), and I'm sooo excited to start in September!!

I just got told that my jaw clicks and aches because I have capsulitis of the TMJ... What a bummer! I'm going through physiotherapy for it at the moment. Apparently I might get ultrasound (what? my jaw is preggo??) or acupuncture to help loosen things up. Stupid jaw. It hurts! And I haven't eaten an apple in SOOO many months now...

Ummm there's really nothing else new. Life goes on and we all hold our breath for Spring to get here. Ciao for now!

Sweatshops piss me off

2009-02-05T21:59:00.008-05:00

Pretty revolutionary idea eh? Sweatshops piss me off.
WELL, THEY DO!

I have finally been reading "The Corporation", and I'm enjoying it immensely, but between that and other sources of evidence against corporate evils (like "The Story of Stuff"), I am getting more and more enraged at big businesses raping the third world to give consumers their low, low prices.

Prime example: Wal-Mart... duh.

But even Mark's! And trust me, our prices are not "low, low". But I've been checking the labels, and you can guess what I see. "Made in China". Bangladesh. India. Cambodia. NOBODY can honestly believe that those workers are paid fair wages. It's no secret. I've been poking around my own dresser drawers and I see a lot of those locations there, too.

WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY are sweatshops continuing to operate? I know, I know... Joel Bakan is right when he talks about the corporation's necessary immorality for the sake of profit... but don't the shareholders care? Don't the customers? Why are there not more alternatives to sweatshop-produced merchandise? Sure, there's Ten Thousand Villages and a few like it, but is that REALLY it??

How is it possible that the organics craze (buying responsibly for sustainability) is not also bringing awareness to fair trade and fair wages? Or even local-made?

Finally, one of my favourite quotes from the almighty Huckabees:

Tommy: Look at this. Do you know where these come from?
Molly: Yeah, my closet.
Tommy: Indonesia.
Molly: The store.
Tommy: Baby, this is the truth, okay? Little girls like you, they have to work in dark factories... where they go blind for $1.60 a month just to make Mommy her pretty shoes. Can you imagine that, Caitlin?
Caitlin: I don't want the children to work in factories!
Molly: Don't listen, honey. Daddy is crazy.
Tommy: Daddy's not crazy, baby. The world is crazy. It's important to ask questions.
Caitlin: Don't let them go blind!
Tommy: Mommy doesn't ask 'cause Mommy doesn't care. Don't stop asking questions, baby.

The 'Comony

2009-02-05T21:37:00.002-05:00

Hehe... Sorry, that is a reference to "Idiocracy". I apologize to those who don't get it. But what I was going to discuss (can a single person "discuss"? I always wondered that as I wrote it in essays) was the economy. Don't worry, I'm not nearly educated enough to discuss it in any great depth. It will be short.

THE ECONOMY SUCKS!

...Actually it just hit me today how many people are affected by it. I have heard of a lot (and I mean a LOT) of people losing their jobs. All my family members have lost money (significant sums) in their investments (which were typically low-risk). Kris can't buy a house for at least another year or two. I might lose my job if people don't spend more of their hard-earned savings at Mark's Work Wearhouse... Smaller businesses are folding, too. It's sort of unreal!

How are all of you feeling the recession? Is it having much of an impact?

Snow is just sand in cold, sparkly clothing

2009-01-29T16:31:00.002-05:00

Okay, Winter, you've had your fun. Now stop burying us all!!! Bully.

I'm in a bit of a rut. Haven't been feeling well and my peanut-paying job is frustrating me. Seriously. That level of B.S. is not worth $8.75/hour. But... I'll keep at it. Because the way things are going with the economy, I may not have that job much longer anyways. Gotta earn my handful of peanuts while I can! And then THROW them at people. Hyah! Take THAT! hehe.

You know what boggles my mind? Clutter. WHERE does it all come from? I do a "Spring" cleaning every few months or so. Clear out the old, dust, air out, freshen... I try not to keep anything that I don't need or have a special attachment to. I donate things, sell them, recycle them, Freecycle them, I've even joined BookCrossing to "set free" some of my old books! And yet, I look around and there's clutter EVERYwhere! Again! How does it happen?? Dust I understand. I keep making new dust after I get rid of it. But I don't keep buying new stuff! So how do all my shelves stay full? Maybe it's an optical illusion, and if I just walk into the room while standing on my head, it'll all look empty?

Rant - Stupid Customers

2009-01-19T20:07:00.002-05:00

It was bound to happen. Working in retail, I was bound to get stuck with stupid customers and eventually have to rant about them. But honestly, I've been good until now. This is my breaking point. ...WHY oh WHY are some people so STUPID?!?! Here are some of the main types of customers I encounter that I'd love to throw back outside:

1. The Picky Wishers
No matter how many outrageous requests we fulfill (conjuring up items which, based on their standards, shouldn't even exist, yet we somehow have them in 5 colours), they're not happy. They start to imagine loose threads and bad seams and unnatural fits which, I ASSURE YOU, aren't there. They just start inventing complaints. Go make the damn sweater yourself, ya picky bastards. SMACK ATTACK.

2. The "But-That's-Not-All" Addicts
These are the customers who always expect more. The price of this coat has been marked down by $150... They say "Is it on any other sales? Is that the clearance price or can I get it lower?" WTF!! NO!!! GET OUTTA MY STORE!!! Or people who try to combined 10 different coupons on the same item. You don't wanna pay that price? Then don't! But don't expect me to give it away. I have to get paid, you know. SMACK.

3. The Evil Schemers
The worst by far. They think themselves so clever that they can get a full refund on a pair of jeans they bought 3 years ago (NO LIE), which is "wearing out". Nah, REALLY?! Probably because you've been stuffing your big butt into them for the last 36 months, ya KNOB! Or they try to return something (no receipt) which our store doesn't even sell. Nice try. Get out. SMACK.

There are more types but those three are the most special. And I would love to throw water balloons at their heads. A lot. If you, reader, are any of these types, please come to my store with some water balloons and give them to me. Then stand still. I'll take care of the rest.

New Year, Same Old :-)

2009-01-19T19:59:00.002-05:00

Hey all!

Happy belated new year! Welcome to the big-bad 2009. Last year we'll ever see that starts with 2-0-0. *sniff* I'm gonna miss all those zeroes.

So I haven't been updating becaaaaauuse.... Nothing's really been going on. New Year's Eve was quiet but nice (just spent it with Sunshine at her place). Mark's decided to keep me after my contract was up (hurray!) so I'm continuing to work there part time (about 25 hrs/wk), and saving NO money whatsoever haha. Love life is wonderful. Social life is crippled from very wintery weather.

Upcoming... Not much actually. Not until February.

Oh and I've gotten lazy so I no longer bother to keep track of what movies I've seen or how much I like them (just assume that I watch many and rate them variably).

If I Fell

2008-12-24T17:58:00.003-05:00

Merry Christmas (Eve) !!!

Just got back from a FABULOUS ski trip. I learned how to downhill-ski for the first time ever, and after some clumsiness and awkwardness and falling on my butt (and lots of help and encouragement from my buds!) I sort of got the hang of things and was able to slolem (not "swallow" hahaha) down the bunny hills ^_^ We were very lucky in many respects, in how things worked out. Our chalet was gorgeous, the weather was (mostly) very cooperative... I had a blast. I really hope this can become an annual thing! I would love to improve at the sport so that I can take on more challenging (and interesting) hills!

I hope that everyone has safe and happy holidays, that you have time to relax, to party, to celebrate, to ponder the year gone by (with pats on the back as well as lessons learned) and the new one to come, to do something nice for a loved one or even for yourself... Just have a GREAT time, and I will post again in 2009.

Lots of love!! XOXOXO

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I HEART HUCKABEES (2004) *****
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All Of Me (1984) ***
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Christmas Time Is Here Again

2008-12-11T00:12:00.004-05:00

...11 sleeps til Christmas!

Burnt out from work. No point in complaining, though. It's good to have a job.

Really excited that next weekend, for 4 days and 3 nights, going on a little ski vacation!! I have never skied before and I'm a bit scared to learn but I have an experienced lady who'll watch out for me :-) But ohh... just an escape from Christmas shoppers... snow, hot chocolate, board games, good friends! Then when we get back, the next day will be Christmas Eve. SWEET!!

RECENT FILM VIEWS
THE TWO TOWERS (2002) *****
ZOOLANDER (2001) ****
HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE (2001) ****
Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix (2007) ***
If These Walls Could Talk 2 (2000) ***
Run Fatboy Run (2007) ***
Superhero Movie (2008) ***
Treasure Planet (2002) **
An All-Dogs Christmas Carol (1998) **

Eight Days A Week

2008-11-30T18:10:00.002-05:00

Working WAY more than I had expected. Don't actually have much time to myself anymore! But it's okay. So far it's working out well for scheduling and things. Just find that I come home exhausted (and not wanting to talk to anyone) on most days, haha! It's hard for me to be outgoing to strangers for 8 hours straight! Talk about a job that requires you to go completely against your nature!

Our family Christmas party was a success! I had fun, though I went through a weird experience of suddenly seeing my aunts and uncles as equals rather than elders... Not in terms of age but more behaviour. I realized how bad my one uncle's drinking habits are... I noticed how two of my aunts, normally really intelligent ladies, have gotten caught up in a totally flaky scam (involving chocolate that makes you lose weight, says the pamphlet... yikes). I love my relatives and I respect them... But it occurs to me that they are not as wise and responsible as I was always led to believe. In fact, few adults really are!

RECENT FILM VIEWS
FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING (2001) *****
Muppet Family Christmas (1987) *****
Flushed Away (2006) ****
Idiocracy (2006) ***
Edith Ann's Christmas: Just Say Noel (1996) ***
Home Alone 2: Lost In New York (1992) ***
For Better of For Worse: The Bestest Present (1985) ***

All My Loving

2008-11-18T21:39:00.002-05:00

Work is going well :-) After a rough first few days, things are much smoother and I've already started to bond with one or two of my coworkers. Even though some customers make me want to cry and also break things, there are MANY more who are SO nice I want to hug them. Hurray for the friendlies!

The weather's REALLY cold now, and we've already seen a fair amount of snow (not on the ground, but in the air). This upcoming weekend I will start decorating for our family Christmas party which is at the end of the month (the only time we could manage). Crazy to put up a Christmas tree in November, but anyone who knows me knows that I'm DELIGHTED by the idea!! hee hee!

Feeling really happy these days. Haven't started volunteering for the CNIB yet (I work too much at the moment! Making money while I can!), and no word yet on my college application (I figure I should get an answer by the end of January). But my life is so full of good things that sometimes I think I might explode :-D And so much to look forward to, too! I am so lucky!

RECENT FILM VIEWS
EDWARD SCISSORHANDS (1990) *****
Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983) ****
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Pluto's Christmas Tree (1952) ****
Peter Pan (1953) ****

Not A Second Time

2008-11-12T22:45:00.004-05:00

I got a job! It's really just this minimum-wage, part-time, seasonal retail gig... But it's a job! Which means money, experience on my resume and (hopefully) a good reference for later. Not to mention a chance to be out in public, interacting with strangers, making some new friends and just, well, keeping busy at something other than housework.

Also, I completed my college application! I hope that I find out soon whether I got accepted! It was really exciting filling everything out because it made my plans OFFICIAL and not just talk. I'm REALLY going to college in September 2009 :-D

Another FABULOUS visit with my dear Sunshine. Plans to visit Prince-Edward-Island this summer. Should be fantastic!

Oh and random... but no matter how tempted you are by the cheap rates... DO NOT subscribe to cell phone service from PC Mobile (i.e. President's Choice, i.e. Loblaws). They have possibly the WORST customer service ever. Now that my money (prepaid) has run out, I'm switching RIGHT back to Virgin Mobile. They cost a few extra bucks but it was 100% worth it for the great service. Screw you, PC Mobile!

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THE DARK CRYSTAL (1982) *****
AMELIE (2001) *****
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I Forgot To Remember To Forget

2008-11-02T20:57:00.003-05:00

I hope everyone had a happy Halloween! Sunshine and I dressed as Daphne and Velma (from Scooby-Doo) and I must say we looked awesome. We went to a party of my sister's friend's... and... well, it was okay. Definitely not our crowd... But it was fun to dress up and go somewhere. I think next year it would be more fun to walk around neighborhoods full of trick-or-treaters to enjoy the simple version of the candy-est holiday of them all.

So I had another job interview, this time at Mark's Work Wearhouse and it went REALLY well! They're having me back for a second interview-slash-orientation, and then I'll know if I'm hired or not. It's just a seasonal job (until the end of the year) but at least it'll pay! I've got my fingers crossed!

And because of that... it's kind of got the ball rolling in other things. Once I start working, I can start volunteering for the CNIB. Once I do that, I can finish my college application. Then I'm REALLY on my way to the next part!

Dad and I are working as much as we can on the pool deck before it gets too cold (and as it is, we're pushing it. My hands were FROZEN today!!), but then once THAT operation gets shut down for the winter, we're going to start work on the basement. And what an insane job THAT'S going to be! Here's a quick rundown of what it will include:

1. remove as many objects from the room as possible, store in a big locker (I'm very excited about this part, since it's the most cluttered room in the house).
2. rip up all the carpet (gross 1970s brown and beige checkered).
4. tear apart the walls (1970s fake wood panels).
5. new flooring.
6. new drywall.
7. paint and decor.
8. relocate the entrance wall and door (to make room bigger).
9. new ceiling tiles (and holding structure).
10. redesign layout.
11. fill with old living room furniture (ugly dark brown, but sooooo comfy)

...Yeah. I have no idea how we're going to do that. But I'll help! ^_^

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Baby Mama (2008) ****
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Oh! My Soul

2008-10-27T22:12:00.003-04:00

This last weekend was CRAZY! I went with some friends to see a taping of the Rick Mercer Report (which was great fun ^_^), I spent some time with my Sunshine, celebrated 2 birthdays, then went to a baptism for my parents' new godson Spencer, and a shower for my new second-cousin Jacob. Upcoming is Halloween and Pojee's birthday!

An interesting experience at Spencer's baptism...

I was raised Roman Catholic and since sometime in high school moved away from the religion of Mom's side of the family (due to Irish AND Spanish roots). (Dad's side are Christian Scientists... say what?! No, not Scientologists. They're different.) ANYHOO. I always hated going to mass when I was a kid and it just got worse as I got older and started having some serious issues with my faith, with the church patriarchy, with just about EVERYTHING. And when you boil it right down, I got *nothing* at all out of going to church. Just a lot of sombre songs, Borg-like chanted repetition, and absolutely pointless homilies with no bearing whatsoever on real life.

This baptism was at an Anglican church. At first impression, the service was very similar to a R.C. mass. Certain patterns and prayers were identical. But the experience was UTTERLY different. The Catholic priests I have heard speak (save one, our dear family friend in Kenya, Father John) have all had the same effect on me: sleep. They attempt to explain passages in the Bible by referencing other passages... They bring up other characters and times... And blah dee blah... blah blah... dee blah. You get the idea.

This was different. The Anglican pastor (a husband and father, I was shocked and scandalized to discover, ha!) was warm, approachable, friendly, funny and very enthusiastic. He didn't speak in archaic terms... He put everything into context. He didn't just go on about Pharysees and Apostles, but talked about REAL people in REAL situations, both similar to what we know today. He talked about love, acceptance, welcoming, sharing, parenting, helping...

What I've experienced in the old Roman Catholic church of my childhood has been boredom, alienation, rejection, guilt, and confusion. As a woman, I had less rights. As a lesbian, I had NO rights. What I felt in the Anglican service was not exactly life-altering (I'm not exactly going to be a Sunday regular), but I *did* get a glimpse of what a religious service SHOULD be about. It should be about being a better person, doing the right thing, showing love, being honest, aspiring to something greater than ourselves.

Say what you will, but what I would like MOST of all would be a Sunday service affiliated with NO religion at all. Just the part that impressed me last weekend.

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IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946) *****
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Why

2008-10-15T16:18:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine (we'll call her Sam) just lost an old friend: she was killed by a drunk driver. Sam was devastated, as well as FURIOUS at the stupidity and pointlessness (and preventability) of it all. And it has got me thinking about alcohol... I come from a family familiar with alcoholism. Uncles on both sides have major drinking problems, and when I did drink, I was always aware of the risk I was taking with my genetic background. Now that I don't drink at all (for medical reasons), and don't miss it, I'm starting to notice the harm it causes more than the good.

So many lives have been lost due to alcohol... Disease, collisions, addiction, poisoning, interaction with medications, fatality... Is it all worth a buzz? I know that it is a social tradition going back thousands of years, and it's so familiar and integral that I never really questioned it. But now I must. And so far, though I've thought heavily on it, I can't come to any real conclusion.

There's a general agreement nowadays that cigarettes are ALL bad. They're poisonous, addictive, and result in disease and death. How is alcohol so different? How is the way we treat alcohol NOW any different from the way they treated cigarettes in the '40s? If I talked about cigarettes then as we do now, they'd have called me a prude (and social drinkers reading this would probably think the same thing!). But at least tabacco never impaired someone so terribly that they killed innocent bystanders.

What do YOU think?

It's All Too Much

2008-10-15T15:59:00.002-04:00

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I sure did :-) The whole weekend was packed with fun, family, friends and FOOD! Now I'm getting geared up for Halloween (only just over 2 weeks!). I think Sunshine and I will be going to a party hosted by Julie's friend. Should be good times! We're hoping to dress up either as Betty and Wilma (from the Flintstones) or as Daphne and Velma (from Scooby Doo). We'll see what we can find!

In other news, Julie is taking me to Mexico!!! In February, the week after Valentine's Day, Julie is taking me to a resort in Cancun for 7 days of tropical BLISS!! I told her I didn't have enough money and she said "Don't worry about it. It's taken care of." SAY WHAAAAT!! I can never pay her back for something like this, I'm overwhelmed! It's too much! But someday I will return the favour. I can't wait, though, we'll have a BLAST! Just as long as I don't have to nurse her drunkenness the whole time (haha... seriously!).

I was disappointed last night with the election... Another Conservative minority. And our region has elected a Conservative. DAMN! I could go on all day with a rant about politics... But I'll just waste precious webspace and bore you all to tears. Suffice to say, I'm not pleased. I can only hope that things turn out better in the States!

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THE LITTLE MERMAID (1989) *****
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Run For Your Life

2008-10-08T12:00:00.003-04:00

Ho, boy. Is this world ever going NUTS. The news these days could just about give you a nervous breakdown, between the electionS (yes, both of them), the warS (yes, all of them) and the stock market plunge... I used to think that getting lost in my imagination was a bad thing, because it made me unaware of all the greatness around me. Now I think it's my most valuable survival tactic; without it, I might have a truly legitimate reason to hide from the world! I keep hoping that these events will somehow now reach me, that they don't actually affect me... But in the coming weeks, I'm afraid that we'll start seeing a lot of changes around us. For better or for worse is yet to be seen.

Despite the messy news, I've done a pretty good job of setting it aside to get lost in simple pleasures. Pojee and Grammer took me fishing up in Meaford (on Georgian Bay) and we had a great day. Just casting off a dock, watching the giant V's of geese migrating south, choosing the sweetest-looking apples from the orchard to bake pies, pulling over on the road to admire the autumn leaves... My grandparents have lived long enough to truly appreciate the good things in life, and the more I visit them, the more I am reminded.

No luck on the job search yet. Starting to get a little anxious. Should I just suck it up and apply at Tim Hortons? That's a guaranteed job, albeit a crummy one... *sigh*

If I don't blog before, have a GREAT Thanksgiving Weekend!!!

RECENT FILM VIEWS
THE INCREDIBLES (2004) *****
The Village (2004) ****
Burn After Reading (2008) ***
Hocus Pocus (1993) ***

Three Cool Cats

2008-10-03T12:57:00.002-04:00

Happy October! Only 82 sleeps until Christmas, haha!

So I went for a job interview yesterday, at Campus Crew. I think it went pretty well, and I'll know in 2 weeks whether or not I've got it. Trying not to think too hard on it, because so many other people applied for it. I'll find something else if I have to... I would just appreciate a steady paycheck these days. Otherwise how will I fund my DVD addiction? (That said, I just joined the Disney DVD Club. S-M-R-T!)

I had a really bad cold the last week, but otherwise things have been AWESOME. I got to meet Lily Tomlin at her performance in Oakville last weekend... She actually had Sunshine and me HANG OUT with her in her dressing room after the show!!! (We're not worthy!!!) She even gave us a ride back to where our car was parked. AND huddled us under her umbrella (it was pouring). AND gave us the flowers from her dressing room. AND gave us half a Twix bar... hahaha. She is the coolest lady ever. So friendly and so candid. I hope to meet her again someday! There's one celebrity who is REALLY good to her fans!!

In other news, I am madly in love.

RECENT FILM VIEWS
THE RESCUERS DOWN UNDER (1990) ****
LOVE ACTUALLY (2003) ****
Anne of Green Gables (1985) ****
A Little Princess (1995) ***
Blast From the Past (1999) ***
Hook (1991) ***

All Things Must Pass

2008-09-22T16:01:00.003-04:00

Autumn is here! The leaves are turning red, the nights are getting colder, the apple harvest has started and the kitchen is starting to smell like squash, and cinnamon and cider. YUM! My favourite time of year!! Bailey and I went for a walk and I enjoyed the golden colour of the soy fields, and all the wildflowers everywhere... I love the mild temperatures so much because all you need is a jacket.

Life is starting to speed up a bit now that summer has passed... I'm looking for a job with a little more enthusiasm now (maybe I'll work part-time at HMV and TRY not to spend more money than I earn). Also going to find a volunteer position, probably for the CNIB or the local blind school (in prep for college). Finally, I'm going to take an intro course on Mandarin Chinese with Mom and Kris! Cool eh? Just for fun. Just to do something different. I think it'll be really interesting. And since it doesn't count for credit, I can be a complete pronunciation-disaster and not care. WHEE!!

One other change, because of a recommendation (through my Dad) by a guy that is with the CNIB, I'm probably going to take BOTH courses at Mohawk on "Instructor for the Blind and Visually Impaired". The other one is called "Rehabilitation Teaching." Anyways what that means is that after 2 years of college instead of just one, I will be VERY employable and will have better chances of work in the city I choose. Wish me luck! :-P

RECENT FILM VIEWS
BIG FISH (2003) *****
MONSTERS, INC. (2001) *****
THE SWORD IN THE STONE (1963) *****
CINDERELLA (1950) *****
Pocahontas (1995) ****
Crocodile Dundee (1986) ***
Nine to Five (1980) ***
Surf's Up (2007) ***
Nim's Island (2008) **
The Fall (2006) **
5 Children and It (2004) *

September In The Rain

2008-09-09T18:20:00.002-04:00

My time with Kris and his friends at Algonquin was really nice. It poured rain and the nights were cold, but being so deeply immersed in the wilderness (or the closest equivalent) made it all worthwhile. We saw countless beaver dams and lodges, and one shy beaver too! We spotted a moose cow and her calf and watched them for sometime before Mama had enough of the 2-headed canoes staring at her baby. There were owls, busy beavers and EVEN WOLVES!! The one night we heard them all howling across the bay, it was AWESOME. And that night, Kris heard one run through our camp (there were tracks and hairs to prove it!). I love canoeing SO much. Doom Paddle was pleased.

RECENT FILM VIEWS
THE DARK CRYSTAL (1982) *****
WALL-E (2008) ****
Idiocracy (2006) ****
Doomsday (2008) ***

It Won't Be Long

2008-09-02T08:20:00.002-04:00

I love all my friends. Even if I've been hiding from the world for months, it's always worth it to pop out from under my rock to see good friends :-) I'm lucky to have such a good group around me! I hope that we *never* lose touch!! Or rather, that we never lose the ability to catch up again, after we've inevitably lost touch ^_^ It's going to be hard, with everyone moving away from me.

September is here, and I'm not ready for it. Even though I can stall the job at least until the end of the month, things are going to have to be different soon. I will REALLY miss having all this free time around the house. I've gotten so used to it! I might actually have to start getting up early. ARGH!!

RECENT FILM VIEWS
ACROSS THE UNIVERSE (2007) *****
Mamma Mia! (2008) ****
The Celluloid Closet (1995) ***
The Myth (2005) ***
The Animal (2001) **

Ticket To Ride

2008-08-26T23:08:00.002-04:00

Going to see my old roomies (sans Maki, sadly) tomorrow! I can't wait! I have missed them all so much. We really were a family when we lived together those 3 years, and I haven't been the best at keeping in touch. We're such different people now, in so many ways, but I'm glad we still at least WANT to get together when we can!

My Mom and Dad never kept touch with their old friends from high school or college, or even previous jobs. My brother and sister do, though... I hope that the different friendships last the test of time... And not just via Facebook updates. That COMPLETELY doesn't count. I mean as actual conversations, letters, meetings. Involvement in each others' lives every once and a while. I know my parents are content with just work and family (and a couple of friends), but I don't think I could let go of mine any more than I could let go of family.

RECENT FILM VIEWS
JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS (2001) *****
CASINO ROYALE (2006) ****
Spider-Man 3 (2007) ****
Conan the Barbarian (1982) ****
Last Action Hero (1993) ***
Conan the Destroyer (1984) **
Operation Dalmatian: Paws & Claws Rescuers (2001) *

Slow Down

2008-08-21T17:07:00.004-04:00

These last few days have been rich with experiences that take life slooooowwwww. I have learned the joy of reading a good book aloud to a friend (and having it read back, one chapter at a time), played board games without any sense of competition, shopped for mementos and keepsakes over an entire afternoon, sitting in a hot tub and just letting the jets massage aching shoulders, and eating slower than I ever have before. Sunshine and I even went to the CNE (easily one of the most chaotic and crowded places in the late summer), and managed to make it a very relaxed and low-key day. And do I ever feel refreshed.

I once read a book called In Praise of Slow, and it wasn't the most articulate, but touched down on some very insightful observations of the speed of modern life and how it affects moods, health and other aspects of our lifestyle. I think I'm starting to understand what the author was trying to encourage: simple pleasures, slow pass-times, leisurely conversation and unrushed thought. Another EXCELLENT book which I recommend EVERYONE to check out is Momo. It gives the best reading experience I have ever had. I can now actually declare it my favourite book, as it has climbed above White Fang in my regard.

I need to look for a job soon. I still have "summer" plans that run into September, but I really did promise myself that I'd start working next month if at all possible. And besides still being needed to help at home... I don't have a whole lot of excuses to put it off much longer. I wish this summer could never end.

Completely off-topic, I have decided to grow my hair out! It was a decision many months in the making, finally settled after an uber-brutally-short haircut from an overzealous stylist. Wish me luck in the next 2-3 years of bad bangs and cowlicks! hehehe.

RECENT FILM VIEWS
Mamma Mia! (2008) ****

I've Just Seen A Face

2008-08-15T13:31:00.002-04:00

Sunshine's visit was scrumtrulescent. We did all kinds of silly things, like colouring and putt-putt and blowing bubbles on the deck. I look forward to so many happy times to come!

Now I have to finish packing for the weekend of camping. I plan on spending it in all laziness and joy. Have a good one, everybody!

RECENT FILM VIEWS
PLEASANTVILLE (1998) *****
I HEART HUCKABEES (2004) *****
JET LI: FEARLESS (2006) *****
CONTACT (1997) ****
Tropic Thunder (2008) ***
Big Business (1988) ***
The Chronicles of Riddick (2004) ***
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008) ***
Meet the Spartans (2008) **

Good Day Sunshine

2008-08-07T15:50:00.002-04:00

August already!! The summer is waning, and I'm not ready for it to go!! Things have gone extremely well lately. My date was fantastic, and the next one is already coming up. I'm really, really happy with this girl! She goes back to school in September, so we're trying to see each other as much as possible before the month is over. Allergy season is starting, though, so I hope she doesn't mind seeing me sneeze all day! Stupid ragweed.

Mom and Dad are going to Nova Scotia on Monday! I'm a little jealous, I wish I could see the maritimes! But they will have tons of fun, and my uncle Gerry will show them the best places. In the meantime, I'll do my best to keep the house running, and enjoy a nice weekend car-camping with Kris and Jodi :-D It's a beautiful place with a nice beach.

...I still really miss the raccoons.

RECENT FILM VIEWS
THE DARK KNIGHT (2008) *****
THE FIFTH ELEMENT (1997) *****
White Fang To The Rescue (1974) **

You Know What To Do

2008-07-29T14:57:00.002-04:00

I have finally (FINALLY!) come up with a real plan. A plan that I'm happy with. A plan that is logistically AND financially reasonable. It's a course called "Instructor for the Blind: Orientation and Mobility"... Just a year long, this post-grad certificate program is close to home, and I could get a job almost as soon as I graduate. And I could work in probably any city I like! That makes me REALLY happy... I will be starting in September 2009 (until July 2010... which sounds like The Future). Until then, I'll try to find a volunteer position that'll get me some experience. Oh, and work. Yeah, the money-making part of life. Forgot all about that.

I'm ECSTATIC that one of my best friends is home from China... Everyone missed her so much! I'm glad she's safe and sound (after braving a crazy communist government, questionable food and a record-breaking earthquake!). Love you girl!

Going camping with Grammer and Pojee (and Mom and Dad) this weekend. Another nice relaxing few days. Then when I get back, I think I have a big date to look forward to! This girl I met online is an absolute sweetheart and I can't wait to meet her. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Tootles!

RECENT FILM VIEWS
Connie and Carla (2004) ***
The Cable Guy (1996) ***

Rocky Raccoon

2008-07-26T14:27:00.002-04:00

This last week has been almost solely dedicated to taking care of a litter of orphaned raccoons living in our apple tree. They are the SWEETEST little monkeys you ever laid eyes on! Such playful personalities. We were mainly bottle-feeding them with puppy-formula. I fell totally in love, especially when they'd fall asleep in my lap with their little hands clutching my shirt. If I could have, I would have kept them forever and spent all day looking after them. But I'm not qualified. So today we had to take them to the wildlife rehabilitation centre. *sniffle* I'll miss them!!

A strange development (sort of)... Since I have been looking and looking at what to do for a job, my mom has started hinting that I should pursue a second degree. I know. WHAT?! Another 3-4 years of university? But she feels that I would do well in zoology or some other science. Who knows? I'm still looking at college programs and job listings to keep my options open... But I wonder? Another degree? Could I stand it? I mean, if I'm supported for it, wouldn't I be crazy to say no?

RECENT FILM VIEWS
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: A.I. (2001) *****
Planet of the Apes (2001) ****
The Postman (1997) ****
Futurama: Bender's Big Score (2007) ****
Futurama: The Beast With a Billion Backs (2008) ***
Wanted (2008) ***
The Fox and the Hound (1981) ***

Nowhere Man

2008-07-20T01:13:00.003-04:00

Camping was super good. Didn't catch any fish, only Pojee did. I learned a lot from listening to him and Grammer, especially about their younger years, these times that sound like a hundred years ago to me. I came to some vague grasp of the difference between knowledge and wisdom... People from their generation may not be as informed, educated, and "current" as mine, but they can be wise without wanting you to know so. It's as if they make a game of convincing us that they're crazy or perpetually confused, when all along they're the ones in the know.

Things are changing again, fast. Some friends are leaving for good, off on new adventures with careers or starting new families (2 babies born this week!). Some I may never see again. Others are just now coming home, and I might not recognize them. My once-invincible Pojee walks slower than usual, and my little "baby" cousins are learning to drive. I feel strangely removed from it all, and I don't really know what to make of it. I'm nowhere, but I kind of like it here. For now.

RECENT FILM VIEWS
12 Monkeys (1995) ****
All Dogs Go To Heaven (1989) ***
Hancock (2008) ***
Shrek the Third (2007) **

Only A Northern Song

2008-07-14T09:05:00.002-04:00

I'm heading up North tomorrow morning to camp with Grammer and Pojee, and I won't be back until sometime on Friday. Can't wait! There'll be campfires, fishing, boat rides, bacon 'n eggs for breakfast, afternoon naps (when in Rome!), swimming... I'm really happy to be going.

It was a really fun weekend having a friend over (I loved visiting the Butterfly Conservatory!). Even though it put into glaring light how different we are, and what different lives we will lead! Sometimes I need those conversations to reinforce what really makes me happy and comfortable (such as fresh air, quiet, and nature). I'm lucky to have such an awesome group of vastly different but consistently amazing friends!

RECENT FILM VIEWS
WALL-E (2008) *****
ACROSS THE UNIVERSE (2007) *****
A BUG'S LIFE (1998) *****
Snow Cake (2006) ****
Blast From the Past (1999) ****
Howl's Moving Castle (2004) ****
Hellboy (2004) ***
Short Circuit (1986) ***
Hellboy Animated: Blood and Iron (2007) **

Doctor Robert

2008-07-07T23:30:00.003-04:00

For the first time since realizing that Santa Claus was really my great-uncle Butch, I have suffered a terrible disillusionment. I have just come to understand, today, that my doctor is not a very smart fellow.

Well now I don't want to be mean. He's obviously been heavily educated, has decades of experience, and hasn't been accused of voodoo or any other questionable practice. However, after being treated by the university doctors and now going back to our family doctor (taking into consideration how LUCKY I am to have a family doctor in Canada!)... I realize that he doesn't really know HOW to treat my illness. I don't even think he knows that it is, or what it means. I'm being totally serious! Here's a shortened version of the conversation for you to admire.

*******

Doc: How we doing today? *blank stare*
Me: Uhhh... Okay I guess.
Doc: *not recognizing me in the least* What are we here for today?
Me: ...Medication follow-up? (the nurse JUST told him)
Doc: Right. What medication was that?
Me: *sigh* (insert med name here)
Doc: Right. How we doing with that?
Me: Uhhh... (who's this WE?) Not great.
Doc: What seems to be the problem?
Me: Bad sleep, bad moods, etc. etc. etc.
Doc: Mmm-hmm.
Me: So...
Doc: We'll just keep you on that for the next 3 months or so.
Me: *stunned* Uhh.. But I-
Doc: Bye-bye now. *leaves*
Me: I... What...

*******

Santa Claus = Uncle Butch
Doctor = Clueless
... I think Doctor Clueless wins. Hurray!

RECENT FILM VIEWS
THE PAINTED VEIL (2006) *****
Miss Potter (2006) ****
SNL: The Best of Will Ferrell (2002) ****
Snatch (2000) ****
SNL: The Best of Tom Hanks (2004) ***
Collateral (2004) ***
Tuck Everlasting (2002) ***
Clan of the Cave Bear (1986) ***
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) ***
For Your Consideration (2006) ***
Say Anything (1989) **

Tell Me What You See

2008-06-29T22:44:00.002-04:00

Hello! Happy Pride Weekend (today was the big parade... I wasn't there but friends of mine were!), and happy (upcoming) Canada Day! As I type this, I can hear fireworks going off at a neighbor's house :-)

While an outsider looking in on my life this month may not think much of it, it's all in what you see around you. This has been a magical month, and I'm not imitating the employees at DisneyWorld (Have a MAGICAL day!!! *grin*)... You really have to see through my eyes to understand why I've been so content through June. But let me paint you a picture. And if it sounds romanticized, it's not. It's 100% true. You just have to notice.

Almost every night, I take a walk out to my tent in the little forest behind our veggie garden. The scent of orange blossom and night-blooming lilies fills the air, the crickets and cicadas are chirping, and the forest is positively SPARKLING not just with starlight but with hundreds of twinkling fireflies, in golds and greens. The air is calm and cool. I crawl into my tent with a flashlight and a book, read until my eyelids grow heavy (who knows what time it is? who cares?), then shut off the light and snuggle into the sleeping bag. In the last moments before I fall asleep, I listen to the wildlife around me. Some nights it's deer, perusing the garden for a snack. other times, raccoons racing each other up and down the willow tree, chittering like monkeys. And once even (this is no lie), I woke up an hour or so before sunrise to hear a strange sniffing right behind me. I listened carefully, and peeked out the tiny window to see a coyote!!! Just checking the place out, then loping casually back to its family. A light rain later pattered over the tent, lulling me back to sleep. When I wake up around dawn, there's not a creature to be seen, but I'm greeted by a SYMPHONY of morning birds.

This is how I start and end every day. And in between that time, I learn guitar, read EXCELLENT books, watch movies (from the library), pick strawberries, swim, write stories, fix up the house, and hang out with Bailey and the cats (and sometimes big brother, who takes me to Sushi Jack for lunch!). I have never been so content. I never want this summer to end.

RECENT FILM VIEWS
INTO THE WILD (2007) *****
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) ****
Balto (1995) ****
Arctic Tale (2007) ***
Black Hawk Down (2001) ***
Lord of War (2005) ***
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005) ***
I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry (2007) **
Balls of Fury (2007) **

Ain't Nothing Shakin

2008-06-21T12:35:00.002-04:00

Not much news. Sleeping too much, reading too much, and clearly watching too many movies.

RECENT FILM VIEWS

KUNG FU PANDA (2008) *****
STARDUST (2007) *****
Galaxy Quest (1999) ****
Monty Python: Quest For the Holy Grail (1975) ****
Super Troopers (2001) ****
Snatch (2000) ****
Dr. Strangelove (1964) ***
Legends of the Fall (1994) ***
The Usual Suspects (1995) ***
SNL: Best of Mike Myers (1998) ***
Shaun of the Dead (2004) ***
The Great Outdoors (1988) **
SNL: Best of David Spade (2005) *
Cool Hand Luke (1967) *

Sun King

2008-06-09T22:22:00.002-04:00

Man-oh-man, these last few days have been SCORCHERS!! Thank goodness for pools (even freezing ones), basements and ceiling fans! Super hot, super humid, with lots of wicked thunder storms. There was even a tornado that touched down in town! Thankfully no-one was hurt.

Been very busy the last week! I graduated/convocated officially (and what a relief that is), went to Donkey Day at the Donkey Sanctuary of Canada and signed up as a Wednesday volunteer (I love the donkeys! I want to adopt them all! Must... resist... giant furry donkey-ears). Dad and I worked on the pool even though we kept getting stymied (good word). Got rid of a whole bunch of clutter through Freecycle, too. Visited Grammer and Pojee, Aunt Lois, friends at the Grove... I was properly introduced to the show "How I Met Your Mother" and enjoyed a 10-episode marathon. It's AWESOME!!!

This week is a "nutso" one (as my Mom would say), too. Mom's birthday, Julie's birthday, Father's Day and the parents' anniversary! That's a lot of cards to make (that's right, MAKE! Screw you, Hallmark!). Got to sell a bunch of stuff through Kijiji to make some extra bucks (which will be promptly squandered on ice cream. I'm okay with this). Besides, Kris just got the new MarioKart Wii and CLEARLY that's going to fill up my schedule something fierce ^_^!

RECENT FILM VIEWS
ROCK STAR (2001) *****
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) ****
Tootsie (1982) ****
The Last Unicorn (1982) ***
Without a Paddle (2004) ***
Field of Dreams (1989) ***
Sahara (2005) ***

World Without Love

2008-05-31T22:40:00.002-04:00

Something mildly disturbing lately... I'm afraid that after enough exposure to propaganda (through film, tv, newspapers, magazines and rumours), I'm starting to succumb to what I've studied in school in wartime topics: the demonizing, Othering of the "enemy".

Here's the scoop: I've started having regular nightmares about being attacked by Middle-Eastern peoples (in my dream world, they're "terrorists" of no country in particular). In almost all of these scenarios, I'm being chased or confronted by these nameless people with machine guns. They never speak English and so I can't communicate with them. They want me dead and I feel that I can't escape, no matter how I run. Every time, I wake up in utter fear until I realize that I'm safe. It's enough to give me panic attacks in the middle of the night.

I have read many scholarly articles about the demonizing and Othering of an enemy during wartime. WWII America demonized the Germans and (especially) the Japanese, and vice-versa (and many of these themes persist even now). Ever since 9/11, Westerners have demonized the peoples of the Middle-East (an already often-targeted group) worse than ever. Discrimination and hate crimes have multiplied against innocent people who simply APPEAR to be of a certain background (regardless of their actual ethnicity or political leaning, of course).

I abhor the prejudicial mistreatment of ANY group, whether it's about skin colour, religion/spirituality, nationality, gender, whatever. But now here I am having nightmares that the big bad terrorists are coming after me, my friends and family (many of my loved ones have been murdered or captured in these nightmares), that I can never be safe. WTF?! Is this what propaganda does? Whittles away at your psyche until you start forming ideas against your will?

I am truly disturbed and legitimately troubled by how quickly and easily this process has occurred to me. I consider myself a *relatively* educated and *somewhat* (let's be honest) culturally-aware (particularly regarding media) individual with an open mind, belief in equality and freedom... I'm no steel fortress but I would have thought I'd have a better defense against what The Man (no offense to all the actual men out there) wants me to think. I know better. But the nightmares persist. And I'm willing to bet that I'm not the only one experiencing irrational fear of the latest most-popular Other.

RECENT FILM VIEWS
KRAMER VS. KRAMER (1979) *****
MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (1944) *****
Indiana Jones: Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) ****
Walt Disney On The Front Lines: The War Years (2004) ****
National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets (2007) ***
The Thin Man (1934) ***

Paperback Writer

2008-05-24T15:46:00.003-04:00

What a GORGEOUS weekend! I think I'll be moving into my "summer home" (i.e. tent) starting tonight, and stay there unless it's cold or rainy.

Oh guess what? We have new neighbors. By that I mean a mama raccoon and her 3 babies :-) Here's a picture from a couple of weeks ago. The other babies are hidden underneath her. By now, though, they're big enough to sneak out on their own! We try to leave them alone, but it's hard not to peek in at least once a day to hear them chattering. SO CUTE!

Reading a lot these days. Every weekend I bug Dad to take me to the library for more books and movies. I'm even worse than when I lived at school! Right now I'm reading "Inkheart" and it is SOOOO great!

As life slows down in the country (and ventures into the city become less and less enjoyable -- seriously, my hometown is SO full of weirdos), I'm starting to wonder what the appeal of fast-paced living was in the first place. I don't think I ever want to go back to it. Life is richer for me when things are a bit slower, a bit quieter, with more air and space and time for thought.

RECENT FILM VIEWS
THE PIANIST (2002) *****
Hellboy (2004) ****

Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds

2008-05-22T19:40:00.004-04:00

Guess what? Dad bought me my very first guitar! He's been teaching me this and that on a banjo-ukulele (exactly what it sounds like). Anyways he took me to a pawn shop after my first few lessons and bought me a 2nd-hand classical guitar. She's a beaut! I named her "Lucy", after the Beatles' song (one of my favourites). I'll post a picture soon. So happy! I can already strum a few simple tunes :-)

RECENT FILM VIEWS
THE TRUMAN SHOW (1998) *****
Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008) ****
Yellow Submarine (1968) ***
Transformers (2007) ***
The Prophecy (1995) ***
Evan Almighty (2007) **
Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) **
Fast Food Nation (2006) **

Don't Bother Me

2008-05-14T13:43:00.002-04:00

WHAT THE HELL!! Kris and I went out for lunch today, and we forgot to lock the front door (but no big deal, the house has been empty & unlocked plenty of times). Well, Julie came home only to find some crusty old guy standing in our front hall with a Bible. WHAT THE F*** was he THINKING?!?!

I hate to point fingers, but I've absolutely had it. Our local branch of the Jehovah's Witnesses are the most IRRITATING, RELENTLESS, BONE-HEADED people in the world. They keep coming back, even after being REPEATEDLY TOLD (in small, simple words) to stay the hell off our property. They just keep coming. And now this "well-intentioned" A**HOLE walks RIGHT into an empty house to wait for someone to come home. GET THE F*** out of our home!!!!!!! WHO DOES THAT?!?!

This is the last straw. I'm SO furious right now. I'm going to rip a strip off whoever answers the phone at that place, I don't care if it's a 10-year old girl.

RECENT FILM VIEWS
THE PRINCESS BRIDE (1987) *****
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While My Guitar Gently Weeps

2008-05-08T23:42:00.002-04:00

... I really want to learn to play guitar. Really really. Partly because of Guitar Hero, partly because I saw Harold Crick do it in Stranger Than Fiction (and he made it look pretty easy, hehe). Plus my Dad used to play when we were little. Maybe I SHOULD learn this summer?

British Columbia was AWESOME. We were around a little town called Invermere, more specifically at Panorama Mountain Village. It was AMAZING there!! If it weren't for all my family living in Ontario, I would already be packing my bags to move to B.C., no doubt in my mind. I loved it there. It was everything great about Canada, all in one place. I will have to visit, often.

In completely separate news, my mom just officially adopted the horse she's been "leasing" for awhile (her name in Lynn, and she has her own webpage, believe it or not). And, (even bigger news), when we bring her home (sometime next year, most likely), Mom and Dad have hinted that they'd like to adopt a pair of "donkeys in distress" from the Donkey Sanctuary! Say WHAAAAT! I've only been begging for a donkey since I was 3 years old!! Kris says they're smelly and annoying, but so is he. HAHAHAHA!!!

RECENT FILM VIEWS
WAYNE'S WORLD (1992) ****
Iron Man (2008) ****
Baby Mama (2008) ****
Bedazzled (2000) ***
27 Dresses (2008) ***
Now and Then (1995) ***
The Brothers Solomon (2007) ***
SNL: Best of Saturday TV Funhouse (2006) **
SNL: Best of Will Ferrell - volume 2 (2004) **
The Ex (2006) *

Mother Nature's Son

2008-04-28T23:31:00.002-04:00

Been working pretty steadily on building the deck with Dad. It's going really well, and I'm learning a lot. Plus, we're getting along really well ^_^

On the weekend, Mom & Dad & I went to the Green Living Show in Toronto. It was pretty cool! Ed Begley Jr. was there! (I kept waiting for an eyebrow to fall off... HAHAHAHA!) Lots of awesome eco-friendly ideas. Even a sort of upside-down-canoe-shaped house (the type of example they don't ACTUALLY expect people to live in, but gives an idea of truly green living)... It's called the CANÜhome and I actually want to live in it. It was so cool!

On Thursday morning (SICK early) I'm flying out to Calgary to see my cousin. I'll meet her in Banff, and then she'll take me to her hotel/resort (where she works) in B.C... I'm SO excited to see the Rockies! It'll be my first time ^_^ I'll be sure to take way too many pictures. Ciao!

RECENT FILM VIEWS
THE GREEN MILE (1999) *****
Waterworld (1995) ****
The Forbidden Kingdom (2008) ****
Starship Troopers (1997) ****
The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975) ***

Slow Down

2008-04-22T07:58:00.002-04:00

Happy Earth Day! Go outside! (I will in a minute ^_^)

Spring is in full swing. The flowers are growing all over the yard, the trees are leafing out, the sun in shining (I got a sunburn yesterday! Oops!), and the birds, frogs and crickets are singing up a storm. April Rhapsody. I love it.

Life has slowed down considerably, and I can see making this a permanent theme. While fast pace can be exhilarating, I am *infinitely* more productive when I can take things slow. I can think, I can make proper judgements, I can be calm... This is how it should be.

I've been mostly working around the farm, in the house and the garden, doing little chores here and there that Mom and Dad don't have time/energy for... I hope it doesn't sound lazy or childish when I say that I wish I could just live here with my parents forever, and just keep doing what I've been doing since the end of school. It's the best!

RECENT FILM VIEWS
AUGUST RUSH (2007) *****
Robocop (1987) ***

Good Morning, Good Morning

2008-04-15T09:38:00.003-04:00

Being home feels so completely weird. I've unpacked and I still feel like I'm just visiting for a week or two. It's surreal! However, I've been feeling (and sleeping, and eating) 20x better since I got here. The parents have made me a job list to keep me busy (on my request) and I find myself working outside in the sun and fresh air more than I ever have before. And even though I wake up with stiff muscles the next morning... I really love it!

Kris took me paintballing which was scary and SO fun. I got "killed" in almost every game. Most people were nice enough to "mercy-kill" (not shoot) me because I was the only girl that played (big surprise), but I did get shot in the neck once... OUCH. Still, I *did* take down a couple of other guys! My leg muscles are *destroyed* from playing (all the crouching) but I would definitely do it again. I just wish it were less expensive!

Made TONS of plans for the summer now: canoeing at Algonquin, camping with my grandparents and friends, biking, hiking, visiting the Zoo, going to B.C., going to the Green Living Show in Toronto, and more. It's gonna be AWESOME!!

RECENT FILM VIEWS
Grandma's Boy (2006) ****
But I'm a Cheerleader (1999) ****
Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987) ***
The Invisible (2007) ***
Eragon (2006) ***
Rambo III (1988) **

I Feel Fine

2008-04-08T16:33:00.002-04:00

Today was spectacular. The weather is the most beautiful I've seen since last Fall... People were out walking around, BBQs were cooking, music was playing, breeze was blowing... It was amazing. I'm on a high from Spring fever. LOVE IT!!

Now, part out of interest and part out of... I dunno. I feel like I should? I'm looking at college programs around Ontario and I'm shocked at how many of them interest me. After 5 years of Film Studies & English, I sort of naturally pigeon-holed myself.

But now... I am really interested in environmental technology, sustainable energy, that sort of thing. I know it's completely unrelated to my arts degree but it grabbed me pretty quick. Is it for me? Who knows. I also looked at Animal Grooming, I'm not gonna lie. Right now I'm just browsing, exploring options. I'm just pleasantly surprised at how many neat options there are to choose from :-)

Hello Goodbye

2008-04-06T23:36:00.003-04:00

Well... As soon as the relationship started, it ended. I was really shocked (and disappointed) to find that Banana in person is *quite* different from Banana online. Guess that's the downside with online dating, eh?

I'm done class and just sort of floating around for now. Going to see as many people as I can before the big move home. I'm going to really miss this place and this school... I sort of figured I was settling in for the long haul, not just 4-5 years. Who knows what happens next?

Ooh! But at the beginning of May, I get to visit my cousin in British Columbia! I'm so excited to see the Rockies for the first time ever :-D

RECENT FILM VIEWS
SNL: The Best of Will Ferrell (2002) ****
Juno (2007) ***
Legend of the Black Scorpion (2006) ***

You Really Got A Hold On Me

2008-04-02T17:04:00.002-04:00

So close. I'm going to write this essay today/tonight. I'm going to clean it up in the morning. I'm going to drop it off in the afternoon. And that's it, that's all. I'll be done for good.

Can't wait to get home to see my sweet Banana (*names changed to protect privacy haha). We're now "Facebook Official" as the saying goes. I guess any relatives I wasn't Out to yet will figure it out soon enough! Either that or they'll think it's a joke. Who cares? I've already told the people I felt should know. The rest can find out the old-fashioned way: Grammer, keeper of family gossip. :-P

This weekend, I'm going to try paintball for the first time. Kris is taking me somewhere in town, a small place where it's no pressure to just give it a whirl. I'm scared but it sounds like SOOO much fun! Like... Goldeneye multiplayer on N64 in real life. And in Paintball Mode. I might very well be the same fodder I always have been on the game... Run by, flailing, distract the "real" players from their strategies... hehehe.

This summer, I have 2 goals.

First, I want to take guitar lessons, acoustic I think (but Guitar Hero has me wanting electric instead). I've always wanted to learn and now I'll have the time.

Second, I want to claim a section of the big garden for my own and plant all my favourite flowers. I've never been much of a gardener but I think it would be nice to start simply.

All Together Now

2008-03-30T00:46:00.003-04:00

Happy Earth Hour! For 60 minutes, I had everything turned off and unpluggled in the apartment. Even my cell was turned off. I sat in the dark (alone, sadly), and contemplated the worldwide phenomenon started by the World Wildlife Fund in Sydney last year. I wish every hour could be Earth Hour.

I plan on having my own Earth Hour once a week as a routine, in addition to seeing how many other little changes I can make to lessen my impact on the environment. Here's just a handful of the easiest suggestions I signed up for on the WWF page called "The Good Life"...

1. wash laundry in cold water
2. use energy-efficient CFL bulbs
3. use e-billing
4. shop with reusable bags

I had a great visit with an old friend today, someone I figured I might never see again (merely due to circumstance), and afterwards I felt happier and more energized than I have all year. What a difference some people make to my feelings! How have I been so lucky to know such AMAZING individuals? I also got to visit my aunt and my cousins yesterday... And realized how much I have to learn from people in my life. From Aunt Lois, the fine art of letting things slide.

RECENT FILM VIEWS
Timeline (2003) ***

Hello Little Girl

2008-03-27T08:40:00.002-04:00

Well now that I've gotten used to the idea of staying in the area, it's getting harder and harder to imagine leaving. I've made so many plans and "rooted" myself so deeply... I've considered work, college, family, friends, a new relationship just starting (and bringing me so many smiles), familiar routines, future vacations...

Everything keeps me here, and I have a terrible feeling that I won't be able to let it all go, not the way I was ready to before (to drop everything and plunge into the utter unknown) ...In my mind, Japan just became this whole other planet, a million miles away. The dream to go there now feels about as near as the moon... I can see it, but it's clearly out of reach.

RECENT FILM VIEWS
As Tears Go By (1987) **

The Long and Winding Road...

End of the Road...

Baby Names and "Twilight"

New Look!

May 30, 2010

April 25, 2010

April 18, 2010

April 11, 2010

April 10 - Homesick

April 9, 2010 - DIGEST of events

April 1st, 2010

March 28, 2010

March 15, 2010

February 25, 2010

February 15, 2010

February 11, 2010

February 9, 2010

February 6, 2010

February 1st, 2010

January 24, 2010

January 22, 2010

January 20, 2010

January 18, 2010

January 10, 2010 - again :-)

January 10, 2010

December 23, 2009

December 22, 2009

December 13, 2009

November 30, 2009

November 15, 2009

October 13, 2009

September 27, 2009

The Labour Day Blues

September 2, 2009

RANT: Kimmy-Only Yoga

July 25, 2009

July 9, 2009

Summer Summer Summer

Holy crap!

Article: Korea's Obsession With Plastic Surgery

Ahhh Summer once again!!

June already?!

SO EFFIN HAPPY

The Surname Game, Chapter 2

A Surname Game, Chapter 1

Digest of Itty Bitty News

Earth Day, come and gone...

Compassion

Upcoming: Bunny Day!

The Quiverfull Movement - Article

Money vs. Freedom

Books I'm *supposed* to like

Cabin Fever

Day 4 without facebook

My Movie Limits

What the crap.

Almost vacation time!

Sweatshops piss me off

The 'Comony

Snow is just sand in cold, sparkly clothing

Rant - Stupid Customers

New Year, Same Old :-)

If I Fell

Christmas Time Is Here Again

Eight Days A Week

All My Loving

Not A Second Time

I Forgot To Remember To Forget

Oh! My Soul

Why

It's All Too Much

Run For Your Life

Three Cool Cats

All Things Must Pass

September In The Rain

It Won't Be Long

Ticket To Ride

Slow Down

I've Just Seen A Face

Good Day Sunshine

Books I'm supposed to like