Early Canada Day

Last night some peeps went out to a camp for a jovial time. In all there was at least $60 of merchandise blown up and a small lack of common sense. My first experience with do-it-yourself fireworks proved to be entertaining. Although a bit wary at first I greatly enjoyed the sparkly ones (star dust or balls of green and blue light streaming into the air) but not so excited about the loud bangs that some of the more cocky and arogant fireworks let out. Please, you expect me to be impressed by a loud noise? You're just moving air around to create waves that, when hitting my eardrum, are interpreted by my brain as a pop or bang. A whole lot more skills goes into being pretty and shiny.

Not to mention I just don't like loud noises. Correction, I like loud music or being loud at times but sharp, unexpected sounds....not cool. I'm already a jumpy, anxious person and I don't want a heart attack at 22.

Hiatusing

Currently crashing on the couch of the lovely J.B. in transition between Bermy and home. As of right now I will finally be home in 24hours. The vacation was wonderful but tiring. There was so much to do and see that by the end I just needed a nap. Besides, I'm more of an explorer than a beach-lier-onner so I needed some time to do that.

Things I learned while away:
1) My house will be stucco and a butter cream yellow or aqua blue depending on how I feel that year.
2) I feel very convicted to watch my water usage after being with water-thrifty bermudians. I would like to challenge myself to try to conserve more (ie. use the rinse method when showering instead of the constant stream of water)
3) It is was too expensive to go out for dinner on that island

More to come once I upload my pictures, I don't want to ruin all the fun details for the people I will get to speak to in person. Now I must mentally prepare myself for 13 hours on the greyhound.

Good thing I said change can be fun

This past week has been a biggun'. Funny how everything can come up at once.

On Monday my grandmother was admitted to the hospital in the soo for a leaking aortic aneurysm and with a poor prognosis. All of her children have gathered but as she makes it to day 5 coherent and without pain we all start to feel some relief...although only partial; aneurysms are time bombs. Of course she made me promise right away that I would still go on my trip to Bermy, regardless of what happened to her. It is good to be leaving with her in relatively good condition but not easy knowing I really may not see her again (of course I am thinking positively but I can't deny that I worry). They key is keeping her blood pressure down; not a small feat which you would understand if you knew my grandmother (aka. Nana).

Speaking of changes, I had come home with very few expectations and everything has surpassed them. I fell into a great church, a great job and was readily accepted back into a group of friends (some new, some old). On top of all that I really had not been looking to meet anyone as I plan to take off for a few months to Peru; I guess life has a way of catching you off guard. His name is Mark. I wasn't expecting him...

Somebuddy call Mensa, and git me ma pokin' stick

I dont' talk about my family too much on here but right about now I"m going to do a bit of bragging. Basically I have the coolest little bro. And at under 15 he is also the smartest, I would go so far as a genius. The kid never studies, never, I have never seen it happen but his average is around 90.

but the real reason he is electrode-brain-test worthy is he just seems to know how to do things, especially with electronics (and it isn't from my dad because often my dad can't even help him with his projects). Por ejemplo: Today I come home from work and Dave has taken a little battery powered radio, turned it into an amp, hooked it up to an electric guitar and then, get this, takes a caribeaner (sp) and hooks the amp/radio to his belt loop and walks around. Voila! Miniature portable amp for those times you want to stalk someone and have the option of great acoustics. I'm already making him promise me things like expensive vacations when he is rich.

Deciding What I Want

My plans to spend three months in South America this coming fall will not be easily swayed. That doesn't mean that things don't come up that would make it easy (and profitable) to stay.

In the last two days I have been offered one position and one interview for good career-building jobs, here, in the soo. Settling down sounds easy. It sounds safe. Will those opportunities come up again? What will I do when I return from S.A., work at a regular job until I can go away to school? Maybe I won't figure out what I want to study so I won't go to school. Could I settle down?

My boss took me out for lunch yesterday (randomly), we'll call him Dwayne. There isn't anyone else who makes me consider where I am going in life and what I want out of what I'm doing than Dwayne. His stand-by advice is that the key is to figure out what makes you happy but that it took him 60 years to do it. It really is about the process.

Career woman or carefree young traveler?

ahead by a century

"That is why we are told not to judge. We see only the results which a man's choices make out of his raw material [psychological/biological make-up and upbringing]. But God does not judge him on the raw material at all, but on what he has done with it. Most of the man's psychological makeup is probably due to his body: when his body dies all that will fall off him, and the real central man, the thing that chose, that made The best or the worst of this material, will stand naked. All sorts of nice things which we thought our own, but which were really due to good digestions, will fall off some of us: all sorts of nasty things which were due to complexes or bad health will fall off others. we shall then, for the first time, see ever one as he really was. There will be surprises"
~C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

This not only makes me feel a bit guilty but gives me great hope. Some pensing is in order.

Change isn't so scary

First, facebook has found another way to siphon my time (not that its as valuable as it was when I was in school, but still!). I added the 'iread' application and my love for books coupled with my slightly OCD tendency to HAVE TO INCLUDE EVERY BOOK I HAVE EVER READ and then COMMENT ON THEM is using up considerable time. I guess as long as i'm entertained, but why couldn't facebook only be powered by my sweat (ie. be bike or running powered).

yesterday I decided that long hair was not longer what I wanted.

I made a little change.

I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike....

For my graduation present I received a snazzy new bi-cycle for zipping around town. It was difficult to choose one since I first wanted a cool street comfort bike (a "sit-up-and-beg" in Brit slang) but then they didn't look as cool or practical in real life.

Here is my final selection:

It has done a pretty decent job of getting me off my lazy butt and biking around the city. Hills are still killer but I'm on it. Today I rode it to ultimate, played ultimate (poorly might I add, but at least I sweat a disgusting amount) and then back. Tomorrow the goal is to the library and back and then, later on in the evening, to girls night. The one downside is the stinky kick-stand they attached to it since it did not come with one (what??? is it childish to want to stand your bike up?). This bike-stander-upper is not firmly secured as is always flopping around. Overall a good ride, now I just have to work on the roads themselves: the Soo is NOT a bike friendly city.

I Laughed so Hard

Heard on a new episode of what not to wear: They team and family were discussing the bland wardrobe of the chosen one when her husband kindly compared it to vanilla.

In total agreement Stacey added: "Yes, why be vanilla when you could be...oh...tutti frutti...*turns and looks at Clinton*...or....

Clinton: *busts out laughing* "Don't look at me when you say tutti frutti"

Officially the first remark eluding to Clinton's 'orientation'. So sad, I will never marry him.