It was like being in residence again Monday night with drunk people disrupting my sleep between 4am and 5am. These two especially brilliant debaucherists (?) rang the doorbell in a constant string of dings and dongs to get the attention of their brother/friend who was visiting a housemate of mine. Problem: they wanted his car keys to move his car and access theirs. Problem #2: They were drunk.
Sorry guys, no bones. But that also meant they remained at the door rotating between doorbell, the old fashioned knocking method and just yelling up at the bro/friend for about one hour. I went down, grouchily opened the door and used some choice words: the ringing stopped but their polite knocking was stilled punctuated with polite yelling. Eventually, props to my housemate, she called the police who escorted them from our lawn and removed the illegal substances from their possession.
While writing this I am polishing off my first sweet baby oranges (I can't afford the real deal Clementines but these are good) to go with our first snow. I hope that gets it out of London's system, especially the transit system that was set back hours by the thick and sticky water.
An interesting development in this household is the new bond between our cats. Gigi and Carl love each other. Or Carl likes having something to do and Gigi likes to be tormented. While only about 1/5th of Carl's size she constantly provokes him into flipping her over and batting her around. Typical girl, goes right back to the guy who hurts her because he pays attention. Oh Gigi, so much to learn!
Thursday, October 30
Tuesday, October 28
Pounds per square inch of force
Feeling the self-implosion inducing forces of the future crushing in on me. That came off a bit more dramatic than I anticipated but, nonetheless, it is reasonably accurate. The long process of applying to grad school begins (not just GREs but personal statements, reference letters, transcripts, etc.)
The scary thing is that this is where my plan ends. If I don't get in to grad school in Speech Pathology I have to come up with something else. Most of my expectations definitely come from what I think I should be, that most of my worth comes from being a student, being intellectual (smart) and I'll lose that if I don't choose a career that is 'intellectual', that sets me apart from other people (yeah, I'm going to say it is a pride thing). Brainstorming other acceptably 'smart' things to do with my life...
The scary thing is that this is where my plan ends. If I don't get in to grad school in Speech Pathology I have to come up with something else. Most of my expectations definitely come from what I think I should be, that most of my worth comes from being a student, being intellectual (smart) and I'll lose that if I don't choose a career that is 'intellectual', that sets me apart from other people (yeah, I'm going to say it is a pride thing). Brainstorming other acceptably 'smart' things to do with my life...
Thursday, October 23
Abnegation of fun
Abnegation is from word list one (of 50), meaning self-denial or self-sacrifice, one of many I didn't really know the definition of until this evening.
My housemate has been encouraging me to find a London boyfriend so I have, "Master the GRE 2009". I think it is male, and we are going to be spending many long hours together (eating, listening to music, studying, watching TV, riding the bus....if that isn't a relationship....)
Most of my life culminates on December 9th 2008 (yes, if you wait too long to book your GREs you could end up writing them during your exams). Going in i though the math section was the most frightening. It is not. Math I can do with little review. It is the verbal section demanding a specific (and labourious) WAY of thinking. Plus essays and junk. Committing to this means I have committed to at least two hours of my daily life devoted to studying for the GREs (ie. conforming to the 'correct' way of thinking as judged by a standardized test).
Taking the test is to give me the option of applying to American universities for graduate school. Why do Americans love their standardized testing so much? Few Canadian universities (at least for Speech pathology) require any form of testing. Weird, they are willing to look at my qualifications and marks as judged through years of testing in my undergraduate degree.
My housemate has been encouraging me to find a London boyfriend so I have, "Master the GRE 2009". I think it is male, and we are going to be spending many long hours together (eating, listening to music, studying, watching TV, riding the bus....if that isn't a relationship....)
Most of my life culminates on December 9th 2008 (yes, if you wait too long to book your GREs you could end up writing them during your exams). Going in i though the math section was the most frightening. It is not. Math I can do with little review. It is the verbal section demanding a specific (and labourious) WAY of thinking. Plus essays and junk. Committing to this means I have committed to at least two hours of my daily life devoted to studying for the GREs (ie. conforming to the 'correct' way of thinking as judged by a standardized test).
Taking the test is to give me the option of applying to American universities for graduate school. Why do Americans love their standardized testing so much? Few Canadian universities (at least for Speech pathology) require any form of testing. Weird, they are willing to look at my qualifications and marks as judged through years of testing in my undergraduate degree.
Tuesday, October 21
Maybe having a social life is counter-productive
Since when am I the student who answers all the questions in class?
The one who goes out for coffee with her professors?
Who sits on committees of campus clubs? (As of this week I am one of two VPs of Communications for Autism Western)
Who volunteers with a professor and phd candidates? (Starting last week I code data into a computer system as part of a major project creating a database of all Spanish/Latin American-produced art and art housed in Spain - I get to look at paintings and listen to music!)
From my Guelph undergrad I am used to coasting on decent marks and keeping my involvement in school activities to social/religious-related occurrences. Hopefully this new involved citizen makes it out of school.
The one who goes out for coffee with her professors?
Who sits on committees of campus clubs? (As of this week I am one of two VPs of Communications for Autism Western)
Who volunteers with a professor and phd candidates? (Starting last week I code data into a computer system as part of a major project creating a database of all Spanish/Latin American-produced art and art housed in Spain - I get to look at paintings and listen to music!)
From my Guelph undergrad I am used to coasting on decent marks and keeping my involvement in school activities to social/religious-related occurrences. Hopefully this new involved citizen makes it out of school.
Sunday, October 19
Return of the Prodigal cat
Carl is back! Mark drove me home on Thursday of this week for a visit and to attend and friend's wedding. It was a beautiful ceremony and perfect location to appreciate the autumn weather. My mom spoiled me and I got a sassy new haircut on the morning of the wedding instead of spend time on it myself. It looks pretty snazzy if I do say so myself. But back to Carl:
A nice couple found him down by the train tracks where he approached them asking for food and affection. They obliged and took him home, shaving his fur where the sap stuck and would not be removed (which we heartily mocked Carl about once he settled back in...haha bald patches). Somehow they saw our posters pleading for his return (we only posted a few in the area, most being put into mail boxes, but not theirs). A new challenge for us will be keeping Carl, an adept hunter, from making a snack out of the 3 month old kitten the downstairs housemate brought home after Thanksgiving. To Carl it would taste something like squirrel.
A nice couple found him down by the train tracks where he approached them asking for food and affection. They obliged and took him home, shaving his fur where the sap stuck and would not be removed (which we heartily mocked Carl about once he settled back in...haha bald patches). Somehow they saw our posters pleading for his return (we only posted a few in the area, most being put into mail boxes, but not theirs). A new challenge for us will be keeping Carl, an adept hunter, from making a snack out of the 3 month old kitten the downstairs housemate brought home after Thanksgiving. To Carl it would taste something like squirrel.
Tuesday, October 14
Weekend come and Gone
Good thing the latest hiatus between seeing Mark is just a day and a half this time. Tomorrow we hang out here then head home on Thursday for a few days. The leaves are supposed to be at their brightest right now.
Thanksgiving weekend had more pie than I could have imagined. But the dead-yeast buns are likely what caused me to pull a stomach muscle. This weekend I saw an apple tree for the first time. And picked an apple off a tree (10 pounds of apples to be precise). Apple trees are shorter than I expected, my drawings of apple trees as a child were pathetically inaccurate.
Other accomplishments: convincing the children at our massive thankful dinner that I am cool (it is always so much easier with kids). The oldest, L, taught me all about the Jonas brothers who I was (sadly?) ignorant of previous to Sunday.
Bit by a snake (Mark must be so tired of this story haha). It sounds tough until anyone actually saw the snake, measuring in at a fearsome 15 to 20 cm. But I was bitten nontheless and we're going with non-poisonous because my finger has not turned black. Oh yeah, I was bitten because I tried to catch the adorable little snake, so my bad.
I purchased gum at a store with the confusing name "Piggly Wiggly". Confusing because what does that have to do with convenience items?
This time to end, Carl is still gone. We are losing hope.
Thanksgiving weekend had more pie than I could have imagined. But the dead-yeast buns are likely what caused me to pull a stomach muscle. This weekend I saw an apple tree for the first time. And picked an apple off a tree (10 pounds of apples to be precise). Apple trees are shorter than I expected, my drawings of apple trees as a child were pathetically inaccurate.
Other accomplishments: convincing the children at our massive thankful dinner that I am cool (it is always so much easier with kids). The oldest, L, taught me all about the Jonas brothers who I was (sadly?) ignorant of previous to Sunday.
Bit by a snake (Mark must be so tired of this story haha). It sounds tough until anyone actually saw the snake, measuring in at a fearsome 15 to 20 cm. But I was bitten nontheless and we're going with non-poisonous because my finger has not turned black. Oh yeah, I was bitten because I tried to catch the adorable little snake, so my bad.
I purchased gum at a store with the confusing name "Piggly Wiggly". Confusing because what does that have to do with convenience items?
This time to end, Carl is still gone. We are losing hope.
Friday, October 10
Day 4: Still Missing
Carl has now been gone for 4 days. Before having a cat in the house here I never knew how much I love having a soft, furry ball of affection to greet me and follow me and chill with me while I do my homework. We are getting desperate with Thanksgiving coming up we won't be in the house if he comes home. I printed up some posters and distributed them around the neighbourhood while asking anyone outside if they had seen him.
We had some very encouraging reports and followed them along the fence until we found another cat that would fit the description of Carl but was not Carl. Now this cat will disrupt our search, we will be getting all these calls about this other cat, while cool, definitely not Carlzipan.
Yesterday while searching the neighbourhood a bit closer to home a young guy said that a half hour before a cat fitting Carl's description walked right into his house and then ran out again. Could it have been him? I hope that he is safe. But I'm leaving in half an hour to spend the weekend in Windsor with Mark's family....mmmm really good pie.
This is Carlzipan:
We had some very encouraging reports and followed them along the fence until we found another cat that would fit the description of Carl but was not Carl. Now this cat will disrupt our search, we will be getting all these calls about this other cat, while cool, definitely not Carlzipan.
Yesterday while searching the neighbourhood a bit closer to home a young guy said that a half hour before a cat fitting Carl's description walked right into his house and then ran out again. Could it have been him? I hope that he is safe. But I'm leaving in half an hour to spend the weekend in Windsor with Mark's family....mmmm really good pie.
This is Carlzipan:
Wednesday, October 8
One nice thing
The saying "If my head wasn't attached I would forget that too" was definitely started by someone just like me (or possibly by me, but I forget). Today was one of those days. I walked right out of my first class and half-way down the hall until I remembered that I was covered in something coat-like when I entered the class and went back to retrieve my jacket off the chair.
From this class I fled through the rain directly to a professor's office hours to get some guidance on homework questions. From there I wandered to another building to wait for someone and decided that, since I was early, I would work on some problems. But I didn't have my notebook. So back to the professor's office in the downpour I went. (note: this is the same prof I visit weekly for help, two weeks ago I was asking for help and dropping off an assignment which I forgot to leave behind).
Luckily it was there but then he did something unexpected. He offered my his extra umbrella until the next time I saw him (almost two weeks because class is canceled Thanksgiving Monday) because he noticed I didn't have one. People just don't do that anymore. Although I am there every week at 1030 without fail so I'm sure he isn't worried that i'll disappear. I spent the rest of my day a less-wet fan of the Philadelphia Flyers.
One more potential loss: Carl hasn't come back! We let the cat out sometimes at night but he didn't come back last night, or this morning, or now and it is raining. I hope he is safe and warm.
From this class I fled through the rain directly to a professor's office hours to get some guidance on homework questions. From there I wandered to another building to wait for someone and decided that, since I was early, I would work on some problems. But I didn't have my notebook. So back to the professor's office in the downpour I went. (note: this is the same prof I visit weekly for help, two weeks ago I was asking for help and dropping off an assignment which I forgot to leave behind).
Luckily it was there but then he did something unexpected. He offered my his extra umbrella until the next time I saw him (almost two weeks because class is canceled Thanksgiving Monday) because he noticed I didn't have one. People just don't do that anymore. Although I am there every week at 1030 without fail so I'm sure he isn't worried that i'll disappear. I spent the rest of my day a less-wet fan of the Philadelphia Flyers.
One more potential loss: Carl hasn't come back! We let the cat out sometimes at night but he didn't come back last night, or this morning, or now and it is raining. I hope he is safe and warm.
Tuesday, October 7
Finally, a Shakespeare Reference
So we have a different cat. His name is Carl (although I usually call him "Beebee beebee" in an annoying high-pitch squeal or Carlzipan).
Carl is an adorable grey tabby with big green eyes and soft soft soft kitty-type fur. So soft. He is also more aggressive than Bok Choy and should be renamed Shiloc for he constantly seems to be demanding one pound of flesh from me (although I don't recall making deals). The cat really is gentle most of the time. Except this morning. When he smelled the bacon. Usually he is in Julia's room at night but I took him as a favour which is always worse for me because I am a complete push over. The cat wants to lie on my outstretched arm until it falls asleep? Sure, just careful, don't move that arm or you'll bug the cat. He comes in every few hours to get his chin scratched and I oblige.
My conclusion: I am being trained by a cat. I have scratch marks up and down my arm to prove it (hey, wrestling with him is fun, I know the price)
Carl is an adorable grey tabby with big green eyes and soft soft soft kitty-type fur. So soft. He is also more aggressive than Bok Choy and should be renamed Shiloc for he constantly seems to be demanding one pound of flesh from me (although I don't recall making deals). The cat really is gentle most of the time. Except this morning. When he smelled the bacon. Usually he is in Julia's room at night but I took him as a favour which is always worse for me because I am a complete push over. The cat wants to lie on my outstretched arm until it falls asleep? Sure, just careful, don't move that arm or you'll bug the cat. He comes in every few hours to get his chin scratched and I oblige.
My conclusion: I am being trained by a cat. I have scratch marks up and down my arm to prove it (hey, wrestling with him is fun, I know the price)
Friday, October 3
Wasting Time
With school, a job, and volunteering as much as possible to have a shot at grad school I should be busier than ever. And I am. Except, I'm bored and the rain is locking me inside. I rarely felt so bored in Guelph but I think it is due to my lack of friends. Not knowing many people here means that my free time becomes all mine, instead of social time. I really only need so much 'me' time and right now what I'm getting is too much.
Some of this extra free time is very productive. Some of it is spent watching Bones. Yum, Agent Seeley Booth of the FBI (aka Xander from Buffy, aka David Boreanz). Usually I bore of these types of shows as the story lines tend to blend but I enjoy the characters; the awkward geniuses are endearing. Also, it has a surprisingly lovely soundtrack. My new favourites:
Sara Enan: Bring on the Wonder
Syntax: Pride
Both mellow and emotional (wait, emotional....am I going emo??)
Some of this extra free time is very productive. Some of it is spent watching Bones. Yum, Agent Seeley Booth of the FBI (aka Xander from Buffy, aka David Boreanz). Usually I bore of these types of shows as the story lines tend to blend but I enjoy the characters; the awkward geniuses are endearing. Also, it has a surprisingly lovely soundtrack. My new favourites:
Sara Enan: Bring on the Wonder
Syntax: Pride
Both mellow and emotional (wait, emotional....am I going emo??)
Monday, September 29
Sometimes
I have come across studies dumbed-down in magazines like Time and Psychology Today a few times explaining to exasperated parents that their teens, while they look like adults, have brains wholly unique to adolescence and young adulthood. Teens make irresponsible or just bad choices where the correct or best choice should be so clear to an adult. The brain is supposedly finished forming into a fully-functional adult with great decision making skills (I'm sure they'll concede that this doesn't always result) by the age of 25. That means I should be responsible in 1 and 1/2 years. Gone is my neuro-psychological excuse for rebelliousness.
Most of that was to say, I seem to make mostly good, rational decisions and then sometimes I make really stupid decisions (even after knowing the consequences).
Good decisions: do my homework,
go to bed on time,
plan ahead for reference letters needed for grad school (by being a total keener...)
choose studying over TV and fun
Bad decisions: choose TV and fun over studying (this one is a process)
lending my housemate (of-age-but-doesn't-have-a-licence-housemate) my ID to hang out with the boy she likes knowing it could be taken away (oh, and it was)
brownies for breakfast (not today...but it happens)
I'm sure there are many more additions to my good choice/bad choice list, just from this week.
Most of that was to say, I seem to make mostly good, rational decisions and then sometimes I make really stupid decisions (even after knowing the consequences).
Good decisions: do my homework,
go to bed on time,
plan ahead for reference letters needed for grad school (by being a total keener...)
choose studying over TV and fun
Bad decisions: choose TV and fun over studying (this one is a process)
lending my housemate (of-age-but-doesn't-have-a-licence-housemate) my ID to hang out with the boy she likes knowing it could be taken away (oh, and it was)
brownies for breakfast (not today...but it happens)
I'm sure there are many more additions to my good choice/bad choice list, just from this week.
Monday, September 22
I'm hoping it is just the glasses
Today I met with a professor who I had been communicating with by email through the summer and now am taking one of his classes. He is teaching linguistics and is easily one of the most learn-ed people I have met (he has studied Quechua in Peru, Inuktitut in Northern Canada, speaks french, spanish, norwegian and various African dialects) and quite possibly may be too smart for our class. He made the remark after we had sat in The Spoke talking over organic English Breakfast that he was relieved to find that I was not nearly as 'rigid' as i appeared in class. Always great to know I give off a "tightwad" vibe (no less according to a 60 year old professor).
Class today will be long, getting home at 10pm after much tossing and turning last night. I never would have wanted to admit that a man could have that affect on me (no longer talking about the professor here!).
Class today will be long, getting home at 10pm after much tossing and turning last night. I never would have wanted to admit that a man could have that affect on me (no longer talking about the professor here!).
Tuesday, September 16
External Locus of Control
Going for my bi-lifetime physical (I'm assuming I have been to the doctor for a check-up before last week but I can't actually remember a time) has revealed some biological shortages that could become problems. Basically I want to use them as the reason I am a terrible runner.
My iron is low (16, normal range is 10-291). Not below normal but the range is large so apparently I'm just getting enough to meet my very most basic daily needs but don't store any. I'm actually happy to hear that I was getting that much. A handy B vitamin of the 12 variety is below the normal range so we are going to work on bumping it up. So now I am gulping vast quantities of supplements in the mornings (ok, like 4 pills) The iron ones are little green discs that smell....bloody. I also added a regimen of Vitamin D since I am Canadian and will not get enough for most of the year and CBC radio recently aired a discussion about Vitamin D that hinted that we may actually need it for almost all bodily functions and in quantities hundreds (even thousands) of times what Health Canada recommends.
Other than the slight deficiencies (apparently B12 deficiency belongs to vegans and old ladies) I am pretty fit and have been instructed to carefully watch my moles due to the lack of pigmentation in my skin.
My iron is low (16, normal range is 10-291). Not below normal but the range is large so apparently I'm just getting enough to meet my very most basic daily needs but don't store any. I'm actually happy to hear that I was getting that much. A handy B vitamin of the 12 variety is below the normal range so we are going to work on bumping it up. So now I am gulping vast quantities of supplements in the mornings (ok, like 4 pills) The iron ones are little green discs that smell....bloody. I also added a regimen of Vitamin D since I am Canadian and will not get enough for most of the year and CBC radio recently aired a discussion about Vitamin D that hinted that we may actually need it for almost all bodily functions and in quantities hundreds (even thousands) of times what Health Canada recommends.
Other than the slight deficiencies (apparently B12 deficiency belongs to vegans and old ladies) I am pretty fit and have been instructed to carefully watch my moles due to the lack of pigmentation in my skin.
Friday, September 12
Isn't it always the case
An update on my junk food craving: I had some. It wasn't that good. Maybe I chose the wrong thing and I'm sure i had a bit too much. Afterward there was no satisfaction just bloatedness. And a sugar crash. Too bad I know I'll have to just keep on learning this lesson.
My obsession lately has been names. This isn't connected to wanting children, there is no place in my life right now for things that cry all the time, are messy, and constantly demand my attention. But I am fascinated with how people name them. Almost daily I find myself on the babynames website perusing the message boards to see what other people like. Some are pretty out there and some are growing on me.
My forever favourites:
Audrey/Aubrey
Maggie (but as a nickname, I'm trying to come up with something other than margaret for this)
Briar
Levi
Ezekiel (Zeke)
And then, from being on the site more than is healthy, some names I would love to use but most likely wouldn't. Let's call them guilty-pleasure names
Piper
Emerald
Olivia
Finn
harper (for a girl)
August (boy)
Dmitri (this one I've loved forever, I tried to convince my mom to name my brother this 16 years ago)
And i'll stop because i could go on forever.
My obsession lately has been names. This isn't connected to wanting children, there is no place in my life right now for things that cry all the time, are messy, and constantly demand my attention. But I am fascinated with how people name them. Almost daily I find myself on the babynames website perusing the message boards to see what other people like. Some are pretty out there and some are growing on me.
My forever favourites:
Audrey/Aubrey
Maggie (but as a nickname, I'm trying to come up with something other than margaret for this)
Briar
Levi
Ezekiel (Zeke)
And then, from being on the site more than is healthy, some names I would love to use but most likely wouldn't. Let's call them guilty-pleasure names
Piper
Emerald
Olivia
Finn
harper (for a girl)
August (boy)
Dmitri (this one I've loved forever, I tried to convince my mom to name my brother this 16 years ago)
And i'll stop because i could go on forever.
Monday, September 8
I WANT COOKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Or brownies, or donuts, or sugary sugary cake, or cheesecake, or rich rich ice cream, or a chocolate bar......
I has been over a week since I have had junk food. I want it. RIGHT. NOW. I'm too cheap to buy it and it is safer if it isn't in my house. But I am in the cafeteria and i can smell it.....
My lunch is good: and orange, some quinoa with salsa and cucumbers (also will be my dinner). Where the chocolate at?
I has been over a week since I have had junk food. I want it. RIGHT. NOW. I'm too cheap to buy it and it is safer if it isn't in my house. But I am in the cafeteria and i can smell it.....
My lunch is good: and orange, some quinoa with salsa and cucumbers (also will be my dinner). Where the chocolate at?
Thursday, September 4
And His Brother Asparagus
There are now 6 mammals living in our house (that we know of, there could be something in the walls). Yesterday, while starting a friendship with the girl in the room next to mine, we/she spontaneously brought a cat home from Pet Smart. So we have a cat. Sort of. Someone is allergic (it is ok, long story, i'm not typing it all) but it means the cat is somewhat restricted. He is black with fabulous green eyes that fade to rhinestone yellow. A very sweet temperament letting me play with his paws (!) which are the cutest part of a cat. His new name is Bok Choy, way less cliche than Midnight; the appellation on his adoption form. The really cool thing is that I have never had/lived with a pet. At least not a real one that could roam. I have had fish and a crab, neither of which require much attention or care or give it either.
Today was my first class. Spanish. It should be fun and challenging: a good combination. The real excitement for the day was biking over 10k (ok not that far, i couldn't have run it!) to a volunteer orientation. I will be doing the Talk It Up program on Saturday afternoon at the London Speech and Language Centre. Basically it is additional therapy for children with communication difficulties in the form of a small classroom with a teacher and an assistant/volunteer (that's me!) to every one or two children. We have the opportunity to sit in on their individual, half-hour therapy to get to know them better and learn as much as we can and then we apply the therapies and work on goals in the classroom setting. One of our biggest goals will be to encourage social interaction and using words or practicing specific sounds. Tonight was an orientation, Saturday is the first therapy day. It is the perfect opportunity to get me on track to eventually be a Speech-Language pathologist (SLP)
Today was my first class. Spanish. It should be fun and challenging: a good combination. The real excitement for the day was biking over 10k (ok not that far, i couldn't have run it!) to a volunteer orientation. I will be doing the Talk It Up program on Saturday afternoon at the London Speech and Language Centre. Basically it is additional therapy for children with communication difficulties in the form of a small classroom with a teacher and an assistant/volunteer (that's me!) to every one or two children. We have the opportunity to sit in on their individual, half-hour therapy to get to know them better and learn as much as we can and then we apply the therapies and work on goals in the classroom setting. One of our biggest goals will be to encourage social interaction and using words or practicing specific sounds. Tonight was an orientation, Saturday is the first therapy day. It is the perfect opportunity to get me on track to eventually be a Speech-Language pathologist (SLP)
Tuesday, September 2
Finally trying to stop
I have painted my finger nails and decided not to bite them. Must be that fact that classes haven't started yet but it has worked, almost a week now and without much temptation! i started to notice a difference today in that it is slightly more difficult to type with my nails hitting the keys and sliding off. that is a new one for me! they are still little and may need even a few years to rejuvenate before I'll love my nails but it is about time. Now that it is public everyone can slap my hands away from my month if I try to bite. Besides, it was wearing at my lower front teeth and causing pain. I can't afford new bottom teeth!
I biked to the Western campus today for the first time. It was a surprisingly easy and fast bike ride, no more than 10 minutes but i forgot to actually time it. The day was spent in lines, first for a student card, then a bus pass and then student health services. Now i am enjoying some time off before classes start. I am mostly unpacked and will just continue to pick up things here and there as I need them. The last of the 5 girls moved in today and it is a very full house ie. everyone brought a lot of stuff. I had some time to wait this afternoon so i spent some of it browsing the library periodicals....D.B. Weldon Library, you will be my refuge.
I biked to the Western campus today for the first time. It was a surprisingly easy and fast bike ride, no more than 10 minutes but i forgot to actually time it. The day was spent in lines, first for a student card, then a bus pass and then student health services. Now i am enjoying some time off before classes start. I am mostly unpacked and will just continue to pick up things here and there as I need them. The last of the 5 girls moved in today and it is a very full house ie. everyone brought a lot of stuff. I had some time to wait this afternoon so i spent some of it browsing the library periodicals....D.B. Weldon Library, you will be my refuge.
Saturday, August 30
Wednesday, August 27
Preteen Dream Fulfilled
Even though Girlicious opened for them I won't be holding it against the Backstreet Boys. The first hour was a bust however I wasn't expecting much from a group formed by a TV show (anyone remember O-zone?......didn't they have that one nasty song about liquid dreams).
The boys (sans Kevin) put on a good show. They had fun choreography, props and really seemed to have fun. And it gave me a chance to sing along to all the songs I memorized in elementary school. Some things have changed. Howie, who I found fairly repulsive as a 13-year-old, is now the most attractive and least aged of the group. Nick is still Nick. Brian had his adorable son with blond ringlets introduce the band; if he didn't already have spawn I would offer my womb. But A.J. He passed that line from being funky and cool and had more in common with dirty old truckers. What a beard. The tattoos on his less sculpted arms are no longer very cool. It is hard to believe they are all in their very late 20s and early 30s now. At least I've now seen them before they start looking like the Rolling Stones.
PS. We were on the floor level right in front of the DJ/sound section and who was there? Aaron Carter cheering on big brother Nick. He hasn't grown at all since his video on the playground.
The boys (sans Kevin) put on a good show. They had fun choreography, props and really seemed to have fun. And it gave me a chance to sing along to all the songs I memorized in elementary school. Some things have changed. Howie, who I found fairly repulsive as a 13-year-old, is now the most attractive and least aged of the group. Nick is still Nick. Brian had his adorable son with blond ringlets introduce the band; if he didn't already have spawn I would offer my womb. But A.J. He passed that line from being funky and cool and had more in common with dirty old truckers. What a beard. The tattoos on his less sculpted arms are no longer very cool. It is hard to believe they are all in their very late 20s and early 30s now. At least I've now seen them before they start looking like the Rolling Stones.
PS. We were on the floor level right in front of the DJ/sound section and who was there? Aaron Carter cheering on big brother Nick. He hasn't grown at all since his video on the playground.
Tuesday, August 26
Tropic Thunder
How could I miss that Tom Cruise nose? It only took me half the movie to figure out which character he played (ok, I asked Mark). "THAT is Tom Cruise?" The images of him with fat burly hands club-dancing will forever be sloshed around in my nightmares.
With the spoof trailers I started to worry that I would have to mange on some crow and own up to its brilliance but thankfully I do not. It had its moments, some characters were even endearing but it was all just too much. Maybe I'm more of a subtle humour kind of gal.
4 more sleeps and I will be in London. I haven't really mentioned it on here. I guess it doesn't seem like it is actually happening. It has been over a year since I have been in school! I will miss everyone here so much. Two days before I leave I have a ticket to see the Backstreet Boys. Yes, it is a teen dream come true. But my not-so-secret-anymore-secret? I don't love concerts. In fact, I'm not excited. The idea of the lines and crowds and finding the seat and waiting for the concert and getting pushed around....sounds like a hassle. When did I become this old?
With the spoof trailers I started to worry that I would have to mange on some crow and own up to its brilliance but thankfully I do not. It had its moments, some characters were even endearing but it was all just too much. Maybe I'm more of a subtle humour kind of gal.
4 more sleeps and I will be in London. I haven't really mentioned it on here. I guess it doesn't seem like it is actually happening. It has been over a year since I have been in school! I will miss everyone here so much. Two days before I leave I have a ticket to see the Backstreet Boys. Yes, it is a teen dream come true. But my not-so-secret-anymore-secret? I don't love concerts. In fact, I'm not excited. The idea of the lines and crowds and finding the seat and waiting for the concert and getting pushed around....sounds like a hassle. When did I become this old?
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