One can really stretch out Christmas gift money if you're willing to brave the people in the stores!
I was able to turn my meager holdings into two CD's, a chocolate orange, a purse I've been in love with for ages, and a sweater-coatish thing. Oh and a Christmas gift for a friend!

little boy Christmas blues

We had a very small Christmas this year: money's been tight and Mom just couldn't afford much. In fact, we've never really gotten much for Christmas but as children it never really bothered us cause none of us had many friends so it was difficult for us to compare. My little brother does have good friends though (the ones that call you on Christmas morning to share what they got) so he knows that compared to his friends he received very few gifts. To add to his jealousy, three of his friends received the Nintendo Wii for Christmas and called him that morning while he was playing with his sole toy: a new box of lego. Needless to say, he wasn't in the best of spirits that morning.
I know Christmas isn't about the gifts and all that, but it was really hard to see him upset. And it's not like his sadness was a spoiled kid kind of tantrum, he was just being a little boy.
I shared this story with a friend last evening who then called me today to tell me that he and several other people we know have all chipped in to buy our family a Wii. I'm stubborn so it's hard for me to accept something like that but I know my Mom and brother will be pretty touched when they find out. People can be really nice sometimes!
On the Christmas gift front... Mom asked my sister and I if we felt Christmas had been a bit small: we admitted it had, lol. However, it turns out she forgot a couple of our gifts which explains why things had seemed a little meager. We all got a good laugh...
I slept in my new pj's last night though! And started reading my new book by Naomi Klein: Shock Doctrine and so far I'm really enjoying it! And "Santa" got all pratical this year giving me a box of kleenex, some windex, paper towels and dish soap... that or it's a hint!
Anyways, I'm going to go do some more reading: must finish up the Catcher in the Rye!

I'm a grown-up now!
Or at least I've decided that for me this is a sign of grown-up-ness: I know when I'm acting like a child. I can now actually, honestly recognize when I'm actually not acting my age and need to do something differently!
Yep! And that folks, is my Christmas observation!

That, and Christmas is not nearly as much fun when you're no longer a kid.

Happy Christmas all!

holidays!

I remain alive. Sorry, the last couple weeks have been hectic but it's over now. Exams are done, some marks are in (I am so sick of school!), and I'm home for the holidays.
Nothing very exciting to share though. We got a ton of snow last night, so we were snowed in all day. But we've finally be plowed out so getting out of the house tomorrow is now possible, which is good cause I'm bored out of my mind! I just never know what to do with myself when I'm not doing school work. Being finished school will sure be interesting: I don't know what I"ll do with myself!
Anyways, I should get some sleep; night!

stressed out observations

- When on blood thinners, cuts take a long time to stop bleeding.
- I like dancing at places where the attractive men are in suits. And I like that kind of dancing much more than club-type dancing. It made me happy.
- Gift shopping for people who live far away is very difficult; party cause you have no idea what they have and don't have, and it has to be done sooner than the rest cause it needs to be shipped.
- my cat likes my little Christmas tree too much.
- if you mistype google you can get some very interesting web results

Back to the last assignment of the term!

yay parties!

So the Islander party went very well: he was completely surprised. And I think a good time was had by all.
So we got alot of snow the other day, there's probably a good foot or so on the ground right now and A is really not sure what to think. This is more snow than he's ever seen before and we keep warning him it'll get worse. He wears longjohns on a day where we would all be going without mittens and hats lol, and apparently finally understands the necessecity for winter boots. He drove in a car in the snow today and nearly had a heart attack when the vehicle fishtailed a bit, while everyone else in the car just laughed at him.
Anyways, all good.
MRI was this morning. It went okay. I don't think I moved at all and the panicky and freaking out was kept to a minimum with the help of some nice medicine. And my last major paper has been passed in, just one last short one to pass in tomorrow morning and then just a collection of journal entries due on the 16th. Tomorrow I"m gonna spend tackling the studying required for my two exams on Thursday and Friday - both of which I think will require alot of work.
Anywhoooo I've been up for well over 24 hours now so I need to get some sleep. Night!

You know.. I remember being told that one double spaced page of a paper should consist of 250 words. That was a lie. It takes about 350 for me to get one... maybe I use small words...

sleepless nights

So I slept much too late again today. I haven't even been up for 12 hours yet. But this is a good thing because my MRI is tomorrow morning and since I'm already having panic attacks about it, it's unlikely I'll get much sleep tonight.
And well I still have a bit left to finish for my paper that's due tomorrow too.
I put up some christmas lights today, and my wee little christmas tree; the nice snowfall we head sometime in the past 24 hours put me in the Christmas mood so it was the perfect means of procrastination.
So I'm host to a surprise birthday party tonight night. It's Islander's birthday this week so I brought up throwing him a party to his roomate and his girlfriend last week and we all decided it was a good idea. He's a really selfless guy, never asks anything of anyone but constantly gives and he's the last of us to turn 21 so we figured a bit of a celebration was in order. He's been away all weekend so I'm confident we can actually pull this off without his finding out. I'm pretty exicted cause I love throwing parties and I've always wanted to throw a surprise party!
Anywhoooo I must go finish up this paper! Night!

medical fun

Over 15 hours spent at the hospital didn't get me far. I did give up about 11 vials of blood though. And eventually I will be forced to have an MRI in the next few days.
Tomorrow however, in celebration of being a bit richer due to the ankle break, is Me day. I'm super excited. And then we've got martini night: even though I can't drink cause I've been put on blood thinners (in case I'm having a mini-stroke - yes, so comforting).
Anyways, I should get some sleep. Night!

So I've been experiencing some lovely new symtoms from the brain thingy. And they are super unpleasant and pretty damn scary. Currently it's that my face is asleep. Particularly the left side of my face. This is by far my least favorite sympton. I can handle that I no longer cry out of my left eye and that my left eye twitches but this one is just annoying. Ok. And really scary. I'm having a nice panic attack over it. Ok. Need to go distract myself.

3 more days!

I had to ask one of my professors for an extension on a paper. I absolutely hate doing it. But I've got 5 due this week (2 Tuesday, 2 Wednesday and 1 Friday) and there is just no way I can do it and do it well.
I got to see... well hear, Matt Mays and Sam Roberts in concert last night. It was quite good. And we raised alot of money for Habitat. Even had to start turning away coats cause we ran out of room and tags! But still good.
Even better cause one of the group members... possibly my favorite (yes I have favorites) told me he loved. And drove me home. Yes, platonic love but I can wish it was more right?
All right, I should be doing papers right now. I slept until 4 this afternoon (apparently I'm still sick) so I'm going to be up all night now so it's officially time to get to work.

I am amused by the prospect of suicidal deer.

*cough cough*

So I have medicine but I'm still not feeling better. At least when it comes to the cough and the lack of voice. But I'm not complaining cause I'd rather have a cough than a head cold anyday.
Emotionally at this very moment I feel great. I've realized something and it's making most of the things I've been fussing about lately seem like nothing. Which is quite nice to realize.
Wednesday night was trivia night, it was a good time. A and Islander were very very drunk and it was most hilarious at most points. Thursday morning was fun for us who were feeling fine :)
So I've got 4 papers left to do: 1 Tuesday, 2 Wednesday and 1 Friday - tomorrow I'm going to spend my day working on my last 15 pager. Hopefully I can get it done by Monday-ish.
Anyways, I'm gonna go put away some clean laundry and then get some sleep - lata!

So my lack of voice and cough seems to be escalating into major sickness. I've got a nice fever going on and I've been coughing up blood. So because my friends might hurt me if I don't I'm going to make a run to the hospital.
But in good news, my seminar is over and it went very well. Now to finish up 7 papers and 2 exams and the term will finally be over!
Ok. Must go see doctor who can fix me.

library antics

So I'm at the library. Without a voice. Which should make my giving a seminar tomorrow quite interesting. And of course, there are people around me. Let me tell you about a few.

First, there is the man feeding food to his girlfriend.
Then there are the other couple friends who are talking about their grad gifts (A trip to Europe, $10,000 and a new car)
And then there are the three guys talking about women's breasts.

Sometimes I really really wonder.

So it's Sunday...

2:13pm
you know, in case you didn't know.
I'm watching a football game with Jack, while eating the only thing I seem to have in my apartment for food (as I am completely broke) and thinking about my paper.
Yes I am aware that I have been "thinking" about this paper for months now. After Wednesday I will not speak of it again. Until it's published that is. ;)
I want pizza...
Yes there was just a commerical on for pizza. lol.
Ok. Papertime.

8:43on
So I did a bit of work....about 200 words worth lol. But I put out some Christmas decorations. And cleaned up the apartment.
And now I'm watching a movie.

9:27pm
So I seem to have developed a cough. It hurts.

10:40pm
Ok. I'm sick.
But the movie "The Island" is very good.
LilL is adorable, she's sooo worried about my finances right now - she wants to buy me groceries. I love that my friends love me!

Soooooo it snowed last night. And not just a little snow that'll go away in a couple days. It's here to stay. I think it's gonna be another winter like last year's. I wasn't impressed. Even less impressed by my apartment company and their lack of shoveling and plowing. But I bought boots so hopefully there won't be any broken bones this year!
I met a boy! lol. He gives me butterflies and makes me giggly.
And I may have gone on a date with a woman last night without meaning to. Oops.
Ok. Gotta write a paper so I can do something fun tonight or tomorrow!

Back!! (from nowhere really...)

I have not died. But someone else did so I spent the weekend at home (and it was my Mom's birthday too). Anyways, yeah. Still here. Things just got busy.
In summary:
- I'm now a joint honors student in History and Law in Society - super excited and really not at all bothered by the fact that I won't be graduating this year. My advisor already has plans for me to be doing my masters afterwards.
- Our habitat budget it super low this year - partly due to the fact that we have three personal cars this year.
- My little brother scored his first goal in his five years playing hockey - so proud - so I took him to see Madagascar 2!
- Bought my Mom an expensive wine for her birthday - It was good but so strong - pretty sure I was drunk off a couple sips.
- The library recalled the book I was using for my big paper due on Monday, before I was done with it! I'm a bit stressed now.
- Only two weeks left in the term - but a busy two weeks it will be!

Ok.. I'm supposed to be starting this paper right now. So I should get to it. Tootles!

Am I a horrible person for thinking this is funny?

Embarrassing Moment of the day

I was talking to myself when I was walked into my building this evening. And there was someone else in the lobby. They gave me odd looks. Oops.

My history major is in military history. Ironically I am only taking my military courses this year. It's going to be a very violent year of courses. But super interesting. I'm learning alot of military strategy type stuff too. Which is also interesting. Alrighty, back to the RAF's super horrible bomber command of the early 1940s.

One night of Risk

Two people very allergic to cats
One "adult apartment"
Three bottles of wine
Alot of name calling
Some judging based on movie and cd ownership
Some illegal drugs
Some peer pressure
A couple very good and a couple very poor Risk players
One very good time

Today...
One trip to the market
Seven hours at the library
Twenty-To pages of notes made
Three chapters read
One thesis considered
One very exhausted girl

Meet new friends

LilL (also known as L) - littlest and cutest lady I've ever met. She's originally from BC and moved her with her fiance when he started law school. She's an absolute sweetheart. She's well travelled, smart and super kind. She's super little but is a ball of energy. So glad I met her but heartbroken that after this year I'll probably never see her again.
A - recently moved here as well. Also super well travelled. Working on his polisci masters. Can speak several languages. Smart, funny and all around nice guy.

yay for getting gussied up

So I got to dress up last night! Engineers without Borders were hosting a wine and cheese night and I got drug out by Islander and his gf and A (new friend! - but I've got no creative name...)
It was a very good time. Got to buy a dress and feel good. There was wine and we won a martini tasting night in the silent Auction.
We then went to the pub on campus for a bit. Islander's GF and I have hit it off and she's a real sweetheart so we got to know each other while the boys talked politics. Of course.
Ooo but speaking of talking politics. The other day we were out having a few drinks (all my good stories now revolve around alcohol... hmmm) and this friend of Islander's sat down with us and starts ranting about all this stuff which was all really stupid. I sat quietly while Islander, the weird guy and A argued for about 45 minutes. And then I'd had it. I went off on the guy for a good five minutes. I never do that. But it was quite invigorating and I felt very intelligent for once. It's been the talk of everyone for awhile now cause I think I caught everyone a little off guard.
Anywhoo now today I have all afternoon and evening with very little stuff to do so I can get some stuff done. ie. laundry, paper research, and habitat duties.

For those of you who honor the celebratory day: Happy Halloween.
I do not though. Thus I will continue to indulge in my depressive state as of late. Going back to bed. Dave!, I really wish you'd been here this past week. Goodnight world: see you Monday morning.

So Lsgb and I went to see Max Payne last night: horrible movie.
I've been watching the show Two Guys and A Girl which makes me very happy. Mostly cause it has Ryan Reynolds and Nathan Fillion in it.
Mom and are I are talking about what to do next year if I don't go back to school... it's absolutely terrifing. I have no idea what kind of job I'd like to be working... or where I could even get a job. Ugh, so much easier to just be a student forever!

observation

I've been getting a bit bugged lately by what feels like my own lack of intelligence. My friends are very smart people: they all have very strong opinions and can express them very academically. I on the other hand cannot. I have opinions (sometimes - alot of the time I just sit on the fence on things) but I can't express them. I can't back up my opinions at all.
Another thing lately is that I'm not taking anything in, I've got a class on the Middle East right. And I've decided that I don't agree with the creation of the state of Israel. However, if you asked me to explain to you why (in person) I wouldn't be able to get it out. It's frustrating.
I can't remember anything I read. And I thought this was just me, but I've come to realize alot of people I know (Johnboy and Lsgb) are having the exact same problem. Which makes me feel a little less unintelligent and incapable of being anything academic. I think we're schooled out.

Well it's Sunday (duh).
I spent my weekend with my head in books. Did got out for a bit last night with Lsgb, Islander and his new girl and another friend. Was an okay time though.
I did get alot of work done this weekend though: should leave my week pretty free of required readings. We've got a coatcheck this week and I'm still working on talking someone into see Passchendaele with me but I may actually have time!
Anyways that's absolutely all I have to say right now. I will look for something fun for next time.

I wrote my last midterm today and the H4H meeting was long and tedious, so I decided not to bother with any school work this evening (not that I could afford an evening off) but anyways I curled up under some blankets (cause my heat still won't work) with some H4H work and watched Brokeback Mountain. I'd never watched it before but we were talking about it in a class the other and I thought I'd like to see it. Well I haven't cried like that over a movie in a long time.. possibly ever. Yes, I am a sap.
And just now I melted a burner cover - turned the wrong burner on... it smells horrible in here.
In other news, I really like the new show Fringe. It's "x-fily" and amusing. I like it.

COLD!

So I've been being really stringent on my heat lately. In other words I've refused to turn it on. Well I've had to give in. When you can see your breath in your apartment and there's frost outside then I think it's time. So I turned it on. And discovered that it doesn't work. I checked the breakers and saw they were turned off, so I flipped them but alas it still does not work. I am very unimpressed. We're supposed to get snow on Wednesday - I need heat! Anywhoo... gonna go find some mittens and go do some studying - last midterm tomorrow!

Schools!!

It's getting to school application time so I've begun organizing myself. And to keep y'all up to date on where I'm thinking of going and who's rejecting me and who's telling me they love me... here's a bit of a rundown.
School S - will never accept me but if they did it'd be nice cause I wouldn't have to move.
School W - in a city where I know no one but apparently a nice city. There's is an honors program too so that'd nice.
School K - very similiar situation to W.
School M - In a province with some people I know, but getting home could get expensive. And the people I know there I don't know well but they are nice people. Could be an okay place.
School D - 2nd best option, not far from home. Have family there. Have been there before.
School C - Far away from home, but Dave!'s there. Have a great program so I'd be lucky to get in.
I'm nervous as hell about moving far away... just with the whole finding somewhere to live part. How does you find an apartment in another city? I can't afford to go out before hand and then come back... it should be interesting... but it's exciting!

Just had my very first huge H4H crisis. And aside from the tears and the swearing and freaking I think I handled it quite well. Ironically the source of the crisis may have been my fault. But it's been dealth with and all is well. Looks like we're going to Tennessee this year! Definitely not where the group had wanted to but it'll do.
Alrighty, I'm gonna go be sick and try not to take up smoking or excessive drinking.

Cause I'm just awesome

I was just on the phone with a guy about an H4H fundraiser. While there he asked if I"d ever heard of this other lady cause she had an outstanding balance with the company and was also involved with H4H Int'l. I said I had no idea who she was but would look into it. He was appreciative cause he'd been trying to figure it out for months now. So after I got off the phone with him, I asked a few people a few questions, googled a couple things and found her. I called back not 15 minutes later and told him where to find her. He was amazed. I'm just that good. :)

lonely lazy laughing girl seeks someone to do her work

The nice long weekend wasn't long enough. I'm exhausted - too much to do. I was always told that fourth year was the easiest - lots of electives etc, mine is the opposite. I have no electives. Everything I'm taking is important, hard and full of a lot of work. Is it Christmas break yet?
So I've started walking home from school. I desperately need the exericise and it's a nice walk. Here's hoping 15 minutes a day is enough to get into better shape but not too much that it kills my ankle.
P.S. The TV show - Big Bang Theory is absolutely awesome. I haven't laughed that hard since Dave!'s impression of the Whiskas Cat :)
Ok... there are books in front of me that are calling to be read and assignments need to be written... later!

Eeeee!

So I didn't have the best last couple days, but it's all been recovered in the knowledge that I am going to be receiving my very very first wedding invitation in the next few months. I am sooo thrilled. It's silly but its the first of closer friends to get married and my official first wedding invitation, address solely to me. Oh yes, me and date. That part should be fun. Anywhoo, it's super exciting.
Anywhooo it's time to get some sleep. A couple of us are heading to the market for breakfast in the morning and then I'm heading home for the weekend. With promises to return with pumpkin pie and turkey for those who weren't able to go home. Alrighty, happy thanksgiving!

Because life is more fun when it's confusing:

We have two exec members with the same name and three who go by the same nickname.

We all had a good cry in class today. My professor started it with a reading, and when she started choking up we all followed eventually. The guy sitting beside me even has very teary looking eyes. Gotta love that Holocaust.
I suck at being a comfort when it comes to relationship troubles. I try but I just don't know what to say and when I do say something it feels so fake (i.e. I heard it in a movie or read it in a book). Ugh.
The straight hair is fun. No one recognizes me. A guy I met awhile back walked by me earlier - I said "Hey". And then he realized who I was and was like "What's different about you?" Lol. And then another friend was looking for me in class and walked past me several times without realizing it was me. Ah but the curly must return, as I must wash my hair tomorrow. :)
Alrighty... Night!

SusieQ's Sunday To Do List

1. Decide on Sociology of Law Seminar Topic with Lsgb
2. Read Holocaust Readings for this week (insert necessary alcoholic drink to get through it)
3. Write Conflict Resolution journal entry from last week
4. Make notes for chapters 1-4 for Research Methods
5. Laundry
6. Clean apartment (vacuum, tidy, wash dishes, clean bathroom)
7. Take out garbage
8. Begin research for Holocaust Paper (decide on topic, prepare outline and thesis)
9. Call Mom
10. Holocaust Assignment
11. Narrow down H4H Locations

Ok... I can do all that in the next 10-12 hours right? I thought so!
It's going to be done while beginning to re-watch the Stargate SG1 series too. :)

3:51pm - #6 &7 - Check!
4:43pm - I wanna go to Tennesse... or Arkansas... hmmmm
5:05pm - I have location choices done! Now to how much money we need to take 25, 30 or 35 people. Ugh!
6:04pm - Half of my Holocaust readings are done!
6:28pm - I just got asked to go to someone's place (who I barely know) to "keep each other warm".
6:46pm - Laundry is in. And now there's a supper break. Chicken baked in the oven with diced tomato and onion and little mushrooms with oriental seasoning. Served with yummy rice. It smells super good!
7:56pm - Pictures from last night's fun are up. Some are somewhat less than flattering but many are fun!
8:30pm - Mom called, Laundry done.
9:35pm - Decided on Soc of Law topic: "Recipes for Democracy? Gender, Family, and Making Female Citizens in Cold War Canada".
10:35pm - Holocaust Readings and Assignment Done (without crying this time!) Reasearch Methods notes and Holocaust paper postponed till another day though.
11:41pm - Conflict Resolution Journal writing done! Now to bed with a movie or a good book - haven't decided yet. Night!

still alive!

I haven't died. It was just a pretty super crazy week.
Nothing too exciting though. I have to get new xrays on the ankle as apparently it should not still be hurting like it does so something's up. So now we begin to find out what the "something" is.
Lsgb straigtned my hair last night - its super fun! I actually really like it. It may happen more often.
The grad pics turned out quite nicely. I am happy with them.
H4H seems to have gotten off to a good start - there are few nervous things going on but hopefully we can clear those up by the end of the week.
I can't be next weekend is Thanksgiving - where does the time go?
I was doing super well keeping on my classes this term, until H4H started. And then instead of doing school work on Tuesday night I had to do things for it so I got behind. I'm not gonna try and catch up, instead I'll just skip those chapters and move onto the next ones. Catching up just gets me even more behind usually.
But despite the ridiculous amounts of school work to do, went out to play pool last night. There were good times, I actually almost beat Islander at a game. But there was also some stupid siliness that really made me mad (more on that situation later). But it was good times, despite the fact that he very good looking man I invited did not show. It was followed by breakfast at 2am - whoever thought that up was a genius!
Anyways, now I must do laundry as I have no clean clothes!

weekends over

I'm in a mood. And it's a sucky mood. One that involves alot of sleep, laying around and not eating. Ugh.
But I got a haircut this weekend. Grad pics are next week which is pretty exciting and a bit scary - can't believe it's almost over.
My cat keeps getting in my kitchen cupboards and it's driving me crazy. He doesn't get into anything, just goes in and sleeps usually. But it bugs me still.
There are fruit flies in my kitchen too, and I can't find anything that would be drawing them there.
First H4H meeting is this week... should be intersting. We have for drinks afterwards - they will probably be necessary.
Alrighty, gonna veg a bit before heading to bed and tackling yet another crazy week.

So not much has been up. This weekend has been especially dull. It's been raining the whole time so I've spent most of it curled up under blankets at home doing readings, or watching hilarious tv shows.
I was supposed to go to a birthday get together this evening but the rain sucks and I don't want to go out and have to walk anywhere in it.
Anywhoooooo... eventually I will think of something fun to share... promise.

Ok. Allow me to express some stress.
Money. Ah. The problem every student encounters. Mine is a bit more complicated this year though. This year I don't have the option to work: my reading takes forever (at least double the time it would have taken me a year ago), and I can't just get a cashier job, cause my ankle still hates me. So if I work.. I'll be selling my body to hobos or science... maybe both.
I also don't have the option to be paying for physio every couple weeks, or food or heat (p.s. my place is freeeezing, and I refuse to turn the heat on yet).
Anyways, that's my rant. I may be going without food in a few weeks though.
Oh, wait. One more rant: I am on a two to three year waiting list to see that eye specialist. Who the hell knows where I'm going to be in 3 years? I'm not flying across the country to see a doctor. Ugh.
Ok. Must go read and write a paper. Be back in a few days with some sort of fun and exciting story! I promise!

shananigans

First off, the movie Cellular - horrible.
It was an interesting weekend. Friday consisted of twelve straight hours of drinking. And I never bought one drink: which was pretty darn nice.
Last night Lsgb and I went to see My Best Friend's Girl - a little too vulgar for me though.Funny but wrong alot of the time.
I did get some laundry done, all my homework/reading done, and my apartment cleaned though.
It was a good weekend though: saw M and Cliveslover, made up with one of them. Had some good hang out time with L and K and discovered that Islander kisses when he's drunk.
Anywhoooo I'm gonna finish watching this movie and get myself ready for the long week ahead.

Alrighty... this Holocaust class is horrid. Good grief... sooo depressing! It's gonna be a long term. Last night I cried through half my readings: I'm tearing up again. And I can't become apathetic to it. I'm just not that kind of person: I try and appear to be very insensitive sometimes but I"m really not. The commercials about starving kids and babies dying from bad milk make me sad. My apologies if I'm a sap but I just am. :(

politics in pretty dresses

I walked into a room today and three people told me I looked pretty! It made me happy. THese comments made Islander blush; this and a few other incidents lately would lead me to believe there's something going on that I haven't been informed of.
I went to a meeting about politics this morning. I hate politics, but I do feel the need to participate in electoral processes so I'm at least trying to make an informed decision when it comes to my MP candidate. I've decided to start my own party though... one that combines aspects of communism, fascism, conservatism and liberalism. This spurred by the fact that I agree with neither the liberals, conservatives or NDP but find many fascist and communist theories most intriguing. I think it'll make a great party.

new specs

Sooo I got the new glasses. They're blinding. The bifocal is in a different place then my old ones and its stronger so they are taking some getting used to. Looking down quickly is bad: cheap drunk feeling though. And reading is taking some practice but hopefully I'll get used to them quickly so I can reap the benefits and the like!

the morning after

I almost did the stupidest thing last night. I even had myself convinced I'd actually do it. Until it hit me that, in the form of a good swat by lsgb that I am not that kind of girl. Backstage security got a bit sappy from that point on. There were tears and hugs, it was semi-pathetic but a good confirmation of a good friend at the same time. It's good to know that as much as lsgb teases me for many of my more wholesome characteristics, she'd never let me go against any of those without knowning for sure that I was up for it.
On a musical note: the music last night was aweome. We were the backstage crew so we got to meet everyone, hear them practice, see them on and off stage and have alot of fun. I don't know much about guitar playing but I think I know really good when I see it and Ana Papovic is amazingly good. She played some solos last night that were absolutely amazing.
This band - also pretty awesomely cool.
After we were finished working our security, we got free tickets to see the afterparty band: Bloc Party. Who I liked even before seeing them but like 'em even more now.
So it was a great night. Good people, good music, good times. And free money for H4H!

welcome to my high school

I never did the boy drama in high school. My first crush was in grade 12. Yes, pathetic I know. Anyways.... I seem to be paying for it now. But I'd discovered something, I have different men that I "like" in my life.
First, there's the crush: the cute adorable one who makes me giggle just cause he's so sweet and cute. He's great to giggle over with a couple girlfriends but he's not someone I'd ever see myself with for real.
Then there's the friend: he's the one who I'm comfortable with, and happy with. Who I get along with great and who's friendship I wouldn't trade for the world, though everyonce in awhile you wonder what it'd be like. Then you realize its really just cause you're lonely, longing for that type of relationship and that person makes you feel loved. But you know the two of you could never pull off anything more than a friendship and that's really ok with you.
Then there's the guy who interested in me but who I have no interest in unless it's just a purely physical for the heck of it relationship. But that makes me feel really guilty and like a horrible person.
Then there's the current problem: the guy who's been my good friend for a few years, who I've gotten to know quite well for the past little while. Who I've denied having feelings for for a long time, though I could easily seen us together.
Now here's the drama: I hung out with the latter for awhile last night (with my friends and his 'lady friend'). All went well until I got jealous. It was sooo stupid. But it was very interesting for me to see that's how I'd react to that....
Anyways... I need to go work security for a concert, and see three of the above at some point tonight. Bloody hell - its ridiculous.

all dressed up no place to go

I have real admiration for women in university who can come in everyday looking so put together. Dress pants, heels, flawless makeup and fancy hairstyles. I don't know how they do it and am throughly jealous.
I'm pretty sure I'm a naturally flustered person: for me to handle a bookbag, purse and coffee cup on the bus flusters and disorients me to the point of discomfort. To manuever in heels, a fancy top that I can't spill anything on and not hit anyone with my bookbag is nearly impossible.
I have some classmates who everyday, no matter the workload, no matter how late they were out the night before come to class looking spectacular. It's amazing. Cause most mornings I really don't feel like showering, dressing nice, or wearing makeup and often I just don't. Today was definetely one of those days too!

Holocaust Class

I'm going to learn alot this term, so you in turn will as well. I got to transfer into a new course on Monday on the Holocaust. Tonight's readings were enlightening to say the least and they've left me feeling pretty unsettled an bit ticked off. They were primary documents focusing on the history of anti-semitism. One excerpt was part of Martin Luther's book, "On the Jews and Their Lies". I am thoroughly unimpressed with it and quite shocked: I had no idea of his feelings regarding Judaism.
Equally shocking was a papal bull from Pope Paul IV in 1555 and an excerpt from a vatican newspaper in 1893 which both expressed strong anti-semitic opinions. This has led me to look at whether the Catholic Church has ever formally apologized for these instances (and I'm sure there were more).
I had been completely unaware that anti-semitism had such strong roots in history and was definitely not new to the Nazi's. It has certainly already become a very intereseting class.

turn on the lights please

I consider myself a pretty independent gal. I have my toolbox and I know how to use most of the things in it. I can replace a fuse, unplug a toilet etc. I can't always open a bottle of pickles and yeah, I get a bit squeamish squishing a bug but all in all I'm pretty capable of taking care of myself.
I get to be a bit of a wus when it comes to the dark though: I really don't like the dark. I never have. And yeah, I know - There's nothing in the dark that isn't there in the light. But that's not really true you see, things can hide in the dark when they'd be otherwise very visible in the light.
This comes after I just walked from the bus stop to my apartment in the dark, later then I've come home yet since the move and alone. It's a few minute walk from the bus to my place and though there are street lights in spot, I really don't like it. I'm pretty confident that I couldn't defend myself anything anything that were to jump out at me or whatever things in the dark do.
Anyways... so if some night I don't get home it's cause some creature/creepy guy of the night got to me.

I really like Jason Statham. As well as the movies he's in. The End.

So as a new footbal liking person. I've discovered a dilemna. While liking football solves the what-the-hell-to-watch-on-sundays-problem, it creates a what-game-to-watch-problem. There are four different games on this afternoon, which one do I watch? Eeep! Choices! And since I don't have a preferred team or two at this point that doesn't help make the decision for me either....

In sickness news... I'm starting to feel better! :)

And it begins!

Today was my last first day of school. Of this degree anyways. Got to see Islander, which involved a bit of running and alot of hugging. Very good to see him; as well as a couple friends (for future reference, they are K (who I already knew through h4h)and L) of his who are very nice and seem to like me and consider me friends enough to ask how my summer was so yay.
I have two classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays: Sociology of Law and Conflict Resolution. Both look like they're going to be very interesting. And lsgb is in both of them with, and K is in Conflict Resolution. Yay for friends. And yay for no exams in either of those classes! :)
In not as good of news... I'm getting lsgb's cold. Which is already making me quite grumpy.But I'll live, as long as I don't end up with anything more than a cold. I'm sure I'll complain about it lots, my apologies ahead of time.
Yesterday I met with a very nice man, to discuss help for me with my current reading difficulties. We're working on applying for a grant which will help me obtain some technology that should make things easier, as well as get some help when it comes to research and exams. This is good cause I really need to do well this year, and it looks like it'll be a bit of a wait before I see a specialist.
Anywhooo... speaking of reading. I have lots ahead of me so I'm gonna get a head start. Later all.

Unpacking... almost done!

Day 3 of unpacking has revealed a few things:
1) My kitchen is huge when it comes to cupboards. I have unpacked all my boxes labelled "Kitched" and still have empty cupboard space. This means I don't have to put anything on top shelves so I can reach everything easily!
2) I didn't get rid of enough junk.
3) I'm missing stuff still... there is some tupperware without lids and I can't find my corkscrew (which is important, since I bought wine!)
4) I have too many dvd's. In fact, I bought one over the summer, and then it turns out I already have it. Well the copy I already had isn't mine, but it's in my collection for the time being.
5) I also have waaay too many mugs. No wonder I don't wash dishes often enough, I don't need to.
6) I don't have many forks though...
7) I got rid of too many of my winter clothes, I have absolutely nothing warm for this winter, here's hoping it's a warm one.

My bedroom is next on the tackling list so I must get on it.
PS. Jack is super frisky today. And cuddly. He is following me around and is currently chasing his tail on the arm of the chair, and he just fell off. Silly kitty.

This is how Jack helps out...

All moved in....

Things I like about my apartment:
- It's in a security building.
- It's a 10 minute bus ride from campus and a 15-20 minute walk.
- My HUGE closet!
- Having four washers and four dryers!! That cuts laundry time in like.. half!
- I'm closer to lsgb, Islander and MC:)
- The trees outside my window: with pretty birds and no chance of anyone looking in.

Things I don't like about my apartment:
- The hill from the bus stop to the apartment.
- The dark dark yard/parking lot (Note to self: get little flashlight)
- My wee kitchen
- The difficulty in finding a place for my kitchen table.

never again

So I'm all moved in. Very frustrated, exhausted and ready to scream but moved in. Now I just need to unpack it all.
I'm tired, and so grumpy and I just want to sit and cry. My father can be very difficult sometimes, and tonight was no different so I'm kinda just worn, both physically and emotionally. Here's hoping some tea, a tidier apartment and some sleep will help that.

seeing in doubles... or not.

So I had an eye appointment this afternoon to try and help me see a bit better while we wait to find out what's wrong. The doctor, as all doctors I've been seeing have, asked if I was seeing double. I said I didn't think so but maybe I just didn't know what it was. So he did some stuff with some lenses to show me. Well it turns out that because of how my eyes work, I physically cannot see double. However, what my vision did when he tried to make me see double is exactly what my vision has been doing lately. So essentially, I am seeing double but not at the same time. It is the same thing with my eyes that makes me have no depth perception and be unable to see 3D.
This is good and bad at the same time, good cause now I know and bad cause it means the problem is more serious (ie. the brain cyst is actually causing problems). It does mean I'll get into see the specialist sooner though. Which I guess means we can get this process moving along faster to get me all fixed up. At least here's hoping. P.S. I'm terrified about all this.
Anyways, that's today's adventure. And now I'm off to the move. Be back in a few days when I have internet again.

As if moving and packing wasn't bad enough, I hurt my back today helping my mother. Let's see how moving goes when one's on codeine and copious amounts of Robaxacet.

less than perfect

So the "semi-perfect" laptop bag was very far from perfect and therefore got returned.
But I found another (for three cents cheaper!) that may be suitable, I will find out once I go through a nice trial run with it.
Must do some packing before crashing for the night. I slept about 16 hours last night but I'm still exhausted. I figure I might as well enjoy it now while I can before classes and the world starts asking stuff from me again. Ok. Night!

Media things like books, movies and music!

I updated my movies watched, since the vacation cause well time with Dave!= time well spent watching movies.
Don't think I remembered them all though.
I also read "Forever Odd", enjoyed it. Not as much as the first though but I continue to love the dialogue in those books. Onto the next as soon as I finish Shadowplay.
Also started and finished "All the King's Men" by Robert Penn Warren. It was good, not my time of book though. It took me quite awhile to get into it but once I did I had to finish it. I'm looking forward to seeing the movie adaptation.
Dave! suggested a bunch of authors and books I might like so I'm excited to read some new stuff!
Ooooo, we got to see 3 Doors Down in concert, with Hinder, Staind and Ecoline Crush (*oops :)). Was a very good concert. Very much enjoyed myself. All of the bands were great and definitely worth it. And getting to see Kryptonite played live was very good!

Annnnnd back!

So I'm back from vacation. It was a very good vacation and I was very sad to leave. Seeing Dave! and Lizzie made it even better. I got to fly for the very first time, and got to see a big city which was pretty... well big. :)
I'm not super happy to be back, but the distraction of having to move on Thursday is keeping me pretty busy.
Today was organize and purge day. Got rid of a ton of clothes that I don't need and then went through paperwork and the like. I threw out, and the little bro shredded. Finished off the day with the purchase of a new dve player (It's blue! And cheap!) and a nice portable filing box (I'm organized!)as well as a semi-perfect laptop bag.
Tomorrow I finish the organizing and then do some much needed email replying and habitat stuff.
I'm very ready to move, and very anxious to get back to classes as well. A little stressed about finances for the year, and a bit anxious for school applications and the like but very excited that this is my last year (of this degree at least!)
Anywhooo... gonna go do some reading and get some sleep. Tootles

Vacation blahs

I love to travel. I love road trips and habitat trips and I love seeing the countryside. One of my career choices as a child (and sort of still) was foreign affairs cause I wanted to travel. Travelling is somethign I"ve always wanted to make part of my life.
Unfortunatly my body doesn't seem to quite agree with me. I'm an anxious person. I know that. Though I don't emotionally appear to get anxious about travelling somewhere, it seems to be there, because it manifests itself physically. My body is already starting to yell at me, I just feel horrible: I'm coughing, my head hurts, I have no appetite, I feel sick to my stomach... all things I always experience when I'm travelling. It's very annoying.
I don't react well to change either. I usually experience similar feelings when I spend the night at a friend's place, come home for the weekend, or move to a new apartment etc. As a child, everytime I would spend the night at a friend's place I would get these weird pains in my stomach. It never happened any other time and it still happens, but at least I know what it is now as weird as it is.
Luckily, now that I know it'll happen I can increase meds before going, and try and prevent sickness by popping lots of vitamins and eating very healthy and getting lots of rest.
I think it's a bit worse this time around, as I'm a bit nervous/anxious/excited for the whole airplane thing. According to my little brother, a person isn't allowed to go on a plane for the first time all alone. He seems very worried. But I'm sure it'll be great fun! :)
Anyways, must finish up my last hour of work. You'll hear from me tomorrow!

Rainy Tuesday

So warning this post revolves around babies and vacations.
Baby is adorable. I'm in love. And she loves me quite a bit too. So much so that she cries at my feet to be picked up on a regular basis. I'm quite fond of her. This morning we attempted the "hold the baby while getting dressed, washing face and putting on makeup" routine.
So vacation is in two more sleeps. Yes, I am very excited. This is my first official vacation, as well as my first time on a plane! I get to go away, relax without any obligations, and be a tourist. Oh, and I get to see Dave! :)
Tonight is packing night. Last night I did some back to school packing: I seem to have accumulated alot of new stuff. I guess I did do some yardsaling and Mom gave me a few things. Oh well, most of it is needed stuff.
I got rid of alot of toiletry stuff. Somehow I accumulate so many moisturizers, lotions, hairgels etc and most of them I never use. So I passed them onto my mother and sister.
Anywhoo, the phone is ringing off the hook here today and I've already made a fool of myself on it already - stupid complicated putting people through to other people. So I should return to work, later!

Words!

enervate - To deprive of vigor, force, or strength; to render feeble; to weaken
provenance - Origin; source.
exalt - To praise, glorify, or honor
vexillology - The study of flags.
asperity - Roughness of surface; unevenness

Ok, sharing these is too much work. So if it's interesting, I'll let you know. If not then you're just gonna have to learn your own new word.

girls shop

Tonight was shop for vacation night. I needed to pick up a few things (pyjamas, sandals, toiletries etc) so I wanted to get it over with as next week is really jammed full. Besides my three days of work at the church. Monday night I'm on baby duty. Tuesday I'm booked with Nessa:) and JohnBoy has claimed me for Wednesday as he's leaving Thursday as well but till Christmas. So I got the shopping done. Bought a few things I didn't need but what's a shopping trip without that? It's the first shopping I've done all summer long though so I'm not feeling guilty at all.
I have a dilmemna: my suitcase size. I have a very small suitcase and I'm a girl and that means small isn't really feasible, but I"m gonna have to make it feasible. Somehow...

Done!

It's my last day of work! wOOt!
I was up at 5am with baby. Should be an interesting couple weeks.
Vacation is in 6 more sleeps! I'm excited! And nervous about the flying part. Especially the big airports part.
I have to start packing up my bedroom this week, cause I only have a couple days after I return from vacation before I move back for school.
Oh and somehow this year has turned out to be my year with the heaviest workload. First semester I have two upper level history couses and three upper level sociology (one of which is a research methods): It's gonna be alot of reading. Second term, I have three upper level history, one social work and a political science. Another term of alot of reading! So mjuch for having time for a part time job. With Habitat, I can kiss that idea goodbye! Unless somewhere will hire me for 5 or so hours a week...
Ooo ooo! I earned 3 cents interest in my savings account this month!! Yes there is only $50 in there but I've never had "saved" money before. Yes, I am easily excited.
I want a bagle. But they make me much too sick which really sucks... but after eating one yesterday and being terribly ill afterwards I guess it's just worth it to live without it.
Anywooo I have to write up a couple reports before I"m done today. Weekend update later!

I'm spoony for you

Spoony - Foolish; silly; excessively sentimental; Foolishly or sentimentally in love

wordy words

vituperate - To find fault with; to scold; to overwhelm with wordy abuse.

obeisance - An expression of deference or respect, such as a bow or curtsy.

brummagem - Cheap and showy, tawdry; also, spurious, counterfeit.

sapient - wise; discerning

cheers to a sucky weekend

It has been a super dull past couple days. Long weekends should mean fun. Instead it meant rain, rain and more rain. Plus several nasty thunderstorms.
I did however get my cable, internet and phone services ready for the move at the end of the month, after 45 minutes on the phone of course. Tomorrow I conquer the power company, woot.
I had the weirdest dreams last night. Ever have the kind of dream that just seems like it goes on and on and on? Those were mine last night. I felt like I dreamed them all night long, I'd wake up, go to the bathroom and hope that would shake them but no such luck. It made for a very fitful night's sleep. And because I remember them vividly their weirdness has continued to haunt me today. *shiver*
So this week is my last week at work (wOOt), we start looking after baby on Friday and then next week I either have the week to relax or I'm a temp secretary for a local church. I'm kinda rooting for having the week off. With vacation looming and the return to school on it's tail, it'd be nice to have the week to pack and get ready etc. But if not that's cool too. The money would be good.
Alighty, now to attempt some less weird and much more restful sleep. Night all!

Shoes and candy!

Mom and I went on a little international road trip today in which I bought two new pretty pairs of shoes. And a three pound bag of black jelly beans. Keep your ewww's to yourself. ;) It was a good day despite the rain and the motorcycle convention.

Egress Panoply

Panoply - a splendid or impressive aray.
Egress - to go out; to depart; to leave.

work work work

So I'm still alive!
The vacation went well. Good times.
I'm currently at work and very bored. I just spent the morning getting some much-needed Habitat stuff done though. I only have four more days after today for work though which is nice. Though I may be working as a secretary for another week after that.
We may be looking after an 8 month old baby for a few weeks... day and night. It could be interesting. Our house hasn't seen a child that young for that long for a loong time. She's adorable though so it should also be quite fun!
Nessa and I saw the Dark Night the other day. I wasn't expecting to like it but I actually did. Heath Ledger and Aaron Eckhart both did a really good job. I was quite impressed.
I just got back from a lunch time shopping trip with my co-worker. I bought a purse that my mother can never find out about. It wasn't pricey but she will have my head if she knows I bought another. But I always get rid of one when I get a new one so its all good in the long run! :)
Ok... back to... "work".

WordPlay!

Part of my 101 things in 1001 days is to learn a new word every day, so here's a new area of the blog so I can share these new words with you! I won't be able to update every day of course so you may get more than one every once in awhile but educational nonetheless! :)
Today's Word: Dullard- a person who evokes boredom.

Pre-Vacation Fun

The morning we left for the vacation, my cat discovered a wee baby mouse. However, since my cat isn't the brightest thing ever. He instead was more concerned with his toy spider than the mouse running through his legs. Eventually he noticed it, but instead of pouncing or hunting the thing like most cats would he sat and watched it, and just followed it around the family room with his nose to its tail. It stopped once; he licked it and then walked away.
I, to the horrid shock of my sister and brother, scooped it up in my hand and put it outside and the excitment proceeded to return to the looming family vacation.

Vacation blues... err greens

So we leave for our first family vacation ever in about 10 hours and for the past two hours I have had my head over the toilet. It would appear that I have the stomach flu.
This is not how this was supposed to go. I should have expected it though: my body seems to hate travelling. I tend to get a bit anxious and that seems to manifest itself through physical illness. Really sucks cause I do like to travel.
Oh well, I'll stick it out.
Sooo off to vacation we go, be back in a few days!

The Craziness

My little brother is currently running through the house yelling "The British are coming! The British are coming!"

Our van broke down today. Two days before the family vacation.

I played RockBand last night. I wasn't too bad.

My cat scratched my mother's very new and nice table, and broke a vase of her's this week. He's making enemies.

My sunburn has finally healed...ish. I think it's a little more brown then red or white now.

My vacation package information arrived: It's exciting! It came with coupons!

We're having thai food for supper, and then going to a movie!

Color Copy Cat

I seem to have this ability to sense what color someone else is going to wear on a particular day and then wear the same thing myself.
I have done this pretty much every sunday with my mother, I did it with Nessa the other night when we went out and several times this week with my co-worker.
The beginnings of this unsual tatent began a year back when I wore a very similar color as Dave! and the same necklace one night. :)
So I now ask my mother what she's wearing ahead of time and as for other people... oh well. Hopefully they won't notice!

In other news, my little brother overheard my mother and I discussing schools. He was very unimpressed to discover that some were far away. There were tears. I feel so bad. But I"ve promised frequent phone calls and letters so hopefully that'll help.

the ankle doth protest

So last time I was at physio, I was told I could start coming every two weeks. My bank account and my schedule were very happy about this. My ankle apparently felt like it deserved to stretch my budget even more and to continue the nice attention it gets every week. So it decided to start hurting me more than it's hurt in weeks. It's swollen, and so sore I can barely walk. Will it ever end?

More Tidbits

Yardsaling is fun. But having your own yardsale. Not so much.

I got a sunburn today. I didn't think it was too bad at the time, but now its turning out to be pretty bad. Ouch, my poor back.

A good friend of our family's has just been diagnosed with cancer. Top that with an 18 year old cousin who was killed in a car accident the other day. Gotta love that family tragedy.

I'm being talked into going to a wedding tomorrow... don't really want to go though. Mostly cause I don't have anything to wear. You don't give a girl only a day's notice for a wedding!

2 of my marks are in! Yay for not failing economics and for apparently doing quite well on my exam!

So my boss just decided that she doesn't want to do the fundraiser that I have spent the past week singlehandely planning. Needless to say I'm not very impressed.

Tidbits

My mother left a container of stew on the counter to be taken to the compost but it was forgotten about. This was 5 days ago. Needless to say, we have quite the little furry creature growing out of stew.

I went to our region's jail this evening for one of work's programs. It was enlightening and very eye-opening and I've changed my opinions on a few things for sure.

My marks for spring session still aren't in. And I'm getting a bit impatient. Tomorrow has got to be the day!

Johnboy and I hung out last night. It involved my getting terribled beaten in a couple games of air hockey. A very odd but okay movie. And a very long talk.

I'm about to tell lsgb something really big that I've been so scared to tell her. But I experienced a sort of closure on the issue today and I feel its time that and I need to tell someone who can reply immediately to me about what happened today. But here goes!

Oh and I really like the Buffy Series. Especially the David Boreanz part. ;)

I just off the phone with my eye doctor. I said "Thank you very much" and then proceeded to answer myself with a "You're welcome." *sigh...*

New Book!!

So I finally bought Shadowplay. I"ve been waiting for it to come out in softcover and to have some money. At least the first condition was fulfilled so I went for it. I am terribly excited to read it and am dropping "The End of Mr. Y" cause I really don't like it to read Shadowplay. Unfortunately I can remember very little from the first book, and since it's in my storage unit, in another city I can't reread it. So here's hoping it'll all come back to me as I read!

Sun!

So I got up this morning and while putting on makeup discovered that pretty much over the past weekend my face has become covered in freckles. I always had freckles as a kid and I've gots lots on my arms but I haven't had freckles like this on my face in years! It's kinda rejuvenating though, I feel like a little kid again and it's kinda cute.
The summer has also turned my hair very red too which is also fun: I blend in my with my family a bit more now.
And hey, I have a tan! That's a first for me!

My Week in Picture Form!

Good News All Around!

I got my LSAT score back. Much better than I expected. I haven't been this proud of myself in a very long time!
My apartment application was approved, so I have somewhere to live in September. Just gotta scrounge up the money for the security deposit now.
In twenty four hours I will be finished classes for the summer and will be celebrating Independence day with the rest of my foggy city via our Canada Day fireworks!

So in an effort to get me out of obvious depressed slump where I've spent the last two days in bed, my mother is taking me to the mall. Hopefully it'll help... and hopefully I won't buy anything cause well... money isn't my friend right now and I don't have much of it.

:(

I can't handle this weather right now. Its wet and rainy out, its dark out and just plan dreary and it makes me feel so down. I have the day off from work today and I kinda wish I didn't. Cause thus far all I've done today is lie in bed and read a magazine.
Hopefully tomorrow will be nicer but I suppose the chance of that is pretty slim. Anyways... gonna go watch a movie or study or something like that... hope life is sunnier whereever you are!

Gloomy Sunday

It's gross out.
I was asked by a professor a week or so ago to write a reference letter for him. He's one of my most favorite professors and according to him he thought I was the perfect person to ask as he feels I've grown alot since he's met me. I said I would, especially since I'll be asking him for letters in a few months. Sooo I'm just getting around to writing it now and I have no idea what to say. Ugh.
In other news, I have severely neglected Habitat this past month or so. And I really need to get to work. And I am getting to it. Its not like I got behind or anything like that but there were some things I Could have been doing. But in exciting news, we are going to be helping out with a build in our own town! Which is quite fun, somehow I also ended up on the selection committee... I seemed to have volunteered. Oh well, should be fun!
Okay, my computer wants to update and restart so I must run. Tootles!

Movie Reviews in 10 words or less!

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - first ones better; don't like Shia LaBeouf; good try though.

Get Smart - not as funny as anticipated; love Steve Carell

Wall-E - cutest move ever; profound message though; love robot love.

PS. I'd like to see Passchendaele, cause it looks good and I like Paul Gross. Also, I didn't know there was another XFiles coming out: That's exciting.

Apartment Nightmares

So today was apartmenting viewming day. Ugh. Some of the things I saw:
1) Black carpet that smelt super funky.
2) Some super ugly light fixtures.
3) A seperated bathroom (tub and sink on one end of the apartment and toilet in a small closet off the kitchen on the other end of apartment :s)
4) Very very very steep stairs with no railings.
5) A couple super gross bathrooms.
6) A few places not fit for rats to live in.
7) A very slanted floor: no spills there.

Now there were some bad places but not all of them were terrible. There were a couple really cute, really unique little places but they were a bit out of the way and would require alot of walking.
I did find one worth applying for. It's in an actual building, perfect size for Jack and I and a nice clean, secure building. It's only downfall is the hill its on and the bit of a walk to the bus (I dread winter). But I figure if every other student can do it than so can I! So yeah, here's hoping!

JohnBoy

A new friend! Well not new, but new to the blog.
JohnBoy is my going-to-be-a-priest friend. He's hilarious, and quite the character. We're very similar and he's not afraid to try and get into my head, as scary as inside my head can be.
We can talk about just about anything, which is weird but cool at the same time.
He usually lives far away but comes home in the summer. But we do usually keep up during the school year. Yay for friends!

Number fun

3 classes left till summer
2 exams left
16 chapters of economics to learn so I don't fail the class
188 hours left of my summer work term
800 dollars worth of physio left to go
6 summer reads on the bookshelf
30 class lecture notes to organized and compile into amazing MS One Note
12 apartments to look at this weekend in hopes of finding the perfect place to live
1 cat who really wants to play
43 days till family vacation
50 days till I try out airplanes
3 pairs of pants that didn't fit a month ago but do now
1 really bored girl at work

"Just send me a facebook message!"

I was a little hesitant about joining the whole facebook craze a few years ago. I'd never done the myspace thing. I had my blog and that amused me enough. But after some friendly pressure I joined. I don't know if I'd say I regretted it but it definitely has its downfalls: procrastination and a huge waste of time being the maine thing. And then I guess I could go all sociological and complain about how it's ruining our ability to communicate personally, how it's seperating us from real people etc but I won't. Then there's the whole friend race thing, who has more, does that make you really special and all that (somehow I have a ton of friends but I only speak to about 10 of them...). It's great for catching up to people in your past but sometimes I'd really not like to be hearing about who's pregnant, who's marrying who or who's getting "real drunk tonight!".
Today's facebook story involves people you would not expect to add you as a friend. I got home this afternoon to find a friend request from someone who's dated a few people I know, one of those people being someone I wasn't ready to see dating. I was pretty sure this person was aware of my uneasiness towards them and that I'd really rather not have much to do with them, at least for the time being. Apparently I was wrong (or maybe it was an attempt to be friendly, I don't know - I'm a pessimist). Anyways, I mulled over the friend request most of the day and finally decided it wasn't a road I wanted to go down (my, how serious facebook can get) so I went to click the ignore button, unfortunately I accidently hit the confirm one. Luckily for me there's a remove friend option.
That's my story for the day. Now I have to go find some actual academic sources to put in my philosophy paper instead of just my own insane ramblings... but isn't that just what philosophy is?

You're reached me!

Who knew when I posted about bifocals my blog would become so popular?
And who the hell googles "purple monkey drinking chocolate milk"?

Dead please

I don't do live animals, sorry. If I'm going to eat meat it has to come to dead. Mom got a lobster and I love lobster. But only if they're dead. This whole comes-home-from-the-grocery-store-alive thing really freaks me out. I left the room, couldn't watch. But I will enjoy it once it's on my plate.
Oh and I have been officially screwed over in the afore mentioned apartment situation. I thought things couldn't get much worse but they did. And I'm angry again. And this time, I'm not gonna give myself time to calm down before responding to emails. That obviously didn't get me anywhere and even though getting angry won't get me anywhere either it's much more satisfying.

Newsflash

I hate newsletters. Since I have journalism experience, I was given the job of doing up work's summer newsletter. It needed some major revamping as they've been using the exact same unappealing style for the past several years. Unfortunately I'm just not happy with anything I come up with. It either looks too squishy or there's too much white: there does not seem to be an in between. I was told I am being much too critical of my work but I figure if I am super critical it leaves less for my boss to criticize.
In other news... my laptop is officially dead. Of course it would not be the hot chocolate, pepsi or many droppings that would kill it but some sort of motherboard "glitch". How lovely.
Okay, off to finish up my to do list so maybe I can get out of here on time to enjoy the sun!

I cannot see clearly now...

So I might not need to learn braile just yet. I spent yesterday seeing eye doctors in an attempt to figure out what's wrong. They have decided to increase my bifocal again. But only by a bit cause we've gotta save something for when I'm 80. But I'm also being sent to another doctor in another city in another province. He's considering surgery. Apparently it's possible that my eyes are just working too hard to stay straight that it's straining them causing the vision problems. It'll never fix them completely and I'll still be in glasses but I might get out of my bifocals and at least be able to see again! So my one free month of the summer has just got really busy with trips to three different provinces but it should still be fun (other than the surgery part).
In less exciting news... my laptop may be dead. I haven't been able to get it to turn on for a few days now (yes, it's plugged in and no the battery is not dead) so I left it at a repair shop to see what's wrong. Hopefully it's fixable and the cheap kind of fixable.

Done!

So the LSAT's are finished. I am very glad. Now I just have one paper, two exams and one week of classes keeping me away from summer vacation!
I finished the Kite Runner today, yes in less than a week. When I like a good I read it fast. I loved it. I haven't cried while reading a book in a very long time if ever but this one did for me. It was a really good read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was heartfelt and touching. It was also really nice to read a book about another culture. I recommend it if you are looking for touching real story.
Not sure what I"m onto next but I'll let ya know. First I must write about the injustices of domestic violence though.

Yay Music!

I am usually unable to tell someone who my favorite band is: I always like so many of different ones. But I think I've decided on my favorite: 3 Doors Down. From the minute I heard Kryptonite, a few years back I've been a fan. Seventeen Days was an awesome album. I can sing every song by heart and their new self-titled album is also just a good. I don't own alot of CD's but I have all of theirs but I know I'll listen to them over and over again and never get bored with 'em.
Now if they'd only come here so I could see them in concert!

Weekend goings on

This weekend has been nothing short of interesting.
- Saturday, I babysat 7 children: four of them 9 year old boys (no multiples for me please) and a six month old who cried alot.
- My grandfather is in the hospital dying.
- My brother was in a motorcycle accident.
- I got a sunburn though it's not too bad.
- I have a crush on a man at church.
- I wrote an LSAT prep test and scored amazingly: apparently once you don't care about doing well you can do well! Perhaps tomorrow will also go well and if I doesn't, then oh well.
- Now its time to go pretend my father loves me and that we're close enough to spend time together on Father's Day.

Don't mess with me today

So all my excitment for a beautiful apartment was a little too early as sometime friends aren't the nicest people ever. It's not something I'm going to talk about as I'm finding it quite upsetting (maybe a little more than I should be) But I'll get over it and find myself a cozy little place for Jack and I.
In better news... I only have another week and a half of classes left.
Tomorrow I am in a suicide prevention workshop which should be interesting, but I come out of it with a certificate so that's nice.
I started reading "The Kite Runner" today.
Oh and I got a sunburn yesterday, which should add some color to my skin, even if it is just pink color.
Anywhooo my de-stressing workout calls. Lata.

No goats for me please

I've always admired my mother for the fact that she likes any food. Up until a few months ago, I had no knowledge of any food she didn't like. Whereas I am not so fond of white milk, or onions or banana cream pie. She on the other will eat anything (though she's not a huge fan of liver). However she has discovered something she hates: goat cheese. And for us observers it's hilarious. Her first experience with the stuff that smells and tastes just like "hairy goat" was at a baby shower a few months ago where she actually had to run to the bathroom and spit it out. That's someting I had a hard time believing as I've never seen my mother do something like that before. So last night, as I was trying the goat cheese I bought before I put it on my pizza I decided to test it. I am not lying when I said I chased her around the house with my block of marble goat cheese. I tasted it and said it wasn't too bad (though this was before the aftertaste set in) and convinced (aka shoved it in her mouth) her to try it. The reaction was awesome: there was sputtering and gulping of water and the like. My mother definetly does not like goat cheese.
I also discovered I do not like it. In little shredded bits it was okay, but the smell and taste of that on my nice wheat free rice crusted pizza was horrendous. So I will learn to live without cheese if I can't have dairy cheese.

Weekend Shenanigans

Yay for weekends!
I went driving today. Gave my mother a reason to check up on her life insurance and realized that I might not be the driving kind. But we'll see: Dad's gonna take over from here and take me later this week.
Friday night I went to see Sex and the City with Nessa. The mood that makes me watch that show was gone about half way through, but it was cute. But not my thing most of the time.
Did some shopping Saturday morning: bought a really cute outfit, complete with a bright yellow purse and my first cute shoes since the break. I went to a fundraising even that evening feeling pretty good. Which was a good thing since I got there and found out my mother and a friend of hers had brought someone they wanted me to meet. He was cute, and quite nice. But not really my type but we had a good time.
I made an announcement today to a few close friends and my family: I don't want to go to law school. The subject has been on my mind for a few weeks now and I've finally decided solidly enough that I can tell people. Now to go and disappoint everyone who was looking forward to a successfulish relative.
But on the upside, now I'm not so concerned with doing well on the LSAT's. I'm still gonna write (mostly cause Lsgb and another friend would kill me if I bailed on them and because I can't get a full refund).
I miss Islander. Gonna give him a call.
I bought plane tickets to go visit Dave!! I am quite excited: both to see him (and Lizzie) and to see a new city (one that I may end up school in someday even). Not to mention fly for the very first time!
Now I must go study for my economics test tomorrow. Just so I don't fail the class completely...

What I've done today:

1) Written and submitted a paper.
2) Bought a pretty dress for a fancy party tomorrow night, at which my date is my mother.
3) Helped examine my little brother after a series of unfortunate events to his less than public areas. Decided I know nothing about that part of the male anatomy so I can't give a proper diagnose for the obvious swelling. Will remind mother to call the doctor on Monday.
4) Gave myself a pedicure.
5) Watched season two of Sex and the City.

Plans for the rest of the evening:

1) Study for my economics midterm on Monday.
2) Go to the movies with Nessa.

Most disgusting sound in the world = june bugs in window wells. *shiver*

mystical powers of a liar

So I woke up this morning with a headache and the looming stress of a huge unstarted paper due on Friday so going to class really wasn't something I wanted to do. So I went to my doctor's appointment and then to my midterm (which was a piece of cake). I knew my mother would give me a hard time for skipping a class (and since she's my drive she could make me go) so I told her the prof had cancelled class (this was around 11am). I just came home now and checked my email only to find that my prof is ill and cancelling tonight's class. It's quite wonderful really.

Walmart blues

I just came home from a quick shopping trip with Mom that involved a stop at Walmart to replace our hairdryer that caught on fire this morning. I've never been a huge fan of Walmart but I will admit I do frequent the store more than I'd like. However, I spent 10 minutes in that place today and I was appauled. It was horrible. I can't describe why completely but I was struck with this horrible dislike for the place. But I"ve been doing some reading on consumerism and the economy for my philosophy of ethics class and I think some of it really hit home today while I was there. So I think I am safe to say you won't find me back there anytime soon.

Elementary School Revelations

If you knew me in elementary school you probably only remember two things about me: the fact that I had bifocals and that my mother wouldn't let me watch the Spice Girls movie.

New do

So I have new hair. Yep, stole it off a purple poodle.
It's different but I like it, I think it's the cute I was going for. It'll take some getting used to as it's quite a bit shorter than I'm used to but as long as it still can be pulled up then I'm happy. :)

I am currently writing a paper while watching Dexter, drinking rum and eating popcorn. Ahhh, it's a good life. :) The paper on the other hand...

No cow for me thanks

A quick recap of my last few days

1) Headaches suck big time, especially the ones that make you sick to your stomach and practically blind. Maybe it's time to give my neurosurgeon a call back.
2) I am allergic to stuff. Namely cows, feathers, "mixed tress", grass, dogs, insulation, milk and wheat. In essence this means I really need to learn to like rice and soy and that I can definetly not have a pet cow or dog nor can I furnish my house with feather pillows or dust with feather duster or insulate with the pink scratchy stuff.
3) My criminal code and I have become good friends lately with this whole court thing.
4) Apartment hunting and getting cooperation in that hunt is quite horrible.
5) Physio says I shouldn't have to come back too many more times since at this point, time is the biggest thing. Next week we start running and jumping! Today I did boxing with the Nintendo Wii and kicked little boxer man's ass several times. Needless to say, my physiotherapist won't mess with me
6) I am a super procrastinator but I'm going to really regret it next week.
7) I bought my very first pair of shorts yesterday (in like ever). Yay for weight loss!
8) I bought sandles my ankle can handle, another yay!
9) I am cutting teeth - reliving the toddler years: One of my wisdom teeth is cutting through my gums and my gosh does it ever hurt. I dont' remember it hurting that much as a kid.
10) I am now going to bed. :)

Good Grief. I'm going to bed too early again. Last night I was sound asleep by 10:30. Mind you I am up at 6:30/7 each morning but still. Bed this early makes life boring. But its a good habit to get into I guess.
Chronicles of Narnia was very good though. I found it a little long feeling but good nonetheless... but haven't I see that whole trees come to the rescue thing somewhere else?
Till I wake again then...

I have the whole house to myself for a couple hours tonight, first time since I got back and I'm terribly excited: finally some peace and quiet with no one but Mr. Jack and I around. Though I'll probably just do homework, there will be wine and music involved. And then I'll probably just get to bed as I plan on continuing my early rising through the weekend in an attempt to get my body into some sort of schedule (I'll let you know how that works). And now, I'm off!

Warning: Floor may be slippery when wet

So I may have jumped the gun a bit.
Not completely though, just a few things that I've been noticing for the past little while since the ankle break. It seems really silly to say it out loud but to someone who has struggled with anxiety stuff before I think they'd understand and agree. I have become very anxious, some of it just the usual stuff that I'm becoming more of aware of and that its not completely normal and then new stuff surrounding things like falling. Ok, yeah it does sound stupid. I'm just very nervous about being outside at all, I avoid it when I can and I was out in the rain and I panicked all day that I might fall on something slippery. And I know that it's something I need to deal with now because you aren't going to be able to get me out of my apartment once winter comes.
To someone who's never had anxiety issues before this would probably be nothing more than some nerves but for me it's full blown panic.
Living at home has also opened my eyes to a few other things that aren't completely normal and have made me realize that if I ever want to be able to have a family and children and to lead a comfortable life I'm probably going to need help from meds. A friend of my mother's has been great, we've talked alot lately about this kind of stuff and she's really made me realize that I don't have to be like this and that it's okay to be doing something about it.
So there... it'll be okay, but I might need some help that I'd rather not have to ask for.

My entire day in 3 words

Excel Mail Merge

*No Seriously, I spent my entire day trying to remmeber how to do it and then doing it. Yes, I was left alone in the office today.

Big mistake

It's been a really long time since any school work has had me as upset as this economics has me right now. I have a midterm tomorrow and I have no idea how to do half the stuff and I know it's not difficult but I just get get my head around it.
Taking this class was a very bad idea. Gah. Okay... I'm going to go clean up my room and then get some sleep and hopefully it'll all make sense in the morning.

I have my own desk at work. :)
And I got to spend the morning in court. Which was terribly boring at times, but interesting nonetheless.
And now to the mountains of schoolwork.

I am very frustrated right now. My roomates for next year are being very difficult. And I'm getting close to the end of my rope.
Gah!

Weekend full of fun!

So we had a busy weekend: Friday, lsgb came down for a visit and some family came over for a little post-birthday celebration for me, which consisted of burnt marshamallows and too much kid chaos. Saturday involved some window shopping and then Mom and I watched Ocean's Eleven. Sunday we visited our camp with some family again. It was a good time: I love dirt roads and places to live in the middle of nowhere. The flies were terrible though, I don't think we'll be going down again till those go away. We finished off the day with Ocean's Twelve: where is terrible compared to the first. I like the way they filmed it, with the banter but it feels like pointless and just feels long. I think we'll watched the third tonight probably.
Today I need to study for an economics midterm on Wednesday, which I am dreading cause how I hate economics.
I start work tomorrow; I'm excited but hesitant cause I don't know if I'm ready for all this busy that's going to hit me.
I've dropped down to phsyio only once a week, not cause I am better enough to only go once a week but because I can't find more than one time a week where I'm free to go and they are open.
My am considering not writing my lsat's this summer... as I"ve discovered via a couple practice tests that I suck at them. And I don't see the point of wasting my time writing them when I'm going to do terribly. It looks like law school is probably not gonna happen, so a real person job next year? That's scary.
Anyways... I'm going to go make blueberry muffins, I will have fun to share later in the week I hope.

You make me laugh

"Wolf Blitzer was as giddy as a school girl: I think he's got a man crush." (in reference to Pope Benedict)

"Alright, now go out, vote and support your local fascist dictator!"

"What's your name?"
"You don't know my name, but you're hugging me?"
"Well you looked really nice."
(Ah, he's adorable, too bad he's about 15 years too young for me.)

"Well that's a whole other pickle of worms."

Dr. House, can I have a few of those pills?

So House and Bones were great tonight. They both needed another hour though cause they both ended way to quickly and the endings were lovely cliff-hangers.
I did a walking video at home here today, in place of the gym since that didn't go to well. It was a very very bad idea. I am in so much pain right now I'm typing through tear filled eyes.
So just wanted to report on the good tv shows and now I am going to take a couple of my morphine and try to get some sleep.

This calls for someone smarter than me

So my little brother is trying to play the whole webkinz thing on the computer. Mom's computer won't work at but mine will. However, the pagew wont's cross. It's a type of page that opens into Adobe Flash player but there's no way to scroll up and down the page (and it's supposed to). Help?

Gym 1 Me 0

So I tried to go to the gym today. It didn't go so well: I panicked. I am way to self-conscious and it's a curse: I didn't get the free dessert at the restaurant yesterday cause I refused to have them sing to me etc.
Call me a wimp, but when that panic attack hits ya, the last thing you're concerned about is seeming to be a wimp.
Oh well, I'll give it another try tomorrow. After I find me some valium.

Happy Birthday Me!

I am officially old. It's amazing how time flies. It feels like just yesterday I was in middle school. But here I am, half way to the answer to life, the universe and everything and I feel like I'm going nowhere. Hopefully that sentiment will change in the next few years though. Though the prospect of being finished school and out in the big wide world all alone terrifies me.
So as I move into my 22nd year of this good ol' life... I'd like to be able to wear high heels again, and walk without pain. And to know I'm healthy and gonna live a long time; I'd like to wake up in the morning and not be tired. I'd like to read a novel in a day like I used to be able to. I'd like to know that the people who I care about very much are still going to be in my life in a year, and I'd be open to the prospect of a new person or two to care about. I'd really like it if no one I knew died for a year. Just one year. I'd like to better me, cause well I need some bettering, whether anyone other than me is willing to admit it.
I'm not asking for much am I?

cat dilemnas

I think the biggest dilemna facing a cat owner, other than how to keep the litter from smelling, is a cat and their cuddling habits. My cat cuddles when he wants to, and usually it's just when I am about to get up: he curls up in my lap. And you can't move 'em. Cause as soon as you do, hoping to come back to the position a few minutes later, they are out of their mood and they trollop off to some inanimate object which will never love them like you do.

cyclones and bad media

I'm not a huge news person. I don't know popular actors and actresses; I don't always know movies or songs; I don't do politics, mostly cause I just don't understand it. But I try and have a good idea of what's going on in current events, if only so I don't look like an idiot. To keep this habit up, I added a tab to my Internet Explorer that opened up a news site. After a few tries to find an appropriate for me newsite, I found one. And I do actually know what's going on. Alot of the time I'll see a headline and alot of the time I don't care so I don't read it but sometimes I do see something of interest.
For example, last Sunday I read about a cyclone in the small country of Burma. I'm sensitive to stuff like that, so it caught my eye and pulled at my hearstrings (though I'd rather not use that phrase). I watched it for a day or two, noticing that everytime I checked, the death toll continued to rise. But everyone around me seemed completely oblivious. This ticked me off. I'd been watching the news every night and there was nothing mentioned. The radio never said anything about it, and the paper didn't have a word dedicated to it.
It wasn't until almost Friday when they began to estimate an eventual death toll of 100,000 that our local newspaper ran a story and the local news covered the event.
Maybe something like this shouldn't tick me off like it did, but it did. Why are so we caught up in the presidential race of another country, but we can't pay attention to thousands of people dying in another one? Is politics that exciting that we forego any attention to "real events" We get all hyped up when one soldier dies In a war, where death is only expected but give no attention to the deaths of thousands of innocent people. Does the fact that they live across the world, in a poor authoritarian regime make them any less important? Personally, I really don't think so.
That was my rant: Support 'em.

P: Q = 30 - 2P

This economics assignment has forced me to resort to my sister's help. Talk about humbling. I hate math. Though in a way, it's kinda refreshing...

Busy Bee

I have a job. I sure do. And it's even career-related. I'll be doing it part time while I take classes and then full-time for the month of July. I am very very excited. It doesn't pay much and I don't make alot in total but the experience etc will be worth it.
But all of a sudden I am really really busy - so much for taking it easy this summer.
Oh and I'm sick. And apparently not fun to share a bed with when sick as I like to throw myself around alot, or so my mother claims. I think I'm safe in saying she'll be really glad not to be sharing a bed with me anymore.
Economics has math in it. I hated math in high school. Yuck. And it has a ton of assignments.

She shoots... she scores!

The little brother and I have been playing hockey the past few days, and I quote I'm "actually pretty good". Apparently I scored a goal just like Hossa did in today's earlier game. Yay me!
My shoulder is a bit mad at me for it all though, it' been awhile since I've made that particular movement for an hour or so three days in a row. But it's fun so I'll stick it out till it's used to it again.

Note to self:

I have an appointment April 30, 2009 for an MRI and with the neurosurgeon.

(I can't think of any other way to remember an appointment so far away... so in other words:remind me. :)

Today we bury my grandmother. Five months later. And I think I speak for most all of us when I say I don't like it.
In good news however, the swelling in my ankle continues to go down, It actually looks like an ankle again. I have physio three times again next week and then we'll hopefully be down to two a week for awhile. I have a nice little regiment of things to do with it here at home and they give me quite the workout whenever I'm there. I'm going to start going to the gym next week too, so all should be good.
I need to go get the place ready for company, despite the mess and the paint smell. Later.

water water everywhere

So I seem to be slipping into a bad "habit" I once had and I actually find it somewhat alarming. Usually it's not something someone would probably write on their blog about doing but I think its gonna be my way of keeping myself accountable. If I tell someone that I see myself slipping then I know that at least it's not a secret and hopefully it then won't get out of hand. I realize that to anyone who does not know me too well all that of seems just like gibber jabber and it may actually be but it's helpful to me and its my blog so deal.
In other news, it's a good thing I moved home when I did as the city I was in is under alot of water right now and well, I can't swim. :)

I think I like me...

Your responses indicate that you are very precise, and you demand conformity to what is generally accepted as right. Your inclination to be a specialist, in your field of endeavor, is advanced by your interest in systems and structure. You come across in a direct manner, and do not hesitate to express skepticism in a candid tone. You tend to be strict when it comes to following rules, and if asked to enforce them, you use an authoritative approach. Criticism may cause you to react sensitively.
You prefer to tell people what to do in a straightforward fashion, rather than use persuasion. You are very effective in expressing yourself factually and sincerely. You are precise, frank, sensitive to tone, and can become discouraged if criticized unfairly.

You are reserved and prefer to communicate with people one-on-one. You need to be spoken to and listened to in a respectful tone.
You express yourself in a factual, to-the-point manner. Your communication style is precise.

You are intent on getting things done right, and you insist on maintaining the highest quality. You focus on the disciplined mastery of details and systems, and you use principles and tradition to help you maintain an orderly environment. You need to know all of the details all of the time, are cautious of changes in the system, and often take negative feedback personally.

You function well when supplied with rules, manuals, and systems. You prefer that details and proposals be presented in writing. If not pressured, you rarely make mistakes.

You expertly perform your leadership role by demanding that your people follow your organization's rules and policies. You exercise a conservative and watchful style while applying yourself to directing systems and procedures. You are very intent upon having projects completed correctly. You may desire time alone to think matters through and to be satisfied that goals are being reached properly. You may prefer to deal with your subordinates one-on-one. You like a lot of variety and demand action.

You are able to apply self-discipline and thoroughness to your work. Your orientation toward tasks and achievement is guided by an above-average ability to plan, organize, and fulfill specific goals and obligations. Your motivations are usually positive and focused on results.

You tend to be motivated by praise for tasks well done, and by having enough time to complete projects. You are more productive in a structured environment where there are few abrupt changes, and where there is basic job security with good benefits. You desire a professional culture where criticism is carefully administered, and where tradition is respected.

You can be demotivated if systems are not firmly established and routine procedures are not in place. You can become discouraged when criticized unconstructively or unfairly. You tend to be less productive when not supported by enforceable rules, clear directions, step-by-step plans, or written communications.

Your responses indicate that your Emotional Intelligence is exceptionally well developed. You tend to understand the emotional makeup of others, and to accurately sense what other people are feeling. Because you find it easy to see the world from another person's perspective, it is likely that you associate with a diverse group of people. You work for reasons beyond money or status. It is likely that you are proficient in both maintaining relationships and networking. You think before speaking, and form carefully considered judgments about people or situations. Furthermore, you are aware of the impact of your emotions on others.