Amused, by exhaustion

Listening to my mp3 player, a couple songs from now is "Last Saskatchewan Pirate" by the Arrogant Worms. However, since the title and band blurb take up a rather large amount of space, my Rio informs me that "Last Saskatchewan Pirate" by "Arr" is coming up soon.

*snicker*

Currently listening to: Byran Adams "I Fought the Law"

Witty Title.

I'm still kind of sick...this sucks. I'm all alone in a computer lab at school...and since I've been watching way too much Buffy I keep expecting a demon or something (*cough* sexyvampire *COUGH*) to come crashing through the window. And me without a viable escape route...or main character status...

My brain isn't really working right. I think I understand a little about how indoctrination works now. :P Blasted school. Oh, and my computer isn't working right now, so there won't be much in the way of posting. Excellent...it'll be just like normal.

You're sick in bed? So what else is new?

This is seriously, the worst cold I've EVER had that I can remember. I started going down on Friday, slept all of Saturday and I'm still horribly ill. I think I'm getting an ear infection too, or else it's just because of cramped neck muscles radiating pain into my ear area.

Sore muscles: check. Sniffly: check. Coughing: check. Sore throat: double check. Sneezing: check. Head spinning dizzyness: check. Extreme exhaustion: check. Fever: no...but very temperature sensitive.

I've already emailed my profs to let them know I won't be at school tomorrow, most likely. Bleah.

How amazing is Dave? He cleaned He brought me Buffy season 2 for me to watch while I'm sick. YAY!!! He also brought other things to help me cheer up, and played a PC game (that I've already almost finished) for me to watch and he put up with all of my shrieks of "NO!!! Don't go in there yet!" and "GET THE LONGBOW!! Get the LONGBOW! Oh...you didn't get the archery skill? Uhhhh...sorry..."

It was fun. :) Now if only I wasn't in Ouchland.

Infected!!

While my boyfriend was in bed with another man, he managed to contract something, which he then passed on to me.

...

No! Just a cold, people. Sheesh.

Lucky in...everything.

I've always known that I'm the luckiest person I know...although some may beg to differ. Too bad. I know it. That's how I got into school...through a random variety of very, VERY fortunate events. Anyway, let's now give a totally fictional example...let's pretend that...say, I didn't do some homework for some reason. Not that I'd do that. Since this is after all, fictitious. Purely. Not only will I have the time to do it on the bus that I fictitiously took today (or some other day) but I will arrive at school with my freshly turned out assignment in hand and discover that the deadline has been extended.

This kind of thing happens to me ALL THE TIME. It's truly awe inspiring how often I'll completely bail on something (allegedly) and it will turn out for the better anyway. It blows my mind.

Ok, that's it for THIS four years...

I went out last night for a stag-ette. Oh. My. God. I hadn't been that wasted in at least four years. I feel like absolute crap. I stopped drinking roughly twenty hours ago and I'm very very hungover still.

Unngghhhh...

It was all fun until the puking... :P I'll talk more about the fun parts later. I'm going to bed with another ginger ale, pack of tums and a big glass of water.

Ha!

I think I figured out where the soap opera was coming from. I accidentally kicked my "radio" button on the speaker control panel and it started picking up the audio of the TV from the invisible waves that I've heard rumoured. So yeah. I turned it back to "pick up noise from computer" and everything seems to be going well.

Nine years too late, I've started watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 1. I am good and hooked now. I've seen the first eight episodes...wow. Some of it's really sexy...I've got a thing for immortal doomed love...Highlander and the like. So yeah. I'm happy, but I've only got four episodes left until I'm finished the first season...THEN what am I going to do?? I don't want to go out and buy Seasons 2-6 (ok, to be perfectly honest, that's EXACTLY what I want to do...but it would be fiscally irresponsible of me). It's amusing to me because I've only seen maybe three full episodes of Buffy (plus the movie when it first came out...and I also now own...muahhaha!) and got hooked on Firefly first. They're both created by Joss Whedon, but Firefly came out in 2003, while the Buffy movie was from 1992 and the show started in 1997. Basically what I'm trying to say is that most people went from Buffy to Firefly, whereas I went in the other direction. Thank goodness for DVD goodness. :D

Weirdness...

"As sands through the hourglass...these are the Days of Our Lives..."

This is coming through my computer right now...but I'm not sure why. How bizarre...my media thing isn't working, and I don't have any windows open that are showing it.

Now it's advertising the Home and Garden Show. This is annoying...I don't know how to turn it off!!

Longing for a laptop...

...and a wireless internet connection that I can use on the balcony or the back yard. It's GORGEOUS outside. I don't want to be in here!!

I've got my door wide open and my space heater on my feet. It's luverly. I've actually been getting work done this week...I'm shocked because I figured my brain would turn completely off. As it is, it's turned partly off...but that's ok. I've still got four (ee!! Yay!!) days off, counting today and I've gotten a lot of stuff done.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go sew for a while.

Warning...actual content ahead.

I'm as shocked as you are...
[This post almost got eaten...so some edits are in the square brackets, like this one]

Putting up the Johari link has helped my self esteem immeasurably! I read it and go, "Awwww!!! People think I'm awesome!", then I go, "Hey, how come no one thinks I'm intelligent?" Hehe. [Of course, since I wrote this, TWO people have decided I'm intelligent...how come "psychic" wasn't on there, huh?]

So, hello to my not-a-stalker-who-was-born-in-1979-and-is-from-England that I chatted with today. :) I actually had fun, unlike the other times people have randomly IM'd me. Talk to you again when the fates align and our various time zone issues have us meet up again online.

I've been playing a lot of disc golf over the last few weeks. It seems to have helped, because I actually beat Dave by ONE WHOLE STROKE!!! on Friday on our way back from school. I think I did that once, many moons ago. But then I lost to him yesterday, as the stars slipped back out of alignment. Bother.

My dad is going to be home from Mexico on Thursday and my brother will be back from cruise gallivanting on Saturday. So much for using the sewing machine like crazy while they were gone. My quilting fabric is currently in the washing machine so that it will shrink and the dye will run in a controlled manner, rather than when it's in project form and it needs to go in the washer. Ick.

I'm thoroughly enjoying my week off. Here are my plans for this week...feel free to visit with me during my open times.

Mon-Tutoring 3:30 (I'd better finish this FAST), Ultimate 6-8
Tue-0900 oil change, hang out with Bimkins, 330 or so tutoring, Valentine's dinner with my mom.
Wed-hang out with NNY, Tutoring 330(change this methinks), meeting
Thu-hang out with NNY if Wed falls through (our luck is BAD), tutoring, something that I can't remember.
Fri-Tutoring early...T has day off. Is that all I've got? That can't be right.
Sat-tutoring? karate 430-630, maybe some disc golf.
Sun-disc golf, tutoring? Dunno yet.

This week has been my big push for getting all my stuff done that I won't have time to do in the next six months, making sure things are clean again/still and doing most of my homework for the rest of the semester. So far, I'm doing...okay. Not great, but not too bad either.

Also, as of yesterday, I've exercised for more than 24 hours (total) since the beginning of this year...this is not counting all the walking I do to get around campus. I am pleased. It doesn't sound like much, but that averages out to about four hours a week. I'd like to get my average up to five, maybe even six hours a week by the end of the year. It ought to happen...Ultimate is two hours, and karate is two hours, so just a little extra during the week ought to do it...one or two rounds of disc golf or something.

Meme.

Johari Window.

Specific apology.

The general apology is below...this is specifically for Dave who has put up with some wicked bad mood swings, especially over the last week. I'm sorry, sweetie... I'll be human again in a day or two. And I'll try to be less "yell-y" and more "talk-y".

(and yes, I did apologize to him in person today too...I just still feel bad. He's not mad or anything, but I feel awful.)

Hello?

Hey, has anyone even noticed that I've been somewhat...ummm...lacking in the content department lately? Sorry...I've barely had time to breathe. I'm in the middle of crunch time at school. I predict things will slow down around June or so. Of 2007.

I was very tired yesterday and amused Dave greatly by reciting a story he'd heard before...it's a REALLY good story and he wouldn't let me tell it...so I told it to myself, complete with hand gestures and silly voices. Oi.

I've got a week off, ostensibly a "Reading Break" but it's going to be more of a "Homework not-even-remotely-resembling-a-break" that begins with a birthday party tomorrow night, clubbing Saturday and ends with a Staggette on the following Saturday. One of the girls in my group is going to Vegas...leaving tomorrow, back on the next Saturday. She plans to get some work done. If she does, she's more dedicated than I would be. :)

D&D Quiz

I Am A: Neutral Good Elf Ranger Mage


Alignment:
Neutral Good characters believe in the power of good above all else. They will work to make the world a better place, and will do whatever is necessary to bring that about, whether it goes for or against whatever is considered 'normal'.


Race:
Elves are the eldest of all races, although they are generally a bit smaller than humans. They are generally well-cultured, artistic, easy-going, and because of their long lives, unconcerned with day-to-day activities that other races frequently concern themselves with. Elves are, effectively, immortal, although they can be killed. After a thousand years or so, they simply pass on to the next plane of existance.


Primary Class:
Rangers are the defenders of nature and the elements. They are in tune with the Earth, and work to keep it safe and healthy.


Secondary Class:
Mages harness the magical energies for their own use. Spells, spell books, and long hours in the library are their loves. While often not physically strong, their mental talents can make up for this.


Deity:
Mielikki is the Neutral Good goddess of the forest and autumn. She is also known as the Lady of the Forest, and is the Patron of Rangers. Her followers are devoted to nature, and believe in the positive and outreaching elements of it. They use light armor, and a variety of weapons suitable for hunting, which they are quite skilled at. Mielikki's symbol is a unicorn head.


Find out What D&D Character Are You?, courtesy ofNeppyMan (e-mail)



Detailed Results:

Alignment:
Lawful Good ----- XXXXX (5)
Neutral Good ---- XXXXXX (6)
Chaotic Good ---- XXXX (4)
Lawful Neutral -- XXX (3)
True Neutral ---- XXXX (4)
Chaotic Neutral - (-1)
Lawful Evil ----- (-1)
Neutral Evil ---- (-4)
Chaotic Evil ---- (-2)

Race:
Human ---- (-4)
Half-Elf - XXXXX (5)
Elf ------ XXXXXXXX (8)
Halfling - (-3)
Dwarf ---- (-5)
Half-Orc - (-3)
Gnome ---- X (1)

Class:
Fighter - (-3)
Ranger -- XXXXXXXXX (9)
Paladin - (0)
Cleric -- (-2)
Mage ---- XXXX (4)
Druid --- (0)
Thief --- (0)
Bard ---- XXXX (4)
Monk ---- X (1)

OMFG...this is too funny.

Brokeback to the Future

No content content.

http://metaatem.net/words/

I've seen this one a few times today

Muhaha...especially one bit...Dave, point it out to everyone. ;)


Yellows are motivated by fun. They are inviting and embrace life as a party which they're hosting. They love playful interaction and can be extremely sociable and persuasive. They seek instant gratification. YELLOWS need to be adored and praised. While YELLOWS are carefree, they are quite sensitive and highly alert to others motives to control them. YELLOWS carry within themselves the gift of a good heart.

YELLOWS need to look good socially, and friendships command a high priority in their lives. YELLOWS are happy, highly verbal, easily bored, and crave adventure. They can never sit still for long. They choose friends who, like themselves, refuse to allow lifes boring details stifle their curiosity. They embrace each day in the present tense. YELLOWS are charismatic, spontaneous, positive, and can be irresponsible, obnoxious, and forgetful. When you deal with a YELLOW praise and adore them, take a positive, upbeat approach, and promote creative and fun activities for and with them.


What Color Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla


Exercise today: 3 hours disc golf in the pouring rain...deja vu...

I woke up at 1000 on a Sunday morning. Voluntarily.

Apparently I've taken leave of my senses. No matter. Today is a mini disc golf competition at Mundy Park in Coquitlam (for googlers: Mundy Park Doubles, 1200 sharp [and they mean it], $5 plus mandatory $1 closest to the pin, various $1 and $5 charges that happen rarely [for holes in one and so on]).

I've got a headache. :( I've been having headaches the last few days when I wake up. I'm wondering if it's due to less caffiene (checks the empty cans...I'm mostly not drinking caffinated drinks any more) or sleeping wrong, or not getting enough, or too much sleep? Who knows? Not me. Internet? Got any ideas?

Crazy Disc Golf Lady

This morning I woke up to weak sun coming in through my window. Good thing, since today's the day that I competed in the Ice Bowl, a charity disc (frisbee) golf tournament. It's been a while since I played (before Christmas, and before that...ummm...sometime in the summer...?), so I didn't have much expectation of me doing very well.

I arrived, a few minutes late because I took too long getting things ready. Whoops. Things hadn't started yet, and I got to throw the disc around some of the baskets a bit with some guys from Mundy. (Rats, I should've gotten a ride out with one of them. Meh.) I threw pretty well in the warm up. The Tim Horton-mobile was there with Timbits, coffee and hot chocolate for us. Faaaabulous. Our teams were assigned and we were off. I played decently, even though most of my good drives were used up in warm up.

We were playing Texas Scramble style, so the best throws were the ones we took, however each person could only record three baskets and three drives for the whole 12 holes, which meant that there was a certain amount of strategy involved. I wound up with some okay drives and a wicked good putt. Some of the holes had games with them, like you could only use your opposing hand (the exception was the one player who only hand one arm...he did a funny throw instead), you had to roll the first throw, the first throw had to be performed with a paper bag over your head etc. Lots of fun. I was soaked through within about fifteen minutes of playing, and my shoes were soaked within about fifteen seconds of walking into the park. Mental note: white, mesh topped shoes are not the best things to walk around a park in January in.

Lunch was chili and ice cream, apparently ice cream is an Ice Bowl tradition. It was GOOOOOOD. We had a putting contest, as well as longest drive, an auction and something called Ring of Fire where everyone is about twenty feet back from the basket and everyone throws their putter discs all at once towards it. It was chaotic and nifty. All in all it was a really great day.

Oh. I almost forgot. I won the women's putting, women's longest drive, novice putting, women's closest to the pin and I tied for the most food and money donated to charity. *buffs fingernails* Women's Championships in Kamloops, here I come. Note to self: I'm busy on May 28th...I'll be in Kamloops.

Bored at school

I'm in the computer lab for a non optional lesson...so far it's been mostly stuff I knew already. Blah.

I desperately want a steamed milk with almond syrup. I managed to control myself today before, and then after PE (I go past two Starbucks on my way to the gym, then to the education building.) I'm proud of myself. :) I need to pick up the syrup myself so that I can make significantly cheaper drinks at home to curb my cravings.

Blah, blah blah, tutoring, blah blah school, blah hanging out with Dave, blah blah blah karate.

I'm so disorganized this term. I have papers scattered all over my room, I don't have a good central binder, and I have no idea what/when my assignments are. I'm exhausted. *sigh* Soon. Seven more months. Or seven more weeks and I'm back on practicum. I can't wait to be the teacher again!! It's so frustrating because I really feel that I could teach a class if I was given one right now.

Oh, I remember. I was offered a job that would start in October 2007 in Los Angeles. I don't have to get things started until September...don't know if I'll take it, but it's an option. And it's certainly a relief that I'm being noted as "EXCELLENT STRONG CANDIDATE" on the file that the interviewer had. Also him insisting that I stay in touch with him because he really really wants me to work in LA...

...maybe I'll get to meet Jack Bauer and Sydney Bristow... ;)

Annoyed

I've had a really bad day today. I don't usually get bad days, or else I just deal with it better than a lot of people (or else I forget that I have them). Anyway, I don't want to get into it right now (it's not weight related for frickin' once) but now my Rio mp3 player is only playing into one headphone. How irritating. And slightly disorienting. Phantom of the Opera is significantly less dramatic when it's not in surround sound.

I'm going to go play with fabric and the sewing machine for a while.

(edit: Pink Floyd also is significantly less dramatic. Dammit.)

No, seriously...I am doing homework.

This is really really long. Who else has gotten it?



Please Save Canada! [2006Jan20]
http://www.pleasesavecanada.com

*snip*

Why I shouldn't read old blog entries.

Last year around this time I was ten pounds lighter. :(

Four days of blog catchup.

I've now caught up with all my blogs/LJs that I read. I haven't commented because there would be far too many...so pick the comment from below that best fits your recent posts.

"OMG, I totally agree!"
"I can't believe it...wow."
"*hugs*"
"Glad you had fun."
"I'm sorry...I wish I could help somehow."
"Congratulations!"
":("
":)"
"I don't know what to say."

I have survived my first week back in class. I did not have a relaxing day yesterday. I have far too much homework already. I landed on my head at karate yesterday.

Soooooo tired...

Am I done my eight weeks yet? Can I go back to being the teacher now? uggghhhh...

My methods classes are fun. I'm learning how to teach math, science, art, music and PE this semester. My art class is mostly going to be studio work, which means actually squishing around with the clay. PE is half in the gym and half in class. Music I haven't had yet and science and math I did last semester as well. Good stuff.

I kind of started quilting on the weekend. *sigh* I have too much stuff I want to do and not enough time to do it!

Dooo wop...do do do dee doooo wop...

Just kind of humming to myself. Endorphins have kicked in after spending twenty minutes on the exercise bike reading. So, I'm finished at Gigabyte for the next eight weeks while I cram thirteen weeks worth of classes into that time at the university. I've got a nice easy project due in two weeks, a partner science project due on Friday and a couple other things.

I have now got all of my topics that I'll be teaching in March, April, May and June at Gigabyte. So far it looks like I'll be doing a bunch of art projects on "weaving" which will include finger weaving, finger knitting, spool knitting, lanyards, paper weaving, regular knitting and/or a combination of some of those and a couple other things I can't think of off the top of my head. I'll also be doing a short unit on plants, a PE unit on aiming practice (chucking stuff at other stuff), a four week unit on butterflies, which will include actually hatching caterpillars into butterflies and a unit on the tropical rainforest which will include a field trip to the Vancouver Aquarium's rainforest exhibit.

I'm really excited. :D

Irony

Quaffing my vitamins and other assorted "good health" pills...with diet pop.

Because I don't have my agenda with me...

KARIN: YOU ARE TUTORING THREE PM SUNDAY AFTERNOON

New Music

My cousin sent me an email the other day...he's recorded an album called "Happy Days" and it's available in mp3 format through SVC Records in the UK. It's only about six bucks Canadian and I really enjoy it. There are some samples on the links above.

On the needles:
the hat that will never END! (been on the needles for nearly two years.)
baby blanket (not for me.)

School is tiring.

I am seriously craving a certain kind of food.

Want to guess?

I'll give you a hint. It starts with a "P" and ends in a "eanut butter and banana sandwich".

Quick break

English Genius You scored 100% Beginner, 100% Intermediate, 93% Advanced, and 100% Expert!

You did so extremely well, even I can't find a word to describe your excellence! You have the uncommon intelligence necessary to understand things that most people don't. You have an extensive vocabulary, and you're not afraid to use it properly! Way to go! Thank you so much for taking my test. I hope you enjoyed it! For the complete Answer Key, visit my blog: http://shortredhead78.blogspot.com/.

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 65% on Beginner You scored higher than 40% on Intermediate You scored higher than 42% on Advanced You scored higher than 93% on Expert

Link: The Commonly Confused Words Test written by shortredhead78 on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

Happy Delurking Week

delurk5, originally uploaded by Random Synapses.

The lovely and talented Sheryl at Paper Napkin created Delurking Day last year, but now rather than a mere 24 hours, it is SEVEN WHOLE DAYS!!! Yes, it is Delurking Week. I got to be the second comment on that particular post (Why, yes. I do sit here and wait for my blogroll to refresh. You say that as if it's a BAD thing...) Anyway, I just had 8 people (all at once!!) reading here...well...glancing here. Clicking over from there. :) So, please! Comment! Even if you comment regularly, I would love to see a number in the double digits. I know you're out there...

Does anyone else do this?

Thinking to self at three different times:

"Cool, I can do something after the first day back at school."
"I'm free Tuesday afternoon."
"Dave's birthday is on the 3rd, so I have to stay free."

Guess what day the first day of school was. Yep, Tuesday the 3rd. Managed to triple book myself. Good thing my New Years resolution wasn't to be more organized.

Oh wait. It was. I just forgot because I lost my resolution sheet.

I just drank the last sip of pop from my can and it sprayed up through the top and splashed me in the nose. Hooray for gravity.

Busy, not much to say.

I don't know how much of this is interesting to people other than myself. :P I received my copy of Firefly (and Serenity, and the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie) on...Tuesday or so? Something like that. It's a Joss Whedon extravaganza!!

Stuff at Gigabyte is going well. I feel like I totally bombed one of the lessons I taught on Thursday, then I winged (wung? wang? *snicker*) one in the afternoon because we had a sub and it went FANTASTICALLY! Grrr...I was getting evaluated on the earlier one. Go se (Chinese for a very bad word pronounced GOE seh. Firefly is eduma-cational!)... Oh well. I'll just have to dazzle this week. I started helping coach basketball for the time that I'm there which is fun, although it means I have to be there an hour before I usually would. i plan on helping out with track and field during my major practicum.

I find I'm exhausted after being there all day, although I don't teach the whole time I'm "on" the whole time, fielding questions and tattle tales and all the stuff that a normal teacher deals with. Oh, and we went skating on Friday. I tell you...one has not seen chaos until one has seen five classes of primary students trying to keep their balance on a sheet of ice.

To do today:
-magnifying glasses x 12 (science lesson)
-arrowroot cookies (same lesson)
-thank you letter
-return DVDs to HMV
-tomorrow's lesson plans
-pick up garlic pills and vitamins
-avoid getting sucked into the makeup section of London Drugs

The honeymoon is over...

...the kids have realized that I'm a teacher and not just someone who comes in and reads them stories and does art projects with them. Crappity crap.

They've started testing me...

Greatest blonde joke ever

This truly is the greatest joke ever....

Woo!

According to the Canada Post tracking system, my copy of Firefly and Serenity are en route...arrived in Richmond this evening. :D

In other news: I'm going to be competing in a disc golf tournament that is for charity...either the Food Bank, or Alzheimer's. Food and money are welcome...AND for every $15 or five items of food you pledge, I get a point taken off my score (it's golf...low scores are good). I'll post details in a bit.

In other, other news...I've been getting a lot of hits from people searching for random stuff. This has been happening since Christmas...so I'm thinking that people are trying out the new computers they got.

In other, other, other news...I managed to lose weight between Hallowe'en and Christmas. :) Just wanted to share because I'm pretty pleased.

My two week practicum starts tomorrow. Eep. I feel ready, but I had a minor setback in the form of "all the libraries are closed for the New Years long weekend and I planned to get the book I needed for my lesson at 9:40 am tomorrow." I finally found something suitable, but it was a nerve wracking day. If it was my own classroom I would have just said, "The hell with it." and done something completely different, but since I had to submit my lesson plans I couldn't do that.

I got some of my text books for next semester. I flipped through one of them and I'm already annoyed. *sigh* It's really a burden being RIGHT about how to teach something and have all the textbooks contradict me. ;) (I have research to back up that I'm right...but then with enough research I could probably prove I came from Mars too.) So, it's difficult...but something I don't really have to deal with until the mini-practicum is over.

So when's the sequel coming out?

...and WHERE is my copy of Firefly and Serenity?

Orson Scott Card (writer of Ender's Game, and other books) reviewed Serenity. So, if you don't trust my judgement...maybe you'll trust his. :)

Happy New Year

I had a good evening last night...good friends, good food, fun games and movie. I hope everyone stayed safe.

Mememememememe

*debates tagging someone...nah...this one's too long.*

The New Year Meme

FOUR JOBS YOU'VE HAD IN YOUR LIFE:
1. Telemarketer (less than two weeks)
2. Retail slave
3. Pizza baker
4. *censored* (to protect me from googlebots.)

FOUR MOVIES YOU COULD WATCH OVER AND OVER:
1. Serenity (and all of Firefly)
2. Princess Bride
3. Monty Python and the Holy Grail
4. Chicago/Phantom of the Opera

FOUR BOOKS YOU LOVE:
1. The Riverside Chaucer
2. Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner (Scott Cunningham)
3. Most fantasy (except Lord of the Rings...I know. I know...shaddap)
4. This is like picking favourite children...Women Sailors and Sailor's Women

FOUR CITIES YOU'VE LIVED IN:
1. That Vancouver Suburb I'm in now.
2. That's it.
3. I've only moved once when I was 8 months old from the same city.
4. But I was born in New West. Does that count?

FOUR TV SHOWS YOU LOVE TO WATCH:
1. Alias (Waaahhhh...it's the last season)
2. Firefly (Wahhhh...no more episodes)
3. Highlander (Wahhhh...it's over)
4. Queer as Folk (Wahhhh...hey...Is anyone else noticing a trend here? Thank Deity for DVDs)

FOUR PLACES YOU'VE BEEN ON VACATION:
1. Scotland
2. England
3. Washington State
4. San Francisco

FOUR WEBSITES YOU VISIT DAILY:
1. Various blogs
2. SFU webmail
3. Various webcomics
4. Ovarian Masses-how to tell if they're malignant. (YAY!! NO MORE OF THAT! *deletes link*)

FOUR OF YOUR ALL-TIME FAVORITE RESTAURANTS:
1. Sui Sha Ya sushi (all you can eat)
2. The Keg
3. Bostom Pizza (open late...even if I can't ever get soup)
4. Death By Chocolate.

FOUR OF YOUR FAVORITE FOODS:
1. Sushi
2. Chocolate covered cherries (Queen Anne type)
3. My grandmother's chocolate chip cookies
4. popcorn (it's so bad for me, yet so good)

FOUR SCHOOLS YOU'VE ATTENDED:
1. Douglas College
2. SFU
3. UBC
4. Port Moody Senior

FOUR THINGS YOU FIND YOURSELF SAYING A LOT:
1. "Hokay."
2. "Like..."
3. "What the crap?"
4. "I'm/you're such a nerd."

FOUR PLACES YOU'D RATHER BE RIGHT NOW:
1. With Dave
2. In my very own classroom, with my very own class
3. On a beach, learning how to surf...or eating fresh seafood and drinking a margarita. Either or.
4. On the bridge of the Serenity ogling Mal and Inara.

Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't think I made any. I usually say I'm going to give up smoking and drugs...really easy since I don't do either.

Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.

Did anyone close to you die?
Someone from my karate dojo, but I didn't really know him all that well.

What places did you visit?
Seattle, Bellingham, Harrison Hot Springs.

What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005?
An education degree.

What date from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory?
The day I got accepted at school...damned if I know the exact date though. Also, Dec 21, the day I had my ultrasound, and today when I found out everything was normal.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Going back to school, keeping things together with Dave (though that was really more his patience than my success)

What was your biggest failure?
The s3x toy party business.

Did you suffer illness or injury?
I've had this frigging cold on and off for months now. And I dropped a keyboard on my toe, and stubbed my toe so hard once that the...well...it's gross and I don't want to get into that.

What was the best thing you bought?
Mmmm...most of the great stuff I acquired was bought for me. Desk... computer... new bras... new dresser. I don't remember buying any big ticket items for myself.

Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Dave. He's been a saint putting up with my bitchyness...which heavily manifested itself last semester.

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
See above. Whoops.

Where did most of your money go?
My tattoo (just kidding Mom. No tattoos here.) Yarn, books, DVDs, car insurance, payments and gas.

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Firefly. (Jeez, obsessed much? I'm going to look back on this next year and be like, what the crap?) Oh, and learning how to tat!!

Compared to this time last year, are you:
Happier or sadder?
Happier...I know where my life is going.

Thinner or fatter?
*buffs nails* I think I'm about the same, but I lost 3-5 pounds between Halloween and now, thankyouverymuch.

Richer or poorer?
Hrm. Poorer. Definitely.

What do you wish you'd done more of?
Karate and knitting. My two favourite K activities.

What do you wish you'd done less of?
Doing crap aimlessly on the computer. (Like memes! Hey, wait a minute)

How will you be spending New Year's?
With friends watching movies or playing games.

Did you fall in love in 2005?
Stayed thoroughly in love.

How many one-night stands?
*cough*

Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I hate the word hate. I certainly dislike a few people now that I didn't care much for earlier.

Do you like anyone now that you hated this time last year?
Nope, don't think so.

What was the best book you read?
Oh lordie. Ummmmmm...probably Alias Grace or The Robber Bride, both by Margret Atwood.

What was your greatest musical discovery?
Pandora.com

What did you want and get?
*CENSORED* Oh, and a new computer, and a clean room. And acceptance to teacher training.

What did you want and not get?
Digital camera

What was your favorite film this year?
Mustn't...say...Serenity...

I'll go with Narnia...since I can't really remember. Aeon Flux was good too.

What did you do on your birthday?
Had a couple close friends, my family and Dave's family out for dinner, then karaoke for the friends.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Not having spent so much money on the failed s3x toy party business.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005?
Teacher-ish. More mature, except for the funny earrings. As an elementary teacher, one is destined to own multiple pairs of funny themed earrings.

What kept you sane?
Dave. Knitting, Karate.

Who did you miss?
Bill, but then he moved out here!! Yay!! Still miss Justy...we don't hang out much.

Who was the best new person you met?
People from my education class.

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005:
If I put my mind to it, and don't get distracted by the shiny internet, I can accomplish so much.

Holy crap...

I'm a Gigabyte for two weeks starting on Tuesday! I'm teaching ten lessons!! AGGGHHHGHGHHHH!!!

Scared, and nervous, and VERY excited.

Oh, holy crap. I'm teaching the first lesson back after Christmas break. *FEAR*

Waaaaaaaaahoooooooo!!!!

My ultrasound came back totally normal!!!

From my report: "the uterus is sonographically normal...the right ovary is sonographically normal...the left ovary contains (stuff that is normal)."

"Impression: no focal sonographic abnormality is identified in the pelvis."

Whee!

Speeeeeedy

I bought a ridiculously cheap copy of Hercules The Legendary Journeys Season One (which was said to be out of stock) on the 27th. About fourteen minutes ago, it arrived. Wowza.

(EDIT: I checked my invoice. I actually bought it yesterday around 230 pm. It showed up on my doorstep today at around 4 pm...26 hours after purchase. Go CNL!)

Browncoats Unite

PC250007, originally uploaded by Random Synapses.

For all you Firefly fans out there (and if you aren't, I want to know WHY!!). This Jayne hat was made for Dave's sister, Jen and it turned out fairly well. I gave it to her in a plain box, tied with butcher twine and filled with shredded paper just like in the show. I also included the letter that Jayne got from Ma Cobb when he received his hat.

Pry. My. Fingers. From. The. Mouse!!!

You can tell when a game is very very good when you play for just "five more minutes" and three hours later realize it's past 0300. Holy crap.

Thanks Dave. Successful present. :D

Merry Christmas!

Hopefully you're not a big ball of stress. That is all.

Oh, and hopefully you don't realize 34 minutes before midnight on Christmas Eve that you don't have anything for some people you're seeing tomorrow at noon. Whoops.

Done

I don't know if I'm actually done, like finished everything. I'm more done, like dinner. I can't do any more...but I am about to get dressed, go upstairs and do some more.

I feel so icky. I have presents I'm not finished.

I really do like this time of year...but I'm turning into a giant stress ball. Yeesh.

Merry Christmas and Winter and Happy Holidays because I can't think of all the stuff that happens. :P

I want to go and sleep for a week.

Poked and prodded

Dentist appointment today. Yech. No real surprises.

I've been working on this toque. I can't talk about it much, since it's going to be a Cmas present, but it's been the bane of my existance trying to find the right yarn for it. I think I've finally got it right. *phhooof*

Interesting conversation I had with myself. I'm getting sick again, so I decided to take a nap around 3 pm or so (I know, I am so lucky...). I woke up around six and it was dark outside. "Sweet! We don't tutor until 10 tomorrow!" "Excellent. That gives us another three hours to sleep." Zzzzz... One hour later. "Why the hell can't I stay asleep? This sucks." "Word." "Why's Dad watching TV at seven in the morning?" "Ohhhhh..."

So suddenly I find myself with an entire evening that I didn't realize I had. So I ate lobster on pasta with garlic butter, and now I'm reading and planning to get to the knitting very soon.

Real soon.

Currently reading: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
On the needles: Christmas presents x 3

Ooh, interesting.

Photo touchups. Found via Melissa Summers at Blogging Baby.

My ultrasound went well, I guess. I won't know the results until Friday or Monday (which is WAY faster than I expected) but the tech didn't run screaming out of the room to get a surgery table prepped for me, so that's good. Updates as they occur.

The waiting...she is almost over.

(backstory: during my physical back in October, a small lump was found in the vicinity of my left ovary, so I had an ultrasound scheduled. Said ultrasound is tomorrow.)

Tomorrow is my pelvic ultrasound. Of course, I probably won't find out the results for a few days weeks. I've been downplaying it because I censor a lot on here, but I'm really worried. :P I guess I'm posting this because it's almost 1:30 am and that's kind of a witching hour. (aside: tomorrow is the Solstice! Happy return of the longer days!!) In twelve hours I'll be full of water and driving to my appointment.

Bah! It's probably nothing! Now everyone tell me that some more so I believe it. It's so stupid...I'm sure there's nothing to worry about.

*worryworryworryworry*

Christmas Presents

Woohoo! I finished shopping a week or so back, and now they just need to be put together. I'm making most of them...so some of them might be getting to people a little later. :P Ask my mom...I owe her a set of cross stitched towels from Mother's Day...uh...2002. I'll post pictures after Christmas, since some people who read here are getting stuff I've made. :)

Tonight I'm going to the Ridge Theatre to watch the best commercials of 2005. Hmm...paying to watch commercials...what has the world come to? Hehe.. Popcorn!! Whee!

Stolen from Lora.

This is a milder one than I've seen floating around. ;) Brackets are my comments

[ ] I am shorter than 5'4.
[x] I think I'm ugly sometimes most of the time (only sometimes)
[x] I have many scars. (mostly little ones...chicken pox and other)
[] I tan easily
[x] wish my hair was a different color.
[x] I have friends who have never seen my natural hair color.
[ ] I have a tattoo.
[x] I am self-conscious about my appearance.
[ ] I have/I've had braces.
[ ] I wear glasses.
[ ] I would get plastic surgery if it were 100% safe, free of cost, and scar-free.
[x] I've been told I'm attractive by a complete stranger.
[x] I have more than 2 piercings.
[x] I have piercings in places besides my ears.
[x] I have freckles.


Family/Home Life

[x] I've sworn at my parents.
[x] I've run away from home. (when I was twelve or thirteen. I had some cockeyed thought that life on the street would be like Pretty Woman)
[ ] I've been kicked out of the house.
[x] My biological parents are together.
[ ] I have a sibling less than one year old.
[x] I want to have kids someday.
[ ] I've had children.
[ ] I've lost a child.


School/Work

[x] I'm in school.
[x] I have a job.
[x] I've fallen asleep at work/school.
[x] I almost always do my homework.
[ ] I've missed a week or more of school.
[x] I've been on the Honor Roll within the last 2 years. (if there was an honour roll, I'd be on it)
[ ] I failed more than 1 class last year.
[ ] I've stolen something from my job
[x] I've been fired. (Burned pizzas, cookies, my boss, flooded the kitchen...not my finest moments)
[x] I've skipped school/Class (only univrsity/college)


Embarrassment

[x] I've slipped out a "lol" in a spoken conversation. (When the internet was young...and so was I...I used to use ROFL in conversation...)
[ ] Disney movies still make me cry. (only when I'm hormonal...but then Coke commercials do that when I'm hormonal)
[x] I've peed from laughing.
[x] I've snorted while laughing.
[x] I've laughed so hard I've cried.
[x] I've glued my hand to something (the other hand)
[x] I've laughed till some kind of beverage came out of my nose.
[x] I've had my pants rip in public (my karate pants...luckily it was the one day that I brought spares)

Health

[ ] I was born with a disease/impairment.
[ ] I've gotten stitches.
[ ] I've broken a bone.
[ ] I've had my tonsils removed.
[x] I've sat in a doctors office with a friend.
[x] I've had my wisdom teeth removed.
[ ] I had a serious surgery.
[x] I've had chicken pox.


Traveling

[x] I've ridden over 200 miles in one day.
[x] I've been on a plane.
[x] I've been to Canada.
[x] I've been to Mexico.
[ ] I've been to Niagara Falls.
[ ] I've been to Japan.
[ ] I've Celebrated Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
[x] I've been to Europe.
[ ] I've been to Africa.
[ ] I've been to Asia.


Experiences

[x] I've gotten lost in my city.
[x] I've seen a shooting star.
[x] I've wished on a shooting star.
[x] I've seen a meteor shower.
[x] I've gone out in public in my pajamas.
[x] I've pushed all the buttons on an elevator
[x] I've kicked a guy where it hurts.
[x] I've been to a casino.
[ ] I've been skydiving.
[ ] I've been an abuse victim.
[x] I've gone skinny dipping.
[x] I've played spin the bottle.
[ ] I've drank a whole gallon of milk in one hour.
[ ] I've crashed a car.
[x] I've been Skiing
[x] I've been in a play.
[x] I've met someone in person from the internet.
[x] I've caught a snowflake on my tongue.
[ ] I've seen the Northern Lights.
[x] I've sat on a roof top at night.
[ ] I've played chicken.
[x] I've played a prank on someone.
[x] I've ridden in a taxi.
[x] I've seen the Rocky Horror Picture Show
[x] I've eaten Sushi.
[x] I've been snowboarding.

Relationships

[ ] I'm single
[x] I'm in a relationship.
[ ] I'm engaged.
[ ] I'm married.
[ ] I've had someone cheat on me.
[ ] I've gone on a blind date.
[ ] I've been the dumpee more than the dumper.
[x] I miss someone right now.
[ ] I have a fear of commitment.
[x] I have a fear of abandonment.
[x] I've cheated in a relationship
[ ] I've gotten divorced
[x] I've had feelings for someone who didn't have them back.
[x] I've told someone I loved them when I didn't.
[x] I've told someone I didn't love them when I did.
[x] I've kept something from a past relationship.


Sexuality

[x] I've had a crush on a teacher.
[x] I love to flirt.
[x] I've been kissed in the rain.
[x] I've hugged a stranger.
[x] I have kissed a stranger.

Honesty/Crime

[x] I am a terrible liar.
[x] I've done something I promised someone else I wouldn't
[x] I've done something I promised myself I wouldn't.
[x] I've snuck out of my house.
[x] I have lied to my parents about where I am.
[ ] I am keeping a secret from the world
[ ] I've cheated while playing a game.
[x] I've run a red light.
[ ] I've been suspended from school.
[x] I've witnessed a crime.
[ ] I've been in a fist fight.
[ ] I've been arrested.
[ ] I've shoplifted

Drugs/Alcohol

[x] I've consumed alcohol.
[ ] I regularly drink.
[x] I've passed out from drinking.
[ ] I have passed out drunk at least once in the past 6 months.
[ ] I've smoked weed
[ ] I've taken painkillers when I didn't need them.
[ ] I'm a stoner.
[ ] I've snorted cocaine.
[ ] I've eaten shrooms.
[ ] I've popped E.
[ ] I've inhaled Nitrous.
[ ] I've done hard drugs.
[ ] I have cough drops when I'm not sick.
[ ] I can't swallow pills.
[x] I can swallow about 5 pills at a time no problem
[ ] I have been diagnosed with clinical depression.
[x] I shut others out when I'm depressed.
[ ] I take anti-depressants.
[ ] I'm anorexic or bulimic.
[x] I've slept an entire day when I didn't need it.
[x] I've hurt myself on purpose.
[ ] I'm addicted to self harm.
[x] I've woken up crying.
[x] I've cried myself to sleep.
[ ] Seeing a therapist.


Death and Suicide

[x] I'm afraid of dying.
[x] I hate funerals.
[x] I've seen someone dying.
[ ] Someone close to me has attempted suicide.
[ ] Someone close to me has committed suicide.
[x] I've planned my own suicide.
[ ] I've attempted suicide.
[ ] I've written a eulogy for myself.

Materialism

[ ] I own over 5 rap CDs. (I'm not sure...I don't know exactly what I've got in my CD collection
[x] I own an iPod or MP3 player.
[ ] I have an unhealthy obsession with anime/manga.
[ ] I own multiple designer purses, costing over $100 a piece.
[x] I own something from Hot Topic.
[ ] I own something from Pac Sun.
[ ] I collect comic books.
[x] I own something from The Gap.
[ ] I own something I got on e-bay.
[ ] I own something from Abercrombie.
[ ] I own something from Hollister Co.


Political/Social Attitudes

[x] In general, I don't like people.
[x] I'm a feminist.
[x] I'm outgoing.
[ ] I listen to political music.
[x] I'm Democratic.
[ ] I'm Republican.
[x] I'm liberal. (radical not liberal)
[x] I don't like Bush
[x] I don't like Bush with my own reasons to back it up.
[ ] I am for Bush.
[ ] im religious.
[x] I dress fairly modestly.
[x] My attitude is, "If you've got it, flaunt it."


Random

[x] I can sing well
[ ] I've stolen a tray from a fast food restaurant.
[ ] I open up to others easily.
[ ] I watch the news.
[x] I don't kill bugs.
[ ] I hate hearing songs that sacrifice meaning for the sake of being able to rhyme.
[x] I curse regularly.
[x] I sing in the shower.
[ ] I am a morning person.
[ ] I paid for my cell phone ring tone.
[x] I'm a snob about grammar
[ ] I am a sports fanatic.
[x] I twirl my hair
[ ] I have "x"s in my screen name
[ ] I love being neat
[ ] I love Spam
[x] I've copied more than 30 CD's in a day
[x] I bake well.
[ ] My favorite color is either white, yellow, pink, red or blue
[x]I would wear pajamas to school.
[ ] I like Martha Stewart.
[x] I know how to shoot a gun.
[ ] I am in love with love.
[ ] I am guilty of tYpInG lIkE tHiS.
[x] I laugh at my own jokes.
[x] I eat fast food weekly.
[x] I believe in ghosts.
[ ] I am online 24/7, even as an away message.
[ ] I've not turned anything in and still got an A in a certain class.
[ ] I can't sleep if there is a spider in the room.
[ ] I am really ticklish.
[ ] I love white chocolate
[x] I bite my nails.
[ ] I play video games.
[x] I'm good at remembering faces.
[ ] I'm good at remembering names
[ ] I'm good at remembering dates.
[x] I have no idea what I want to do for the rest of my life.

[x] My answers are totally honest

Rudolph!

I don't know how many times I watched the Rudolph movie...a lot of it I can quote as it goes. It's funny how the expressions on the face are so uncoordinated to the emotions that are supposed to be expressed. It's awesome, but bad and great, at the same time! I just need cookies to make it all better.

*clasps hands together*

Oh joyous taste sensation...

Eggnog fudge. Wowza.

I should probably go eat something substantial though...I tend to get sick if I only eat pure sugar. And eggnog flavour.

I am very annoyed right now.

ARGH!

Priorities...

I had kind of an emotionally lousy night last night. But, it's amazing how quickly all those mental gymnastics vanish when the stomach gymnastics start...note to self: least favourite nighttime activity=throwing up at 0400.

I'm in a better mood this morning though...sun is shining, birds are singing, tons of stuff needs to be done and my stomach is queasy still...headache and dizzyness? Check.

Dammit.

Why I'm not writing a long post...

I have no chair.

Yesterday in a fit of neat freakishness, I started cleaning the floor in front of my closet. Then today, I continued. I started cleaning the floor of my closet. Then I emptied my closet.

Onto my chair.

And my bed.

And the floor I was originally cleaning, plus under and around my computer desk. So even if I had an uncluttered chair, I would still be kneeling in front of my desk with a sewing basket jammed against my thigh.

*fumes*

I think that everyone knows of/knows someone who is homophobic. I have this friend, I'll call him R, who is hideously heterophobic, or maybe femalephobic. I hugged him once after not seeing him for a couple months and he shoved me away with an "Ew! Boobies!" R refers to people as "Those straights/breeders" in the same way that idiot assholes refer to homosexuals as faggots or queers or (insert slur here). How the hell do you educate someone like that? He seems to be generally bitter and disrespectful to everyone, so it's not just "those straights" but holy crap. There is much annoyance in Karin's head tonight.

The floor is open.

Nine people??

Hello to the nine people who have come over here...probably from squid's place. I wish I was more interesting...but I censor myself a lot on here. :) So, um...yeah. Welcome!

Stolen from Chris (barefoot and...)

If you read this, if your eyes are passing over this right now, even if we don't *speak* often, please post a comment with a COMPLETELY MADE UP AND FICTIONAL MEMORY OF YOU AND ME.It can be anything you want--good or bad--BUT IT HAS TO BE FAKE.When you're finished, post this paragraph on your blog and be surprised (or mortified) about what people DON'T ACTUALLY remember about you.No excuses, OK?

hey, I just realized something...

All those books? All that knitting? All those COMPUTER GAMES?? All that stuff I've been putting off "until school's over"?? SCHOOL'S OVER, BABY! *breaks out the Sims*

Blogroll stats

27/32 blogs I read on a regular basis (not counting my LJ feed) are written by women. I suppose that makes a certain amount of sense since a lot of them are pregnancy blogs that have since turned into after-pregnancy blogs written by the same person. Weird and bizarre though, still. Especially since I tend to get along with guys much better than I do women, I'd think that I'd read more guys' journals...or maybe it's because not as many guys blog as women do. Bah, I don't know.

I heard a statistic around Hallowe'en that the average people gained between Hallowe'en and Christmas is about 9 pounds. So far, since Hallowe'en, I've lost three. :) I'm celebrating with some chocolate chip mint ice cream with marshmallows on top.

What? The marshmallows are insulating the ice cream. Is there ANYTHING those little white balls of sugar can't do??

My days off.

I still wake up around 9 or so...and I'm going to bed around 1030. Isn't falling apart from sheer exhaustion fun, boys and girls? I've been mostly chilling out for the last day or two, but now! Now it's time to get moving on my Grand List O' Stuff To Do Over The Holidays(tm) Apparently today I have to do laundry and get a box of stuff sorted out into keep in room, chuck, otherwise get rid of or keep in storage. I've only got ummm...ten of those boxes in my room, not counting those in my closet. :P Yuck. I'm tutoring today 2-3, and I leave for karate before 4 so I need to get on that now.

...

Any time now.

...

yep...just about to go...

Yay! Done!

All finished. I have a couple of assignments due sometime in the new year, but I don't need to start them this weekend. Ahhhh...nearly a whole month free.

To be perfectly honest, these last three months passed in a sleep deprived haze. I remember what happened when people prompt me, but so much happened in such a short time that it's really foggy.

In other news, my throat is killing me, I've been feeling nauseated and dizzy all day, and I'm exhausted. My first night of freedom is going to consist of me going to bed early and crashing like a rock. Off a cliff.

Two. More. Pages...

I have two more pages to write for my semester to be OVER. Do you think I can concentrate? No, of course not. That would be far too easy. ARGH!!!

Tomorrow's my last day! *does a happy dance*

Ancient Advice

From June 1, 1997 | The Chicago Tribune | Mary Schmich

Ladies and gentlemen of the class of '97:
Wear sunscreen.

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh, never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded. But trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. You are not as fat as you imagine.

Don't worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Sing.

Don't be reckless with other people's hearts. Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss.

Don't waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself.

Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch.

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't.

Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees. You'll miss them when they're gone.

Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either. Your choices are half chance. So are everybody else's.

Enjoy your body. Use it every way you can. Don't be afraid of it or of what other people think of it. It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.

Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room.

Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.

Do not read beauty magazines. They will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents. You never know when they'll be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings. They're your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard. Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft. Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths: Prices will rise. Politicians will philander. You, too, will get old. And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund. Maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse. But you never know when either one might run out.

Don't mess too much with your hair or by the time you're 40 it will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen.

*happy dance*

One more assignment to do...my ultrasound (no, I'm not pregnant) is booked for two weeks from today (about four weeks sooner than I thought) and then they'll be able to tell me that nothing is wrong. I'm especially looking forward to them telling me nothing is wrong. I'm NOT looking forward to drinking 1L of water between 1230 and 1pm, then not being allowed to...um... evacuate... for what will likely be two or more hours. Yeah... :P

To Do

Planning journal
Lesson plan overview (9 lessons)
Full lesson plan x 3 2
Journal entry x 5 3
Papers: roughly 10 7 2 pages
Group project x 2
resource sheet

It's been a good day...

Look a meme

(still working...just on a break)

Take my Quiz on QuizYourFriends.com!

Hey, great turnaround...

Googlebots are wickedly fast. I just got my first hit from Google for the word "orgasm". I only used it a few days ago! Crazy.

I was putting a forum together for my fellow education students, and I saw that someone was looking around at all the posts, so I checked out the IP address, and it was for somewhere in Google. Huh, I thought. Someone must have routed it through Google or something. Then I realized that less than twenty minutes after I'd put up the stuff I'd put up there was a Googlebot crawling through the forum. I'm impressed.

And slightly frightened. Wow.

Burning...burning...burning OUUUUT...

I'm done like dinner. I just want to sleep for the next week, but I can't because I have SO MUCH STILL TO DO!!! GAAHHHHH!!!

DUE STUFF REVISITED
Planning journal
Lesson plan overview (9 lessons)
Full lesson plan x 3 2
Journal entry x 5 3
Papers: roughly 10 7 pages
Group project x 2
resource sheet

My pancreas is about to have an orgasm, then explode.

The pancreas is the one that regulates sugars, carbs and insulin, right? Anyway, my dinner tonight is pasta, garlic toast, veggies, hot chocolate and a ton of marshmallows. The marshmallows are less for the flavour though, and more for their insulating properties.

...

Ahhhh, who'm I trying to kid? I ate a handful after they "spilled" on the counter. And they weren't insulating the counter, that's all I'm saying.

Although if I eat too many, I'm going to find them insulating my hips in a week or two...

One step at a time...

...slowly I work towards school being finshed for a whole glorious month. I am still working at ten times what I've ever worked at school before, but I'm starting to run out of steam. Guh. Two assignments due this week...four...five?..due next week.

Ow, cramps. Bad time! Busy! Can't fall asleep early right now!

Open Letter

To all the people in my courses at school: Chill the fuck out already. You're harshing my mellow.

Seriously...no one in this place wants you to fail (except me once in a while when I'm feeling particularly vicious, but that doesn't last long, I swear). None of the profs want to flunk you out. If you didn't do it right the first time, YOU. GET. A. REWRITE.

Although I suppose that this, coming from the one who has been dubbed Hermione, is scant comfort. Um...but yeah. Stop with the freaking out, mmmkay? Because then I start to freak out, thinking I missed something...and THAT...well, if Momma ain't happy, ain't no one happy. Capeesh? Aiight then. Carry on.

Love and kisses,
Me.

PS. If anyone can come up with an assessment activity for a literature lesson comparing "The Gingerbread Man" with "The Stinky Cheese Man" before 1030 tomorrow morning, please send it along. It's freaking me the fuck out that I can't get something together.

Me.

:(

Why can't I access SFU's webmail? Or get ICQ and MSN running? Or go to Gmail? :(

No snow please! We're BC'ers!

What the hell is the fluffy white stuff doing coming down before Christmas? This is BC! We don't get snow! We get rain! That doesn't turn into ice! Or slush and get into my boots!! *mental note: wear boots tomorrow...very high ones*



0600-I wake up, remember to grab my wallet and my Social Studies project that is due today, leave the house a little late because I snoozed twice instead of once.

0640-realize my car is frozen shut. Finally crack the seal and turn on the car...I'm almost out of gas...turn off the car. Use expired credit card as ice scraper (I can't ever find mine...it's about somewhere). Start to drive, can't see a bloody thing, so I risk running on the airy breath of gas fumes to defog my car.

0650-get to the gas station on the fumes of the fumes of the fumes. Where the crap is my wallet? I remember using the credit card but...oh my GOD...I check the roof of my car where there's a suspicious wallet shaped mark in the frost on the roof. Oh my GOD. I envison my wallet in front of my house. Then I find my wallet in the corner of my bag. Yeesh.

0710-get to Dave's, drop off my car, get a few minutes of snuggling and realize that I don't have my Socials project. Seriously...this time I really didn't have it. I knew exactly where it was too...and that's where it was when I came home tonight. So I phoned my mom and walked her through turning on my computer and emailing me the files. Not bad considering that *I'D* never turned on my computer.

0824-get to school, print off my project, get to class. Whew.

0920-turn in the project

1030-go to really crappy lecture that we have to go to. Get to write the review of it so people know what they did wrong. I needed a thesaurus...could only think of three terms for "useless". *sigh*

1230-get the runaround for half an hour on my cell phone while I'm trying to deal with getting a test scheduled for my stomach. *grrr*

Blah, blah, stuff happens and now it's snowing. So with my track record, it ought to melt and just be nothing by tomorrow when I have to be at Gigabyte. Either that or shut down the school. I'm open to either possibility.

So this was the weirdest almost bad day today. Everything was messed up enough to stress me right the hell out, but nothing really went wrong. And my last week keeps getting shorter and shorter...I think I had two classes cancelled today for a total of three. Oh wait...they weren't cancelled. They were made into "tutorial classes" because profs can't tell us not to show up, but they can mention to one of our group that if we were going to skip any particular day, Xday would be a good choice.

Something philosophical?

I feel as though I should write something momentous...this is the first blog post on my new computer. :D But that's about all I've got.

A Secret Look Into My Blog Format: whine about school, whine about how I feel yucky, gush about how great things are...

Now I'm afraid I'm going to have to kill you since you know my secret.

Goals are good...

...if you can keep them up.

Goals for December

December 9-take the day off and revel in the lack of homework or classes. Tutor sometime during the day.
December 10-Karate, again with the revelling of no homework. Laundry and organize a box of stuff.
December 11-Clean the bathroom.
December 12-Kitchen, stock up on dust allergy pills, box
December 13-The floor around my computer and the couch, vacuum
December 14-stuff from the side of my bed
December 15-box of stuff, more beside my bed
December 16-Laundry, finish with the stuff beside my bed
December 17-karate, vacuum, move all my stuff into the newly excavated place beside my bed.
December 18-organize all my school notes into "keep for who knows when" and "using next semester", box
December 19-clean bathroom
December 20-25-frantically finish making all the Christmas gifts and cookies that I forgot to do through the previous two weeks.
December 26-clean rec room
December 27-put Cmas stuff into room
December 28-Jan 3-relax, start reading next semester's stuff, come up with lesson plans for 2 week practicum

Bleah and Yay

Oof.. I've got a wicked headache. I've felt kind of lousy all day...sort of bleh-y. So descriptive...I know.

I've been doing a lot of homework...annoyingly, a bunch of it is stuff that I could have done earlier in the year. *snark* I'm a dumbass sometimes, but whatever.

I got to watch three fellow karate-ka (students) test for their brown belts today. That's amazing...one of them joined just a little before I did. Uh, yeah...don't ask me what level I'm at. :P I've been sabotaging my training on and off. It's bad. I need to fix that.

We got to spar today. I am pleased. And sore, in a good way.

And now, to bed. Because I am a tired person who has forgone having a life when I joined the teacher training. Two nights in a row in bed before 1130. Yeesh. I might get all wild and crazy and do some tatting before I read until I fall asleep with the light on. It's just a big party over here, folks.

One line thoughts

Someone's been spamming my knitting blog...with relevant spam. Wow.

I want a Tobelerone. Or however that's spelled.

I have less than two weeks less of classes, then almost a whole MONTH off.

My age is up at the top of this page...I don't think I like that.

I'm not oversaturated with Christmas hatred this year! YAY!

I can kill way too much time reading blogs and comics. Oh, and blogging. Time to get back to work...

Due before Dec. 9

Planning journal
Lesson plan overview (9 lessons)
Full lesson plan x 3
Journal entry x 5
Papers: roughly 10 pages
Group project x 2
resource sheet (not sure what the heck that is...)

*groan*

So, I'll see you all December 10th, mmmmmkay?

Foggy foggy.

I don't do well when I have to drive at night when it's wet. I have discovered that I don't do well driving at night, or even in the day, when it's really really foggy out...as it has been for three days. Especially when I'm exhausted...either before or after school. I changed lanes yesterday on the Barnet Highway and realized when I was already over there that there was a car in my blindspot who thankfully had gotten behind where my car was.

I check blindspots though...I'm pretty sure that I was clear and that the other car flew up to try and block me...if that's the case it was a really shitty thing for them to do, especially since visuals were at about twenty feet. *snarl*

Or maybe it really was just me...

Muahahaha...

The winner of the "fake me out country song of the month"

He wondered how she'd take it when he said goodbye.
Thought she might do some cryin': lose some sleep at night.
But he had no idea, when he hit the road,
That without him in her life, she'd let herself go.

(ed. note: this is where I started to get pissed off...but then...THEN!!!)

Let herself go on a singles cruise,
To Vegas once, then to Honolulu.
Let herself go to New York City:
A week at the Spa; came back knocked-out pretty.
When he said he didn't love her no more,
She let herself go.

(ed note: YES!!!)

She poured her heart an' soul into their three-bedroom ranch.
Spent her days raisin' babies, ironin' his pants.
Came home one day from the grocery store and found his note,
And without him there to stop her, she let herself go.

Let herself go on her first blind-date:
Had the time of her life with some friends at the lake.
Let herself go, buy a brand new car,
Drove down to the beach he always said was too far.
Sand sure felt good between her toes:

She let herself go on a singles cruise,
To Vegas once, then to Honolulu.
Let herself go to New York City:
A week at the Spa; came back knocked-out pretty.
When he said he didn't love her no more,
She let herself go.

On a roll again...

Today I baked gingerbread cookies, did a ton of laundry and cleaned up my room somewhat. We put out birdseed last week and I see a bunch of chickadees and various other avian life outside on our balcony. Someone close to me is gonna have a BABY!!! :D I've got an incredible guy.

So that's the good stuff.

The bad stuff: I'm so panic-ridden at the idea of seeing a certain person today that I feel like I'm going to throw up (need to leave in three minutes...better finish this post). My computer keyboard has ceased functioning, so I'm using my mom's mac and it's very hard to type on. All my school stuff is on my computer downstairs. This is making me feel like I'm going to throw up because if I can't get my stuff....eeeep... I'm so jealous that I think I'm going to throw up. I'm so busy that I fell like...you guessed it...I'm going to throw up. I've got a minor health thing that probably won't turn out to be anything at all, but it's making me nervous. I'm still tired and sick to the point of inability to focus or anything like that. I'm dizzy and nauseated and shaky and generally feeling like crap. Because of illness and school, I don't have time to see anyone and when I do I'm too tired to really enjoy it. Grr...

ok, pity party's over. I've got to take off. The birds outside are adorable...

Dear internet,

Today I was so tired...
*chorus* HOW TIRED WERE YOU? */chorus*

I was so tired that I nearly put my foot under Dave's car's tire when he was pulling away after he dropped me off at school.

On purpose.

Because in my sleep befogged state I thought that if I broke my foot people would give me nice drugs and I could go home and take a nap. Logical, no? No? Ok. No. Although if it'd been a stranger's car and wouldn't have entailed my boyfriend being traumatized by injuring me the odds of me doing it would have gone up.

(This has been slightly exaggerated by comic effect. Don't glare at me...you two know who you are.)

*resumes breathing again*

Dave's back. I picked him up at the airport yesterday. Much woot-age.

I teach my first lesson at Gigabyte Elementary tomorrow. I'm excited. I know I'll do fine (yay, hubris...) I wonder if I'll look back on this entry with a shaking head or gleeful "I knew it!". In roughly 15 hours there will be 21 kindergarten and grade ones wielding scissors on my behalf.

Oh, the power.

That's about it for me.

Oooohhh...

Yesterday I switched to Firefox, but had to go to bed before I could play around with it at all. Based on my first impression, I'm loving it muchly. In IE, my blog is totally borked because of the size of the photos, but Firefox makes it so that my sidebar isn't on the bottom of the page!!! MUCH REJOICING!!!!

That's almost enough to make me forget about migrating the content somewhere else.

So Dave's back from Montreal tonight. This is the first time that he's gone somewhere without me for any length of time. I've been to Scotland when we first met for a month, and to the States for a couple days at a time since we've started going out, but he's never gone anywhere. But now he's back, and I need to think of something to surprise him with. I'm thinking dessert-like, but I don't have time to bake anything today. I have to finish some homework so when I (coded on the off chance that he actually reads this before he leaves...) ick-pay im-hay up-hay om-fray uh-thay airport-hay I can hang out with him until he's tired and wants to go to sleep (I estimate fourteen seconds after he's in the car).

Now, to homework.

BW Leaves in the corner

BW Leaves in the corner, originally uploaded by Random Synapses.

Fun with black and white.

Squirelly Wrath!

Squirelly Wrath!, originally uploaded by Random Synapses.

This is one of UBC's attack squirrels. He's currently being very cunning as he moves to surround me. Yes. All by himself.

They're cunning, ok?

Shadow Play

Shadow Play, originally uploaded by Random Synapses.

Fun with shadows. Wearing a filmy skirt and boots? Needed a photo.

Abandoned Bench

Abandoned Bench, originally uploaded by Random Synapses.

I like this. The perspective is cool. I did it in black and white too, but I don't think it's got the same impact as some of the other BW stuff I did.

Texture

Texture, originally uploaded by Random Synapses.

I've got a bunch of pictures up of autumn around UBC. I'll post some here that I particularly like. This is a close up of the vines that cover the front of Scarfe (the education building).

*breathes*

Dave's plane landed in Montreal. I solemnly swear that I will never roll my eyes again when my mom is worried about me going somewhere.

So tired.

I want a diet Coke with lime.

Attached to the comments for my math paper from a few weeks ago...

"Your research paper for MAED (Math Education) 320 was very well done and presents a perspective that is unique or under-represented in the field of math education. For these reasons, I would like you to consider submitting your paper for publication in the BCAMT (British Columbia Association of Math Teachers) journal, Vector.

HOLY SHIT!!!!

(edit: I haven't gotten any official word if I have gotten into the journal...just that I ought to submit. Just wanted to clear that up. :) )

Things I learned at Gigabyte Elementary today.

1) Don't trust the paint. It isn't dry.
2) There really isn't a spider on my head.
3) Shouting out the answer without raising your hand is just like budging with your voice.
4) No, seriously. The paint really isn't dry. (green paint on the bosom of my lavender sweater. It's a nice look.)
5) If a kid turns to you and says, "Hug?" and you let them, you're going to feel smiley all day.

Whee!

Like most people, I have symptoms when I'm sick. However, I've noticed over the (far too many) times I've been sick the last few years months that I have symptoms when I'm getting better. Generally speaking, I avoid food like crazy when I'm sick, especially milk based products. Yech.

So the two symptoms I look for are absolute ravenous hunger, which lasts for about three days, and milk-based food/drinks. The last two days I've been eating everything that wasn't nailed down and last night I had a bit of Irish cream, I've been eating cheese (cheddar and smoked salmon flavoured cream cheese) and a glass of milk with my peanut butter and banana sandwich (eaten last night just before a huge steak dinner and after about a dozen crackers with cream cheese).

Hooray! I've been sick for 13 days now...it's about bloody time that I feel better.

*whine*

I'm tired. I'm sick. Day 12 now. I've got cramps. I'm sick of having to schedule time to see people. I'm tired of being sick all the time. I'm sick to death of not having any time to myself. I'm so tired all the time that even if I wanted to see people (or the odd time I do get to go out) I'm bitchy and whiny and I know *I* certainly wouldn't want to hang around with me.

*/whine*

I think I need to do more knitting or something. It's my therapy in a yarn ball. And it's great because not only do I get to wear my stylish yarn creations, I get rid of stuff that was taking up space in my room! It's a win win situation.

In other news, this will be post 918 on this blog...I'm thinking that once I hit 1000 I might migrate over to Moveable Type or something...maybe Word Press.

You know...in between being bitchy, seeing people, not seeing people and being sick. My exciting life. :P

No magic pill

Darn. I've got a virus, which means that antibiotics won't help. Dammit.

Last year at this time I was frantically pounding out 1667 words each day. DAMN I wish I was doing Nanowrimo again. :( I really loved the feeling of it. *sigh*

I took a depression test, and SHOCKINGLY!!! I am far less depressed than I've been in months! I have been feeling GOOOOOOOOD, despite being sick.

And the Canucks won tonight. It's been an overall good day.

Wow, what a crappy layout that meme below has.

Ahem.

Firstly, I'm a nerd...not a dork as I thought. This mixup due to overwhelming amounts of cold and flu medication. As my MSN handle states, the four main food groups are NeoCitran (finally spelled right! no more googles!), chicken soup, Halls, and Chapstick.

Secondly, I'm still sick. Doctor's appointment tomorrow.

Thirdly, my first day at Gigabyte Elementary was a grand success. More about it later...highlights include being given two spontaneous hugs by two different five or six year old girls, helping in the computer lab and realizing that I actually kind of know what I'm doing...and that I'm going to be in the right field.

Finally. I know there's a lot of people breathing a sigh of relief that I finally know what the hell I'm doing. I'm the loudest.