Apologies for this (and other things)

Get ready for it...Self-awareness at its most blatant is circling the air in thick fumes and settling across my shoulders with a shudder of severe exaggeration and melodramatics.

After indulging in vast amounts of peanut butter and chocolate chips, I have spent the evening remarking upon this past week.

PLEASE NOTE: I am currently unemployed and waiting for the Tuesday to occur so that I will have finished at least one day of this dreaded school year. I am not usually this bitter towards academics, and I actually have a great deal of fondness for the scholastic institution, I am just having a moment. Hopefully a brief one.

FORMULATIONS:
1. I am pretty surprised that I am studying to be a social worker.

2. I am utterly and completely bereft of finances due to my lazy and procrastinistic nature, which is causing havoc with my ability to pay for the aforementioned schooling. Today I received a white scrap of paper with an obscene amount of money that represents a mere quarter of this fall's tuition. Ouch. I cannot even buy those beautiful prismacolour pencil crayons that are just sitting there useless in the store waiting for some rich person to snatch them up and give them to their five year old godson who will drop them on the floor, thus breaking the fragile lead encased within. hurmph.

3. I am a pretty foul friend, when all is said and done. I will not weasel my way our of this one, but I take full ownership, and merely state that I am still learning and developing. Even though I have a brain capacity similar to a pubescent, my intentions are sometimes good.

4. I like simplicity. I hate clutter. I hate mess. I hate useless knick knacks that have no meaning for my existence. I do not consider my 9 potted plants as clutter. They have a use in that they provide me with oxygen. When you live with 8 other people, you loose your oxygen much faster.

5. I can walk twice as fast in the summer than I can in mid-winter. I timed it today. Probably due to the fact that winter includes 2 factors such as wind and snow pants, both which can slow one down.

6. I like this band: Taken by Trees

Apologies for the sardonic nature of this post. It has been a long week.

Rain

Newest roommate Bethany showed me this video...and it pretty much sums up my entire existence of the last couple days.

My thoughtful conclusion: Roommates are essential. All of them.

An update:

I am back in Winnipeg preparing for another year of school which will most likely result in a severe psychological disorder. So before I start whimpering and throwing any computer in sight out the window I thought I would make a note of my current happy emotional state. In a few months I can look back on this post and remember the good ol' days. The days of waking up late, wandering around the house in my pajamas, taking the dog for a walk, reading, and sitting on the deck doing nothing.

I tried to weed my crazy, overgrown garden this morning. I got attacked by a prickly weed so i left the carrots alone. Then I picked up a 4 foot tomato plant, and stood there for a few minutes thinking about how I could make it stand up. I couldn't think of any ideas that would not cost money. So I let the plant flop back over.

It is cloudy today.

Katie gave me her flannel sheets.

I have 5 new flavours of Rooibos tea.

Kim gave me a pretty new scarf.

Gasp.

I guess I am preparing for the autumn season.

Grey Weather

Isn't this lil' trolley cute? It goes back and forth along the water front in dear Nelson, BC, and picks up tourists along the way. In my day care months, we would take the wee children on board to add a little excitement to the day. This trolley is 110 years old, and has had a colourful past improvising as a chicken coop, dog kennel, restaurant, etc.

The last couple of days, my brother and I have been weed wacking the trolley tracks, which are overcome with weeds. Weeds as tall as my hip bone. I'm serious. Anyway, I make no claims to be a weed wacker professional, and my body would agree. I feel like I have been run over by a trolley.

Today is a grey day. Listen to Gregory and the Hawk if your day is also grey.

Happy Sigh

I'm pretty sure I love being home.

At the moment I am sitting outside listening to the hum of crickets, with a black cat sleeping on my feet, and a warm breeze ruffling my hair into my eyes so I cannot see. Oh joyous.

I have experienced some pretty amazing things since I have been home, and I have been able to refresh a spirit that was rather dry. You know your spirit is losing its life when it gets harder to laugh. A holiday was imperative.

My Recent holiday experiences:

1. Realizing that the bathing suit that used to belong to my sister, and that I have owned since I was 12 is now too tight for comfort.

2. Turning one year older always provides opportunity to reflect on the experiences throughout the year, such as nearly shriveling up into a pile of dust after this past year at Booth College, and perfecting my ability to write my papers in between sniffles and random angry outbursts, because the first copy didn't save properly.

3. Listening to a delightful concert by a man named Dan Mangan.

4. Being completely, overwhelmingly, magnificently surprised by two impish roommates who decided to trek hundreds of kilometers to visit grand BC and wish me a happy birthday. Golly!

5. Taking part in illegal activity. Pictures will be posted. Because I feel guilty and I need to come clean.

6. Eating two whole birthday cakes by myself.

7. Eating scads of fresh raspberries and huckleberries smothered in cream.

8. Eating...well, lots of free food.

9. Swimming a lot. This is a thing I have never really done, but I quite enjoyed it. Especially in the moonlight in my birthday suit (note: indecent exposure is not the aforementioned illegal activity and no pictures will be provided).

10. Hanging out with my family is pretty cool. Right now they are at the local Nelson workout gym, becoming toned and gaining vast amounts of muscle. I don't mind. Someone has to stay home and watch for bears. The other day my mom and I stepped in bear poop up to our kneecaps while picking huckleberries. Yuck!

Three more days till I am comin' home

Cue music and picture a studly man with a beard singing this soulful tune...

"Three more days...you know I will be comin' home to you...I know its wrong to be so far from home...wooahh."

Yes. I am writing another paper.

For those of you who may notice, or care, or wonder...

...I know my playlist is just a little out of control. With well over 100 songs, I constantly add new music and move it around. Constantly. I find it very difficult to delete songs that have been on there for a very long time. Each one has such a special place in my heart. You know, like that shirt with the soft material that you save to wear for special days, and can't bear to take to the Thrift store even though it has a stain from that day you spilled coffee on yourself.

The presence of the playlist probably presents more annoyance than delight to most readers of this blog, as you race to press the stop button before the music begins to play. And for that I apologize.

However, I must admit that I absolutely adore finding new music and I delight in the potentiality of sharing it with an audience who may, maybe, might find a note or lyric of significance. I am not under any false pretenses that my adoring public probably thinks my folk/rock/pop/instrumental/etc taste in music quite ridiculous. Being the only person in this 7 person house who is not a fan of country music, I realize that everyone has a unique perception of musical genius. My roommates have great ambitions to force me to embrace the wonders of that twangy noise. I am trying to have an open mind.

Although I appreciate music from all different locations on this earth, I am currently enjoying several Canadian artists. My particular recent favorites are Stars, Hey Ocean, Patrick Watson, Aidan Knight, and Sierra Noble. Kudos to Patrick Watson who just won some cool award for his tunes.

May you find your own delight in experiencing those artistic creations that serve to bring greater depth and meaning to this life.

A study of hilarity...

Flies in the Apartment:
Chuck captures and releases a fly outside.

Lindsay: “Chuck, I just kill them.”

Chuck: “But then you have to do something with their bodies.”

Lindsay: “I put them in the garbage.”

Chuck: “Oh...that works.”

Chuck captures another fly and releases it outside.

Sierra Noble

Here is a great local singer, discovered by my sister. Happy Sunday!

Possibility - Sierra Noble (Official Music Video)

I love...

You can always tell when I am writing papers, because I tend to post more blogs.

Procrastination at its most blatant.

The smokey smell of my incense is making me sleepy, and my pillow looks so soft and cuddly...

Any good wake-up tactics?

I love this blog: The Pioneer Woman. She is a middle child like myself.

I love warm breezes.

I love Fridays...the ones without papers.

I love my plants.

I love getting mail...even if it is from student loans.

I love being able to walk home for lunch.

I love listening to elderly people share stories...even the painful ones.

I love Ben Gibbard's voice.

I love having 6 roommates.

I love knowing that I am going home in 2 weeks.

I love talking to my sister about childhood memories.

I love getting up early, even when I don't want to.

I love changing my clothes when I get home from work into comfy clothes.

I love how the rain storm killed my garden.

Note: There may have been a hint of sarcasm in that last one. Stupid drainage pipe.

My own pretend folk fest

This weekend is the big deal Winnipeg Folk Fest...and I am unable to go for a myriad of silly reasons that really should have no significance in light of such a momentous occasion.

Here are the bands that I especially would have liked to see:

Great Lake Swimmers
Iron and Wine
Hey Rosetta!
Josh Ritter
Patrick Watson
Punch Brothers featuring Chris Thile
Joe Pug
Dala
Okkervil River
Amelia Curran
Mirah
Oh, and Fred Penner for old times sake.

I am writing my lovely research paper and listening to some tunes on my laptop, and pretending that folk fest is actually occurring in my bedroom.

It's rockin' tonight, baby!!

Check out the playlist to your right, and join me on this lil' adventure if you are also unable to attend folk fest.

Ok, I'll Try...

"Don’t get bogged down by the rules and regulations that contain you. Find ways to get beyond them and create your own destiny. Don’t be limited by mundane responsibilities in carrying out a job. Look for a job that can give you an expansive view, one which you can bring to it your skills, your strengths, and recognize that everyone has their own limitations and their own disabilities. …that there are no limits to success. And don’t get contained by the term “social work.” Don’t get limited by what the field is today, but move it to the vision of the world tomorrow. Dream about the future to make people’s lives better and then go out and do it...."

The place for social workers on the net.

tired

Twas a dark and stormy night.
The air was cool, the wind was strong, and the clouds cast an eerie glow.
The street lights were buzzing and flickering.
And Jennie was walking the streets of Wolseley.
When suddenly, out of nowhere, a raindrop spattered against her cheek.
And she turned around and went home.
Too tired for an adventure in the rain tonight.


It is Sunday evening and there is nothing I would like better than to curl up in my lil' bed with a cup of hot tea and a good book.

I hate papers. They destroy all that is good.

Dr. D

Today is Father's day, and I would like to commemorate my daddy through this post for his utter diligence and devotion to his family.

Good job dad.
I would have made you a cake if I were a few miles closer.

Some facts that I would like to share about my dad:

-my dad makes the best coffee in the world, by roasting his own beans, and experimenting with beans from different countries...look out starbucks.

-my dad is the hardest working person ever. Even on his days off, he is busy. I am feeling guilty just thinking about it.

-my dad is a very well read person. And he likes to learn about things, like facebook and guitars and beer.

-my dad has this weird obsession with strawberries and rhubarb.

-my dad is definitely an oldest child.

-my dad used to ride motorcycles until he had kids.

-my dad has the most hilarious humour and I probably appreciate his terrible puns more than I should.

-my dad likes candles.

-my dad talks to my cat when he thinks no one else can hear him.

-my dad would play baseball with me and tell me encouraging things.

-my dad prays for me everyday.

Random Spring Photos

The Return of the Cat

I love cats. Much to the chagrin of my father and my sister, and probably a lot of other people, I adore the sweet, fuzzy little creatures. But there is something about cats that I severely detest....their tendency to use freshly tilled dirt as their bathroom of choice. Today The Cat has once again used my lil' garden as his litterbox, successfully dug up a section of my snapdragon seeds, and left proud, wee footsteps to mark his trail.

This means war.

I have an unfortunate case of the stomach flu. I forgot how much I hate throwing up. So now that you have a visual picture of me standing over the toilet retching, I will show you how I am spending my time between episodes (and, no it does not include writing my paper...)

Watch this :)



Every time I see Julia lying on the floor I giggle, because I can just imagine my a certain member of my family doing the exact same thing. ha ha ha!!! I am deeply amused.

I also made up a little ditty about having the flu. It is sung to the child's tune of "We're Going to the Zoo".

I have got the stomach flu, flu, flu,
Oh, How about you, you, you,
You could have it too, too, too,
So wash your hands, do, do, do.

(IMPORTANT NOTE: Janna, make sure you wash your hands, because I am pretty sure I breathed on you last night.)

Identity Crisis

The staff room coffee pot is like a looming presence that I have resisted for several weeks, and have at last accepted as part of my morning routine. Yes. I think I am addicted. This is creating havoc with my prolonged tea drinking routine. I have to cut back on the caffeinated tea in order to make room for my newly formed coffee drinking habit. This is creating tension between my tea self, and my emerging coffee self.

My mother is arriving for a little visit in approximately 14 hours. I am pretty excited. I am trying to scheme my way out of practicum tomorrow afternoon to hang out with her. Maybe if I bring doughnuts to dunk in the infamous staff room coffee.

Funny story as told to me by roommate Kate:
Kate was walking down good ol' Westminister Ave, when she saw some kids riding by on their bikes, yelling and swearing, and dropping the f-bomb as many times as physically possible. A gigantic man in a trench coat who was walking behind Kate boomed, "hey, stop that swearing or wash your mouth out with organic soap." Sigh, it reminds me of dear Nelson, except there was an absence of the sweet scent of marijuana lingering in the air.

Continuing thoughts

I am not exactly sure why, but I took advantage of this beautiful day off to start a new blog...Here it is.

I also wrote 2 papers, and made perogies, and cleaned the microwave, and mopped, and bought a closet organizer so I don't have to stuff my clean underwear into the bottom of my laundry basket. I need another day off to recover from my extreme productivity.

I also discovered that I can become remarkably introverted. Today I had this weird feeling of the whole world sort of fading away, and seeming remarkably unimportant. All that seemed to matter, was this urge to find the quietest, less populated area possible. I tried to fight this urge, because it frustrates me. I want to be people-friendly all the time. Such a silly self-centered self.

I like this band, and not just because they are Scottish, like another good band I know.