Daring to Be » 2005 » December

I’ve had some people bugging me to update, I guess it is about time! Look for an even more in depth review coming soon to a blog near you!

Ripped off of Wes.

Year in review - 2005

1. What did you do in 2005 that you’d never done before? Went to Quebec for 5 weeks.
2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Yes and yes.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Two of my cousins.
4. Did anyone close to you die? My cousin, Stefan.
5. What countries did you visit? Canada, yay for me.
6. What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005? What I do have: the knowledge another year of lessons has taught me.
7. What dates from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? Finding out Stefan had died… first time a tragedy like that has hit my family.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Going to Quebec all by myself. Big move for this coddled baby of the family.
9. What was your biggest failure? Rushing into a relationship, then when it ended, letting it break my heart.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Nothing drastic.
11. What was the best thing you bought? I’m a shopaholic. I’m honestly expected to remember all I bought, let alone choose a favourite?
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? My own.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? My own as well.
14. Where did most of your money go? The usual; clothing and other fashion related stuff.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Going to Quebec.
16. What song will always remind you of 2005? “With Arms Outstretched” by Rilo Kiley, “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers, “Such Great Heights” by The Postal Service.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Happier.
b) thinner or fatter? Thinner.
c) richer or poorer? Richer.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Spent more time outdoors.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Procrastination.
20. How did you spend Christmas? Like any other day actually. It was a weird Christmas.
21. Did you fall in love in 2005? Thought I did, I was wrong.
22. How many one-night stands? Enough.
23. What was your favorite TV program? House.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? I’m a lover, not a hater.
25. What was the best book you read? The DaVinci Code. Years after everyone else, I’m aware of that.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery? Rilo Kiley.
27. What did you want and get? A job I was happy in.
28. What did you want and not get? Amazingly good grades.
29. What was your favorite film of this year? Wicker Park.
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 22, I worked then went to O’Sheas.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Knowing then, what I do now.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005? Classics mixed with a bit of funk.
33. What kept you sane? My friends and family. I’m an incredibly lucky girl.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Josh Hartnett. My GOD is he SEXY.
35. What political issue stirred you the most? Um… I don’t really… follow much political stuff… I suck…
36. Who did you miss? Rob occasionally.
37. Who was the best new person you met? I met Alyssa in Quebec and now she’s one of my super fab friends.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005: “On the way to what you planned to happen, something even better comes along.” by Janice Endique. I stumbled upon that quote at a very crucial time in my life, and it worked wonders. Taught me to stop worrying about the future and live in the now. So I did, and I’m much happier.
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: “Nobody knows what’s gonna happen tomorrow.” (It was a year where I really didn’t know, such highs and lows.)

Is it really only 3:30 PM? Seven and a half hours left and I can go home.

I am full of complaints again today, just to warn everyone. My cell phone is almost dead, my mp3 player batteries also. I’m sleepy, and sick of studying. A plastic spoon cut my lip. It hurts. Also, winter is wreaking havoc on my poor cuticles. What did my cuticles do to you, winter? Leave them alone.

Okay. I’m done.

I like soft scarves, white chocolate covered Oreos, and CBC Radio Two. They are the only things making today bearable. Scarves keep me warm and cozy, and the Oreos taste like Christmas. CBC Radio Two is my radio channel of choice while studying, for some reason it makes me feel studious and helps me concentrate. This morning they played John Rutter’s “Brother Heinrich’s Christmas”. It was cute. I want a copy. You can get it from Toronto Children’s Chorus. Who wants to buy me a present?

People randomly get on my nerves, and I want to kick them in the teeth. I know it’s just me transferring the stress I feel from studying onto innocent bystanders. How bizarre is that. It’s true though. Right now some guy is chatting to me on MSN. He’s perfectly nice. But just… no. Leave me alone.

I want company. Just not from strangers. Makes sense, no?

Dad comes to Saskatoon tomorrow! Yay! I haven’t seen him since September. Looks like it’ll be just me and my pops on Christmas Eve. Jaret will be with Twyla in Tisdale. Nicole will be with her boyfriend and his family. Mom is working. Since I’m the dreadfully single and alone sibling (ha), my Dad will be my date. Like he was for Valentine’s Day in 2004. We could go to Warman and have supper at Colin and Tanya’s. But I almost wouldn’t mind Dad and I going out for supper, just the two of us, and then a movie or something. I guess I’ll talk to him tomorrow.

I suppose it’s time to return to my cozy little corner of the Reading Room, hopefully my mp3 player is still there…

I can’t help but be bitter over the fact that not only did I start writing finals two days after class ended, but also write on the last possible day of finals.

I am also a bit pouty because basically everyone I know is done finals, while here I am, still studying away.

I don’t get much of a Christmas break. I write at 9 AM on the 22nd, then work 1 PM to 9 PM. Same 8 hour shift on the 23rd, and I also work 9 AM to 5 PM on Christmas Eve. I get Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and the 27th off, but then it’s back to work for eight hour shifts on the 28th, 29th, and 30th. Luckily, I get New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day off for Uncle Kent’s wedding.

Enough complaining! Working lots is good, seeing as I’m flat broke right now. My last pay cheque had a whopping 15 hours of work for 2 weeks on it. That’s not very much. I went Christmas shopping yesterday, good news is I started and finished in two hours. Bad news is I had to put it all on Mastercard. Meaning my next pay cheque will go towards paying off my credit card bill, leaving me in the same poor state.

I must look on the bright side. I am done shopping and the presents are all wrapped and under the tree. Finally!

Not a bone in my body wants to return to studying… but the books are calling my name.

It’s past midnight, I really should go to bed, but instead I am here updating. Tomorrow starts four days of studying like hell for my last final, you can imagine how excited I am.

Hmm… what’s new…

Definition of embarassing? Is my mother calling when out on a date that happened to go a wee bit later than expected. Made me feel like I was thirteen again, with my nose too big for my face, and yet having had kissed a boy.

Mom’s informed me I shouldn’t “spread my loins” on a date. No really. Exact wording. Anyone have drugs or a straight jacket? Because this woman is crazy.

Also, Mom bought a new washing machine. One of those frontal load ones. Supposedly really gentle on your clothes, and good for the environment to boot. But? A pain in the ass to operate, as evident by the DVD you’re supposed to watch before using it. Yes. A DVD. Mom wants Nicole and I to sit down and watch it. You know what? I think I am fairly easy to please. As in, there is alot of activities I’m willing to do all in the name of good fun. Unfortunately, watching a DVD on how to run a washing machine does not make the list. Like, at all.

Enough about “Mom related” news… but still familial news! Jaret and Twyla bought a house! Yup. Exciting. Now all that’s left for them to do (besides get married next July) is make me an Aunty. I’m waiting.

Another brush with a Saskatoon celebrity… this time John Gormley! I sold him a watch today! He winked at me, and called me by my first name. It’s true. John Gormley and I? We’re tight.

I’m cold, it’s past one AM, and I’m grouchy. I think I should crawl into the warm space known as my bed.

This wasn’t near as interesting, informing, and exciting as I hoped it would be.

Taken from her.

I promise a real update soon.

The light at the end of the tunnel is now glowing brightly, what with only one final left! It’s not for over a week, so I get a few days of relaxation and pretending I don’t have to study anymore.

I was worried about the final I wrote today, since yesterday Alyssa and I seemed to think it was a good idea to study for 15 minutes and take an hour break rather than the other way around. Then Jenna came and picked us up and we went for supper at Moxie’s.

I ended up have another one of those very-little-sleep nights. Which wasn’t cool. Want to know why? Because I half fell asleep writing the first of three essays that this final was comprised of. I was somewhat awake, as is evident by the fact I was still writing, but obviously not thinking of what I was writing since I actually wrote “buy shoes” in the middle of an essay about the importance of the Iroquois in New France. I am not even joking. It was too funny. I snapped out of it and looked down at my paper to see a sentence somewhat like this “The Iroquois served as a barrier between New England and buy shoes.” What the hell!? It made me laugh, which probably made me look more than a little maniacal during a final in a auditorium filled with students who are all quietly and diligently writing away.

I went for lunch with my sister after the final, she got a good laugh out of it.

Lesson learned: Very little sleep is not a good idea. Makes me think of shoes when I should be thinking about other, far more important, subjects.

Jenna is coming over soon. We’re going to “watch movies”. I put that into quotations because I am willing to bet I will be fast asleep in no time.

I have another date tonight. I have to stop going on dates after nights with very little sleep.

It’s not becoming at all.

Warning: long post, but don’t worry, most of it’s lyrics!

It’s almost like you had it planned,
it’s like you smiled and shook my hand,
and said
“Hey, I’m about to screw you over, big time.”
And what was I supposed to do?
I was stuck in between you
and a hard place… we won’t talk about the hard place.

That life, seems like…
light years away… light years away.

One of those songs that echo how I feel, to the extent that I could’ve written it myself!

Isn’t it funny how during the week, when I shouldn’t have updated at all, I did, and now, with that packed full week behind me, I don’t have any desire to update.

Let’s see… what’s new with me.

Went on a date Friday night. It was good. I was nervous, that disappeared almost instantaneously. He was very gentlemanly, and I would go out with him again. Of course the day after I worried “Did I talk about myself too much?” and “Did I really thank him for the date?” I guess whether or not we go on a second date will be a good indicator of how I did.

Last night I went over to Twyla’s for a bit with Mom, Nicole, and Chelene. It was her 26th birthday, so just went over for coffee and to give her her birthday gifts. Then Twyla, Nicole, and Chelene all went out, but I opted for going home and watching a movie, I was dead exhausted. I had a few other going out options as well, but I just couldn’t do it. Way too tired after a total of 8 hours of sleep the past two nights.

On the agenda for today; finish up my English essay that was supposed to be done last… Tuesday. (Heh. I’d rather not talk about it.) And maybe even start studying for Tuesday’s final.

Oh! One last thing… Mikey Wikey has started a blog. This makes me immeasurably happy. I’ll just let you all know that Mike is awesome. I’ve known him since I was sixteen, and he’s been a great friend. He knows most (if not all!) my dirty little secrets, and is a great sounding board/advice giver for my constant struggle to figure out members of the opposite sex. So yes, a good friend, and we even made out once. Now he’s engaged to a really sweet girl and is going to live happily ever after because he deserves it.

Everybody go say hi!

I’ve been tagged!

Seven things to do before I die:
1. Swim with dolphins.
2. Own a convertible.
3. Publish a book.
4. Become a mother.
5. Travel.
6. Walk down the aisle.
7. Speak French fluently.

Seven things I cannot do:
1. Whistle.
2. Say the letter R when it’s after a vowel.
3. Touch my toes.
4. Sing.
5. Stay angry.
6. Understand my sister. Love her, do not “get” her.
7. Resist a pair of lace trimmed red heels. Chelene helped with this, it was the first thing she thought of, and it makes sense if you saw my gross display of affection for said shoes last Saturday.

Seven things that attract me to my spouse to the opposite sex:
1. Sense of style.
2. Sense of humour and adventure.
3. Kissing ability.
4. Attitude.
5. Sincerity.
6. Affectionate.
7. My sister tells me my “type” is tall and skinny.

Seven things I say most often:
1. Whatev. Nicole and I always say this, her boyfriend gets annoyed and argues “It’s whatever!”
2. I’m tired. Or so my family says I say this alot.
3. Moi aussi. “Me also”, the only French phrase that became a permanent fixture in my day-to-day life.
4. You’re my favourite!
5. Boys are stupid. Whenever I have to nurse a friend through a heartbreak, or hear a story that makes me think it may be true.
6. I LOVE those shoes! Chelene came up with this one, and I couldn’t deny it. There are some cute shoes out there!
7. What do I have to lose? Certainly not my virginity!

Seven books I love:
1. Tuesdays with Morrie, Mitch Albom.
2. The Five People You Meet In Heaven, Mitch Albom.
3. Stone Diaries, Carol Shields.
4. Dressing Up for the Carnival, Carol Shields.
5. The Changing Tide, Iris Bromige.
6. The Three Fears, Jonathan Stagge.
7. Can You Keep a Secret?, Sophie Kinsella.

Seven movies I would watch over and over again:
1. Sliding Doors.
2. Under the Tuscan Sun.
3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
4. Wicker Park.
5. The Princess Bride.
6. The Notebook.
7. While You Were Sleeping.

Seven people I want to join in:
1. Wes
2. Sass
3. Jess
4. Megan
5. Kassidy
6. Arielle
7. And everyone else, whether or not they have a blog!

Thanks to Chelene for helping me out when I was stuck.

Nothing new learned from this survey, just reiterated the fact I truly am a girly girl.

We all knew that.

I’ve never sworn so much in one period as I did the hour before the final I just wrote.

Example of how I am a walking disaster:

Sitting in Comm 18, waiting for final to begin. Surrounded by a clipboard full of notes, a textbook, and a small pile of essential items (pen, pencil, eraser, my ever-present and oh-so-reliable tube of Chapstick). Considering typical small lecture theatre desks, this left little room for the biggest object there: namely, myself. I shifted perhaps a measly little inch, and whoops, elbow sends Chapstick flying. Reach to pick up Chapstick, pencil goes flying. Bend forward to pick up pencil and whack my head on the chair in front of me. Shocked and stunned, I sit straight up only to have my clipboard full of notes fall on the floor. Thoroughly aggravated by this point, I throw my hands up in defeat, which of course leads to my textbook being knocked off the edge of my desk.

In about thirty seconds I managed to clear off my desk of every item I had placed on it, and created quite the ruckus while at it.

Well the good news is I am officially done one of my three finals. Bad news is? I ran out of time. I’ve never run out of time during a final before. I don’t think, at least. Maybe I have, but it was such a traumatic experience I chose to forget it ever happened. Like I am pretty sure I’ll do this time around.

I was done my final at 10 PM, but my bus doesn’t come until 10:53 PM. Guess what that means? That means that next time I complain about twelve hour days at school, remind me twelve hours isn’t as bad as the day I spent fifteen hours at school. Yes, that’s right, I’ve been here since 8 AM.

Thank goodness Wes is online to keep me company during my final hour here. Thanks Wes, even though my conversation skills are lacking since I am busy typing this out.

Time to go catch the bus.

You Are “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer”

Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer Had a very shiny nose. And if you ever saw him, You would even say it glows. For you, Christmas is a mix of tradition and fun. You’re not above strapping on a red blinking nose for a laugh.

Wow, I’ve never had a quizzes results be so true. Back in the days of employment at Metalsmiths, Candace and I used to wear blinking red noses and felt antlers. Considering we were a small kiosk in the middle of the biggest mall in Saskatoon, we definitely got attention! I like to think we cheered up stressful Christmas shoppers.

What language should you learn?
created with QuizFarm.comAnother quiz right on the mark, considering I was in Quebec learning French for five weeks this year. One day I will be fluent, oh yes, one day I will be fluent!

(PS - I’m sick of the library…)