One part whiskey, one part love, two parts crazy

I'm at my parents for Christmas break, it was not the original plan but things changed. I surprisingly feel more at home here than I ever have. In reality this house has never been a home to me for I never wished to leave New Brunswick. Leaving Rusagonis changed everything for me, it was the first move that really affected my life. I've come to realize I've been letting that hold me back, I've held the life I had before on such a pedestal that I could not be as happy as I was then. My life is falling into place perfectly and it is time for me to embrace this. New Brunswick still means the world to me and it will always be my home but it is time to feel comfort elsewhere.

Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.
--Samuel Ullman

Minya and I, she's so gorgeous, I wish I had the musical ability she deserves

Quebec City

We got Remembrance Day off from school and Friday was an independent study day so Jess and I hitch hiked to Quebec City. This was our first real hitch hiking experience and it went really well! We got on the high way about 10:30 and got picked up within minutes and taken to Moncton (first time a father/daughter picked us up). We got picked up in about 15-20 minutes and taken to Fredericton, an old man driving to his grandkids in the States with lots of Christmas presents. We were crossing the road to get to the on ramp and as a car camp Jess held the sign up and jumped, he pulled over. Randy was going all the way to Quebec City and we had some awesome conversations with him.

We got a little lost trying to find Megan & Patrick's house but ended up there alright. Jess found them via Couch Surfing, they easily won cutest couple award. We spent all day Friday walking around Vieux Quebec, after getting lost. We don't take maps, we don't worry about getting lost, actually we look forward to it. It's not that we're ever completely lost, we like wandering and seeing where we end up. We found a really big toy store (Benjo) and spent quite some time in there, it was so awesome. When I'm rich, I'm gonna own a toy store.

More to come!

Baking Adventures

Jess and I tried to make Cake Pops one night...they're a lot harder than we though. Didn't turn out quite like they should but they were yummy! We also made too many, I think there are still some in our freezer.

None of my house mates had ever had Pierogi lasagna so last Friday I made a dish and Caty, Kristie and I ate half of it that night. Gareth never got to try any because we ate it so fast. They wanted me to make it again and we had all the ingredients except cottage cheese, so I said if they bought that I'd make it again. This time I made two dishes, I think one is gone already. Gareth & Margo got to try it this time and they both like it too. If you've never had it, I highly recommend it.

Caty turned 21 this week so we made her a cake :) Once again we made too much so we'll be eating cake all week.

Forever yours forever free
Together as one, the world is ours

-- Ashley MacIsaac

New Hair, Encore

I really like changing my hair a lot, my way of seeing it is that it grows back. Having dreads made it difficult to change up a lot so I really had to get rid of them. Now, je suis le petit prince :)

Voici mon secret. Il est très simple: on ne voit bien qu'avec le cœur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux.

-- Le Petit Prince

Dreadies pt 2

Twas Time

I said they'd stay until at least Halloween

So I turned myself to face me
But I've never caught a glimpse
Of how the others must see the faker
I'm much too fast to take that test

-- David Bowie

Rocky Horror Picture Show

The Cinema in town has a Rocky Horror Picture show the Friday of Halloween. This year we all went and dressed up. It's so much fun seeing it in theater like that versus watching it at home. If you've seen the movie, you know who is who.

Halloween Party at a friends tonight for our Saturday Adventure!

It's astounding
Time is fleeting
Madness takes its toll

-- Rocky Horror Picture Show

Pumpkins!!

I went to a coffee house with Lu (International Student I mentor) and then she came back to our house to carve pumpkins. Lu & Gareth had never done it before so it was fun. Now we have yummy pumpkin seeds.

It's close to midnight and something evil's lurking in the dark
Under the moonlight, you see a sight that almost stops your heart
You try to scream but terror takes the sound before you make it
You start to freeze as horror looks you right between the eyes
You're paralyzed

-- Michael Jackson

Thanksgiving '10

Jess & I tried to hitch hike to Coldbrook, Nova Scotia. We got stuck around Kennetcook, in the dark so Forbes and his mom had to come pick us up. It was a nice 10+ km walk though, with a beautiful view sprinkled with rain.

Forbes had to work that night so we hung out with his mom and then got up early to go to the Market. I love farmer's markets! We also went to a used book store and spent more than we had planned.

That night Forbes friends came over, they were a lot of fun and we got along well. The next day we went for a long walk with his dogs in the woods & orchard. It was a gorgeous sunny day and we got a lot of good pictures.

We had thanksgiving dinner that night and it was so delicious. 22lb turkey, mashed patatoes out our ears, squash etc etc.

We also played "He who falls asleep first, gets tortured most"...

Lazy Saturday

I went to see The Other Guys with a friend Friday night, it was really funny. Saturday was our lazy adventure day because Jess decided last minute to go to PEI. The house slept in, then made pancakes together and read the Bro Code.
Next weekend is a Rocky Horror Picture Show party at the local movie theater and then a friends Halloween party. Should be fun! Pictures will be posted!

Humans vs Zombies

At school we have a group called Zombie Apocalypse Prevention Society (ZAPS), they only started last year but they're getting popular. This year they decided to host the ever-growing game Humans vs  Zombies. We had to sign waivers and there are a lot of rules about playing on campus but we're playing.

All my friends are in the game, so far only one became a zombie and then she died because she didn't feed. We get missions that we have to complete with our task force (other humans). There is actually a whole plot line to the game and we get new bits of the story every now and then. Bascially Sackville is one of the last safe places on earth, they're building a bubble to shield the town from the zombies and we have ZAPS to protect the inhabitants. Because of this they ahve sent the lasst living scientiest here to find a cure. Our mission the other night, through riddles was to find ten vials of medicine around campus (glow sticks). We didn't really succeed but that was because people took the glow sticks.

We use socks and nerf guns as weapons, but we're not allowed to play at all in academic buildings. Humans have to wear an orange band on their arm and zombies can wear it on their leg or head. They randomly selected one player who had signed up to be the 'original zombie' who does not have to wear a band. He got 10 people within the first few days because nobody had any clue who he was.

Here's us all set to go on our first mission:

Adventures

Jess and I have decided to have an adventure every Saturday this year! Keep checking this for updates, and feel free to give us ideas!

Saturday September 11 - Bike out to Bay of Fundy 

~ We were going to bike to Woodpoint but got distracted by a dirt road. The dirt road took us out through some farmers fields and then the Bay of Fundy. The mud just looked too fun to not play in. So we spent an hour or so frolicking in the mud, throwing it and swimming a little.

Saturday September 18 - Party at Cubbin Cove

~ We hitch hiked to Halifax (first time for both of us) and then had the most amazing weekend ever!

Look out world 

She ain't afraid

running round barefoot

hair up in braids

but man does she look good 

A little tom-boy

but ain't she beautiful

She's a Country Girl

-- Paul Brandt

Dreadies

They still need some work to get rid of all the frizzieness but they're looking good :)

Monsanto

I first heard about Monsanto and Genetically Modified Organisms back in High School, and at first I didn't realize how bad it could be. Once I found out that a company had designed seeds that were resilient to pesticide and could only be used once I started to see how this could be a problem. After watching Food Inc. last week I felt I needed to share this with others.

Monsanto has patented their seeds and practically owns the market. Their seeds are supposedly "the best possible germplasm, [with] improved genetics, for a higher yield"  but this forces farmers to use Monsanto seeds and buy new ones every year. Many people are opposed to having to buy needs seeds every year because it is expensive, and they want to keep "conventional and organically grown seeds free of genetically modified organisms". Monsanto is actually going to the point of suing people who save seeds (even some who aren't using their patented seed) because they want all the money they can get. Their defense is that Monsanto "invests more than $2.6 million per day in research and development that ultimately benefits farmers and consumers" so farmers should buy new seeds every year to support that. If you watch the video (below) you will see that Monsanto is using it's money to sue people and pay people off. Maybe if they were not doing that they would have more money to put toward their research. 

One thing that really annoyed be is that they quote Ghandi on their Philanthropic activities. Monsanto Fund is supposed to bridge the gap between people's needs and resources. Hmm, anyone else notice that by forcing people to buy new seeds every year they are creating a gap between people and resources? It makes me angry that at the bottom of the page it says "we must be the change we wish to make in this world" because that is not the world I want this to be (and many others agree). Do we really want the industry owned by one company who has the sole goal of making money?

The biggest issue to me is not the money, it's the health effects. They don't have to label anything as a GMO, leaving us in the dark about what we are consuming. As also seen in the video, the bovine growth hormone that is used by Monsanto could be cancer causing. However, Monsanto has the FDA in their pocket and the dangers of this hormone are not told to the public as it should be. More studies need to be done to see how dangerous this really is to our health. Europe (and thankfully Canada) was smart to ban American milk and they did it because of rBGH (Genetically-engineered bovine growth hormone), don't believe me? Click here. However, if America were to ban it then Monsanto would lose millions, probably billions so they sell it unlabelled to keep people from protesting it. You may also want to read this article about a Monsanto employee who realized how dangers their products were, and quit because no one would listen to him. 

I advise you to do some more research about what you're eating, thanks to Monsanto companies don't have to label it.

For more info you can watch The World According to Monsanto.

Risk

Now that Mom, Dad & The Bestie know about my tattoo I will post it here.
The Symbolism:
I believe in taking chances, I think that life should be lived to the fullest and you need to take risks. It also ties in with the Paul Brandt song Risk.

Bears, Buses & Forest Fires

Bears:
- We've had more than one come in to camp and wander around. They like our garbage and it wasn't always emptied when it should be. They are usually chased off by the dogs though.
- Adam, Blythe, Morgan and I went to the sand pit which is only about a two minute walk from camp. We were sitting up on the highest dune talking when we saw something at the entrance. We realized it was a bear so we all stood up and started yelling at it. Rather then run away it stood and stared at us for about 15 minutes. It started coming towards us and Amigo (dog) started barking at it. This distracted it for a few minutes but it still didn't leave. It was blocking the entrance so we were cornered. It was also getting dark out and the people at camp couldn't hear us because of the generators. Amigo chased it down the road a bit and we managed to sneak along the edge and get down the road. Once on the road it came towards us again so Amigo stayed there barking at it. As soon as we got back to camp we told the crew bosses and head boss and they got their guns.
When they went to see it, it was coming closer to camp and couldn't be scared off so they killed it. Sad but probably for the best.

Buses:
- They really break down a lot but we got a new one :) It's all painted green and white but it has electrical issues.

Forest Fires:
Last week there was a forest fire at the water shed which is only 48 kilometers from us. They were debating evacuating us but wanted to contact MNR first. However, lightening struck a tree less than a km from us. We were all loaded on the buses ready to leave if they couldn't get the fire under control. Luckily they were able to put it out and we got to stay in camp. I walked to where the close fire was and it's kinda scary how close it was to us.

A bad day in the life of a tree planter

6:00 am -Wake up
- Eat
- Get dressed
- Board bus

7:00 am - Depart
- 2 hour + drive
- walk 15 minutes to your land with all your gear
- plant

6:00 pm - Stop planting
- Walk back to the bus
- Board bus

7:00 pm - One of three buses has a tire blow
- Everyone from that bus splits onto the other two

8:00 pm- Stop at Watershed for gas

8:30 pm - Your bus tire goes
- Other bus drives back to camp

10:00 - Bus comes back for you
- DInner

11:30 pm- Bed

6:00 am - Wake Up

A day in the life of a tree planter

6:00 am - Wake up
- Breakfast
- Get dressed
- Make lunch
-Board bus

7:00 am - Depart
- about hour drive to block
- plant

6:00 pm - stop planting
- gather gear
- walk to bus
- drive home
- eat dinner

8:30 - Bed

Repeat

Bittersweet day, no just bitter.

Happy 20th Birthday RRN. Wish you were here.

365 Letters

Well everyone else seems to have 365  days of something so I think it is time I joined in. I came up with idea today after watching Sharkwater and I can't wait to get started. Basically it will be a letter every day to a corporation, political leader or something like that arguing against a policy. It will take a lot of preparation because I need to research who I want to write the letters to, their policy and then to actually write it. I think I will wait until school year next year to actually start mailing them but I want to start researching now. It will be hard to think of 365 people to write to so I would love suggestions! So far I am thinking... (if you want to know why I want to write them, ask me)
- Monsanto
- Coca Cola
-Old Navy
-Prime Minister
-NATO
-WTO
-Pfizer
-Nike
-Tommy Hilfiger
-Nestle

'Cause they said they'd stop the fighting

And they said they would bring peace

And they said they'd find a serum that can cure all our disease

And they said they'd house the homeless

And put black and white in tune

And they said they'd feed a hungry child

And I hope it's someday soon

-- Great Big Sea

****I thought a lot about doing this but it will be too much work and money. Instead I am doing 365 days of Activism, I will still research and write about their policies but I will post it here and not send it to them. I still want suggestions!

Is prostitution demoralizing?

I was talking to a friend today and one of her friends who I did not know was there. We somehow got on the topic of prostitution and her friend said that it's the most disgusting thing ever and demoralizing to all women. I disagree, unless it's not what the person chose.
In the world we live in people need to make money to survive, if being paid for a (sexual) service is what you have chosen then who is to argue? If it's the choice you made then it's your choice and no one should look down on you for it. I don't think it's disgusting, it's sex, one of the most natural things of the world. It's only demoralizing if you make it so and men can sell their bodies too.
It's a whole different situation if you didn't choose to be a prostitute or if you're underage, that I think is wrong.

Proud to be a Canadian?

The past weeks have been filled with pride for Canada due to the Olympics. I feel I must tell you that I did not watch the Olympics, I don't like very many winter sports and I don't feel the need to watch something I won't enjoy. However, all the drama over the Vancouver Olympics has made me think a lot about Canada and what it means to me to be Canadian.

I always used to be proud of my citizenship, proud of my country and proud of what it stood for. The more I learn about Canada's past, present and future the more I doubt my country. I used to brag that I was Canadian, that we were the best country and I would take offence if someone insulted Canada. I once got in an argument with a friend because she would not stand for the National Anthem. At that point in my life I believed in standing for Oh Canada! because of what it stood for, a country that fought for it's rights, that helped others and did good. Now I realize how naive I was, I don't have pride in my country.

To many, being Canadian means; freedom of speech, unity, multiculturalism, friendship, justice, safety, decency, honour, etc.

To me, being Canadian means; infringing rights, denying aid, turning a blind eye, racism, ignorance of heritage, secrets, etc.

The Olympics put Native Americans on everything, which should be done since it's their land, but was it for the right reasons? Are they trying to show the world that Native Americans are a huge part of Canadian culture? In reality Native Americans are a minority, the government shoves them in a corner and many people believe they don't belong here.

I think too many Canadians, and any other citizens in regard to their country, are patriotic for no reason, they do it just to do it. Should we really be proud of our athletes when we are not proud of another country's? Is it really our country that made them as they are? Could they not have turned out the same somewhere else? Could they not have immigrated here or there?

The land is breath taking, from coast to coast there is something to be in awe of. Is it the physical land that makes up a country? Or the people who fill it? I think it's the people who fill it, their decisions, actions and what they do with the land they are on. I think there are many beautiful people who are living in Canada and I do believe Canadians are very friendly but I think that trend is dying out.

What does being Canadian mean to you? And I want details "_______ because...", I want to know what has made you proud because I do think people should take pride in their country. However, I think they should do it for a reason and not because it is expected.

**I could go much more in detail of many of these things but I don't wish this to be rant.

I'm sorry I never told you all the things I wanted to say.

Back in October I found out that an old friend had died, we hadn't talked in five years or seen each other in even longer but it shook me up. I haven't had a lot of people die in my life, especially not people I've been close to and mean a lot so this really hit me hard. He had been my best friend for about four years when we lived near each other but when I moved from New Brunswick to Ontario we eventually lost touch.
One of the reasons I came back to New Brunswick was him, he had meant so much to me as a child and I wanted that back. I wanted it back more than I was willing to tell anyone. However, once I was here I got caught up in school and meeting new people that I kept pushing it away.
I was checking emails and Facebook one day when I saw that a friend from Frederiction had joined a "Remembering __________" group, his name is not overly common so I thought what are the chances? I looked at the group expecting to see someone I didn't recognize, instead I saw him. I must have cried for hours, I didn't go to half my classes because little things would set me off.
For a while now I've been doing really good, I hadn't thought of him a lot but I got a card from his parents a while ago. It was a reply to my condolences and I still haven't replied to it. I don't know how, I don't know what to say. 
About a week ago I started to dream about him, little memories of our childhood mixed up in the dream world. It's got me thinking about him all the time, thinking up all the memories I had forgotten. It's hard to sleep at night because I can't stop thinking about him, I find myself wishing I still had sleeping pills. I've cried myself to sleep three times this week already, I don't know how to deal with this kind of thing.
It's not just his death and that he's gone, it's that I had the chance to get back in his life and I didn't. I have always prided myself on not regretting things but I wish I had contacted him as soon as I got here. I wish I had more time with him before he was gone, I wish I could change things. I regret it in ways I never thought possible and it's tearing me up inside.

And I know you're shining down on me from Heaven,

Like so many friends we've lost along the way, 

And I know eventually we'll be together.

One sweet day.

--Mariah Carey

Life In The Fart Sack

This hyar is sumpin thet Bobbie-Jo came up wif a year o' two ago but we is only startin' it now. Basically it's our video blog an' it sh'd be mighty intertainin'. We haf a lot of videos of us doin' silly thin's an' we is a-gonna edit them an' explain them when we upload them, dawgone it. ah figgerd it was about time we started this hyar an' it sh'd keep us occupied until we see etch other agin.

Before each night is done 

Their plan will be unfurled 

By the dawning of the sun 

They'll take over the world

--Animaniacs

Haiti Hoopla

My University is having many fundraisers to donate to relief teams working in Haiti as are many other schools and organizations. Don't get me wrong, I think it's good and it's needed. My problem is a lot of people only put this much effort in when a problem is huge and the media is involved. Why not help all the time? Why not donate whenever you can and not just when you're asked? Why don't people react like this to help prevent Child Soldiers? How about all the violence that goes in DRC? And there's  the law that Uganda has passed that makes homosexuality illeagal and punishable with death. How many people know that more than 60,000 Somalis were displaced in 2010? I could go on and on forever but I doubt it would do anything. A lot of people will only see what the media chooses to show them and they are blind to the rest of the conflicts.
That being said, this kind of situation is exactly why I am doing what I am doing. With my BA in International Relations I can get a job with a Humanitarian Organization and then I can be the one arranging for relief teams to go to places in need. I wish I loved science enough to be a doctor, I wish I was strong enough to become a  construction worker, I wish I could do more.

I dare you to choose a website (suggestions below) and subscribe to their newsletter, I can guarentee you'll read about things you didn't know were going on.

War Child
United National International Children's Education Fund
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Doctors without Borders
Not for Sale
Central Asia Institute

I need to be bold

Need to jump in the cold

--Joshua Radin

Home

I have been thinking about this for a long time and debating posting it. Today in my Intro to Cultural Geography we discussed it and it brought up some new things so I decided to post about it finally.


To me a Home has always meant a place where you are secure, loved and feel comfortable. You should always feel like you belong there and it should be your sanctuary away from the world. For the people who know me, they know that I don't feel that way about the house my parents own and I lived in. To me where I was living was simply a building in which I slept, ate and such. I was not emotionally attached to the building, and hardly to the inhabitants.


Ever since I moved out and started school I have been thinking a lot about whether I am homeless or if I have a home. The conclusion I came to was that my body is my home, and wherever I am at the time is my home. However, this would mean that even if i'm in a place I don't like, I am home. I am comfortable in my body, I am secure in my body, I am proud of my body and it is my home. I would love a home that is also a house but I will have to wait on that.


In class we were today we were told to draw a mental image of our home and then we were asked:
if it was where we slept last night (quite a few hands went up), the place we grew up (the majority of hands) and if anyone had drew something that was not a building. I was the only one to put my hand up, others may have not admitted it, but I was the only one to say that my body is my home. I can't help but feel jealous of all the kids in my class for having a place to call home, somewhere to be loved.


This has really made me wonder where other people call home; the house they grew up in, the house they're in now, a certain place...? I believe that home is a feeling and it can't be stuck to four walls and roof. What do you think?

No one's gonna make me
Nothing's gonna take me
I ain't ever goin'
Back there, again

--Blake Shelton

A weekend to remember...

...at least I hope it will be. Bobbie-Jo told me that she was interested in going to the CCMA's this year. My first thought was "Oh no", it's not that I think it's a bad idea but it's her going alone. She's never been out west and Edmonton is a big city. I immediately realized how funny this could be, of all the stories she would have of getting lost, meeting strangers and all that. I decided it was a good idea and I should encourage it.

However, my sister informed me that there was an au pair opening near her in Vancouver. I have applied to that position and if I get it I will be out west for the summer. The CCMA's will be Sept. 8-12 and school starts Sept. 7. I will sacrifice 4 days of school to spend a weekend with my best friend listening to country music, Canadian country music!

At Bobbie-Jo's 17th birthday dinner, her cousin and I decided that for her 19th birthday we would take her out to a bar/club and get her a lil tipsy. I was planing on going home for the weekend in October to celebrate her birthday but if we're in Alberta we can celebrate then. The drinking age is 18 there and we could have a lot of fun. We're going to get all dolled up and find a bar with an electronic bull.


I CAN'T WAIT

lets go following whatever way the wind blows
flying with our hands out of the window

--Paul Brandt

Songs

So i'm going to take a page out of The Bestie's books and post a list of the songs I love most. When it comes down to it most of them are Paul Brandt songs, he is an amazing singer/songwriter and I relate to pretty much all his lyrics. I'm just going to put my favorite by him on this list because I want variety. I'm going to link YouTube videos to all the song titiles so you can hear them :)


Amazing Grace by John Newton
Can't help myself by The Kelly Family
Don't be shy by Cat Stevens
I'd rather be with you by Joshua Radin
If you only knew by Shinedown
Losing my religion by REM
New way to fly by Garth Brooks
Nobody says no byJessie Farrell
Paradise by Deca Csazm
Risk by Paul Brandt
Someday Baby by Bob Dylan
Student Visas by Corb Lund
Top of the World by Dixie Chicks
True Colours by Cyndi Lauper
What about now by Lonestar
What's up? by 4 Non Blondes
Wild at heart by Glorianna

Thursday's Child Has Far To Go

I have always prided myself on living for the moment and trying to get the most out of life. However, this time spent at University has allowed me to slip into an inactive lifestyle. I think I am finally acting like a teenager. I sleep until noon on the weekends, I play on my computer all day, I hardly exercise and I don't eat properly.

There's a part of me that wants to get my ass in gear, to get back on top of things. To excel in school and be active in the things I am passionate about. There's another part of me, that's winning, that wants me lay back and experience this aspect of life.

I'm torn on which side to let win because I know I probably won't have another opportunity to act like this. However, I feel an emptiness because I'm not doing what I am passionate about.

They say that Thursday's Child Has Far To Go, and I always planned on going far with my life. I never let myself act like everyone else, I never went through the lazy teenager phase. And now that I've slipped into it, I can't find the courage to pull myself out of it.

The only thing I've really stuck with, in fact I've done more for, is CHD awareness. I'm throwing myself into that instead of spreading myself around.

I'm through accepting limits 

''cause someone says they're so 

Some things I cannot change 

But till I try

--Wicked