Thursday, December 30, 2010

Day 37: Kitty Cat - Meow!

The bling-bling kitty cat. She's purrrrrdy.

See what I did there? Clever!

Today the kitty cat and I went to see Body Worlds at Science World with Kaitlin and her friend Craig. It was AWESOME. I definitely think I underestimated the creepiness of the whole thing. Walking into a room filled with dead bodies that were mostly plastinated pre-1920s was much weirder than I originally anticipated. It was fascinating to see the human body in this way though. They show you the nervous system, the muscles, the bones, the blood vessels, and much more. The whole exhibit was very informative. Almost too informative since close to the end I felt like I could not possibly retain any more information. Ironically there was a banner that said that the average adult can successfully learn in 20 minutes increments. Kind of does away with my capability of learning in the 5 hours of Accounting I'll be doing on Tuesdays. I'm doomed! Anyways, I highly recommend this exhibit to everyone (with the exception of small children considering that it really is kind of scary). Also, I almost fainted only twice and both times it passed when I just closed my eyes. Success for the chronic fainter! Maybe I'm growing up after all?!

Tonight I had a family dinner, which was really great! And we watched a movie that was not a "family" movie at all, really, but it's over now.

I think I shall retire early in preparation for a later night tomorrow since it's New Years Eve.

Night.
xo

Day 36: Camo and Stripes

Okay the explanation for this is that I was wearing two pairs of socks because I was wearing my Mom's adorable boots which are just a tad too big for me. 

I love that this photo makes me look like I have total cankles. I swear to you I have ankles. Real pokey-outey ankles. In this photo? Not so much. This is what my ankles looked like when I was in Belize and for the first day I was in Cuba. In Belize my ankles were so swollen that my shoes barely did up. Because of this I stretched the shoes out so badly that at the end of the trip I pretty much had to throw them away. Apparently I retain water in my ankles in hot places. It's especially cute when I also get a heat rash to go with it. No seriously, I am likely the hottest person on the beach in those places. It's unreal.

Don't be jealous.

xo

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Day 35: Pink, Purple and Black Argyle

These lovely socks came from my Nana for Christmas! The tag on the socks described me perfectly:
I am writing this a day late. Yesterday was a really great day! In the morning I went and saw Andrea and she and I talked for hours and ate lunch together. Our time together was really great and was something that I was looking forward to. I met Andrea and Ryan's bunnies, Pancakes and Waffles. They are SO cute. Pancakes was my favourite because she is cuddly and liked to just lay there on me. Such a little sweetheart!

After my time with Andrea, I went to Amy's house and we went off to Winners and La Vie En Rose together. I got a new phone case (for $5!) and some new undies at La Vie En Rose (love new undies!). Afterwards we had dinner at her place and watched 'Robin Hood Men In Tights'. Hilarious!

"We are the men in tights, TIGHT tights!" -- Awesome! I can't believe I'd never seen that movie before.

Once that was done we decided to go and see the movie Love and Other Drugs with Julia. I wasn't sure what to expect with this movie as I've heard pretty mixed reviews about it, but I loved it. There was definitely more nudity and sex scenes than I would ever put in a movie, but the story itself was a well written one and the last line was possibly my favourite part of the whole movie (next to seeing two straight hours of Jake Gyllenhaal's lovely face, that is). I won't give it away! I don't want to be the movie spoiler for people that want to see it. Anyways, it's definitely not a movie for everyone and I certainly wouldn't recommend it for anyone quite young, but I sure liked it!

I'm off for today.

xo

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Day 34: Snowmen and Christmas Trees

To me these socks look like they have Snowmen and a Menorah (the candle-holder used for Hanukkah), but I was informed that those are actually supposed to be Christmas trees, we think. I really like snowmen so these were a great pair of socks from my Nana for Christmas!

Today was my day for one-day-late boxing day shopping! I am not a big boxing day crowds kind of person. Today I went to Pacific Centre. Joy and Syd came up from the States to come shopping. We also had dinner together at this adorable Italian restaurant downtown. I think it was called Bellagio. The man that we think was the owner kept coming over to us and treated us very well throughout our meal. Him and Syd spoke French to each other and it was all really great food! After dinner I went and chatted with Caitlin for a little while until she needed to get ready for bed since she works early tomorrow. Let me just express my love for being back in BC!!!!!!!

Now that I've updated on my day, I just need to rant a little bit about my dislike for certain websites. Today I spent a good 30 minutes on the Starbucks website. All I was trying to do was register two Starbucks cards, change my address, and transfer a balance from one card to the other. I can't believe this took me 30 minutes. Their website is ridiculous! I don't know if it was really busy because the rest of the world and I were all registering our cards at exactly the same moment, or if it's a painfully slow website at the best of times. My advice: if you are going to make a website that is supposed to make it easy to register and update your cards, you should really work on making it fast.

You know when something is making you mad and you take it out on the wrong things? My poor unassuming MacBook Pro almost ended up thrown on the floor because I was getting so frustrated. Anger management issues? Not usually. But for the Starbucks website -- YES!

As a totally unrelated side-note, I tried on some Prada perfume at Sears in Pacific Centre today and I'm in love. I SMELL AMAZING. If anyone wants to buy me Prada perfume instead of socks, I'll take it!

xo

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Day 33: Purple Argyle with Scottish Terriers

I received these socks from my Grandma for Christmas. A lot of the socks my Nana gave me are argyle styled and I told her that my socks were very 'college'. For some reason argyle always makes me think of college/university students. I suppose that means having a bunch of argyle socks is quite fitting for my current status as a University student. These socks come with the added bonus of having a cute little doggy on them! They remind me of when my previous boss told me that a friend of mine and I were "so college" because my friend (who is also a client) was going to be staying over at my house. We didn't french braid each other's hair, but we contemplated it just to live up to the college expectation.

Today I got together for lunch and a little window shopping in Fort Langley with Amanda and Amelia. I haven't seen Amelia in years, which is sad because I totally love her to pieces. I also haven't seen Amanda in a long time and since the last time I saw her she's been impregnated (by her husband, of course). Amanda is going to have TWINS, which is crazy exciting and I'm sure scary all at the same time. She is a beautiful, glowing, pregnant lady and I think she'll be a really fun Mom. We browsed around a baby store and all three of us spent a good portion of the time exclaiming "awwwww!" and "that's SO cute!" at nearly everything we laid eyes on. Time well spent with friends, if you ask me!

Tonight my Mom and Stepdad's friends came over for dinner and I ate with them and sat around and chatted with them as well. We had some very interesting (read: hilariously inappropriate) conversations over dinner and dessert. I had a great time.

I think I'm going to head to bed early tonight to gear up for a busy day of shopping tomorrow! I can't wait to window-shop 'till I drop. Being a student means I unfortunately have no money to spend. I will, however, be on the lookout for really cute, different, and cheap socks to add to my collection.

Sweet dreams and I hope you've had a happy Boxing Day!

xo

Day 32: Cows

These socks are SO adorable and are part of the collection of socks from Melissa. I figure that over Christmas this year I have gained about 40 pairs of socks. This is awesome news since I'll be doing this for 365 days and I'm only at day 32 so far! I have a LONG way to go. Keep those socks a'comin! My Nana wrote on my Christmas present (which was 12 pairs of socks) "For Lydia's Ugly Feet". They were all really cute pairs of socks! I am so excited to wear all of these new socks and see which ones I love and which ones I'm not so sure of.

My Christmas this year was fantastic! I hope everyone else's was just as good. I got to open my stocking, some presents, enjoy delicious food with my family, enjoy game time with my family, and enjoy altogether too much wine, which was delightful as well in its own right.

This has been such a good vacation and I am hoping that this last week of it will not go by quickly, but slowly, so as to savour every moment of it with the people that I love out here in BC.

I am so thankful for the Christmas that I've had this year and I sincerely hope that each of you has enjoyed your Christmas immensely. And if you haven't -- you can always call me up and we'll chat about it. I love that too.

Night, folks.
xo

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Day 31: Christmas Balls

I know, I know, when someone says "Christmas Balls" you don't automatically think of the type that hang on your tree. Oh, you do? Well, I don't. This reminds me of walking into La Vie En Rose and thinking that they strategically placed the furry pom poms on the supposedly sexy Mrs. Claus skirt in an awkward place on the mannequin. What look are they really going for? Is that going to sell the lingerie to ladies who want to look really hot for their significant other? Probably not. If the furry pom poms alone don't solidify in my mind the idea of not wanting to wear it, the idea of wearing an outfit that is universally regarded as being the outfit of a very fat woman definitely would. I just can't see dressing up as the 'festively plump' Mrs. Claus as being my thing. And I certainly hope that whomever I marry feels the same on that topic.

Today, on Christmas Eve, my Mother and I braved the mall to get a few last-minute items. It was pure insanity. While sitting in the food court for lunch my Mom remarked that no one around us was really smiling. As the televisions played video of people going to Bethlehem to see the city where Jesus was born, we were sitting in a mall with the apparently unhappy people of the world who were trying to purchase a few more things before their time ran out and Christmas was here. I noted that it was actually quite sad the stressful, ridiculously busy, insanely selfish thing that as a society we have turned Christmas into.

On our way to the mall my Mom asked for my help in writing the list of the things we needed. This is the result of my careful planning:

The classiest part is that it's actually all written on the back of a Wal-Mart receipt. Cute.

Well, here's to hoping for the husband and the diamonds, but I'll settle for just the champagne at this point!

Happy Christmas Eve to all of you (technically Christmas right now to all of my friends in Mountain Time or later)! May you all have a wonderful Christmas with your families and friends and may you get/find/buy all the things on your list that you truly hope for!

xo

Friday, December 24, 2010

Day 30: Strawberry Shortcake (Round 1)

Strawberry Shortcake is Round 1 because Amy bought me two pairs of Strawberry Shortcake socks and this is the first one I'm wearing. These socks are made for small children so I tried to stretch them out before I put them on, but apparently I can wear kids socks, no problem!

I was given a lot of new pairs of socks from Melissa today at work! It was awesome to get so many pairs. Each pair came with a story of what she was thinking when she bought them and what kind of days I might be having when I wear them. It was extremely thoughtful and I really appreciated the gifts!

I had lunch with a group of people from my old work today and it was great to hear about and see everyone and find out how they are all doing. I wish I had the time to spend with everyone while I'm here, but it's hard to fit everything into just two short weeks. I thought two weeks was a long vacation, but it's really not at all.

I had dinner tonight with Rachel. I just adore this girl. She is absolutely beautiful, inside and out. And I love, love, love that we get past the small talk stage almost immediately when we are together.

Can I just explain that recently I've realized that I am not one for small talk? It may be that I feel like a broken record when participating in small talk, or maybe it's that I feel that if we aren't getting past small talk then we are really not investing in each other's lives or each other's stories in a significant way. Intellectually stimulating conversation is where I like to spend most of my time, and I so appreciate when others feel the same way.

I like it when people challenge me. I like it when a conversation really makes me think. I like it when people encourage me to be a better person and to explore other ideas and opinions rather than just forcing their own on me. I like to be encouraged to think outside the usual realm of my thought processes in order to discover new ideas and thoughts about myself, my life, my faith, etc. As Rachel and I talked about, I want to be investing my time and effort in relationships that build me up, not relationships that bring me down. Getting past the small talk is the first step to building lasting relationships with other people. I hope that I encourage other people in the same way that I hope to be encouraged.

Get past small talk with someone you know. Be intentional about making solid friendship connections with people that encourage you and encourage happiness within you.

xo

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Day 29: Argyle

I'm writing this blog a day late as yesterday was completely busy and full for me!

I slept in yesterday, which has been a common theme while I've been on vacation so far. After that I went to Starbucks with Amy and her lovely Mommy, Barb. Then Amy and I got ready to head off to Tamara and Jack's wedding. I think one of the best parts of the day was getting dressed for the wedding, in the car, in a high school parking lot, in the conservative farm town of Lynden, Washington. We were both nervous that someone would come up to the car. No one came up to it though, and hopefully the people driving by didn't notice what was going on. After doing the in-car dressing, we drove to the golf club that the wedding took place at. In the parking lot there we put our makeup on and then headed in to the wedding. The wedding was absolutely beautiful. Tamara is such a beautiful girl and it was nice for her to be surrounded by her family and friends on such an important day such as yesterday was. Their personal vows to each other were very sweet and I definitely enjoyed hearing them. At the reception the food was really delicious, which doesn't always happen, so that was a treat! Some of us danced after dinner for a little while and then we all went home.

Weddings are really fun and I am glad that I was invited to this one and could actually attend. What a lovely way to spend a Wednesday evening! :)

I'll write another blog post later that will talk about today!

xo

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Day 28: Polka-Dots & Lace


These are the last pair of socks that I got from Andre in my secret santa gift. They are super awesome! I really like this pair. I wasn't sure if they'd be comfortable since they don't cover as much of your foot as normal socks, but they are really comfortable.

This morning I took my Mom to work and got to stop in and see a whole bunch of people I used to work with, including some that weren't at the work Christmas Party on Saturday. After spending a couple hours there going around and saying hello, I headed to Starbucks for a yummy drink in my new travel mug that I got from Caitlin for Christmas.

After Starbucks I went to see my dog, Pekoe, who is living at my friend's grandma's house while I am in school. I was nervous to go because I wasn't sure how I was going to react. I was pretty sure that I would cry (I usually do!) and have a really hard time dealing with the stress of leaving him again. When I showed up, he was totally excited to see me! He was running around like crazy and jumping back and forth between two chairs. I gave Pekoe his two new toys for Christmas and he loved them and wanted to play with them both right away. We played for a while and I took him for a walk. We played a little bit more once we got back and then I left. Here's the unbelievable part: I didn't cry. Not one tear. Not because I am heartless, but because I will see him once more while I'm here to give him his new 'City of Maple Ridge' tag that I bought today. I miss my dog so much. Every day. He is so special to me and I am glad that he is happy where he is at and is enjoying the company. 

After seeing Pekoe I went to see Kaitlin, which was awesome! I haven't seen her since she got back from Africa and it was good to hear a little bit about her trip and her life. We'll catch up some more next week sometime.

When I got home we had a family dinner with my Mom, Stepdad, Grandparents and my Aunt. My grandma made amazing Shepherd's Pie that I loved. My Mom made homemade bread that I also loved. Such good food and great company. My Aunt is going to make me a pair of socks to wear for my blog, so keep on the lookout for those babies! I'm excited!

Tomorrow will be a big day so I'm going to go to bed nice and early in preparation!

xo 

Monday, December 20, 2010

Day 27: Strawberries


Strawberries today! Super cute. :)

Today was a wonderful day. Much of the day was spent with Caitlin. We had such good conversations! And then tonight I went over to Kristie and Darren's house to meet their little guy, Thais. He is super cute and it was nice to see the girls over there and to see how everyone is doing. I miss having girl time with these ladies!

I think I've realized how interesting it is how life keeps going on and how a group of friends can be in such different places than they were, even just 5 months ago. To see pregnant friends, friends with babies, friends getting married, friends in new relationships, and friends that are newly single and to think of where each of them were at in their lives before I left. It is incredible how the world moves along and changes. I love it!

xo

Day 25: Everyday & Butterflies; Day 26: Frogs


This is a double-entry day. I couldn't blog yesterday because my Saturday was just too crazy busy!

Saturday morning bright and early I woke up and went to the airport. I think it is comical that WestJet now has you print your own baggage tag, so really all they do is weigh it and then the belt moves it along. The best part is that it's not very descriptive as to how you should peel and stick it, and they don't tell you at that point which part you are supposed to keep. Needless to say I pulled the wrong pieces off and the lady stared at me like I had two heads. If you don't want people to mess it up, don't make them do it themselves!

My Mom picked me up at the airport and we cried when we saw each other. Oh man, did I ever miss her. Five months without my Mom nearby has been tough on me since I've had her around for so long now. We spent the day together, shopping, talking, laughing, catching up. I adore that my relationship with my Mom is so open. I can talk to her about anything and we appreciate each other's sense of humour and always have a great time together. I couldn't ask for a better Mom than the one that I have. 

After we hung out we came home and I got to see my Stepdad, Grandparents, and Jake and Jezebel (the dogs). Mom, Craig and I then got ready to go to the work Christmas Party. Since I worked for them for most of this year it was alright that I went too. It was so much fun! I have missed everyone at work and I had a great time dancing and catching up. It's hard to really catch up in any sort of depth when there are so many people around (and games and dancing), but I did the best I could and hope to see most of them again sometime this week! 

Today Amy came and picked me up and we went out for a coffee before church. We talked and it literally felt like no time had gone by since the last time we saw each other. At church I was able to see many friends and even hold one of the cutest little babies, Sawyer. It was the church's kids Christmas concert. A little boy in the choir was trying to copy Julia (who was conducting) so he was pointing his hands all over the place and I was totally enjoying watching him. So adorable and unintentionally funny! 

After church Amy, Andrea, Julia and I went for brunch/lunch and had great chats! After lunch Andrea, Amy and I went back to Amy's house and hung out for a while and talked. There was much to say and four month's worth of stories to hear about and to tell!

After that Amy and I went to some show homes for fun and took pictures in them. So awesome! We found a fire hydrant dressed up as Santa Claus and I think it was one of the best pictures of the day. After house shopping we went for a long drive and ended up eating dinner at The Keg. Then I went over to Al and Sandy's house because my Mama was there and I got to see them and some of their lovely family and their new (completely adorable) little puppy, Nya. 

I feel like I have missed a lot since I've been gone, but I still know that I am doing what I'm supposed to do for me right now. I know that I want to come back to BC when I'm done my schooling, but like Amy said tonight: now that I'm here, I see what I've been missing. 

Can't wait to enjoy the rest of this trip and get together with many more people and see what the days hold!

xo  

Friday, December 17, 2010

Day 24: Friday & Flowers


My Friday socks are blue with white flowers on them.

Thank goodness for school being over! I am so glad for that. Had my last exam this evening. I was done by about 8:30pm. Hooray! 

I am honestly so tired right now, but I am packed and ready to head out to BC tomorrow! I get to see my Mom tomorrow by 9:30am, Calgary time. I was thinking at work today that it's really hard to imagine where you will be the next day. I was trying to picture that I'd be in BC again in less than 24 hours and it was hard for my brain to comprehend. I suppose that makes it all the more exciting and interesting because we can't know what will happen or what we will experience in each day. I am definitely thankful for variety. 

Something I am not thankful for: final exams in a big, echoing, fluorescent-lit gym. Whose idea was it to take 200 kids and stick them in a gym for their final when they learn the class material in an entirely different environment? Silliness. Complete silliness.

Miss. Joy is coming over soon so we can eat a bite of chocolate and hug goodbye. Then I shall retire to my delightful bed for (not nearly enough) sleeping! 

xo

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Day 23: Thursday & Peace


I really like the concept of peace. World peace. Peace in my heart. Peace among friends, relatives. Piece of pie. I know that's piece and not peace. Now I understand why English is hard for people to learn.

This morning I was doing this thing that I do sometimes where I wonder when and how I'm going to die. Not sure why this pops into my head randomly, but it always makes me a tad worried that I won't make it very much longer. I've always had a fear of being murdered. Especially by someone I love. One of my thoughts, even as a child, was "what if I grow up and then my husband murders me?" Morbid, I know, but there it is.

Recently it's been car accidents. I think it has something to do with the increase in accidents I've seen because of the snow on the roads in Calgary. I had a horrible dream a couple of weeks ago that was one of the most vivid dreams I've had in my life. I was dying in a car accident because I swerved to miss hitting someone who randomly appeared in the road. In the dream, with the car spinning out of control, I closed my eyes and said "Lord, if I'm going to die, just take me". I woke up gasping for air and crying my eyes out. I mention this dream because right before I woke up, I felt peace. And I don't mean a contented "It's a nice day out" kind of peace. I mean peace like I've never felt before. Ever. I honestly thought I had died because I felt so peaceful.

It was quite a strange dream, but since then I've been just slightly leery of driving, green Ford F-150s, and the intersection of 14th Street and Southland Drive in Calgary. If you're curious, I can tell you the whole dream some time.

Needless to say, I have not been in a car accident today, nor have I died (really?!). I did, however, slice my thumb with a Cutco knife. Anyone that owns a Cutco knife knows the significance of the name brand and understands how sharp those knives are. It makes my stomach churn just thinking of the feeling.

I am off to make dinner on my last night as a Nanny. Stay away from car accidents and sharp knives, friends!

xo

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Day 22: Wednesday & Stars


Just to keep my day a little interesting these socks seem to be extra soft, which translates into extra slippery on hardwood and tile floors. I've almost fallen over three times already today and am just waiting for that slip down my parents hardwood stairs that I've always dreaded. Those things are killer.

I've gotten a couple marks back from school! I got an A in Economics. Man, I worked my butt off in that class to get that mark, so I'm pretty happy about it! I got an A+ in Human Resources, which I also worked my butt off in. Now I just have to wait to see how I do after my test on Friday! I am so looking forward to this all being over because it means Christmas is close!

It's officially going to get cold here again tomorrow (around -14 celsius). I am certainly not looking forward to that. I am pretty excited for the rain and a bit warmer temperatures in BC. Not to mention the moisture! My skin is looking forward to that for sure.

I have to spend a big chunk of time tonight studying. Sorry the blog today is pretty boring, but I have to start the studying process again. One more to go!!!

xo

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Day 21: Tuesday & Cherries


These socks are so darn cute! I love the little cherries on them. As I got a massage today the masseuse says, "Do you know that it says Tuesday on your socks? And that it's actually Tuesday today?" I laughed and explained my blogging adventure to her. 

This was such an interesting day for me! I went to a massage, had lunch with Kate (who I haven't seen in forever and it was SO NICE to catch up), and then I went to Starbucks for a free drink that someone gave me, and then picked up one of the boys that I nanny from school to take him to an interview. The interview is what made my day really interesting! This particular boy that I nanny has a serious penchant for cooking. He enjoys cooking, watches all the cooking shows, and aspires to be a chef when he's older. It is so neat to watch a passion come alive in a kid. So because of his passion he set up an interview with the Executive Chef of one of the top rated restaurants in Calgary. He did this all himself. Today was the interview and I was asked to accompany him while he interviewed this gentleman. Therefore, I got to hear all about cooking from the perspective of someone who is also just as passionate about it as the boy I nanny. The restaurant where he is the executive chef is called Rouge. It's in Inglewood and was actually voted one of the top 100 restaurants in the world. No joke - they are like number 60, which is amazing! The chef's name is Michael and he was quite honestly, an extremely nice guy. He was patient as a 12 year old figured out which of his list of questions he wanted to ask, and patient while he wrote down his answers. He graciously allowed us to film his answers so that they could be referred back to later. And then my favourite part -- he gave us a tour of the restaurant. 

We started the tour in the kitchen, which was quite small as kitchens in restaurants go, but this particular restaurant is in A.E. Cross' old house, and as such is quite small. In the kitchen we were given a sample of freshly made Honey Ice Cream to try. It was delicious! Then down to the basement of the house we went. We saw the fridge, freezer, dry store room, etc. In the fridge they had a pig leg that had been sitting in a huge bucket with salt for 8 months, that would next week be taken out and hung to dry for 12 more months, in order to make prosciutto. That's commitment, folks! Rouge is an interesting place because they are also all about sustainability. They grow most of their own vegetables and those that they don't all come from local farms. The meat they buy is also local. It is an extremely expensive restaurant to eat at, but you know that all of the products are top quality and fresh.

My favourite part of the tour was seeing the wine cellar. I love wine. A lot. The wine cellar is located inside A.E. Cross' original giant safe, in the basement. Apparently he too stored some liquor in there. It was interesting to see how they've had to make do with a fairly small space and have turned it into such a thriving place. It was also interesting to hear how someone came about finding their passion, and how they've decided to live it out. Michael gave great advice for someone wanting to be a chef, and I know that it was taken to heart by an eager boy with big dreams. 

How great of him to be so kind to someone so young and to encourage another person in following their passions into a career. Too often we, sometimes unknowingly, stomp on dreams of young people by discounting their thoughts and words, or by not giving them the time of day at all. It was refreshing to see someone encourage and share their experiences with someone younger. He may never know what a difference he possibly made in the life of that child. I hope we all stop to think about youth and children and the difference we can make in their lives by just listening and being willing to share with them, rather than withholding information. 

I think in general people need to approach life more often than we do with an attitude of "what can I do for you?" instead of "what can you do for me?"

xo 

Monday, December 13, 2010

Day 20: Days of the week - Monday & Skulls

This is day one of my seven day of socks that I received from Andre for Christmas! I am so excited to be starting this pack of all new little sockies! Monday's socks have skulls on them. As I put them on this morning I was truly hoping the skulls were not some sort of bad omen about how my Economics final was going to go.

I spent the day studying at Starbucks in Southcentre Mall while willing myself to not go to the store next door and buy a purse and wallet that I really wanted. Too much money. Shoot. I wanted them both so badly, but I restrained. Plus, if I get any money for Christmas I can maybe get the same stuff on sale around Boxing Day. After the ridiculously hard time spent studying there, I went to school to finish my studying before my exam at 4:30pm. 

I got through the studying and I got through the exam. I don't think I aced it, but I definitely think I'll at least get an A on it, which will keep me at an A in that class. Take that, Microeconomics. 

Now, I have one more final this year and then I get to go to BC and visit my family and friends over Christmas! I can't wait. I am going to work my butt off this week so I can get a good mark on my last final. Just can't wait for it all to be over. 

As much as I was concerned about the skulls on the socks this morning, I don't think I let them get me down! 

xo

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Day 19: Clouds

These are the socks I was wearing when I originally created this blog. However, that day wasn't counted as 'Day 1' so they are getting another turn.

I had a fabulous sleep on Krista's ridiculously comfortable guest bed again. Mmmm I love that bed!

Today I was faced with thoughts of when do I actually grow up and face the decisions I make head-on instead of running and trying to hide them from people? I sometimes feel like I am still a child stuck in this 25-year-old body, secretly wishing someone else would make my choices for me. The worst part is not even making choices, it's dealing with the reality of those choices after the fact. I still get these urges to hide things from parents or friends or whomever, and often they are really silly, mundane things. I wonder why sometimes it is so hard for me to just say "Yes, this is what I did."

Fear of disappointing someone? Fear of making someone mad? Fear of saying it out loud and therefore having to actually address it and/or deal with it? Who knows. I do, however, need to try to act like an adult. It's okay for me to fail sometimes. It's inevitable that I will let people down sometimes. And it's alright that I will occasionally make poor choices. What I need to work on is being alright with admitting when I've made a poor choice instead of trying to 'hide' it from people. That's silly. That's not a mature way to deal with things.

Work in progress.

xo

Day 18: Blue, Green, Yellow Stripes


So I didn't have time yesterday (Saturday) to blog at all, so I will have to do two blogs today!

Saturday I got up nice and early and went to The Purple Perk for breakfast with Joy. It was super yummy and delicious and I enjoyed it very much. We then walked across the street and I studied and met up with Rebecca at Starbucks. It was great. I got about half of my studying for my Economics final done. After spending many hours at Starbucks I came home to get ready for Mingle Bells 2010. Krista hosted this party where she made a delicious dinner for everyone! Such a good little domestic woman. We all (or most) wore our ugly Christmas sweaters and took part in a Secret Santa gift exchange. We did a craft (painting each other's portraits). And we played some good old fashioned drinking games. Neither of which I had ever played before, but they were both really fun.

I had a GREAT time at Mingle Bells and thoroughly enjoyed the week worth of socks I got in my Secret Santa gift, which ended up being from Andre. I shall start wearing them tomorrow!

I LOVE SOCKS.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Day 17: Pink with Black Hearts

Photo will have to come later as I am using someone else's computer to write this.

Today was such a great day! I had a fun day at work and it went by so quickly because of it. After work I went to the Calgary Hitmen hockey game and they won 4-3 in overtime. It was such a fun game (especially the 3rd period)!!

At the game it was so cool to see a large group of people from Angola cheering like crazy through the entire game. They were so spirited and stood through the whole thing. They had scarves that said "Angola" and they even brought their own drum! Very, very cool! I wonder what it would be like if people in this country had that much spirit. I imagine that at sporting events in Angola maybe they are constantly on their feet cheering and yelling, but here we are pretty silent except for when someone scores. We "ooh" and "ahh" and groan when they miss, but there is not the same constant happy spirit throughout the event.

Anyways, I hope, in life, to be someone that has a cheerful, delighted spirit, much like I saw displayed by the others at the game tonight. <3

xo   

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Day 16: Baby Hearts

My baby heart socks are ancient and I have no idea when or where I got them. They are practically see-through when on my feet, but I just think they are so cute and can't seem to throw them away.

As much as I was dreading this insanely busy day (hence the blogging at 11:45 when I should be in bed), I actually really enjoyed today. I got to school at 7:40 this morning to have a last minute meeting before a group presentation at 8am. After that class I went to Economics and found out everything that will be on our final. Then I met with the prof to check over my assignment (which I ended up getting 97% on!!!!!). After that I went to my HR final role play. My prof was running late and one of the girls in the class had a death in the family and therefore the prof spent some (unexpected) time consoling a student. Needless to say my role play was about an hour late, but it went extremely well! In fact, it ended up being really fun. My prof in that class is fantastic. I have really lucked out this semester with really nice and helpful profs.

Tonight I went to a Junior High Christmas Concert. It was so exciting to hear grade 7, 8 and 9 kids play instruments and sing. I was once one of those kids, being in both band and choir at that age. Funny enough I thought the grade 7 band was better than the grade 8 band, but the grade 9 band was definitely the best of the three. Very good concert though! So encouraging to see an entire gymnasium filled with proud parents, family members and friends for all of those kids.

Time for bed before work tomorrow!

xo

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Day 15: Stars and Squares


Is it Christmas break yet? Dang it, no. :(

Today I'm wearing socks with stars and squares on them! While they are super cute socks, they are also just a tad too small from too many spins around the dryer. Therefore, they annoy me while I'm wearing my shoes. They are ankle socks so since they are too small they ride down under my heel and it's frustrating. Not to mention my old Converse loooooove to make that squeaky-fart noise when I walk in them sometimes, so with an exposed heel it makes it worse. Really cute. You could probably hear me coming down the street today. Haha, I kid. The noise it makes is really not very loud, but whenever it happens I'm pretty conscious of it. Don't want to be blamed for something that was just my shoe, after all.

Well that was a lovely (too much information) rant about my shoes and socks.

Tomorrow is my insanely busy day filled with my presentation, assignment, and final interviewing role play. After that I have to book it to work in time to take the boy I nanny to hockey. Shall be a very fun and crazy day, I'm sure.

While I would love to stay and write an entire novel instead of doing any sort of homework, I must go and start the studying process for my finals. Since one of them is cumulative, I have to review an entire semester worth of notes. My joy at this is overwhelming.

xo

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Day 14: Purple

Ah, purple. My favourite colour. I love that purple is such a rich colour. It makes me happy. Deep purple, deep blue, and deep red are probably my top three favourites. I just love the "winter" colours.

Right now in my life I am a disaster. Exterior = fine. Interior = scrambled eggs. I can't keep two consecutive thoughts strung together. I blame finals. It's a strange feeling because right now I have a lot to do. Meaning, I have a lot of preparation for exams to do, but at the same time I don't have a lot to hand in. This is making me feel panicky as I keep feeling like I'm missing something. In the next week and a half I have to do: a 15 minute International Business presentation (Thursday), a 20-question Economics assignment (due Thursday), a final role play in Interviewing (Thursday), a final draft of my cover letter (by next week), my final exam in Economics (Monday) and my final exam in International Business (next Friday).

I have completed my cue cards for the presentation, done the assignment (but have to meet with the prof to go over a few answers I'm unsure of), written out all my questions for the final role play, and submitted what I think will be my second last cover letter. I have not yet begun studying for the two final exams, but will start that this week.

I feel like I am essentially prepared for most of these things, so why am I freaking out?!

School is stressful! Thank goodness for apple cider vinegar pills that keep my stomach acid from eating away at my eyeballs while I complete all of this schoolwork.

Hoping for a 4.0 GPA -- wish me luck!!

xo

Monday, December 6, 2010

Day 13: Hungry Cat


How fitting that on the day I went to search for a sweater for Krista's 'Ugly Christmas Sweater' party that I am wearing socks that would terrify the poor girl. My socks today have a lovely hungry cat that is baring its teeth at the little fishies! This is my own rendition of the socks:
This is what happens when I don't have classes all day to keep me occupied. Silly girl.

Today I went to Value Village to scrounge for an ugly Christmas sweater among their racks. I feel that whenever you want something Christmasy it is never there. However, I went there and tried on at least 10 shirts/sweaters and there were a few that I could choose from. I narrowed it down to two in the end and had a hard time deciding. Do I go to the party and be one of those girls that wears a red turtleneck, with a semi-ugly wrap, but still looks pretty cute? Or do I go to the party in something unbelievably hideous and look totally ridiculous? I opted for the latter. And I bought a couple brooches, just to make it extra terrible. On Saturday or Sunday, I'll put up a pic of my Christmas Party attire. I refer to it affectionately as the "ethnically confused" sweater. And I love it.

xo

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Day 12: Black and Grey


Black and Grey socks were my choice today as I'm wearing a black shirt and dark jeans. No, I'm not 'Emo'. I just really love black clothing. These socks were another pair that I got from Christmas at some point, but I don't remember the specific year.

I've been thinking about something that continues to intrigue me. Why do I feel like food is so much better when someone else makes it? I love dining out. I love restaurants. I love the making yourself 'presentable' aspect. I'm not sure if it's that the restaurants have perfected the recipes, but I do love a good meal. I am not a chef, and that is why I hope one day to be swept off my feet by a prince charming that can cook well! I can put a meal together and I can follow a recipe, but I don't find great joy in cooking meals. It constantly baffles me that I will pay $5 for a tuna wrap when I could have made the exact same thing at home, and it probably would have tasted just as good, if not better. 

Although cooking is not my forte, I do enjoy cooking with friends and family. And I definitely enjoy baking. Baking is fun to me. Cooking you have to be creative and try to come up with better ways to make a dish whereas with baking you follow the recipe exactly and it turns out perfectly. I am a detail person. I don't see the big picture, I see the small details, and I think that is why I enjoy baking more than cooking. 

Now to just keep practicing both...

xo

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Day 11: Snowmen


Today I am wearing a pair of socks that Mallory gave me that she had never worn. They have snowmen bobbleheads on them and those drive me absolutely crazy. Like, completely. They kept getting stuck on my pants and making me mad!

My day today was filled with homework, shopping, and a really yummy dinner. Now I'm on to 6 hours of Pride and Prejudice watching. With Krista. Again. We love Mr. Darcy.

Sorry this is not longer, but I really need to get on this movie watching if I want to complete 6 hours. We are decorating our tree tomorrow!!!! I will have more to say tomorrow, I am sure.

xo

Friday, December 3, 2010

Day 10: Mafia


My little sockies have 'Mafia' written on them. I thought these were super cute! He reminds me of a cartoon evil guy. Maybe because he is a cartoon evil guy.

I have decided that today I am going to talk about the 2005 movie version of Pride and Prejudice. At Krista's house last night, this was our movie of choice.

I just want to start off by putting it out there that I am pretty sure Pride and Prejudice is essentially emotional porn for women. I am definitely not complaining about this! If there is any movie (or book!) in the entire world that can make me giddy, conflicted, or fall madly in love with just hearing or reading a line or two, it's Pride and Prejudice. How can one story written so long ago still have this incredible effect on women all around the world? I wonder if it's to do with the timelessness of a well written love story. No matter where in the world we are, or when, our world is driven by love.

The movie is so fantastically done. I know people will say that the 2005 one doesn't compare to the original movie version, but I have not seen the original mini-series version as of yet, so I have no judgment or comparison. The only think I can speak to is how much I LOVE this version. The casting for this show was done exceptionally well. The only character I would complain about is Georgiana. Not because I think they cast the wrong person, but rather I feel her character in the book is not much like the character portrayed on the screen. Other than that, I think every person in the cast does a stellar job of acting their part. Oh, how I would love to be in a movie where I get to wear dresses (and ribbons) like that!!!

And then of course, the story. Never again since Pride and Prejudice have I read a book that had the ability to make me fall completely in love with fictional men. I wish they were real! Especially Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy. What delightful characters! Mr. Bingley with his sweet naivety and cheerful disposition. And Mr. Darcy the brooding, mysterious, often times cold and unaffected man. These two characters are polar opposites and yet Jane Austen writes them in a way that draws you to each of them for such completely different reasons.

After watching the movie, Krista and I delved into the topic of which Miss. Bennet we were the most similar to. We thought I would be a mix between Elizabeth Bennet and Kitty Bennet. I have the sharp tongue of Elizabeth where I make remarks that I deem to be appropriate at the time, even if I regret it later; and Kitty because I am giggly and silly.

I think Elizabeth is a character that every girl can see some small part of themselves in. At times she is funny, she is rude, she is nurturing, she is conflicted. She feels. I think that is what makes her as a leading lady. If people feel like they know her, they possibly will feel like they like her. She doesn't have it all figured out and makes mistakes, in cruel words or unjustified comments and thoughts, and yet she moves on, and in the moving on falls 'violently in love' with one of the most romantic characters in history.

I will end this blog with a favourite quote from each of the movie and the book, respectively.

Mr. Darcy proposing to Elizabeth: "My affections and wishes have not changed, but one word from you will silence me forever. If, however, your feelings have changed, I will have to tell you: you have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you. I never wish to be parted from you from this day on."

Mr. Darcy explaining when he fell in love with Elizabeth: "I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun."

Sigh.
xo

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Day 9: Mallory's ski socks

I know you might be thinking that I've gotten lazy and just grabbed two random socks out of the drawer. This is not the case. These socks actually come as a pair and are Mallory's ski socks. They are Volcom and I believe that Mal got them from her husband, Nick, one Christmas morning! Perhaps last Christmas.

Please notice in the photo: I am wearing my new skinny jeans!!!! And I LOVE them. And they look amazing with my boots. Today I had lunch with Joy and she kept staring at my boots instead of my face. Boys looks at the boobs, and Joy looks at the boots. I loved it though!

New day, new rant. While sitting in Wyckham House (which is Mount Royal University's food court) I was sitting beside a group of about four or five girls. Some of them would come and go, and two of them were constant the entire time I was there. Normally I am skilled at tuning others out while I'm working on homework. However, I found this extremely difficult with this group of girls because they were loud and abrasive.

I understand using swear words as a reenactment of a conversation, or once in a while for emphasis on something that you feel very strongly about, but the generic use of swear words, especially f-words, is really just harsh and not classy -- especially from girls. I cannot comprehend the lack of vocabulary that these University students appear to have when dumbing down their sentences with f-this and f-that. To top off my sincere lack of understanding of these girls, they spoke the entire time at a pitch that was possibly barely audible to the human ear, but at a decibel that was clearly audible for at least a 2 table radius. At those levels one would imagine their topics to be school, or something equally generic that most people might not mind hearing, but alas, they spoke about making out with their boyfriends, their periods, and gossiped about other people that were not currently there. Oh. my. word.

Needless to say, as soon as Joy showed up for lunch, I was all too happy to get out of there.

Seriously ladies (and men too!), swearing all the time is not attractive. Really. Not. Maybe read a dictionary before bed and pick up some more words to fill your sentences with.

I'm now off to decorate for Christmas and watch girly movies with one of my faves -- Krista! Yay British chick flicks!

xo

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Day 8: Kitty Cats


Kitty cats on my feet! Little white ones and little black ones. I have had these socks for numerous years so I have no idea where or when they were acquired.

Last night I got very little sleep as I have this issue that conversing with others is much more enticing to me than getting the sleep my body craves. I feel talking to friends is really more important, especially if it's intelligent conversation and not just surface chit-chat.

This morning I was tired at work, but it seems to me that often the less sleep I get the more alert I am first thing in the morning. It's the first morning I haven't slept later than I meant to all week and it's the one with the least sleep. Explain this to me...?

At lunch I went out with Mallory and her husband Nick. When we were driving back to the office we saw Santa Claus driving a Pontiac Montana! Sad but true, Santa has traded in the sleigh for a minivan. Will the budget cuts never end?! I hope it gets really good gas mileage.

Tonight is my evening to get completely caught up on homework so that tomorrow when I see my lovely friend Krista I will be able to focus completely on decorating her house for Christmas and watching Pride and Prejudice! Ya we are! I'm so excited because I haven't seen her in a couple weeks. Girl date!

The last very important thing to note is that today marked the first day that someone gave me socks for my blog!!!!!! Mallory gave me a couple pairs (one of which I will wear tomorrow). So looking forward to this! I just can't imagine the types of things that will happen in my day when I'm not even in my own socks. Will I take on the characteristics of the person who gave them to me like some sort of Freaky Friday weirdness? I guess we'll know tomorrow!

xo

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Day 7: Rainbow Chip Icing


Today my socks look like Betty Crocker's Rainbow Chip Icing, which is probably one of my favourites and, I can't even lie, the reason I bought the socks in the first place. I bought these last night when I bought my skinny jeans. The socks were only $1.10!

I had a fabulous day while wearing socks displaying my favourite icing!

First thing this morning I thought to myself, what the heck, I'm going to try on those pants that haven't fit me in over a year. Normally, I would not put myself through the shame, discomfort, and hurt feelings of trying something like this. However, I know I've been losing weight because the scale and my baggy pants tell me so. So, I pulled on these jeans and...they fit! As in, the button and zipper do up! And not just that - they are comfortable! The scale has been telling me that I lost 20 pounds, but I really didn't feel it until that moment.

While at school today I got to have lunch with a friend that I haven't spent time with in over a month, and ran into another friend that I also haven't spent time with in a while! It was so nice to catch up with these two ladies, if even for a few minutes.

In my co-op class we had an employer panel and they were talking about different summer employment possibilities. I was excited because The Mustard Seed was there and I thought it would be such an awesome place to do a summer placement. Then my summer placement would be not just about me, but about helping others while learning Human Resources. Amazing!

The last thing I did today before coming home was take one of the boys I nanny to hockey practice. I stayed and watched this time so I could take him home once it was over. Oh my gosh those buildings are cold. I get that because they need to keep the ice cold. That's fine. But why in these places do they have benches that only giants could comfortably sit on with no back support? Who invented this idea? Maybe the tall benches are there to be closer to the heater, but could I at least get a step up? And who wants to sit somewhere with no back support for an hour and 15 minutes? Not me. My last problem with the place is that they do not have free wireless internet. If moms, dads, and nannies have to take the kids there, the least they could do is provide free internet so we can do something other than watch kids skate around in circles! For our sanity...? Pretty please?

Lastly, a message to any men that work at a hockey rink: Please take me on a Zamboni. It's one of my goals in life to ride on one. Help me realize this dream!

I am now off to work on a birthday present for my Stepmom! Hope you are all having a great day!

xo

Monday, November 29, 2010

Day 6: Yellow and Orange Stripes (continued)

It's still Day 6, but I just had to share about my evening. Very blog-worthy!

It is official. I have caved. I have finally, after years of protesting, given in.

I now own skinny jeans.

I got my skinny jeans at Forever XXI (21, for those of us that don't read Roman Numerals easily -- me!) for less than $20. Pretty good deal, I must say. I decided to finally buy some because I just really wanted to wear the adorable boots everyone else wears over top of my jeans. Anyone that knows me knows that I am shoe obsessed. Why not broaden my shoe loving horizons to boots too? Oh, the excitement!

After I joined the world of hipsters and hot girls, I went to Petsmart, which is where all hipster/hot girls go. Right? This is only natural as my little Pekoe de Freako (my dog) will be expecting his usual stocking filled with toys on Christmas day. First of all, if you work at a store and your girlfriend comes to visit while you are still on shift, customers are still your first priority. Walking around hand-in-hand in the store with said girlfriend is not. When a customer is looking extremely lost looking for something specific, I genuinely suggest you offer help instead of - not even kidding - kissing your girlfriend in the main aisle! Seriously? Of all the times to say it...GET A ROOM.

I now move on to my check out experience. After finally finding a suitable toy for a destructive little chihuahua, I made my way to the cash register to pay. The cashier didn't have enough coin for change for my $20 bill. My change was supposed to be $12.66 and all he had was $12.50. I said, "Let me give you the $0.34 and then you can give me $13." To which the man replied, "That doesn't make sense, I have $12.50." Oh dear. Once I explained the basic math to him, we were fine...until he started talking about symbiotic relationships. Here I am buying a tiny little toy for my pint-sized dog and the cashier that can't do math wants to talk about symbiotic relationships?! As if I know what that is?!?!

So I googled it when I got home and I now understand that a symbiotic relationship is when one organism lives on another. Where did my helping him with math get his brain onto a track of thinking about organisms that live on one another?

I will never understand men. Not ever.

Day 6: Yellow and Orange Stripes


Sunshine on my feet in the form of yellow and orange stripes. I figured wearing socks with these colours would have to make my day a good day. So far it's been great, other than a test that I don't care to talk about in depth because I fear I may not have done as well as I had hoped. 

I went shopping today with a couple friends to a store I've never been to before in Marda Loop. It's called Crabapple Clothing Company. If you are looking for a store where you could spend a fortune on adorable (sometimes one-of-a-kind) items, this is the place for you. Think hand-knit scarves, cream-coloured pea coats with feminine, intricate black detailing and gorgeous silk blouses. Seriously, us ladies had to restrain ourselves so we didn't get carried away. This store also has delightful underwear that I was told about last night and just had to have a pair (or two...)! While there, Rebecca and I found these winter ear/head covering things. They are hand-knit and absolutely adorable. They are perfect for keeping your ears warm (in the ridiculous Calgary weather) when your hair is in a ponytail. I scoped it out, had Rebecca try it on for me since her hair was up, and we were both hooked. We both ended up buying it in inverse shades - mine is black with grey accents and hers is grey with black accents. They both have these adorable bows on the side...as a side note, I just typed 'boys' instead of 'bows' and laughed hysterically. 

So that was my adventure today. I feel that I deserved a little present after the test I wrote so I treated myself to Starbucks, new underwear and an adorable head/ear warmer. Happy Monday to me!!

xo  

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Day 5: Stitch


Last night I saw the movie 'How To Train Your Dragon' with some friends. I thought that the Night Fury "Toothless" reminded me of Stitch from Lilo and Stitch, so I decided to wear my Stitch socks today. Plus, they match my pants that I got at Lululemon (for $20!!) perfectly! My Stitch socks were from the Night Market in Vancouver - seriously, I need to go back to that place for more socks for this blog.

I have had a few people now say that they will give me some socks and/or send me some socks and that makes me really excited! I can't wait to start receiving them so I can wear socks I've never worn before and see what happens in my day!

Going back to school as a 'mature' student this year has been a huge life change for me. I had to leave my amazing dog, Pekoe, in BC while I made the trek to live in Calgary. I miss him every single day. Some days more than others. I also had to leave my Mom, Stepdad, brothers, grandparents, aunt and uncle, and many, many friends. It is hard to be away from them all, but I know that there is purpose to me being here and it's something that I needed to do. Plus, in moving here I've become re-acquainted with old friends and made such wonderful new friends!

The student part is difficult though. Now that I'm older I actually care about my grades. Gone are the days that a C+/B- average is alright with me. I now strive for A+, or at least an A, in my classes. It's a lot of work, but extremely rewarding when I succeed. This is probably the most challenging course load I've taken thus far, so it's nice to see that I am doing well (fingers crossed that finals won't hoop me)! I am extremely nervous for next semester though. I have 5 heavy courses, will be working part time, and am just today (when I should be studying) contemplating what aerobic classes I'm going to sign up for. I'm thinking I'll sign up for two classes! Maybe I'm crazy to try and fit all of that in, but I feel that I work best when I am kept busy and have an easier time not procrastinating when I don't have as much open time that I need to fill. Does that even make sense? In plainer English, I thrive on a busy schedule.

There is a certain apprehension I have when looking at next semester's schedule, but an excitement all the same because I know that I can do this. I am a grown up (eek!). I am capable. And I have a solid foundation of people that are encouraging me.

Okay Winter 2011: Bring. It. On.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Day 4: Hearts


Today my socks have hearts all over them. I think I got these for Christmas from my Mom at some point. Possibly not though, I can't really remember. They are very cute and cheery! 

Let me just pour my own heart out a little bit here. After speaking on the phone with a very close friend about our love lives, it is very apparent to me that as humans, we are desirous of giving and receiving love. Much like my post a couple of days ago there is the special love of a family, and the love of friends that have such a great impact on us. But, most of us also desire for a romantic, deep, and personal love with another person. 

In my dating life I have found that dating now that I'm older is much more difficult than it was when I was younger. When you are in high school or the first few years of University there are so many people around you all the time that dating is easy. It's a "he likes me", "I like him", kind of thing and that's really all you need to form the basis of a short-term (but we fool ourselves into thinking it's long-term) relationship. While that is great and fun, there are few people who marry those initial dating partners. I'm happy for the ones that do though - how amazing is it to get it right on the first try?!

For the rest of us that didn't marry our first loves, or even our second or third loves, there is still that deep-seated desire to find the "right" person, whether or not we consciously acknowledge this desire in our day-to-day lives. It is from this thought pattern though that I can't help but wonder why people don't seem to go on more dates. In movies, a 'dating' life is when you are single and you get asked out by a guy at, it seems, every turn. Where are these men in real life? I personally don't think I have ever been asked out to even coffee by a man with the intention to date me. I have been out for coffees, dinners and lunches with male friends where it's clear that there is no intention of dating each other, and that's fine. But when did men stop being gutsy enough to ask for a girl's attention? This whole phenomenon of women wearing the pants is just not my style, and therefore I wait. It's not a complacent, uninterested waiting. It's not laziness. It's a 'God is in control of my life and he'll give me the desires of my heart, in his time' kind of waiting. 

My advice to married couples: If you say you will set someone up with someone else: do it. Follow through. There is nothing worse than being told repeatedly "Oh I know the BEST guy/girl for you" and then never having an introduction happen for either person to decide if they're interested. If you are not willing to follow through, don't say anything at all.

My advice to single girls: Don't lose heart. God hears us when we are weary and he hears our prayers. He knows our desires, but we need to trust him enough to take care of those desires in his timing (not ours!), and trust that he is listening and understands. Easier said than done, to be sure, because faith can be messy. Sometimes we are mad at God for not giving us what we want right now, sometimes we are selfish, and sometimes we just want to scream because it can be hard to trust. He is there through it all. Listening. Comforting. Restoring. Talk to him.

My advice to single men: Be brave. Be courageous. Be a man. Ask girls on dates. Seriously, girls want to be asked. Even if she isn't interested, you tried and can now move on to someone worthy of your love and affection, instead of wasting your time on 'what if's'. Let God guide your decisions so that you can be the spiritual leader the Lord has called you to be in the relationship you finally enter into. 

Ok, now that I've laid that all out on the table, I must go and study.
xo

Friday, November 26, 2010

Day 3: Elmo


Today is Elmo's turn! I also purchased these Elmo socks at the Night Market in downtown Vancouver, sometime in the spring or summer (can't remember).

Elmo always reminds me of being little. I used to love watching Sesame Street, back in the days when it was still a Street, not a Park, and Ernie and Bert still had baths together and shared a bed. No one thought anything of that stuff back then. Elmo reminds me of bath time as a girl because I had the whole Sesame Street character set as bath toys. My Dad would talk like Grover, saying "Neaaarrr" and "Faaarrr", and make me laugh. Elmo reminds me of living on 4th Street and having my best friend, Lindsay, live in the apartment upstairs. We would have tea parties on the front lawn, do somersaults over the bars outside, watch The Little Mermaid, dance like fools to 'Walk Like An Egyptian' and 'Kokomo', and have sleepovers where her Mom would make us a snack tray before bed. We would giggle until we couldn't stay awake anymore (probably about 9pm - ha!). We both had adorable cats. Mine was named Tot and she was a Sealpoint Siamese. Oh man, I loved that cat. Lindsay's cat was named Thunder and he was grey and white. One time we tried to see if Thunder could fly and threw him off the 2nd story balcony at the pine tree. In hindsight it was really cruel, and totally stupid, but Thunder lived (thank goodness he held onto a pine tree branch) and we found him after just up the block, scared out of his mind. Gee, I wonder why.

Other things that remind me of being little:
- feety pajamas
- Smurf bedsheets
- CareBear sleeping bag (not sure why I had one, we didn't ever go camping)
- dresses
- purple rubber boots
- frilly socks (if anyone has a pair of these that would fit me and I could wear for a day - PLEASE send them!)
- sleepovers on the hide-a-bed
- Angels in the Outfield, Little Rascals, and what was that one with Devon Sawa that was about football? Shoot, I can't remember the name.
- the book - Bridge to Terabithia
- our hideous carpet and yellow kitchen appliances
- playing hide-and-seek in the apartment building
- rollerblading
- riding my bicycle
- my imaginary friend, Bentley. He got hit by a car.
- walking to school with my wet hair freezing into icicles on the way
- day care
- cuddling with Tot under the covers
- my Father taking photos of me crying (I can think of at least THREE specific pictures)...maybe I'll post them if I find them.

I could probably go on forever, but I will stop there. It's fun to think about the things that made up parts of your childhood and remind you of being small. As much fun as most of those things were though, I am really glad that I am older now and independent.

Dinner time...
xo