|
|
Tuesday, September 30, 2003
Halifax
For the last few weeks, I've had one thing consistently nagging at my head. It distracts me from my school work, makes my mind wander when I'm eating food, makes me feel discontent with where I am and lets me fantasize about flying away somewhere.
I want to live at the hostel, sit in the downstairs cafe with my feet up, read a book and sip iced chai latte. I'd work at Alteregos, the cafe and used bookstore in one, and earn my living by making Michelle's bagels (with cream cheese, tomatoes, sprouts and avocado) and serving organic coffee and those yummy chai lattes. On my days off, I'd take long walks by the shore followed by a meal of fish n' chips or quiche at the marketpplace, and then I'd sit and cross stitch by the ocean. The salty sea-air would whip through my hair and make my skin sticky. I'd go to the art gallery for free on Thursdays, see parades of men in kilts playing bagpipes, and walk everywhere. I'd never eat at McDonalds. I'll inherit a boat and go out into the ocean where I'll see seals, whales and lots of buoys. I'll pretend to go fishing, but really, I'll just be sunbathing. When I crave tea, I'll frequent the little chinese shop over there and have some of their lapsang souchong, or some peach green tea at a cafe by the water. I'll shop at Cow's, have some yummy ice cream and spend lots of money on funny cow products. I'll be surrounded by seafood, but I won't eat any lest I spend the night throwing it all up. I'll dance with giant puppets on the boardwalk, put flowers in my hair and get picked up at the casino by old, creepy men. I'll go to the used bookstore, tuck myself away in a corner and read all of my childhood favourites. I'll talk to strangers. All the time. About Robertson Davies, the municipal government, their business, their hopes and dreams. And I'll tell them that when I was 19 years old, I spent a week in Halifax and dreamed about living there ever since.
I'm so in love.
This makes me sad.
5:31 pm
Monday, September 29, 2003
Little Things
Little pleasure: I got 100% on my first university calculus quiz. Wahoo! Though the uber-easy level of questioning will never be seen again, I am still rather excited. And in other pleasurable news, I got 93.3333333% on my economics quiz! Now, let us all sigh in relief. Thank goodness, I don't think I'll fail afterall.
Little displeasure: Mr. Fish died last night. He was perfectly fine all day long, swimming, eating and doing all the other fun things that goldfish do. I left him for the night, and when I came back this morning, there he was lying at the bottom of the bowl. At least he went peacefully in his sleep. Requiescant in pace, Mr. Fish.
Little stress: An economics test scheduled for this Friday has me a bit concerned. It's worth 18%. And I worked my bum off for that other quiz that was worth 2% last week. If anyone needs me, I'll be studying 24/7 in the Science Building (like anyone really knows where that is).
Little oddity: Someone has been playing Christmas carols all weekend. Right now, I'm hearing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" through the wall.
4:25 pm
Sunday, September 28, 2003
The Morning After
I just got up, haven't showered and am still wearing the make up from the night before. Mmm...Saturday night escapades to The Silver Spur. Lots of hicky locals, karaoke and alcohol are a good mix.
I'm hungry and yet there are no breakfast places that are open on campus right now. Boo. I'd like to write in complete, coherent sentences, but my stomach rumbles so that I can't really concentrate on anything but food. I've had granola bars for breakfast for three days now and I don't think I want to go for four. There's always Harveys, but I hate the slowslowslow service there. Those new first years really don't know how to make food fast.
Mike pointed out to me that I whine a lot. It's true. I do.
We went to Chapters and saw Gordon Korman doing a book signing. There was also a guy who taught you how to make driftwood furniture and another author signing some other books. This Chapters is so much more interesting than the one in Markham. We spent lots of money on books and then we went to a used book store, The Bookworm, and spent some more. Bad part: I bought The Secret Life of Bees at Chapters for $21 at 30% off, but it was at The Bookworm for $9.95. So now I have to find my way to Chapters to return the more expensive copy.
My don just invited me to all-you-can-eat breakfast at Wlif's. Eggs sunny-side up, here I come.
12:09 pm
Thursday, September 25, 2003
Points
My fish tried to escape last night. He jumped out of his mini-bowl and since he's right by the window, he almost fell out. I thought he was going to asphyxiate in addition to falling to his death. So I reached out the window for him and cut my wrist on the glass.
OR
I applied for a volunteer position with Laurier Students For Literacy (LSFL) and haven't received a phone call regarding my interview yet. So I started cutting myself. Mainly my wrist.
OR
Brittany was practicing First Aid to be on the Emergency Response Team (ERT) and used me as her sprained wrist subject.
I didn't end up going to Filthy's Monday night. Is anyone really that surprised? I'm not.
The weather here is so bipolar. Some days it will be rainy, cold and miserable. Other days will be sunny and cold. Or sunny and warm. Everyday is a surprise.
I've whittled myself down to about 2 meals a day. Sometimes it's one full one and a few snacks.
If my parents knew I was reading the Bible they'd kill me. It's for a class, but still.
I laughed so hard last night I nearly threw up.
10:52 am
Monday, September 22, 2003
Re: Previous Entry's Comments
It's funny, you all think I'm an alcoholic now. The truth is, I'm not. Hey, I managed to stave off alcohol for all of Frosh Week. Until the Saturday. What's funnier still, is the fact that I'm going to Filthy McNasty's tonight for Vicki's (one of my floormates) birthday. It's a bar. That is all I will say.
*ahem*
On my way to find a quiet place to read today, I noticed a man in a suit holding a microphone standing around in the Concourse. Beside him was a man holding a camera with CTV plastered over it. Upon closer inspection, it seemed they were looking for a Laurier Business student. Being the wonderful Laurier Business student that I am, I stepped up to him and offered my assistance. To make a long story short, I might have been on the 6 o'clock news tonight speaking my mind regarding deregulation. I think it sucks. Wahoo.
In other news (ha ha), I did end up going back to Markham Friday afternoon. It was wet and the trip took about 5 hours. I'd like to think it was worth it. On Saturday I went to CGPS's 10th Anniversary and it was there that I saw some old, familiar faces. The first was Mandy, the Mandy that I've known and adored since 4th grade, and on Saturday I was reminded of why this girl is so cool. She's an extremely talented musician and she also started up her own accessories line over the summer, Pinkstix Life Accessories. Give it a looksee.
House Council training yesterday left me tired and with a new pet. They gave every new HC Exec member a goldfish to demonstrate the "Fishbowl Effect" when it comes to being on House Council. "You're now in a position of power and influence, therefore others will watch your every move from every angle. Like a fish in a jar." Slightly creepy, but I think I'll deal just fine, thanks. I couldn't think of a good name for my new fish, so I'm just going to call him Fish. That's how original and creative I can be folks.
8:11 pm
Thursday, September 18, 2003
All Work And No Play
First. New links. How did I miss you before?
Second. Nothing much.
It's Thursday night and that means it's party night here at Laurier. Most people don't have Friday classes or just don't attend them, so they go clubbing and barring and drink until their faces fall off. I, on the other hand, am sitting at my computer desperately trying to finish some applications for WLUSU, our Students' Union. I'm hoping to join First Year Council and take part in LSFL (Laurier Students For Literacy) and read to kids on Saturday mornings.
It's been a long day. I'm tired and feel like one big party-pooper. I know I'm perfectly capable of having fun, even especially in an inebriated state (oh believe you me, I can drink). Just don't spread that around. I'm not griping. And I'm not a loner. I chose to stay in tonight because I want to finish these applications and do my calc work for tomorrow. Fun is for the weekend. Why does it sound like I'm trying to convince myself?
Third. I was planning to come home this weekend, but with Isabel threatening to blow us all away while drowning us at the same time, my mother thinks it best for me to stay at school. I was looking forward to attending Coppard Glen's 10th Anniversary celebration on Saturday too. CGPS was my elementary school and I was there from the very first day that it opened. I remember this (among a multitude of other things about that place, but this is one of my favourites): The last day of classes before Christmas break, the entire school (staff included) fit into one of the classrooms and sang Christmas carols.
8:48 pm
Tuesday, September 16, 2003
I GOT IT!
Shirley,
Thank you for applying for the position of President for the 2003-2004 Willison Hall House Council. It was a pleasure to meet you in the interview process and we are pleased to offer you the opportunity to serve as President. Congratulations!
I am so elated right now I feel as though I am going to burst at my freakin' seams!
Eee-layyyyyyy-ted!
Now let's all together make random celebration noises.
Yeahyeahyeahyeahyeah!
Wahoo!
Whoopdeedoo!
Yeeeee-aw!
YES! YESYESYESYESYES!
Yay! Yaaaaaaay!
House Council Presidency, here I come!
*sigh of contentment*
11:17 am
Friday, September 12, 2003
Ahmit Sucks
Monday: I see a poster, amidst the multitude of other posters, in the Concourse regarding the sale of used books. This one caught my because the guy who posted it is selling the Microeconomics text I need for only $25. "Wow! What a steal, the Bookstore is selling it for $58! I'm going to get his phone number right now and call him when I get home." I get back to my room and e-mail him instead because he did not put his phone number on the poster.
Tuesday: The bookseller guy named Ahmit calls me and leaves a message on my machine. I call him back as soon as I can. Not home. "Can you tell him that Shirley is extremely interested in buying the EC120 text off him? Thanks, Ahmit's roommate."
Wednesday: I am now on a first name basis with this Ahmit character's roommate, but I forget what it is at this moment. Ahmit never seems to be home and is fond of not returning phone calls.
Thursday: I call again. For the seventeenth time. I want that book dagnabit! I e-mail him. I call. I e-mail. Nothing. So I naturally assumed that this guy has sold his book and that I should look elsewhere. I make some other calls and find someone who's willing to give it to me for $40. A bit more than I wanted to pay, but beggars can't be choosers. I walk over, pay him, get my book, chat for a bit with his hosuemates (who sit outside and count the number of U-turns people take on their street; they're having a party at 200 and I'm invited), and go home. Half an hour later Ahmit calls back.
Oh you're freaking kidding me. You want to sell it to me for $25 now?!? I just paid $40 for another one half an hour ago because you didn't get back to me until it was too late! Jeebus Ahmit, you suck.
1:58 pm
Wednesday, September 10, 2003
Judged By Its Title
Trying to get all my books for class has been a headache and a half. I'm getting most of them used to cut down on costs, but the time it takes is quickly adding up. Picking through posters in the Concourse, getting phone numbers, calling the people, arranging to meet them, handing over your money, and then doing it all over again because the stuff they sold you can't really be used in your class. Wee.
So today I headed over to the trusty Laurier Bookstore to make some hefty academic and not-so academic purchases. Both of my business packages, two texts for Classics, three used CDs (how could resist the Foo Fighters, Garbage and Me First and The Gimme Gimmes? I couldn't. That's the point.), and a book. I was lining up for the cash desk and out of the corner of my eye I see I Love You Like A Tomato. It was a novel of some sort. I picked it off the shelf, considered the way in which I could love someone like a tomato, and added it to my pile of literature.
I bought it. I don't know what it's about it. Maybe people. And tomatoes. But I won't find out for sure for a while because I have no time to read anything for pleasure. I don't judge books by their covers, this one has a pretty tame one and I still bought it. I judge books by their titles.
Post scriptum: I lied. I judge books by their covers too.
Oh come on, who doesn't?
5:34 pm
Monday, September 08, 2003
Classes Were Fun Today
I want to say something, but I'm too lazy right now to write it out in full, so here we go with bullet points again!
- Today was laundry day.
- Not because I ran out of underwear, but because I wanted to do it.
- Really, I ran out of pants.
- Separating my colours and whites were fun.
- I used detergent tablets for the first time.
- I checked all my pants pockets for unwashable items.
- Found nothing.
- After the cycle was done I found a sock in the load that wasn't mine.
- Into the dryer we went.
- Not me, just my wet clothes.
- I forgot to put in a dryer sheet.
- No Bounce freshness for me.
- An hour later I bounce downstairs excitedly. Couldn't wait for that folding party.
- I take my extremely dry clothing out of the machine.
- It was funny because my clothes looked smaller.
- And one of my red tops wasn't so red anymore.
To Buy: Drying rack for my room.
8:29 pm
Thanks For The Phone Hug Mikey
So far, I like living on my own. I almost love it. It was unfortunate that Frosh Week made me feel like I was back in high school, but despite that, nearly losing my voice, being malnutritioned and sleep deprived, I had fun. The girls on my floor are nice, my frosh group was nice, my breakers, my don, everyone is nice. Except that girl who snubbed me this morning. But funnily enough, the niceness wasn't really what I was looking for. Don't get me wrong, I love nice people, but nothing felt....comfortable. It was like everyone was just being nice because they had to, not because they were, and if they weren't then they wouldn't make any friends. Nothing felt real. Perhaps it's asking a bit much to find a genuine friendship during the first week of school...I certainly wouldn't recommend it because it didn't make me feel too hot.
Thursday night felt yucky. I longed to see a familiar face, a really good friend who knew me and didn't even need to say anything to let me know that they cared. I needed a really good hug. Alright, enough with the sappy cynicism. It was just that one night. I'm making friends (many of them potentials for being comfy-long-term ones), and I'm having a good time, I really am. My room is lovely and spacious. I see my boy lots. I'm excited for classes tomorrow. Things are swell.
My parents visited today. Oh how they spoil me. They brought with them:
- a 4.4 cubic foot fridge
- a several litre Brita filter
- Dare oatmeal cookies
- Ritz (with 50% less salt)
- soda crackers
- Mixed Berry cereal bars
- Kellogg's Rice Krispies
- assorted mini cereal boxes
- a loaf of whole wheat Texas Toast
- Apple Cinnamon Pop Tarts
- a jar of grape jelly
- a jar of Skippy peanut butter
- a can of Carnation hot chocolate mix
- 48 bottles of Aberfoyle water
- McCain fruit punch tetra paks
- 2 litres of skim milk
- a package of 24 slices of skim cheese
- 5 oranges
- a tub of margarine
- 4 cups of assorted fruit yogurts
- 11 royal gala apples
- 8 black plums
- 3 bananas
- 1 Chinese Lantern Festival moon cake
- a whole homemade by grandma cake
- 3 styrofoam containers filled with: fried rice, egg noodles, dumplings and Vietnamese sausage
Do I look like I can consume that amount of food before it goes bad? OY. At this rate, I will never tell my family that I miss home food again, or else I'll never need my meal plan.
12:28 am
Friday, September 05, 2003
Tidbits From An Ocean Go-er
When people asked why we were in Halifax we answered, "For fun", a response which was immediately followed by a strange look because apparently people don't go to Hailfax for fun. But here's the story I've grown rather fond of telling, the true story behind WHY we really went to Nova Scotia (in point form).
-The boy and I are chatting on the phone about a book, She's Come Undone, which I recently let him borrow.
-We discuss the significance about how Dolores never lives far away from the ocean.
-I mention that I've never seen the ocean before.
-To which Jason replied, "Really??"
-A few weeks later we're on a plane to the Maritimes.
-Insert "Aww..." here.
-I thank him for taking me to Halifax (to see the ocean). Seventeen million times.
-We then pay lots of money to go on a whale watch.
-The boat goes round and round the Atlantic (which I'm very happy to see), but alas, we see no whales.
-I announce my disappointment because the last time I went on a whale watch, my family saw lots of them. One even came close enough to the boat for me to see the rough, bumpy skin on its back and smell the gross spray they shoot through that blowhole of theirs.
-The following discussion follows:
Him: "So, you've been on a whale watch before?"
Me: "Yeah, when my family went on some trip to Quebec. You know how they have lots of those boat tour thingies."
Him: "You went whale watching in Quebec?"
Me: "Yeah. In a boat. On the water. Whales."
Him: *squinty, questioning, confused eyes*
Me: *thinking about the logic in what I just said*
-Finally I say, "Oh! I'm so stupid! I didn't go whale watching in Quebec! There's no whales in the St. Lawrence. Ha ha."
-I think that I've saved myself from something potentially quite embarrassing.
-I then say, "So it wasn't Quebec, it was in Boston, when we went to visit my uncle. You know, whale watching in Boston."
-To which he replies, "So you've seen the ocean before?"
Uh oh. The boy takes me to Halifax, thinking that I've never seen the ocean before, and lo and behold, I have. Whoops. Hopefully, I'll remember this trip to the Atlantic more so than the last one.
I have no photos here unfortunately, but you can visit him and check some of them out.
8:34 pm
Tuesday, September 02, 2003
I'll Write About Halifax Eventually
Blogger has been down for nearly a week, and waiting to blog has nearly killed me. I won't start to rant and rave about how stupid this system can be sometimes lest certain people start telling me to use Moveable Type. You know who you are, and I don't want to see any comments about Moveable Type! I know it's good, but I'm happy where I am.
Speaking of being "where I am", here I am at Laurier! Packing was almost a nightmare, computer shopping was worse, but I did it. My room is so big that I'm convinced I didn't bring enough. So my daddy's comng back on Sunday to deliver more stuff. My counter screwed up and I moved in on Monday morning, not Sunday. Since that eventful day, not even 48 hours ago, I have cheered until I thought my voice was going to leave me, clapped until my hands stung, waited 2 hours in the rain to load a bus, seen Matthew Good play live, hung a chopstick from between my legs and dipped it into a water bottle, and made at least 25 new friends along with 25 new closets.
Frosh Week has been wonderful so far, and I'm having a good time, but...you wanna know a secret? Don't tell anyone, but...I really want to start school. Like, really. I want to do the real university thing; going to classes, taking notes, reading and highlighting, leaving residence to go study somewhere quiet. Shhh! I said don't tell! It's true, I'm a nerd. But I'm a nerd who saw Matt Good live! Man, that concert last night was a 2 hour musical orgasm. When I heard that he was the surprise person who was going to play, "Yes! Yes! YES!" came out of me. I squished my way to the front where I stood smushed in between other Matt Good enthusiasts, and together we head banged, sweated profusely and drooled over Matt as he pranced around the stage playing his guitar frantically. I asked him to marry me 3 times, but he didn't respond. SIGH.
Something weird: I'm considered the computer-literate one on my floor.
5:04 pm
|
